阅读理解四则

陈　娟　姜红伟

(1)

人类不同于其他动物之处是，人类会思考、会说话，能够制造工具，使用工具。人类到底是怎样进化来的呢？是怎样创造了当今的世界呢？

Man has a big brain(大脑). He can think，learn and speak. Scientists once thought that men are different from animals because they can think and learn. They now know that animals can learn——dogs，cats，birds can learn. So scientists are beginning to understand that men are different from animals because they can speak，animals can not speak. Animals make noises when they are afraid or angry. Apes(猿) can not understand some things more quickly than human. One or two of them have learnt a few words，but they are still different from us. They can not join words and make sentences. They can not think like us because they have no languages. They can never think about the past or the future. Man has been able to build a modern(现代的) world because he has languages. Every child can speak his own language very well when he is four or five，but no animal learns to speak. How do children learn？Scientists do not really know. What happens when we speak？Scientists do not know. They only know that man can speak because he has a big brain.

根据短文内容，从A、B、C、D中选择最佳答案。

1. In what way are men different from animals？

A. Men can understand things quickly.

B. Men have learned to use languages.

C. Men can learn.

D. Men have brains.

2. _______can think about the past or the future.

A. Apes B. Animals

C. Men D. Both animals and men

3. Apes can not_______.

A. make noises B. understand things

C. learn words D. speak like man

4. Scientists now know_______.

A. mans brain helps him to speak

B. why apes can learn a few words

C. man has a big brain

D. apes can understand some things more quickly than haman

5. The best title of this passage is “_______”.

A. Apes Language

B. Mens Brain and Language

C. Human Brain

D. Man and Animals

Key：1-5 BCDAD

(2)

有人说，字迹可以代表一个人的性格。凭借一个人的字迹可以判断出他的性格。真是这样吗？下面这篇短文讲述了一个笑话，听后让人忍俊不禁。

There was a famous French writer. He was a man of great achievements(成就). He said that one of his main achievements was his study of handwriting. He had spent much time on it and he often told his friends that he could tell a persons character from the persons handwriting.

One day，a woman brought him a page of a boys handwriting. She said that she wanted to know what he thought of the boys character(性格).

He studied the handwriting carefully for a few minutes. Then he looked at the woman strangely. She told him that the boy was not in her family and that he did not have to worry.

“Good！” said the writer，“Then I can tell you.” He went on to say that he thought the boy was stupid(愚蠢的) and lazy. He added that the boy should be watched carefully，if not，he would bring harm to his family when he grew up.

“Isnt that strange？” said the woman，smiling，“Because this is a page from your own exercise book. You wrote it yourself when you were a boy.”

根据短文内容，从A、B、C、D中选择最佳答案。

1. It took the writer a lot of time_______.

A. to read books B. to make friends

C. to write books D. to study the handwriting

2. The writer said that from a persons_______，he could tell the persons character.

A. pronunciation B. handwriting

C. smiling face D. speech

3. The woman wanted to_______.

A. know the writer B. help the writer

C. visit the writer D. test the writer

4. The writer was sure that the boy_______.

A. was not worth teaching

B. would do good deeds for his family

C. would do wrong to his family

D. would work hard

5. From the story we know_______.

A. the woman knew the writer very well

B. the writer knew the woman well

C. neither of them knew each other

D. both of them knew each other well

Keys：1-5 DBDCA

(3)

电视越来越受到人们的青睐，以至几乎家家户户都有电视机。电视节目能让人们从大千世界中获取更多的信息。

Many people like to watch TV. Watching TV is one of the most important activities(活动) of the day. TV brings the outside world closer to peoples homes. Some people say the world is smaller than before，because of TV.

Whats going on in other countries？How do people live thousands of miles away？Is there a good sports game somewhere？Whats the life in the deepest(最深的) part of the sea？

If you want to answer these questions，just turn on your TV set and watch it. With its help you can see and learn a lot. Of course，people can also learn through reading or listening to the radio. But with TV they can learn better and more easily. Why？Because with TV they can hear and watch，at the same time.

TV helps us to open our eyes. TV also helps us to open our minds(思想). TV often gives us new ideas. We learn newer and better ways of doing things.

根据短文内容，从A、B、C、D中选择最佳答案。

1. Some people say the world is smaller than before because_______.

A. TV makes the earth smaller and smaller

B. all people like to watch TV

C. watching TV is one of the most important activities of the day

D. TV brings the outside world closer to people

2. We can_______ when we watch TV.

A. go to live in the other countries

B. answer many questions

C. get a lot of information

D. ask TV some questions

3. People learn better through TV than through the radio because_______.

A. TV sets are bigger than radios

B. people can not only hear but also watch

C. without TV people cant open their eyes

D. its easier to turn on TV than to turn on the radio

4. The sentence “TV also helps to open our minds” means “_______”.

A. our minds can only be opened by TV

B. something is wrong with our minds

C. it can help us to increase our knowledge

D. TV is new to us

5. This article(文章) has told us_______.

A. its good to watch TV

B. not to watch TV any more

C. students shouldnt watch TV at any time

D. to stop reading to watch TV

Keys：1-5 DCBCA

(4)

阅读的好处数不胜数。你想知道阅读到底有什么好处吗？

Reading for pleasure is the easiest way to become a better reader in English. It is also the most important way.

Some students say they dont want to read for pleasure. They say they want to use their time to learn the rules of the language and new words. They say that pleasure reading is too easy.

Many experts(专家) say pleasure reading is very important for learning English. Dr. Stephen Krashen，a famous expert on learning languages，says that pleasure reading helps you learn many important things about English. Students learn more grammar and more words when they read for pleasure. They also learn more about good writing.

Dr. Krashen tells us that pleasure reading helps each student in a different way. Each student needs to learn something different. Pleasure reading makes it possible for each student to learn what he or she needs.

Reading for pleasure is not the same as studying. When you read for pleasure，you choose your own books，and you dont have to remember everything. There are no tests on your pleasure reading books. Pleasure reading will help you：

· learn how English speakers use English

· read faster in English

· find examples of good writing in English

· learn new words

· learn about the cultures(文化) of English speakers

根据短文内容，回答下列问题：

1. Is pleasure reading important for learning English？

2. Which is the easier way to become a better reader，pleasure reading or studying？

3. What do some students think of pleasure reading？

4. How can we become better readers？

5. Whats the greatest advantage of pleasure reading？

Key：1. Yes. /Yes，it is.

2. Pleasure reading (is).

3. Its too easy. /Its not useful/helpful/important.

4. By doing pleasure reading.

5. We can learn what we need by doing pleasure reading.