阅读理解精练

閱读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。

（一）

The first breath-taking pictures of the Earth taken from space showed it as a solid ball covered by brown land masses and blue-green oceans. We had never seen the Earth from that distance before. To us， it appeared as though the Earth had always looked that way and always would. Scientists now know， however， that the surface of the Earth is not as permanent as we had thought.

Scientists explain that the surface of our planet is always moving. Continents moves about the Earth like huge ships at sea. They float on pieces of the Earths outer skin. New outer skin is created as melted rock pushed up from below the ocean floor. Old outer skin is destroyed as it rolls down into the hot area and melts again.

Only since the 1960s have scientists really began to understand that the planet Earth is a great living machine. Some experts have said this new understanding is one of the most important revolutions in scientific thought. The revolution is based on the work of scientists who study the movement of the continents—a science called plate tectonics.

The modern story of plate tectonics begins with the German scientist Alfred Wegener. Before World War One， Wegener argued that the continents had moved and were still moving. He said the idea first occurred to him when he observed that the coastlines of South America and Africa could fit together like two pieces of a puzzle. He proposed that the two continents might have been one and then split apart.

Wegener was not the first person to wonder about the shape of the continents. About 500 years ago， explorers thought about it when they made the first maps of Americas. The explorers noted the east coast of North America and South America would fit almost exactly into the west coast of Europe and south Africa. What the explorers did not do， but Wegener did， was to investigate the idea that the continents move.

1. What does the writer mainly tell us in the passage？

A. The first breath-taking pictures of the Earth taken from space.

B. Humans recognition of the earths surface.

C. The German scientist Alfred Wegener.

D. The early explorers discovery.

2. Which of the following is true according to the passage？

A. We didnt see the Earth from far away until we saw the picture taken in the space.

B. Our ancient thought that the surface of the earth is still.

C. Alfred Wegener was not the first person to investigate the idea that the continents move.

D. The coastline of India and Africa fit together.

3. The last word of the third paragraph “tectonics” mean “________”.

A. study of construction

B. study of architecture

C. earth surface

D. structural geology

4. What did the explorers find？

A. The coastlines of South America and Africa could fit together.

B. The coastlines of North America and Africa could fit together.

C. The east coastlines of North America and the west coast of Europe could fit together.

D.The coastlines of North America and India could fit together.

（二）

To Chinese immigrants， in the mid-1800s， California was “The Land of the Golden Mountain.” In their homeland they had heard the words， “Theres gold in California.” They sailed 7，000miles to join the gold rush and strike it rich. Between 1849 and 1882， more than 30，000 Chinese came to California. Most were men. They had been farmers in China. They came here to be miners and laborers. They ended up doing many other jobs， too.

Like many other immigrants， they did not plan to stay in America. They came because of their ties to their homeland and their families. They planned to return to China with their fortunes and help their families.

Only a few Chinese gold miners struck it rich. Most picked over the areas that had been mined already. But still， white miners resented the Chinese. Slowly， they drove the “yellow peril” from the mining camps.

By the end of the 1850s， many Chinese returned home. Those who stayed found other jobs.

Few women had come west in the gold rush. The Chinese saw a good business opportunity. They began doing the jobs women would have done. Many became house servants. Many more opened laundries.

The Chinese opened restaurants. Chop suey and show mein are popular Chinese-American dishes. The Chinese probably created these dishes to serve to the white miners.

Other Chinese became fishermen， farmers， and even cigar makers.

1. Why did Chinese go to America in the mid-1800s？

A. Because they could find good jobs there.

B. Because they had found gold there.

C. Because they could open laundries and restaurants there.

D. Because they heard there was gold there.

2. The underlined word “resented” mean “________”.

A. liked          B. helped        C. hated         D. served

3. Which of the following was NOT mentioned in the passage？

A. Some Chinese became drivers.

B. Many Chinese opened shops to help wash clothes.

C. Many Chinese picked gold around the old mines.

D. Many Chinese returned to China by the end of the 1850s.

4. Which should be the title of the passage？

A. Early Chinese immigrants in America

B. Dream to strike it rich

C. The difference between men and women

D. Gold miners in America

（三）

WASHINGTON， Sept. 23—The House of Representatives， which prides itself on being “the Peoples House” has been turning into a rich mans club.

The representatives newly elected in 1984 were almost four times as wealthy as the first term lawmakers elected only six years before， according to a new study on the members financial reports.

Behind this remarkable swing， the study says， are two main factors： a court decision that outlawed limits on what candidates could give to their own campaigns， and the enormous growth in the cost of pursuing a seat in congress. As a result， it is increasingly difficult for candidates of modest means， particularly women to amount successful challenge to entrenched office holders.

One solution， the authors contend， is a system of public financing for campaigns， but congress seems in no mood to change the political rules any time soon.

“The lower chamber is going upper class，” said Mark Green， the president of The Democracy Project， a public policy institute based in New York. “But this evolution from a House of Representatives to a House of Lords denies the diversity of our democracy. It establishes a de facto property qualification for office that increasingly says： low and middle income need not apply.

The Democracy Project produced the study in cooperation with the United States Public Interest Research Group， a similar institute situated in Washington. But their research was not entirely theoretical. In 1980 Mr Green was the unsuccessful Democratic candidate for Congress in New Yorks 15th District， in Manhattan. The winner was Bill Green， one of the wealthiest members of Congress.

1. What can we know from the passage？

A. The House of Representatives is poor mens club.

B. The House of Representatives was made up of people with low and middle income.

C. The House of Representatives was rich mens club.

D. The House of Representatives is made up of people with low and middle income.

2. What does “this remarkable swing” in the second paragraph refer to？

A. The House of Representatives prides itself on being “the peoples House”.

B. The new study based on the members financial reports.

C. A court decision that outlawed limits on what candidates could give to their own campaigns.

D. The representatives elected now are much wealthier than those elected a few years ago.

3. Which of the following is NOT true according to the study？

A. Any honest man can become a representative of the House.

B. Women are more difficult than men to be an entrenched office holder.

C. Limits on what a candidate could give to his campaign are outlawed.

D. One must spend much money getting a seat in the Congress.

4. What is the United States Public Interest Research Group like？

A. The House of Representatives.

B. A public policy institute based in New York.

C. A public policy institute based in Washington.

D. The House of lords.

（四）

George Washington Carver showed that plant life was more than just food for animals and humans. Carvers first step was to analyze plant parts to find out what they were made of. He then combined these simpler isolated substances with other substances to create new products.

The branch of chemistry that studies and finds ways to use raw materials from farm products to make industrial products is called chemurgy. Carver was one of the first and greatest chemurgists of all time. Today the science of chemurgy is better known as the science of synthetics[合成纖维织物]. Each day people depend on and use synthetics made from raw materials. All his life Carver battled against the disposal of waste materials， and warned of the growing need to develop substitutes[代用品] for the natural substances being used up by humans.

Carver never cared about getting credit for the new products he created. He never tried to patent[申请专利] his discoveries or get wealthy from them. He turned down many offers to leave Tuskegee Institute to become a scientist in private industry. Thomas Edison， inventor of the electric light， offered him a laboratory in Detroit to carry out food research. When the United States government made him a collaborator in the Mycology and Plant Disease Survey of the Department of Agriculture， he accepted the position with the understanding that he wouldnt leave Tuskegee. An authority on plant disease—especially of the fungus[真菌] variety—Carver sent hundreds of specimens[标本] to the United States Department of Agriculture. At the peak of his career， Carvers fame and influence were known on every continent.

1. What does the passage mainly tell us？

A. It mainly tells us about Gorge Washington Carver， a great chemurgist.

B. It mainly tells us about chemurgy.

C. It mainly tells us about the research made in Tuskegee.

D. It mainly tells us about the development of making synthetics.

2. The underlined word “disposal” in the second paragraph mean “________”.

A. control                                   B. throwing away

C. management                            D. keeping

3. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage？

A. Make a study of plant parts.

B. Make new products out of farm products.

C. Carver helped the United States Department of Agriculture.

D. Make a study on animal disease.

4. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage？

A. Carver never patented what he discovered.

B. Carver refused many offers to work in private companies.

C. Carver made little money out of his discoveries.

D. Carver helped Edison invent electric light.

【答案與解析】

（一）

1. B 主旨大意题。根据文章第 1 段最后一句中的 however 及全文内容可知，文章主要谈论人类对地壳表面的形成的认识。故答案选 B。

2. A 推理判断题。根据文章第 1 段的第 1、2 句可知，人们直到看到从太空对地球所拍的照片后才知道从远方看地球的情形。故答案选 A。

3. D 词义猜测题。根据其所在的句子 who study the movement of the continents—a science called plate… 及地理常识可知答案选 D。

4. C 事实细节题。根据文章最后一段中的 The explorers noted the east coast of North America and South America would fit almost exactly into the west coast of Europe and south Africa 及倒数第 2 段中的 the coastlines of South America and Africa could fit together like two pieces of a puzzle 可知答案应该选 C。

（二）

1. D 事实细节题。根据短文第 1 段的第 2 句 In their homeland they had heard the words， “Theres gold in California.” 可知，他们是因为听说“在California 有金子”才去美国的，因此答案为 D。

2. C 词义猜测题。根据下文的 Slowly， they drove the “yellow peril” from the mining camps 可知答案为 C。

3. A 事实细节题。根据第 3 段的第 2 句 Most picked over the areas that had been mined already，倒数第 3 段最后一句 Many more opened laundries 以及第 4 段内容可排除 B、C、D 三项，故可知答案为 A。

4. A 主旨大意题。根据文章第 1 段的第 1 句 及全文的内容可知答案为A。

（三）

1. B 事实细节题。 根据文章第 1 段及倒数第 2 段的最后一句low and middle income need not apply 可知答案为 B。

2. D 词义猜测题。根据句子结构及第 1， 2 段的内容可知，这里指上文所提到的事情，故答案是 D。

3. A 推理判断题。根据文章倒数第 2 段的最后一句 It establishes a de facto property qualification for office that increasingly says： low and middle income need not apply 可知，收入中、低档的人不具备资格可知答案为A。

4. C 事实细节题。 根据文章最后一段中的 a similar institute situated in Washington 可知答案为 C。

（四）

1. A 主旨大意题。从文章的第 1 句 George Washington Carver showed that plant life was more than just food for animals and humans 和文章的最后一句 At the peak of his career， Carvers fame and influence were known on every continent 以及全文的内容可看出，全文是在介绍 Carver 在植物方面的研究对世界所产生的影响。故答案选 A。

2. B 词义猜测题。根据上文的 battled against 以及下文的 of waste materials， and warned of the growing need to develop substitutes for the natural substances being used up by humans  可推知答案为 B，意思是“对废物不恰当的处置”。

3. D 事实细节题。根据文章第 1 段的第 2 句 排除选项 A;根据文章第 2 段的第 1 句 排除选项 B;根据文章最后一段的倒数第 2 句 排除选项 C;从而得出答案为 D。

4. D 推理判断题。根据文章最后一段的第 2 句 排除选项 A;根据文章最后一段的第 3 句排除选项 B;根据文章最后一段的第 2 句 排除选项C;从而得出答案为 D。