2013-2014学年高考第二轮专题复习提分训练专题十六推理判断英语试卷（解析版）

一、阅读理解

1. 难度：中等

(2013·高考新课标全国卷Ⅰ，B)The baby is just one day old and has not yet left hospital.She is quiet but alert (警觉)．Twenty centimeters from her face researchers have placed a white card with two black spots on it.She stares at it carefully.A researcher removes the card and replaces it by another，this time with the spots differently spaced.As the cards change from one to the other，her gaze(凝视) starts to lose its focus—until a third，with three black spots，is presented.Her gaze returns：she looks at it for twice as long as she did at the previous card.Can she tell that the number two is different from three，just 24 hours after coming into the world?

Or do newborns simply prefer more to fewer? The same experiment，but with three spots shown before two，shows the same return of interest when the number of spots changes.Perhaps it is just the newness? When slightly older babies were shown cards with pictures of objects (a comb，a key，an orange and so on)，changing the number of objects had an effect separate from changing the objects themselves.Could it be the pattern that two things make，as opposed to three? No again.Babies paid more attention to squares moving randomly on a screen when their number changed from two to three，or three to two.The effect even crosses between senses.Babies who were repeatedly shown two spots became more excited when they then heard three drumbeats than when they heard just two；likewise (同样地) when the researchers started with drumbeats and moved to spots.

1.The experiment described in Paragraph 1 is related to the baby’s________.

A．sense of hearing B．sense of sight

C．sense of touch D．sense of smell

2.Babies are sensitive to the change in________.

A．the size of cards B．the colour of pictures

C．the shape of patterns D．the number of objects

3.Why did the researchers test the babies with drumbeats?

A．To reduce the difficulty of the experiment.

B．To see how babies recognize sounds.

C．To carry their experiment further.

D．To keep the babies’ interest.

4.Where does this text probably come from?

A．Science fiction.

B．Children’s literature.

C．An advertisement.

D．A science report.

2. 难度：中等

(2013·高考新课标全国卷Ⅱ，B)In 1947 a group of famous people from the art world headed by an Austrian conductor decided to hold an international festival of music，dance and theatre in Edinburgh.The idea was to reunite Europe after the Second World War.

It quickly attracted famous names such as Alec Guinness，Richard Burton，Dame Margot Fonteyn and Marlene Dietrich as well as the big symphony orchestras(交响乐团)．It became a fixed event every August and now attracts 400,000 people yearly.

At the same time，the “Fringe” appeared as a challenge to the official festival.Eight theatre groups turned up uninvited in 1947，in the belief that everyone should have the right to perform，and they did so in a public house disused for years.

Soon，groups of students firstly from Edinburgh University，and later from the universities of Oxford and Cambridge，Durham and Birmingham were making the journey to the Scottish capital each summer to perform theatre by little­known writers of plays in small church halls to the people of Edinburgh.

Today the“Fringe”，once less recognized，has far outgrown the festival with around 1,500 performances of theatre，music and dance on every one of the 21 days it lasts.And yet as early as 1959，with only 19 theatre groups performing，some said it was getting too big.

A paid administrator was first employed only in 1971，and today there are eight administrators working all year round and the number rises to 150 during August itself.In 2004 there were 200 places housing 1,695 shows by over 600 different groups from 50 different countries.More than 1.25 million tickets were sold.

1.What was the purpose of Edinburgh Festival at the beginning?

A．To bring Europe together again.

B．To honor heroes of World War Ⅱ.

C．To introduce young theatre groups.

D．To attract great artists from Europe.

2.Why did some uninvited theatre groups come to Edinburgh in 1947?

A．They owned a public house there.

B．They came to take up a challenge.

C．They thought they were also famous.

D．They wanted to take part in the festival.

3.Who joined the“Fringe”after it appeared?

A．Popular writers.

B．University students.

C．Artists from around the world.

D．Performers of music and dance.

4.We may learn from the text that Edinburgh Festival________.

A．has become a non­official event

B．has gone beyond an art festival

C．gives shows all year round

D．keeps growing rapidly

3. 难度：中等

(2013·高考北京卷，B)Two dolphins race around in a big pool in the Ocean Park.The smaller dolphin，Grace，shows off a few of her tricks，turning around and waving hello to the crowd.The most amazing thing about her，however，is that she’s even swimming at all.She doesn’t have a tail.

Grace lost her tail as a baby when she got caught up in a fish trap.When the dolphin arrived at the Ocean Park in December 2005，she was fighting for her life.“Is she going to make it？”Her trainer，Abbey Stone，feared the worst.Grace did make it—but her tail didn’t.She ended up losing her flukes and the lower part of her peduncle.

Over the past six years，she has learned to swim without her tail.Dolphins swim by moving their flukes and peduncle up and down.Grace taught herself to move another way—like a fish! She pushed herself forward through the water by moving her peduncle from side to side.

The movements put harmful pressure on Grace’s backbone.So a company offered to create a man­made tail for her.The tail had to be strong enough to stay on Grace as she swam but soft enough that it wouldn’t hurt her.

The first time Grace wore the artificial tail，she soon shook it off and let it sink to the bottom of the pool.Now，she is still learning to use the tail.Some days she wears it for an hour at a time，others not at all.“The new tail isn’t necessary for her to feel comfortable，”says Stone，“but it helps to keep that range of motion (动作) and build muscles (肌肉)．”

Now，the dolphin is about to get an even happier ending.This month，Grace will star in Dolphin Tale，a film that focuses on her rescue and recovery.Her progress has inspired more than just a new movie.Many people travel from near and far to meet her.Seeing Grace swim with her man­made tail gives people so much courage.

1.When Grace first arrived at the Ocean Park，her trainer worried about her________.

A．physical build

B．potential ability

C．chance of survival

D．adaptation to the surroundings.

2.A man­made tail is created for Grace to________.

A．let her recover faster

B．make her comfortable

C．adjust her way of swimming

D．help her perform better tricks

3.The story of Grace inspires people to________.

A．stick to their dreams

B．treat animals friendly

C．treasure what they have

D．face difficulties bravely

4. 难度：中等

Guide to Stockholm University Library

Our library offers different types of studying places and provides a good studying environment.

Zones

The library is divided into different zones.The upper floor is a quiet zone with over a thousand places for silent reading，and places where you can sit and work with your own computer.The reading places consist mostly of tables and chairs.The ground floor is the zone where you can talk.Here you can find sofas and armchairs for group work.

Computers

You can use your own computer to connect to the wi­fi specially prepared for notebook computers；your can also use library computers；which contain the most commonly used applications，such as Microsoft Office.They are situated in the area known as the Experimental Field on the ground floor.

Group­study Places

If you want to discuss freely without disturbing others，you can book a study room or sit at a table on the ground floor.Some study rooms are for 2­3 people and others can hold up to 6­8 people.All rooms are marked on the library maps.

There are 40 group­study rooms that must be booked via the website.To book，you need an active University account and a valid University card.You can use a room three hours per day，nine hours at most per week.

Storage of Study Material

The library has lockers for students to store course literature.When you have obtained at least 40 credits (学分)，you may rent a locker and pay 400 SEK for a year’s rental period.

Rules to be Followed

Mobile phone conversations are not permitted anywhere in the library.Keep your phone on silent as if you were in a lecture and exit the library if you need to receive calls.

Please note that food and fruit are forbidden in the library，but you are allowed to have drinks and sweets with you.

1.The library’s upper floor is mainly for students to________.

A．read in a quiet place

B．have group discussions

C．take comfortable seats

D．get their computers fixed

2.Library computers on the ground floor________.

A．help students with their field experiments

B．contain software essential for schoolwork

C．are for those who want to access the wi­fi

D．are mostly used for filling out application forms

3.What condition should be met to book a group­study room?

A．A group must consist of 8 people.

B．Three­hour use per day is the minimum.

C．One should first register at the university.

D．Applicants must mark the room on the map.

4.A student can rent a locker in the library if he________.

A．can afford the rental fee

B．attends certain courses

C．has nowhere to put his books

D．has earned the required credits

5.What should NOT be brought into the library?

A．Mobile phones. B．Orange juice.

C．Candy. D．Sandwiches.

5. 难度：中等

(2013·高考天津卷，D)When asked about happiness，we usually think of something extraordinary，an absolute delight，which seems to get rarer the older we get.

For kids，happiness has a magical quality.Their delight at winning a race or getting a new bike is unreserved (毫不掩饰的)．

In the teenage years the concept of happiness changes.Suddenly it’s conditional on such things as excitement，love and popularity.I can still recall the excitement of being invited to dance with the most attractive boy at the school party.

In adulthood the things that bring deep joy－love，marriage，birth－also bring responsibility and the risk of loss.For adults，happiness is complicated (复杂的)．

My definition of happiness is “the capacity for enjoyment”．The more we can enjoy what we have，the happier we are.It’s easy to overlook the pleasure we get from the company of friends，the freedom to live where we please，and even good health.

I experienced my little moments of pleasure yesterday.First I was overjoyed when I shut the last lunch­box and had the house to myself.Then I spent an uninterrupted morning writing，which I love.When the kids and my husband came home，I enjoyed their noise after the quiet of the day.

Psychologists tell us that to be happy we need a mix of enjoyable leisure time and satisfying work.I don’t think that my grandmother，who raised 14 children，had much of either.She did have a network of close friends and family，and maybe this is what satisfied her.

We，however，with so many choices and such pressure to succeed in every area，have turned happiness into one more thing we’ve got to have.We’re so self­conscious about our “right” to it that it’s making us miserable.So we chase it and equal it with wealth and success，without noticing that the people who have those things aren’t necessarily happier.

Happiness isn’t about what happens to us－it’s about how we see what happens to us.It’s the skillful way of finding a positive for every negative.It’s not wishing for what we don’t have，but enjoying what we do possess.

1.As people grow older，they________.

A．feel it harder to experience happiness

B．associate their happiness less with others

C．will take fewer risks in pursuing happiness

D．tend to believe responsibility means happiness

2.What can we learn about the author from Paragraph 5 and 6?

A．She cares little about her own health.

B．She enjoys the freedom of traveling.

C．She is easily pleased by things in daily life.

D．She prefers getting pleasure from housework.

3.What can be inferred from Paragraph 7?

A．Psychologists think satisfying work is key to happiness.

B．Psychologists’ opinion is well proved by Grandma’ case.

C．Grandma often found time for social gatherings.

D．Grandma’s happiness came from modest expectations of life.

4.People who equal happiness with wealth and success________.

A．consider pressure something blocking their way

B．stress their right to happiness too much

C．are at a loss to make correct choices

D．are more likely to be happy

5.What can be concluded from the passage?

A．Happiness lies between the positive and the negative.

B．Each man is the master of his own fate.

C．Success leads to happiness.

D．Happy is he who is content.

6. 难度：中等

(2013·高考重庆卷，A)The morning had been a disaster.My tooth was aching，and I’d been in an argument with a friend.Her words still hurt：“The trouble with you is that you won’t put yourself in my place.Can’t you see things from my point of view？”I shook my head stubbornly－and felt the ache in my tooth.I’d thought I could hold out till my dentist came back from holiday，but the pain was really unbearable.I started calling the dentists in the phone book，but no one could see me immediately.Finally，at about lunchtime，I got lucky.

“If you come by right now，”the receptionist said，“the dentist will fit you in.”

I took my purse and keys and rushed to my car.But suddenly I began to doubt about the dentist.What kind of dentist would be so eager to treat someone at such short notice？Why wasn’t he as busy as the others?

In the dentist’s office，I sat down and looked around.I saw nothing but the bare walls and I became even more worried.The assistant noticed my nervousness and placed her warm hand over my ice­cold one.

When I told her my fears，she laughed and said，“Don’t worry.The dentist is very good.”

“How long do I have to wait for him？”I asked impatiently.

“Come on，he is coming.Just lie down and relax.And enjoy the artwork，”the assistant said.

“The artwork？”I was puzzled.

The chair went back.Suddenly I smiled.There was a beautiful picture，right where I could enjoy it：on the ceiling.How considerate the dentist was！At that moment，I began to understand what my friend meant by her words.

What a relief!

1.Which of the following best describes the author’s feeling that morning?

A．Cheerful. B．Nervous.

C．Satisfied. D．Upset.

2.What made the author begin to doubt about the dentist?

A．The dentist’s agreeing to treat her at very short notice.

B．The dentist’s being as busy as the other dentists.

C．The surroundings of the dentist’s office.

D．The laughing assistant of the dentist.

3.Why did the author suddenly smile?

A．Because the dentist came at last.

B．Because she saw a picture on the ceiling.

C．Because she could relax in the chair.

D．Because the assistant kept comforting her.

4.What did the author learn from her experience most probably?

A．Strike while the iron is hot.

B．Have a good word for one’s friend.

C．Put oneself in other’s shoes.

D．A friend in need is a friend indeed.

7. 难度：中等

(2013·高考山东卷，A)Jimmy is an automotive mechanic，but he lost his job a few months ago.He has a good heart，but always feared applying for a new job.

One day，he gathered up all his strength and decided to attend a job interview.His appointment was at 10 am and it was already 8：30.While waiting for a bus to the office where he was supposed to be interviewed，he saw an elderly man wildly kicking the tyre of his car.Obviously there was something wrong with the car.Jimmy immediately went up to lend him a hand.When Jimmy finished working on the car，the old man asked him how much he should pay for the service.Jimmy said there was no need to pay him；he just helped someone in need，and he had to rush for an interview.Then the old man said，“Well，I could take you to the office for your interview.It’s the least I could do.Please，I insist.”Jimmy agreed.

Upon arrival，Jimmy found a long line of applicants waiting to be interviewed.Jimmy still had some grease on him after the car repair，but he did not have much time to wash it off or have a change of shirt.One by one，the applicants left the interviewer’s office with disappointed looks on their faces.Finally his name was called.The interviewer was sitting on a large chair facing the office window.Rocking the chair back and forth，he asked，“Do you really need to be interviewed？”Jimmy’s heart sank.“With the way I look now，how could I possibly pass this interview？”he thought to himself.

Then the interviewer turned the chair and to Jimmy’s surprise，it was the old man he helped earlier in the morning.It turned out he was the General Manager of the company.

“Sorry I had to keep you waiting，but I was pretty sure I made the right decision to have you as part of our workforce before you even stepped into this office.I just know you’d be a trustworthy worker.Congratulations！”Jimmy sat down and they shared a cup of well­deserved coffee as he landed himself a new job.

1.Why did Jimmy apply for a new job?

A．He was out of work.

B．He was bored with his job.

C．He wanted a higher position.

D．He hoped to find a better boss.

2.What did Jimmy see on the way to the interview?

A．A friend’s car had a flat tyre.

B．A wild man was pushing a car.

C．A terrible car accident happened.

D．An old man’s car broke down.

3.Why did the old man offer Jimmy a ride?

A．He was also to be interviewed.

B．He needed a travelling companion.

C．He always helped people in need.

D．He was thankful to Jimmy.

4.How did Jimmy feel on hearing the interviewer’s question?

A．He was sorry for the other applicants.

B．There was no hope for him to get the job.

C．He regretted helping the old man.

D．The interviewer was very rude.

5.What can we learn from Jimmy’s experience?

A．Where there’s a will，there’s a way.

B．A friend in need is a friend indeed.

C．Good is rewarded with good.

D．Two heads are better than one.

8. 难度：中等

(2013·高考浙江卷，C)The baby monkey is much more developed at birth than the human baby.Almost from the moment it is born，the baby monkey can move around and hold tightly to its mother.During the first few days of its life the baby will approach and hold onto almost any large，warm，and soft object in its environment，particularly if that object also gives it milk.After a week or so，however，the baby monkey begins to avoid newcomers and focuses its attentions on“mother”—the real mother or the mother­substitute(母亲替代物)．

During the first two weeks of its life warmth is perhaps the most important psychological(心理的)thing that a monkey mother has to give to its baby.The Harlows，a couple who are both psychologists，discovered this fact by offering baby monkeys a choice of two types of mother­substitutes—one covered with cloth and one made of bare wire.If the two artificial mothers were both the same temperature，the little monkeys always preferred the cloth mother.However，if the wire model was heated，while the cloth model was cool，for the first two weeks after birth the baby monkeys picked the warm wire mother­substitutes as their favorites.Thereafter they switched and spent most of their time on the more comfortable cloth mother.

Why is cloth preferable to bare wire？Something that the Harlows called contact(接触)comfort seems to be the answer，and a most powerful influence it is.Baby monkeys spend much of their time rubbing against their mothers’ skins，putting themselves in as close contact with the parent as they can.Whenever the young animal is frightened，disturbed，or annoyed，it typically rushes to its mother and rubs itself against her body.Wire doesn’t “rub” as well as does soft cloth.Prolonged(长时间的)“contact comfort” with a cloth mother appears to give the babies confidence and is much more rewarding to them than is either warmth or milk.

According to the Harlows，the basic quality of a baby’s love for its mother is trust.If the baby is put into an unfamiliar playroom without its mother，the baby ignores the toys no matter how interesting they might be.It screams in terror and curls up into a furry little ball.If its cloth mother is now introduced into the playroom，the baby rushes to it and holds onto it for dear life.After a few minutes of contact comfort，it obviously begins to feel more secure.It then climbs down from the mother­substitute and begins to explore the toys，but often rushes back for a deep embrace(拥抱)as if to make sure that its mother is still there and that all is well.Bit by bit its fears of the new environment are gone and it spends more and more time playing with the toys and less and less time holding onto its “mother”．

1.Psychologically，what does the baby monkey desire most during the first two weeks of its life?

A．Warmth. B．Milk.

C．Contact.  D．Trust.

2.After the first two weeks of their life，baby monkeys prefer the cloth mother to the wire mother because the former is________.

A．larger in size

B．closer to them

C．less frightening and less disturbing

D．more comfortable to rub against

3.What does the baby monkey probably gain from prolonged“contact comfort”？

A．Attention.  B．Softness.

C．Confidence. D．Interest.

4.It can be inferred that when the baby monkey feels secure，________.

A．it frequently rushes back for a deep embrace when exploring the toys

B．it spends more time screaming to get rewards

C．it is less attracted to the toys though they are interesting

D．it cares less about whether its mother is still around

5.The main purpose of the passage is to ________.

A．give the reasons for the experiment

B．present the findings of the experiment

C．introduce the method of the experiment

D．describe the process of the experiment

9. 难度：中等

(2013·高考浙江卷，D)In 1974，after filling out fifty applications，going through four interviews，and winning one offer，I took what I could get—a teaching job at what I considered a distant wild area：western New Jersey.My characteristic optimism was alive only when I reminded myself that I would be doing what I had wanted to do since I was fourteen—teaching English.

School started，but I felt more and more as if I were in a foreign country.Was this rural area really New Jersey？My students took a week off when hunting season began.I was told they were also frequently absent in late October to help their fathers make hay on the farms.I was a young woman from New York City，who thought that“Make hay while the sun shines” just meant to have a good time.

But，still，I was teaching English.I worked hard，taking time off only to eat and sleep.And then there was my sixth­grade class—seventeen boys and five girls who were only six years younger than me.I had a problem long before I knew it.I was struggling in my work as a young idealistic teacher.I wanted to make literature come alive and to promote a love of the written word.The students wanted to throw spitballs and whisper dirty words in the back of the room.

In college I had been taught that a successful educator should ignore bad behavior.So I did，confident that，as the textbook had said，the bad behavior would disappear as I gave my students positive attention.It sounds reasonable，but the text evidently ignored the fact that humans，particularly teenagers，rarely seem reasonable.By the time my boss，who was also my taskmaster，known to be the strictest，most demanding，most quick to fire inexperienced teachers，came into the classroom to observe me，the students exhibited very little good behavior to praise.

My boss sat in the back of the room.The boys in the class were making animal noises，hitting each other while the girls filed their nails or read magazines.I just pretended it all wasn’t happening，and went on lecturing and tried to ask some inspiring questions.My boss，sitting in the back of room，seemed to be growing bigger and bigger.After twenty minutes he left，silently.Visions of unemployment marched before my eyes.

I felt mildly victorious that I got through the rest of class without crying，but at my next free period I had to face him.I wondered if he would let me finish out the day.I walked to his office，took a deep breath，and opened the door.

He was sitting in his chair，and he looked at me long and hard.I said nothing.All I could think of was that I was not an English teacher；I had been lying to myself，pretending that everything was fine.

When he spoke，he said simply，without accusation，“You had nothing to say to them.”

“You had nothing to say to them.”he repeated.“No wonder they’re bored.Why not get to the meat of the literature and stop talking about symbolism.Talk with them，not at them.And more important，why do you ignore their bad behavior？”We talked.He named my problems and offered solutions.We role­played.He was the bad student，and I was the forceful，yet，warm，teacher.

As the year progressed，we spent many hours discussing literature and ideas about human beings and their motivations.He helped me identify my weaknesses and my strengths.In short，he made a teacher of me by teaching me the reality of Emerson’s words：“The secret to education lies in respecting the pupil.”

Fifteen years later I still drive that same winding road to the same school.Thanks to the help I received that difficult first year，the school is my home now.

1.It can be inferred from the story that in 1974________.

A．the writer became an optimistic person

B．the writer was very happy about her new job

C．it was rather difficult to get a job in the USA

D．it was easy to get a teaching job in New Jersey

2.According to the passage，which of the following is most probably the writer’s problem as a new teacher?

A．She had blind trust in what she learnt at college.

B．She didn’t ask experienced teachers for advice.

C．She took too much time off to eat and sleep.

D．She didn’t like teaching English literature.

3.What is the writer’s biggest worry after her taskmaster’s observation of her class?

A．She might lose her teaching job.

B．She might lose her students’ respect.

C．She couldn’t teach the same class any more.

D．She couldn’t ignore her students’ bad behavior any more.

4.Which of the following gives the writer a sense of mild victory?

A．Her talk about symbolism sounded convincing.

B．Her students behaved a little better than usual.

C．She managed to finish the class without crying.

D．She was invited for a talk by her boss after class.

5.The students behaved badly in the writer’s classes because________.

A．they were eager to embarrass her

B．she didn’t really understand them

C．they didn’t regard her as a good teacher

D．she didn’t have a good command of English

6.The taskmaster’s attitude towards the writer after his observation of her class can be best described as ________.

A．cruel but encouraging

B．fierce but forgiving

C．sincere and supportive

D．angry and aggressive

10. 难度：中等

(2013·高考福建卷，B)Your glasses may someday replace your smartphone，and some New Yorkers are ready for the switch.Some in the city can’t wait to try them on and use the maps and GPS that the futuristic eyewear is likely to include.

“ I’d use it if I were hanging out with friends at 3 a．m.and going to the bar and wanted to see what was open，”said Walter Choo,40，of Fort Greene.

The smartphone­like glasses will likely come out this year and cost between $250 and $600，the Times said，possibly including a variation of augmented(增强的) reality，a technology already available on smartphones and tablets (平板电脑) that overlays information onto the screen about one’s surroundings.So，for example，if you were walking down a street，indicators would pop_up showing you the nearest coffee shop or directions could be plotted out and come into view right on the sidewalk in front of you.

“As far as a mainstream consumer product，this just isn’t something anybody needs，”said Sam Biddle，who writes for Gizmodo.com.“ We’re accustomed to having one thing in our pocket to do all these things，”he added，“and the average consumer isn’t gonna be able to afford another device (装置) that’s hundreds and hundreds of dollars.”

9to5Google publisher Seth Weintraub，who has been reporting on the smartphone­like glasses since late last year，said he is confident that this type of wearable device will eventually be as common as smartphones.

“It’s just like smartphones 10 years ago，”Weintraub said.“A few people started getting emails on their phones，and people thought that was crazy.Same kind of thing.We see people bending their heads to look at their smartphones，and it’s unnatural，”he said.“ There’s gonna be improvements to that，and this a step there.”

1.One of the possible functions of the smartphone­like glasses is to ________.

A．program the opening hours of a bar

B．supply you with a picture of the future

C．provide information about your surroundings

D．update the maps and GPS in your smartphones

2.The underlined phrase“pop up”in the third paragraph probably means“ ________”．

A．develop rapidly

B．get round quickly

C．appear immediately

D．go over automatically

3.According to Sam Biddle，the smartphone­like glasses are ________.

A．necessary for teenagers

B．attractive to New Yorkers

C．available to people worldwide

D．expensive for average consumers

4.We can learn from the last two paragraphs that the smartphone­like glasses ________.

A．may have a potential market

B．are as common as smartphones

C．are popular among young adults

D．will be improved by a new technology

11. 难度：中等

(2013·高考辽宁卷，D)“Indeed，”George Washington wrote in his diary in 1785，“some kind of fly，or bug，had begun to eat the leaves before I left home.”But the father of America was not the father of bug.When Washington wrote that，Englishmen had been referring to insects as bugs for more than a century，and Americans had already created lightning­bug(萤火虫)．But the English were soon to stop using the bugs in their language，leaving it to the Americans to call a bug a bug in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

The American bug could also be a person，referring to someone who was crazy about a particular activity.Although fan became the usual term，sports fans used to be called racing bugs，baseball bugs，and the like.

Or the bug could be a small machine or object，for example，a bug­shaped car.The bug could also be a burglar alarm，from which comes the expression to bug，that is，“to install (安装) an alarm”．Now it means a small piece of equipment that people use for listening secretly to others’ conversations.Since the 1840s，to bug has long meant“to cheat”，and since the 1940s it has been annoying.

We also know the bug as a flaw in a computer program or other design.That meaning dates back to the time of Thomas Edison.In 1878 he explained bugs as“little problems and difficulties”that required months of study and labor to overcome in developing a successful product.In 1889 it was recorded that Edison“had been up the two previous nights discovering ‘a bug’ in his invented record player.”

1.We learn from Paragraph 1 that ________.

A．Americans had difficulty in learning to use the word bug

B．George Washington was the first person to call an insect a bug

C．the word bug was still popularly used in England in the nineteenth century

D．both Englishmen and Americans used the word bug in the eighteenth century

2.What does the word“flaw”in the last paragraph probably mean?

A．Explanation. B．Finding.

C．Origin. D．Fault.

3.The passage is mainly concerned with________.

A．the misunderstanding of the word bug

B．the development of the word bug

C．the public views of the word bug

D．the special characteristics of the word bug

12. 难度：中等

(2013·高考广东卷，C)One day，when I was working as a psychologist in England，an adolescent boy showed up in my office.It was David.He kept walking up and down restlessly，his face pale，and his hands shaking slightly.His head teacher had referred him to me.“This boy has lost his family，”he wrote.“He is understandably very sad and refuses to talk to others，and I’m very worried about him.Can you help？”

I looked at David and showed him to a chair.How could I help him? There are problems psychology doesn’t have the answer to，and which no words can describe.Sometimes the best thing one can do is to listen openly and sympathetically.

The first two times we met，David didn’t say a word.He sat there，only looking up to look at the children’s drawings on the wall behind me.I suggested we play a game of chess.He nodded.After that he played chess with me every Wednesday afternoon—in complete silence and without looking at me.It’s not easy to cheat in chess，but I admit I made sure David won once or twice.

Usually，he arrived earlier than agreed，took the chess board and pieces from the shelf and began setting them up before I even got a chance to sit down.It seemed as if he enjoyed my company.But why did he never look at me?

“Perhaps he simply needs someone to share his pain with，”I thought.“Perhaps he senses that I respect his suffering.”Some months later，when we were playing chess，he looked up at me suddenly.

“It’s your turn，”he said.

After that day，David started talking.He got friends in school and joined a bicycle club.He wrote to me a few times，about his biking with some friends，and about his plan to get into university.Now he had really started to live his own life.

Maybe I gave David something.But I also learned that one—without any words—can reach out to another person.All it takes is a hug，a shoulder to cry on，a friendly touch，and an ear that listens.

1.When he first met the author，David________.

A．felt a little excited

B．walked energetically

C．looked a little nervous

D．showed up with his teacher

2.As a psychologist，the author________.

A．was ready to listen to David

B．was skeptical about psychology

C．was able to describe David’s problem

D．was sure of handling David’s problem

3.David enjoyed being with the author because he________.

A．wanted to ask the author for advice

B．needed to share sorrow with the author

C．liked the children’s drawings in the office

D．beat the author many times in the chess game

4.What can be inferred about David?

A．He recovered after months of treatment.

B．He liked biking before he lost his family.

C．He went into university soon after starting to talk.

D．He got friends in school before he met the author.

5.What made David change?

A．His teacher’s help.

B．The author’s friendship.

C．His exchange of letters with the author.

D．The  author’s silent communication with him.

13. 难度：中等

(2013·高考湖南卷，C)It’s such a happy­looking library，painted yellow，decorated with palm­tree stickers and sheltered from the Florida sun by its own roof.About the size of a microwave oven，it’s pedestrian­friendly，too，waiting for book lovers next to a sidewalk in Palm Beach County Estates，along the northern boundary of Palm Beach Gardens.

It’s a library built with love.

A year ago，shortly after Janey Henriksen saw a Brian Williams report about the Little Free Library organization，a Wisconsin­based nonprofit that aims to promote literacy and build a sense of community in a neighborhood by making books freely available，she announced to her family of four，“That’s what we’re going to do for our spring break！”

Son Austin，now a 10th­grader，didn’t see the point of building a library that resembles a mailbox.But Janey insisted，and husband Peter unwillingly got to work.The 51­year­old owner of a ship supply company modified a small wooden house that he’d built years earlier for daughter Abbie’s toy horses，and made a door of glass.

After adding the library’s final touches (装点)，the family hung a signboard on the front，instructing users to“take a book，return a book，”and making the Henriksen library，now one of several hundred like it nationwide and among more than 2,500 in the world，the only Little Free Library in Palm Beach County.

They stocked it with 20 or so books they’d already read，a mix of science fiction，reference titles，novels and kids’ favorites.“I told them，keep in mind that you might not see it again，”said Janey，a stay­at­home mom.

Since then，the collection keeps replenishing (补充) itself，thanks to ongoing donations from borrowers.The library now gets an average of five visits a day.

The project’s best payoff，says Peter，are the thank­you notes left behind.“We had no idea in the beginning that it would be so popular.”

1.In what way is the library “pedestrian­friendly”？

A．It owns a yellow roof.

B．It stands near a sidewalk.

C．It protects book lovers from the sun.

D．It uses palm­tree stickers as decorations.

2.Janey got the idea to build a library from________.

A．a visit to Brian Williams

B．a spring break with her family

C．a book sent by one of her neighbors

D．a report on a Wisconsin­based organization

3.The library was built________.

A．by a ship supply company

B．on the basis of toy horses

C．like a mailbox

D．with glass

4.What can we infer about the signboard?

A．It was made by a user of the library.

B．It marked a final touch to the library.

C．It aimed at making the library last long.

D．It indicated the library was a family property.

5.The passage tells us that the users________.

A．donate books to the library

B．get paid to collect books for the library

C．receive thank­you notes for using the library

D．visit the library over 5 times on average daily

14. 难度：中等

(2013·高考安徽卷，B)Using too much water or throwingrubbish into our rivers are clear ways that humans can put our water supply in danger，but we also affect our water supply in less obvious ways.You may wonder how paving(铺砌) a road can lead to less useable fresh water.A major part of the water we use every day is groundwater.Groundwater does not come from lakes or rivers.It comes from underground.The more roads and parking lots we pave，the less water can flow into the ground to become groundwater.

Human activity is not responsible for all water shortages(短缺)．Drier climates are of course more likely to have droughts(干旱) than areas with more rainfall，but in any case，good management can help to make sure there is enough water to meet our basic needs.

Thinking about the way we use water every day can make a big difference，too.In the United States，a family of four can use 1.5 tons of water a day! This shows how much we depend on water to live，but there’s a lot we can do to lower the number.

You can take steps to save water in your home.To start with，use the same glass for your drinking water all day.Wash it only once a day.Run your dishwasher (洗碗机)only when it is full.Help your parents fix any leaks in your home.You can even help to keep our water supply clean by recycling batteries instead of throwing them away.

1.Which of the following is most likely to lead to less groundwater?

A．Using river water.

B．Throwing batteries away.

C．Paving parking lots.

D．Throwing rubbish into lakes.

2.What can be inferred from the text?

A．All water shortages are due to human behavior.

B．It takes a lot of effort to meet our water needs.

C．There is much we can do to reduce family size.

D．The average family in America makes proper use of water.

3.The last paragraph is intended to________.

A．show us how to fix leaks at home

B．tell us how to run a dishwasher

C．prove what drinking glass is best for us

D．suggest what we do to save water at home

4.The text is mainly about________.

A．Why paving roads reduces our water

B．how much we depend on water to live

C．why droughts occur more in dry climates

D．how human activity affects our water supply