Question

In ancient times(古代), people thought that their gods(神) lived on the tops of mountains. They believed that anything above them was nearer to their gods than them. They thought that birds were messengers(信使) from the gods. There were many beliefs(信念) about how to treat birds. Some people even believed that killing a bird was an act against the gods and would bring bad luck. In some parts of the United States, people believe that if they hear an owl(猫头鹰) in the early evening, it means death. Another link(联系) with these past beliefs is in an English expression. People no longer believe that birds are messengers of the gods, but when someone knows a secret about another person, he or she might say, "A little bird told me about it."

1.In ancient times birds were thought to be_______.

A. the ones bringing news from the gods

B. gods, too

C. the ones bringing news from human beings

D. bad

2. In some parts of the USA now, people believe that _______ means death.

A. seeing an owl in the morning

B. seeing an owl outside their houses

C hearing an owl in the early evening

D. killing an owl in the evening

Answer

1.A

2.C

【解析】

试题分析：本文叙述了在古代，人们认为鸟是神的信使，而现在人们不再认为鸟是神的信使了，当一个人知道了另一个人的秘密后，他们就说：是鸟告诉了他们这件事的。

1.A考查细节理解题。根据第三句They thought that birds were messengers(信使) from the gods.可知认为鸟给他们带来神的旨意，选A。

2.在早晨听到猫头鹰叫意味着有可能会有死亡的发生。可知选C。

考点：考查文化类阅读。