Question

Mary bought a dress in a women's clothing store.She felt very happy about buying the dress until she got home. Then she remembered she had left her purse at the store.It was the third time that month that Mary had forgotten something important.Mary was angry with herself.She said,“Am I losing it?”

Emma was teaching a class in mathematics at a college.She began to explain to the students how to solve a very difficult problem.She understood it very well.But somehow,at that moment,she could not explain it.Emma said,“I must be losing it.”

Americans seem to have a lot of concern about losing it.At least that is what you would think from hearing them talk.They use the expression when they feel they are losing control.It can mean losing emotional control.Or losing the ability to do something.Or losing intelligence.

Word experts differ about how the expression started.Some believe it came from television programs popular in the 1980s.Others believe it began with psychologists,who deal with how people think,feel and act.

“We Americans have many concerns about controlling our lives.Perhaps we worry too much,”one psychologist said.“In many situations to say you are losing it eases the tension（不安）.”

It’s healthy.And most people who say they are having a problem are not losing it.

People may feel more like they are losing it when they are “down in the dumps”.Word expert Charles Funk says people have been feeling down in the dumps for more than 400 years.The word dumps probably comes from Northern European countries.The languages of Denmark and Norway both have similar words.The words mean to fall suddenly.Americans borrowed this saying.And,over the years,it has become a popular way of expressing sadness.

1.What problem did Mary think she had?

A. She easily lost emotional control.

B. She had quite low intelligence.

C. She seemed to have a poor memory.

D. She lost the ability to shop wisely.

2.How does the author explain the use of losing it?

A. By describing his own experiences.

B. By providing research findings.

C. By giving instructions.

D. By using examples.

3.We can infer from the psychologist that       .

A. Americans worry too much about their health problems

B. it’s good for your health to say you're losing it

C. people really lose it when they say they're losing it

D. Americans enjoy controlling their lives

4.If someone feels down in the dumps,he or she       .

A. is in low spirits    B. is losing something

C. becomes less popular    D. has a sudden fall in life

Answer

1.C

2.D

3.B

4.A

【解析】文章主要讲述了实时的表述“losing it.”有利于缓和气氛，对健康有益。一些国家使用“down in the dumps”表达悲伤，情绪低落。

1.细节理解题。根据“Then she remembered she had left her purse at the store.It was the third time that month that Mary had forgotten something important.” 然后她想起她把钱包忘在商店里了，这是那个月玛丽第三次忘记重要的事情了。可知Mary的记忆力不太好。根据题意，故选C。

2.推理判断题。根据文章第二段以Emma为例，她在大学教书，在解释非常困难的一个问题时，突然无法继续解释。根据题意，故选D。

3.推理判断题。根据“In many situations to say you are losing it eases the tension（不安）.”在很多情况下你说出失去它缓和紧张不安的气氛。可推知对人的健康有益。根据题意，故选B。

4.细节理解题。根据最后一段“The words mean to fall suddenly.Americans borrowed this saying.And,over the years,it has become a popular way of expressing sadness.” 这个词的意思是突然下降美国人借用了这个说法，多年来，它已成为一个表达悲伤的方式。根据题意，故选A。

【名师点睛】推理判断型

推理判断题属于高层次阅读理解题。这种题型包括判断题和推理题。这两类题常常相互依存，推理是为了得出正确的判断，正确的判断又依赖于合乎逻辑的推理。做好该题型要从整体上把握语篇内容，在语篇的表面意义与隐含意义、已知信息与未知信息间架起桥梁，透过字里行间，去体会作者的“弦外之音”。推理判断题常常可以分为如下几类：(1)细节推断。如时间、地点、人物关系等；(2)逻辑推断。根据已知的结果推断导致结果产生的可能原因；(3)目的、意图、态度推断。根据文章的论述，推断作者的写作目的以及作者的情感态度；(4)预测想象推断。文章没有明确说明，要求根据语篇对文章可能涉及的内容进行预测判断。例如：本题中的第3小题。

【解题剖析】此题属于推理判断型中的(2)逻辑推断。根据已知的结果推断导致结果产生的可能原因。说出后能缓和气氛，让人放松，可知对人有益。