There’sbeenalotoftalkaboutwhit-优题课

第三部分：阅读理解（共20小题，满分40分）
阅读下列短文，掌握其大意，然后从各题所给的四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
A
Most people feel lonely sometimes, but it usually only lasts between a few minutes and a few hours．This kind of loneliness is not serious．In fact, it is quite normal．For some people, though, loneliness can last for years．Now researchers say there are three different types of loneliness．
The first kind of loneliness is temporary（暂时的）．This is the most common type．It usually disappears quickly and does not require any special attention．The second kind, situational loneliness, is a natural result of a particular situation--- for example, a family problem, the death of a loved one, or moving to a new place．Although this kind of loneliness can cause physical problems, such as headaches and sleeplessness, it usually does not last for more than a year．The third kind of loneliness is the most severe．Unlike the second type, chronic（长期的）loneliness usually lasts more than two years and has no specific cause．People who experience habitual loneliness have problems socializing and becoming close to others．Unfortunately, many chronically lonely people think there is little or nothing they can do to improve their condition．
Psychologists are trying to find ways to help habitually lonely people for two reasons: they are unhappy and unable to socialize and there is a connection between chronic loneliness and serious illness such as heart disease．While temporary and situational loneliness can be a normal, healthy part of life, chronic loneliness can be a very sad, and sometimes dangerous condition．
56．How would you treat temporary loneliness according to the passage ?
A．Talk to friends． B．Just ignore it．
C．Go to see a doctor．D．Ask your teachers for guidance．
57．“ It” in the last sentence of the second paragraph refers to ______．
A．temporary loneliness B．situational loneliness
C．a new placeD．sleeplessness
58．Why do psychologists want to help chronically lonely people ?
A．Chronic loneliness can cause family problems．
B．Chronic loneliness can cause serious illness．
C．Chronic loneliness can not be overcome．
D．Such people are harmful to society．
59．What is the best title for the passage ?
A．Three kinds of loneliness B．Loneliness and Diseases
C．Loneliness and Social Contacts D．Chronic Loneliness

C
When we can see well, we do not think about our eyes often．It is only when we can not see perfectly that we come to see how important our eyes are．
People who are nearsighted can only see things that are very close to their eyes．Many people who do a lot of close work, such as writing and reading, become nearsighted．Then they have to wear glasses in order to see distant things clearly．
People who are farsighted face just the opposite problem．They can see things that are far away, but they have difficulty reading a book unless they hold it at arm’s length．If they want to do much reading, they must get glasses too．
Other people do not see clearly because their eyes are not exactly the right shape．This, too, can be corrected by glasses．Some people’s eyes become cloudy because of cataracts．Long ago these people often became blind．Now, however, it is possible to operate on the cataracts and remove them．
When night falls, colors become fainter to the eyes and finally disappear．After your eyes have grown used to the dark, you can see better if you use the side of your eyes rather than the centers．Sometimes, after dark, you see a small thing to one side of you, which seems to disappear if you turn your head in its direction．This is because when you turn your head, you are looking at the thing too directly．Men on guard duty sometimes think they see something moving to one side of them．When they turn to look straight at it, they can not see it any more, and they believe they were mistaken．However, this mistake happens because the center of the eye, which is very sensitive in daylight, is not as sensitive as the sides of the eye after dark．
64．We don’t know that our eyes are of great importance until ________．
A．we think about our eyes B．we cannot see clearly
C．we wear glasses D．we have to do much reading
65．According to the passage, a ________ is more likely to be nearsighted．
A．student B．doctor C．guard D．painter
66．People who are farsighted ________ ．
A．can do a lot of close work without glasses
B．can only see things that are very close to their eyes
C．have difficulty reading a book if they hold it at arm’s length
D．can correct their eyes by glasses
67．To see a small thing at night, it is better to look ________ ．
A．with wide open eyesB．with half shut or narrowed eyes
C．straight at it D．in a slightly different direction

B
Most musicians agree that the best violins were first made in Italy．They were made in Cremona, Italy, about 200 years ago．These violins sound better than any others．They even sound better than violins made today．Violin makers and scientists try to make instruments like the old Italian violins．But they aren’t the same．Musicians still prefer the old ones．No one really knows why these old Italian violins are so special, but many people think they have an answer．
Some people think it is the age of the violins．They say that today’s violins will also sound wonderful someday．But there is a problem here．Not all old violins sound wonderful．Only those from Cremona are special．So age cannot be the answer．There must be something different about Cremona or those Italian violin makers．
Other people think the secret to those violins is the wood．The wood of the violin is very important．It must be from certain kinds of trees．It must not be too young or too old．Perhaps the violin makers of Cremons knew something special about wood for violins．
But the kind of wood may not be so important．It may be more important to cut the wood in a special way．Wood for a violin must be cut very carefully．It has to be the right size and shape．The smallest difference will change the sound of the violin．Musicians sometimes think that this was the secret of the Italians．Maybe they understood more than we do about how to cut the wood．
Size and shape may not be the answer either．Scientists measured these old violins very carefully．They can make new ones that are exactly the same size and shape．But the new violins still do not sound as good as the old one．Some scientists think the secret may be the varnish, which covers the wood of the violin and makes it look shiny．It also helps the sound of the instrument．No one knows what the Italian violin makers used in their varnish．So no one can make the same varnish today．
There may never be other violins like the violins of Cremona．Their secret may be lost forever．Young musicians today hope this is not true．They need fine violins．But there aren’t very many of the old violins left．Also, the old violins are very expensive．Recently, a famous old Italian violin was sold for about US $ 300,000!
60．This passage is about _______．
　 A．making violins 　　　　　 B．musical instruments
　 C．scientific ideas 　　　　 D．the old Italian violins
61．The best violins _______．
A．are made with modern techniques 　 B．were lost many years ago
C．were made in Italy 200 years ago D．were made by scientists．
62．Some people think that modem violins ______．
A．will sound better in the future 　 B．will sound worse in the future
C．sound wonderful naturally D．will never be as old as those from Cremona
63．Violins made today _______．
　 A．look the same as the old ones
　 B．sound the same as the old ones
　 C．are better than the old ones　
D．have the same varnish as the old ones

B
Early in the 16th century men were trying to reach Asia by traveling west from Europe. In order to find Asia they had to find a way past South America. The man who finally found the way from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific was Ferdinand Magellan (麦哲伦). Magellan sailed from Seville in August, 1519 with five ships and about 280 men. Fourteen months later, after spending the cold winter on the coast of Patagonia, he discovered the channel which is now called Magellan Strait(海峡). In November, 1520, after many months of dangers from rocks and storms, the three remaining ships entered the ocean on the other side of South America. They then continued, hoping to reach Asia. But they did not see any land until they reached the islands off the coast of Asia. Before they arrived at these islands, later known as the Philippines (菲律宾), men were dying of starvation (饥饿). While they were staying in the Philippines, Magellan was killed in battle. The remaining officers then had to get back to Spain. They decided to sail round Africa. After many difficulties, one ship with eighteen men sailed into Seville three years after leaving. They were all that remained of Magellan’s expedition. However, their achievement was great. They were the first men to sail round the world.
61. The purpose of Magellan’s expedition was to ________.
A. sail round the world
B. find a seaway from the Atlantic to the Pacific
C. make a voyage to Asia
D. carry men to Philippines
62. How long did Magellan and his sailors spend before they reach Magellan Strait?
A. 1519 B. Fourteen months C. 280 D. 1520
63. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage concerning the expedition?
A. Lack of equipment.
B. Cold winter in Patagonia.
C. The death of Magellan.
D. Dangers from rocks and storms.
64. The number of the ships lost on the whole expedition was ________.
A. two B. three C. four D. five
65. The best title for this passage is ________.
A. The Discovery of Magellan’s Strait
B. The Discovery of the Philippines
C. The Most Dangerous Expedition
D. The First Expedition to sail round the world

IV. Reading comprehension 阅读理解 2’ * 10 = 20’
A
The sky usually looks light blue. But if you went to the top of the highest mountain, where there is less air between you and the sun to scatter (使……分散，散射) the sunlight, the sky would be deep, dark blue. And if you rode in a rocket high above the earth, where there is no air at all to scatter the sunlight, the sky would be so dark that it would be black. Sometimes the sky doesn't look blue. At sunrise and sunset, the light from the sun sometimes is scattered in such a way that you see red, orange, and other colors in the sky.
56. The sky usually looks light blue because _____.
A. the sun is light and blue
B. the air is light and blue
C. the air scatters the sunlight
D. the sunlight is blue
57. The sky looks dark blue when _____.
A. there is less air between you and the sun
B. there is high mountain
C. the mountain is highest
D. you climb a mountain
58. The sky looks black if ______.
A. you ride in a rocket
B. the rocket is high in the sky
C. the rocket is high above the earth
D. there is no air to scatter the sunlight
59. Sometimes the sky doesn't look blue because ______.
A. the sun is rising
B. the sun is setting
C. the air has different colors
D. the light from the sun is scattered in a different way
60. A good title for this passage would be _______.
A. The Sky Looks Blue
B. Why the Sky Looks Colorful
C. The Beautiful Sunlight
D. Something About the Air

A．in heavy polluted areas	B．in faraway places
C．in a poor state of education	D．in unfavourable(不利的) conditions