16

 

http://yingyu.zx98.com/reading/z02/201305/1554.html

 

It was near dusk, and Kim Cooper and her husband, Steve, were trucking through northern Kentucky transportation auto parts from Louisville to Detroit for a goods company. “Steve, wake up！” she shouted. “There’s a truck on fire！”
Inside the burning truck, Ronnie Sanders, 38, was fighting for his life. He’d been running a heavy load of tractors and forklifts from Georgia to Indianapolis when a van in front of him stopped suddenly in traffic on the icy road. As Ronnie bore down, he could see children in the backseat. The truck’s bulk would probably protect him from the worst of the impact, but the force of 23 tons would likely crush(压碎) everyone inside the van.
“I figured instead of killing other people, I’d just put the truck in the ditch. ”At the bottom, rocks cut a fuel tank, which caught fire. A tree branch destroyed the windshield and knocked Ronnie unconscious. He came to life a couple of minutes later to find the cabin flames and his legs on fire.
Steve dashed to Ronnie, who was hanging headfirst from the passenger door. Ronnie had used his pocketknife to cut himself free from the driver’sside seat belt only to get his boot trapped in another one. Steve climbed into the burning cab to free him.
He tried three times to pull Ronnie out before finally freeing him. But Ronnie’s legs were still burning, so Steve laid him on the ground, ripped off his own shirt, and beat the flames with it. He’d managed to drag him about 20 yards when one of the truck’s 150gallon fuel tanks exploded.
Both Steve and Ronnie paid a price for risking their lives for strangers. Ronnie spent two months in the hospital and received skin grafts on both of his legs. Steve suffered smoke breathing and minor burns, and shrapnel from the fuel tank explosion broke a tooth.
In February, the Coopers received a Hero of the Highway award from the Open Road Foundation for rescuing an injured driver. Steve insists Ronnie is the real hero: “If he hadn’t gone into the ditch, he would have hit that van. It was his decision to drive off the road.”
“I feel pretty good about it，” says Ronnie. “A lot of people could have been hurt.”
解读：本文为记叙文，主要讲述了the Coopers途中遇到Ronnie开的大卡车着火了；Ronnie为了不造成更大的伤害，不顾自身的安危，将卡车开进水沟里，而Steve则竭尽全力救助Ronnie。
1. According to the passage, Ronnie’s putting the truck in the ditch contributes to________.
A. his concern for his own safety
B. his poor driving skill
C. the icy road
D. his concern for others’ lives
[解析] 细节推断题。由文章的第三段第一句话“I figured instead of killing other people，I’d just put the truck in the ditch.”可推断出。
[答案] D
2. What probably made Ronnie come to life after driving the truck in the ditch?
A. The noise from the highway.
B. The call from the Coopers.
C. The pain from the burning legs.
D. The heat of the fire.
[解析] 细节推断题。根据文章的第三段最后一句话He came to life a couple of minutes later to find the cab in flames and his legs on fire.利用排除法。
[答案] C
3. How did Steve put out the flames in Ronnie’s legs?
A. He beat the flames with Ronnie’s shirt.
B. He beat the flames with his own shirt.
C. He put out the fire with a tank of water.
D. He put out the fire with a bag of sand.
[解析] 细节理解题。根据文章第五段第二句话，Steve撕下自己的衬衫，用它来扑灭(Ronnie双腿上的)火焰。
[答案] B
4. What does the underlined word “shrapnel” in Paragraph 6 mean?
A. A branch of a tree.
B. A small piece of metal.
C. A wave of the explosion.
D. The heat of the explosion.
[解析] 词义猜测题。根据下文shrapnel from the fuel tank explosion broke a tooth可知是“油箱爆炸产生的金属片打碎了一颗牙”。
[答案] B
5. Which of the following can be the best title of this passage?
A. Heroes: The Coopers
B. Heroes: Roadside Flames
C. Accidents on the Icy Road
D. Accidents in the Ditch
[解析] 确定文章标题。综观全文，A，C，D三项不够全面；而B项即表明事故，也表明了事故中竭力营救他人的英雄。
[答案] B
 17
Astronauts aboard the space station Celebrated a space first on Wednesday by drinking water that had been recycled from their urine and sweat and water that condenses from exhaled air. They said “cheers” ，clicked drinking bags and toasted NASA workers on the ground who were sipping their own version of recycled drinking water.
The recycling system is needed for astronaut stations on the moon and Mars. It also will save NASA money because it won’ t have to ship up as much water to the station by space shuttle or cargo rockets.Besides, it’ s important as the space station is about to expand from three people living on board to six.
The recycling system had been brought up to the space station last November by space shuttle Endeavour, but it couldn’ t be used until samples were tested back on Earth. So when it came time to actually drink up, NASA made a big deal of it. The threeman crew stood, holding their drinks and congratulated engineers in two NASA centers that worked on the system.
“This is something that had been the stuff of science fiction，” Barratt said before taking a small mouthful. “The taste is worth trying.”
NASA deputy space shuttle manager LeRoy Cain called it “a huge milestone”．
The new system takes the combined urine of the crew from the toilet, moves it to a big tank, where the water is boiled off, and the vapor is collected. The rest of the urine is thrown away. The water vapor is mixed with water from air condensation, and then it goes through filters. When six crew members are aboard it can make about six gallons from urine in about six hours.
“Some people may find the idea of drinking recycled urine distasteful, but it is also done on Earth with a lot longer time between urine and the tap”said Marybeth Edeen, the space station’s national lab manager.
The technology NASA developed for this system has already been used for quick water purification after the 2004 Asian tsunami, Edeen said.
“We are happy to have this water work through the system — we’ re happy to have it work through our systems，”Barratt said.
[语篇解读] 本文讲的是国际空间站宇航员试饮尿液循环水。
1．According to the text, the recycling system is important because________.
A. it makes traveling to the moon for the common person possible
B. with it NASA won’ t need to ship any water up to the space station
C. it can help to meet the need for more water after the crew are expanded
D. it protects the environment in space by reducing the amount of waste
[解析] 细节理解题。根据第二段中的“it’s important as the space station is about to expand from three people living on board to six”可知C项正确。
[答案] C
2．What is the RIGHT time order of the following events?
a. The samples of the recycled water were tested on Earth.
b. Astronauts celebrated the space first of making water from urine.
c. The recycling system was brought up to the space station.
d. The technology for the system was used to quickly purify water.
A. a，d，c，b B. a，c，b，d
C. d，a，c，b D. d，c，a，b
[解析] 细节理解题。根据倒数第二段的“The technology NASA developed for this system has already been used for quick water purification after the 2004 Asian tsunami”可知d发生最早。根据第三段的“ The recycling system had been brought up to the space station last November... couldn’ t be used until samples were tested back on Earth”可知c发生在a的前面，因此D项正确。
[答案] D
3．From Para. 6 we can know________.
A. the theory behind the recycling system
B. the effect of the recycling system
C. the process of the recycling system
D. an opinion on the recycling system
[解析] 段落概括题。该段主要讲述的是使用尿液循环系统将尿制成水的过程。
[答案] C
4．What did Edeen say about recycled urine and the recycling system?
A. The taste of recycled urine is not as good as common water.
B. The recycling system has made a science fiction story come true.
C. The idea of drinking recycled urine makes astronauts feel unpleasant.
D. It takes a longer time on Earth to make water from urine than in space.
[解析] 细节理解题。根据第七段中的“with a lot onger time between urine and the tap”可知D项正确。
[答案] D
5．What is the best title for the passage?
A. The research of NASA has made great progress
B. New technology is used in the space station
C. Drink up: space station recycles urine to water
D. Good news: water recycled from urine tastes good
[解析] 标题概括题。本文报道了国际空间站的宇航员试饮尿液循环水，“Drink up”生动反映饮用时的情景，“space station recycles urine to watert”点明了制造技术。故C项最佳。
[答案] C
[长难句解读] Astronauts aboard the space station celebrated a space first on Wednesday by drinking water that had been recycled from their urine and sweat and water that condenses from exhaled air.
主句是：Astronauts celebrated a space first on Wednesday by drinking water.aboard the space station和that had been recycled from their urine and sweat and water充当定语分别修饰名词Astronauts和water。
 18
LONDON (Reuters) — Quiet please — Britain’ s Queen Elizabeth is preparing to have her swans counted.
Buckingham Palace has announced that the annual Swan Upping, a tradition dating back to the 12th century which involves a census of the swan population on the River Thames, will be conducted by the Queen’ s official Swan Marker from July 20 24.
“With the assistance of the Queen’ s Swan Warden, Professor Christopher Perrins of the University of Oxford, the swans and young cygnets (小天鹅) are also assessed for any signs of injury or disease，” Buckingham Palace said in announcing the count.
The process involves the Swan Marker, David Barber, rowing up the Thames for five days with the Swan Warden in traditional skiffs while wearing special scarlet uniforms and counting, weighing and measuring swans and cygnets.
It may seem eccentric, but it is very important to the Queen, According to custom, Britain’ s sovereign owns all unmarked, mute swans in open water, but the Queen now exercises the right only on stretches of the Thames and its nearby tributaries.
In medieval times, the Swan Marker would not only travel up the river counting the swans, but would catch as many as possible as they were soughtafter for banquets and feasts.
This year, the Swan Marker and the Swan Warden are particularly keen to discover how much damage is being caused to swans and cygnets by attacks from dogs and from discarded fishing tackle (渔具)．
It is also an important year because Queen Elizabeth has decided to join her team of Swan Uppers for part of the census. She will follow them up the river and visit a local school project on the whole subject of swans, cygnets and the Thames.
“Education and conservation are essential to the role of Swan Upping and the involvement of school children is always a rewarding experience，” Buckingham Palace said.
[语篇解读] 泰晤士河上每年都要举行一个重要的活动：数天鹅。英国皇室的这一传统已经延续了好几个世纪。
1. In medieval times，________.
A. swans were better protected than now
B. a lot of swans were killed by dogs
C. swans were a delicious dish on royal banquets
D. common people could catch the swans
[解析] 细节理解题。从文章倒数第四段可知，在中世纪天鹅被捉住，然后成为皇家宴会上的美味。
[答案] C
2．We can infer from the passage that the process of counting the swans ________.
A. remains almost unchanged in the past years
B. involves a lot of royal members
C. sometimes lasts longer than before
D. is always guarded by special soldiers
[解析] 推理判断题。从文章第四段对数天鹅过程的描述以及参与清点的官员的穿着打扮可知，其过程几乎没有变化，因为这是一项传统活动。
[答案] A
3．This year, the Swan Marker and the Swan Warden mainly want to find out________.
A. the exact number of swans and cygnets
B. how a local school project is going on
C. how much damage the swans and cygnets suffer
D. how education and conservation are carried out along the Thames
[解析] 细节理解题。从文章倒数第三段内容可知答案为C。
[答案] C
4．Which of the following is the main idea of the passage?
A. Britain’ s Queen is concerned about swans.
B. Britain’ s Queen orders a count of swans.
C. An old tradition in Buckingham Palace.
D. Queen Elizabeth will count swans herself.
[解析] 主旨大意题。文章第一段是本文的主题段，英国女王下令清点泰晤士河上的天鹅的数量。
[答案] B
5．The underlined word “tributaries” can be best replaced by ________.
A. districts B. banks
C. trees D. branches
[解析] 词义理解题。根据语境和常识可知，此处是指在泰晤士河及其支流上生活的天鹅。故答案为D。
[答案] D
[长难句解读] In medieval times, the Swan Marker would not only travel up the river counting the swans, but would catch as many as possible as they were soughtafter for banquets and feasts.在中世纪，负责清点天鹅的人不仅沿河清点天鹅的数量，还会尽可能多地捕捉一些，因为天鹅当时是宴会桌上的美餐。
本句是一个并列句，not only...but(also)．..引导并列句，后面的as引导原因状语从句。
 19
Happiness is contagious,_researchers reported on Thursday.
People with the most social connections — spouses, friends, neighbors and relatives — were also the happiest, the data showed. “Each additional happy person makes you happier，” Christakis said.
“Imagine that I am connected to you and you are connected to others and others are connected to still others. It is this fabric of humanity, like an American patch quilt.”
Each person sits on a differentcolored patch. “Imagine that these patches are happy and unhappy patches. Your happiness depends on what is going on in the patch around you，” Christakis said.
“It is not just happy people connecting with happy people, which they do. Above and beyond, there is this contagious process going on.”
And happiness is more contagious than unhappiness, they discovered.
“If a social contact is happy, it increases the likelihood that you are happy by 15 percent，” Fowler said. “A friend of a friend, or the friend of a spouse or a sibling (兄弟姐妹), if they are happy, increases your chances by 10 percent，” he added.
A happy thirddegree friend — the friend of a friend of a friend — increases a person’s chances of being happy by 6 percent.
“But every extra unhappy friend increases the likelihood that you’ll be unhappy by 7 percent，” Fowler said.
The finding is interesting and it is useful, too, Fowler said.
“Among other benefits, happiness has been shown to have an important effect on reduced mortality (死亡率), pain reduction, and improved cardiac (心脏的) function. So better understanding of how happiness spreads can help us learn how to promote a healthier society，” he said.
The study also fits in with other data suggested in 1984 that having $ 5,000 extra increased a person’s chances of becoming happier by about 2 percent.
“A happy friend is worth about $ 20,000，” Christakis said.
[语篇解读] 美国科学家的一项最新研究成果表明，快乐感可以互相传递。这项研究成果为我们构建更为健康、和谐的社会提供了依据和方法。
1．According to the research, your happiness ________.
A. has nothing to do with your workmates or schoolmates
B. has something to do with anyone who has a close relationship with you
C. depends on those who are in favour of you or are against you
D. has little to do with what social connections you have
[解析] 推理判断题。根据第二段、第三段内容可知，快乐感会不断传递和扩散，你的配偶、朋友、邻居、亲戚等的快乐指数会直接影响你的快乐程度，故选B。
[答案] B
2．The underlined word “contagious” in the first paragraph means ________.
A. infectious B. beautiful
C. effective D. prior
[解析] 词义猜测题。第一句是全文的主题句。由文章第二、三、四段可知，快乐感可以在人们之间传播，故contagious的意思是“有感染力的，有传染性的”。
[答案] A
3．It can be inferred that________.
A. happiness spreads as fast and widely as unhappiness
B. unhappiness spreads faster and more widely than happiness
C. happiness spreads faster and more widely than unhappiness
D. the spread of unhappiness has not been studied by researchers
[解析] 推理判断题。根据第六段“And happiness is more contagious than unhappiness，they discovered.”一句可推知选C。
[答案] C
4．Which of the following will increase your chances of becoming happier most?
A. Being in a party with a happy atmosphere.
B. A happy experience of your brother or your parents.
C. A happy trip to a foreign country of your friends.
D. Happiness of your friend’ s friend.
[解析] 事实细节题。根据第七、第八段讲述的别人的快乐感对你的影响几率可知，排在最前的是“If a social contact is happy”，故选A。
[答案] A
5．What does Christakis mean by saying “A happy friend is worth about $ 20,000” ?
A. A happy friend can help you bring in a wealth of $ 20,000.
B. A happy friend is a wealth which is worth about $ 20,000.
C. A happy friend increases your chances of being happy by 2%.
D. A happy friend increases your chances of being happy by 8 %.
[解析] 句意理解题。结合上一段中的“that having $5,000 extra increased a person’s chances of becoming happier by about 2 percent”可知，一个快乐的朋友带给你的快乐相当于大约$20,000带给你的快乐，也就是$5,000的四倍，即一个快乐的朋友给你带来快乐的几率为8%，故选D。
[答案] D
[长难句解读] The study also fits in with other data suggested in 1984 that having $ 5,000 extra increased a person’s chances of becoming happier by about 2 percent.
该句为主从复合句，主句为The study also fits in with other data，suggested in 1984为过去分词作定语修饰data，后面that引导的是同位语从句，说明data的内容。该从句的主语为having $5,000 extra，a person’s chances为宾语，of becoming happier为定语修饰chances，by about 2 percent为程度状语。

20
 
Bill Fulton doesn’ t remember losing his wallet, but its return helped him remember the past. The leather stayed smooth and the cowboy design unblemished (完美无缺的). And when he looked inside, the contents brought back memories from 1946, when he apparently dropped the wallet behind the balcony bleachers (露天看台) in the Baker Middle School gym.
Fulton’ s Social Security Card and bicycle license, bearing the address where he lived during his teenage years, were positioned in their respective compartments, apparently untouched since the year after World War Il ended.
Worker Nathan Osborne found the wallet — along with old homework, lost library books and a 1964 talent show program — while removing the bleachers for renovations on June 17. It was brought to Fulton’ s door the following day by Melanie Trindle, the Baker Middle School secretary.
Middle School Principal Mindi Vaughan said the brown pine bleachers were connected to the gym balcony’ s brick wall and had remained in the same place since the school, known as the Helen M. Stack Building, opened in 1936.
Fulton, 78, said he probably lost the wallet while cheering for the Baker High basketball team with a group of friends. Fulton said the bicycle ID was needed because he delivered medicine for Rodamar Drug.He was surprised, however, that his bicycle ID wasn’t inside. He said he always kept it there.
But rather than focus on what was inside the wallet, Fulton said the recovery has led him to reflect on his life — one that took him to the Korean War and Berlin before the return to Baker City. He worked at Ellingson Lumber Company for 30 years, from March 1964 to April 1994.
Since his retirement, Fulton has enjoyed spending time with his 11yearold black dog, Smokey. The two often hike the nearby mountains.
Trindle’ s knock on the door, wallet in hand, induced a slight ripple in his life, prompting him to consider the times he hadn’t thought about in many years. “Where did all the times go？” Fulton said with a deep sigh. “It’ s hard to believe that the times have gone so fast.”
[语篇解读] 本文是记叙文。一个丢失了几十年的钱包居然被找到，而且还给了失主。钱包勾起了失主对过去岁月的回忆。
1．When the wallet was found, it________.
A. was still in good condition
B. was a little damaged
C. had just lost color
D. was just repaired
[解析] 细节理解题。从文章第一段第二句可知，钱包的皮还很光滑，上面的图案也保持完好，因此A项正确。
[答案] A
2．The wallet was important to Fulton because ________.
A. he could get his bicycle ID back
B. it called up his memories of the past
C. it could help him to find his student ID
D. it made him think of his school days
[解析] 推理判断题。综合全文尤其是第一段和最后一段的信息可知，钱包勾起了Fulton对往昔岁月的回忆。
[答案] B
3．Fulton lost the wallet when________.
A. he was doing his homework on the balcony bleachers
B. he was doing some exercise in the Baker Middle School gym
C. he was removing the bleachers for renovations on June 17
D. he was watching a basketball match with his friends
[解析] 细节理解题。从文章第五段可知，Fulton和朋友们在一起看篮球赛，在为一支篮球队助威时他丢失了钱包。
[答案] D
4．After he retired, Fulton________.
A. lived a peaceful and pleasant life
B. often regretted losing his wallet
C. lived a hard life by raising dogs in the mountains
D. quite missed his past life
[解析] 推理判断题。分析文章倒数第二段可知，Fulton退休以后经常牵着狗到山里散步，可见生活非常惬意。
[答案] A
5．Which of the following best describes Fulton’ s feeling when the wallet was returned?
A. Thankful. B. Overjoyed.
C. Surprised. D. Doubtful.
[解析] 推理判断题。文章虽然没有明确说明Fulton接到钱包时的反应，但丢了那么多年的钱包失而复得，他应该感到吃惊。
[答案] C
[长难句解读] And when he looked inside，the contents brought back memories from 1946，when he apparently dropped the wallet behind the balcony bleachers(露天看台)in the Baker Middle School gym.语意：当他看钱包里面时，里面的东西把他的记忆带回到了1946年，当时他显然是把钱包丢在了贝克中学体育场的露天看台上。
本句是一个复合句。第一个when引导时间状语从句，第二个when引导非限制性定语从句，修饰1946。