高考英语大二轮总复习测试阅读理解专题专题四顺藤摸瓜”明辨词义猜测.doc

Ⅰ.体验高考
(2014·课标Ⅰ)Passenger pigeons(旅鸽)once flew over much of the United States in unbelievable numbers.Written accounts from the 18th and 19th centuries described flocks(群)so large that they darkened the sky for hours.
It was calculated that when its population reached its highest point，there were more than 3 billion passenger pigeons－a number equal to 24 to 40 percent of the total bird population in the United States，making it perhaps the most abundant bird in the world.Even as late as 1870 when their numbers had already become smaller，a flock believed to be 1 mile wide and 320 miles (about 515 kilometers) long was seen near Cincinnati.
Sadly，the abundance of passenger pigeons may have been their undoing.Where the birds were most abundant，people believed there was an ever­lasting supply and killed them by the thousands.Commercial hunters attracted them to small clearings with grainwaited until pigeons had settled to feed，then threw large nets over them，taking hundreds at a time.The birds were shipped to large cities and sold in restaurants.
By the closing decades of the 19th century，the hardwood forests where passenger pigeons nested had been damaged by Americans' need for wood，which scattered(驱散)the flocks and forced the birds to go farther north，where cold temperatures and spring storms contributed to their decline.Soon the great flocks were gone，never to be seen again.
In 1897，the state of Michigan passed a law prohibiting the killing of passenger pigeons，but by then，no sizable flocks had been seen in the state for 10 years.The last confirmed wild pigeon in the United States was shot by a boy in Pike County，Ohio，in 1900.For a time，a few birds survived under human care.The last of them，known affectionately as Martha，died at the Cincinnati Zoological Garden on September 1,1914.
【语篇导读】　本文叙述了旅鸽逐渐消失的过程。
1．In the 18th and early 19th centuries，passenger pigeons ________.
A．were the biggest bird in the world
B．lived mainly in the south of America
C．did great harm to the natural environment
D．were the largest bird population in the US
解析　事实细节题。根据文章第一段所述在18和19世纪，美国大群的旅鸽飞起来可以遮住天空几个小时，所以美国旅鸽的数量是最大的，故选D。
答案　D
2．The underlined word“undoing”probably refers to the pigeons' ________.
A．escape B．ruin
C．liberation D．evolution
解析　词义猜测题。根据文章第三段中“Where the birds were abundant...by the thousands”可知旅鸽遭到捕杀，所以ruin和undoing词义相似，故选B。
答案　B
3．What was the main reason for people to kill passenger pigeons?
A．To seek pleasure. B．To save other birds.
C．To make money. D．To protect crops.
解析　事实细节题。根据文章第二段中“Commercial hunters attracted them...sold in restaurants”可知旅鸽遭到捕杀的主要原因是捕杀者要赚钱。故选C。
答案　C
4．What can we infer about the law passed in Michigan?
A．It was ignored by the public.
B．It was declared too late.
C．It was unfair.
D．It was strict.
解析　推理判断题。根据文章最后一段中“In 1897，the state of...for 10 years”可知通过法律后的10年，鸽群数量仍然不多，所以制定法律为时已晚，故选B。
答案　B
Ⅱ.仿真、模拟
Passage 1
体裁：议论文　话题：历史故事　时间：6分钟
The movies just wouldn't be the same without the warm buttery taste of popcorn.Amazingly，this delicious treat started its life as a corn kernel(玉米粒)—and not from just any corn.Popcorn is a type of sweet corn that was originally grown in Mexico and spread to China，India and elsewhere.It is the only kind of corn that will pop.Today，most of the world's popcorn is grown in the United States.
Every popcorn kernel contains a tiny drop of water，surrounded by soft starch(淀粉)．When the popcorn is heated，the water turns into steam.This puts pressure on the surrounding hard kernel，forcing it to explode.The soft starch increases about 40 times in size as the corn kernel turns itself inside out.
In the 1500s popcorn was an important food source for the Aztec Indians of central and southern Mexico.But it wasn't only food.It was also used in ceremonies or in headdresses and necklaces.By the time the Europeans arrived in America，popcorn had spread through most of the American Indians.
Some early American settlers ate popcorn with cream and sugar for breakfast.But it wasn't until the late 1800s that popcorn became popular.The demand for popcorn increased and farmers began farming popcorn.The first mobile popping machine was invented in 1885，and popcorn was sold by street sellers much like hot dogs are sold today.
During the Great Depression of the 1930s，the popcorn business still thrived as people could still afford it.Then in the 1950s television arrived and popcorn consumption decreased.People stayed home and stopped going to the theatre.But the link between movies and popcorn had already existed.Soon people began making popcorn at home on the stove.Later，microwave popcorn was introduced.
Today the movies have regained popularity and popcorn has once again become the favorite.
【语篇导读】　没有温热香甜的爆米花，电影似乎也会失去味道吧。那么，关于爆米花你又了解多少呢？
1．Popcorn was first planted in ______.
A．China B．America
C．India D．Mexico
解析　细节理解题。根据第一段第三句可知答案。
答案　D
2．Why does the corn kernel pop when heated?
A．Because it is covered with soft starch.
B．Because the pressure inside is too big.
C．Because the starch becomes bigger in size.
D．Because there is water inside the kernel.
解析　细节理解题。根据第二段第二、三两句可知，玉米粒内的水并不能直接导致它炸开，而是水蒸气产生的压力作用于四周坚硬的内核上，造成它爆炸。故答案选B。
答案　B
3．We can know from the passage that ______.
A．popcorn began to be farmed in the late 1800s
B．popcorn was only a kind of food in the 1500s
C．hot dogs used to be sold by street sellers
D．people stopped going to the movies without popcorn
解析　细节理解题。根据第四段第二、三两句可知，是在19世纪末期，随着人们对爆米花需求的增长，农民们才开始种植这种玉米。
答案　A
4．The underlined word“thrived” in the fifth paragraph probably means “______ ”．
A．started to be popular
B．was seriously affected
C．suffered a lot
D．developed very well
解析　词义猜测题。根据上文的still以及下文的as people could still afford it可推断出，这里指即使是在经济大萧条时期，因为爆米花仍然是人们买得起的食品，所以爆米花产业仍然发展得很好。
答案　D
Passage 2
体裁：记叙文　话题：逸闻趣事　时间：7分钟
There was once a tiny country that was suffering from a long drought.It had gone so long without rain that the people there were starting to go hungry because of the bad harvests.
It just so happened that a group of musicians were traveling the country，trying to make a living from their concerts.But with so many problems in the land，no one felt like listening to music.“But music can help overcome any problems，” said the musicians，without anyone paying them the slightest attention.
So the musicians tried to find out the reason it wouldn't rain.It was very strange，because the sky was overcast，but no one could provide an answer.
“It's been cloudy like this for many months，but not a single drop of rain has fallen，” people told them.
“Don't worry，we'll bring rain to the country，” the musicians responded，and they began rehearsing for a concert at the summit of the highest mountain.
Everyone who heard the music was seized by curiosity and went up the mountain.And the conductor of this strange orchestra gave the order，and the musicians began to play.
From their instruments came small，playful musical notes that rose and rose into the clouds.The music was so joyous，happy and fun，and the notes started playing with the clouds' soft，fluffy bellies，running here and there，up and down，and the whole sky turned into one big game of tickle torture.Before long，the giant clouds were thundering with laughter.
The musicians continued playing joyfully and a few minutes later the clouds，crying with laughter，soaked the little country below with their precious tears，bringing happiness to all.
And in memory of that musical rain，everyone in the country learned how to play an instrument and，taking turns，would go up the mountain every day to bring joy to the clouds with their beautiful songs.
【语篇导读】　一个干旱已久的小国，却因为音乐家们的到来，改变了他们的命运——音乐家通过在山顶上演奏音乐，从而为当地降下了甘霖。为了纪念那场音乐雨，人们开始学习音乐，并轮流到山上为云彩演奏音乐。
1．Why did the country have the bad harvests?
A．Because it's too hot. B．Because it's too cold.
C．Because it's too wet. D．Because it's too droughty.
解析　细节理解题。根据第一段可知那个国家歉收的原因是因为长期干旱少雨，故选D项。
答案　D
2．What's the attitude of the people toward the musicians?
A．Active. B．Energetic.
C．Cold. D．Enthusiastic.
解析　推理判断题。根据第二段中的“But with so many problems in the land，no one felt like listening to music.”和“without anyone paying them the slightest attention.”可以推出人们对音乐家们的态度是冷淡的。故选C。
答案　C
3．What's the meaning of the underlined word in the third paragraph?
A．Cloudy B．Rainy
C．Sunny D．Windy
解析　词义猜测题。根据第四段中的“It's been cloudy like this...”可以推出overcast的意思与cloudy意思一样。故选A项。
答案　A
4．Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?
A．Great musicians B．Music for the clouds
C．Laughing clouds D．Music rehearsing
解析　标题概括题。本文主要讲述了音乐家通过在山顶上为云彩演奏音乐，从而使云彩流动起来，最终降下了期盼已久的雨，为当地人们带来了快乐。由此可以推出文章的标题应选B项。
答案　B
5．From the last paragraph we can learn that the people in the small country ______.
A．hate music B．love music
C．teach music D．practice music
解析　推理判断题。最后一段中讲到为了纪念那场音乐雨，人们开始学习乐器，并轮流到山上为云彩演奏音乐。由此可以推出人们喜欢音乐。
答案　B
Passage 3
体裁：记叙文　话题：人物介绍　时间：7分钟
The son of a piano producer，Elwyn Brooks White was born in Mount Vernon in a wealthy family.And he was raised with the mix of sophistication(高水平) and common sense that would mark his writing.
After graduation，Elwyn Brooks White spent a year as a newspaper reporter in New York City，and then decided to drive across the country with a friend.The trip gave Elwyn Brooks White a lifetime of anecdotes.“When they ran out of money，” Elwyn Brooks White's friend，James Thurber，noted,“they played for their supper and their gasoline on an interesting musical instrument that Elwyn Brooks White had made out of some pieces of wire and an old shoe.”
When Elwyn Brooks White returned to New York City in the mid­1920s，he spent a few years bouncing between advertising jobs and unemployment before trying his hand again at writing.Not very seriously，he sent some essays to a new magazine called The New Yorker.Since its founding in 1925，the magazine had struggled to find its_niche，and Elwyn Brooks White's work helped put The New Yorker on the map.His essays were funny and sophisticated；they spoke equally to socialites(社会名流) and cab drivers，professors and repairmen.Through his essays，which he wrote for nearly 50 years，Elwyn Brooks White helped give The New Yorker its voice and identity.
In 1945，already a leading literary figure，Elwyn Brooks White switched to his second occupation on writing children's books.He moved from New York to a farm in Maine，where he raised chickens and geese.Seeking a way to amuse his nieces and nephews，Elwyn Brooks White started to write stories for them.“Children were always after me to tell them a story and I found I couldn't do it，” he said.“So I had to get it down on paper.”
By the time he died from Alzheimer's disease in 1985，Elwyn Brooks White's essays had appeared in more literary collections in colleges than those of any other writer.Many said his essays matched his personality: sophisticated without being simple，critical without being mean.
【语篇导读】　本文介绍了Elwyn Brooks White的生平。
1．What can we learn from Paragraph 2?
A．Elwyn Brooks White took the trip to realize his lifelong dream.
B．The trip had a lasting effect on Elwyn Brooks White's personality.
C．The travelling companion found Elwyn Brooks White's music talent.
D．Elwyn Brooks White had many experiences to talk about after the trip.
解析　细节理解题。根据第二段的第二句话“The trip gave Elwyn Brooks White a lifetime of anecdotes.”可知D项正确。
答案　D
2．The underlined part“its niche” in Paragraph 3 means something that ______.
A．suits its sponsors' tastes
B．protects its social identity
C．helps build its own style
D．voices its authors' concern
解析　词义猜测题。根据画线部分后面的“Elwyn Brooks White's work helped put The New Yorker on the map”以及该段最后一句话中的“Elwyn Brooks White helped give The New Yorker its voice and identity”可知C项正确。
答案　C
3．What do we know about Elwyn Brooks White's works?
A．They originally came from the stories told by his nieces.
B．They were intended for people of different social status.
C．They helped The New Yorker find its position on the map.
D．They were chosen by college textbooks when they came out.
解析　细节理解题。由第三段的倒数第二句话“His essays were funny and sophisticated；they spoke equally to socialites(社会名流) and cab drivers，professors and repairmen.”可知，他的作品适合不同社会地位的人。
答案　B
Passage 4
体裁：记叙文　话题：热点关注　时间：7分钟
Does style really sell? How can the appearance of a product be more important than what it does? The battle between form and function rose again when James Dyson，British inventor of the Dyson vacuum(真空) cleaner that has sold in millions around the world，resigned as chairman of London's Design Museum.It is widely believed that Mr.Dyson felt that the museum put too much stress on style at the expense of serious industrial design.
Mr.Dyson accused the museum of not keeping true to itself.He may be right，but these days，museums everywhere can no longer afford to be unique centers of scholarship and learning.Among competition for sponsorship，they must use exhibitions of populist culture，nice cafes and shops or，best of all，a new building by Frank Gehry to increase visitor numbers.
On the one hand，some producers can be too old­fashioned and too concerned with the importance of product engineering and the functionality of their goods.On the other hand，there are those who believe that how a product looks is more important.Design is indeed a broad term，involving both function and form.Typically，in any given product area，it changes from the former to the latter.Clothing is a good example.But surely you would have to be a very shallow person to think something's appearance is more important than what it does.
Today nearly all goods at any given price point do much the same job.So almost the only way producers can differentiate their products from those of their competitors is to create some sort of emotional connection with the consumer，which could be through the visual appeal of the product or its packaging，or the imagery(意象) created by advertising.And what of the Dyson vacuum cleaner? Mr.Dyson may believe that people buy these machines because of the graphs showing their superior suction，but most vacuum cleaners do a good job；the main reason people pay extra for a Dyson is that it is a vacuum cleaner with a trendy brand.With its inside workings exposed，it is a bit like a Richard Rogers building with all its pipes shown in bright colors on the outside instead of being hidden inside.Functional it may be，but it is a bit of a tricktoo.
【语篇导读】　英国吸尘器发明家Dyson因强烈反对设计博物馆太过注重外在的风格样式而辞职，他认为这里应该是研究学问的地方。
1．Mr.Dyson left the Design Museum because he thought the museum ______.
A．didn't increase the number of visitors
B．couldn't provide scholarships for learners
C．wasn't loyal to its original purpose of learning
D．didn't have great appeal for serious industrial design
解析　推理判断题。由第一段的最后一句话和第二段的第一句可知，他辞职是因为设计博物馆太注重风格样式。他认为这里应该是研究学问的地方，他们的做法违背了这个初衷。
答案　C
2．Speaking of clothing，the underlined word“latter” refers to “______ ”．
A．affording protection
B．indicating one's identity
C．providing warmth
D．making someone beautiful