Reading-TEM4

As many as one thousand years ago in the Southwest, the Hopi and Zuni Indians of North America were building with adobe－sun baked brick plastered with mud. Their homes looked remarkably like modern apartment houses. Some were four stories high and contained quarters for perhaps a thousand people, along with store rooms for grain and other goods. These buildings were usually put up against cliffs, both to make construction easier and for defense against enemies. They were really villages in themselves, as later Spanish explorers must have realized since they called them \"pueblos\

The people of the pueblos raised what are called\"the three sisters\" - corn, beans, and squash. They made excellent pottery and wove marvelous baskets, some so fine that they could hold water. The Southwest has always been a dry country, where water is scarce. The Hopi and Zuni brought water from streams to their fields and gardens through irrigation ditches. Water was so important that it played a major role in their religion. They developed elaborate ceremonies and religious rituals to bring rain.

The way of life of less settled groups was simpler and more strongly influenced by nature. Small tribes such as the Shoshone and Ute wandered the dry and mountainous lands between the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. They gathered seeds and hunted small animals such as small rabbits and snakes. In the Far North the ancestors of today’s Inuit hunted seals, walruses, and the great whales. They lived right on the frozen seas in shelters called igloos built of blocks of packed snow. When summer came, they fished for salmon and hunted the lordly caribou.

The Cheyenne, Pawnee, and Sioux tribes, known as the Plains Indians, lived on the grasslands between the Rocky Mountains and the Mississippi River. They hunted bison, commonly called the buffalo. Its meat was the chief food of these tribes, and its hide was used to make their clothing and covering of their tents and tipis. 1. What does the passage mainly discuss?

A. The architecture of early American Indian buildings. B. The movement of American Indians across North America. C. Ceremonies and rituals of American Indians.

D. The way of life of American Indian tribes in early North America.

2. It can be inferred from the passage that the dwellings of the Hopi and Zuni were______. A. very smallB. highly advancedC. difficult to defendD. quickly constructed

Human beings have used tools for a very long time. In some parts of the world you can still find tools that people used more than two million years ago. They made these tools by hitting one stone against another. In this way, they broke off pieces from one of the stones. These chips of stone were usually sharp on one side. People used them for cutting meat and skin from dead animals, and also for making other tools out of wood.

Human beings needed to use tools because they did not have sharp teeth like other meat eating animals, such as lions and tigers. Tools helped people to get food more easily. Working with tools also helped to develop human intelligence. The human brain grew bigger, and human beings began to invent more and more tools and machines.

1

The stone chip was one of the first tools that people used, and perhaps it is the most important. Some scientists say that it was the key to success of mankind.

3. The stone chip is thought to be the most important tool because it ______. A. was one of the first tools B. developed human capabilities C. led to the invention of machines

D. was crucial to the development of mankind 

4. At the end of the passage the author seems to suggest that life in future is ______. A. disastrous B. unpredictable C. exciting D. colorful

About 5,000 years ago, the Egyptians and other people in the Near East began to use pictures as kind of writing. They drew simple pictures or signs to represent things and ideas, and also to represent the sounds of their language. The signs these people used became a kind of alphabet.

The Egyptians used to record information and to tell stories by putting picture writing and pictures together. When an important person died, scenes and stories from his life were painted and carved on the walls of the place where he was buried. Some of these pictures are like modern comic strip stories. It has been said that Egypt is the home of the comic strip. But, for the Egyptians, pictures still had magic power. So they did not try to make their way of writing simple. The ordinary people could not understand it.

By the year 1,000 BC, people who lived in the area around the Mediterranean Sea had developed a simpler system of writing. The signs they used were very easy to write, and there were fewer of them than in the Egyptian system. This was because each sign, or letter, represented only one sound in their language. The Greeks developed this system and formed the letters of the Greek alphabet. The Romans copied the idea, and the Roman alphabet is now used all over the world.

These days, we can write down a story, or record information, without using pictures. But we still need pictures of all kinds: drawing, photographs, signs and diagrams. We find them everywhere: in books and newspapers, in the street, and on the walls of the places where we live and work. Pictures help us to understand and remember things more easily, and they can make a story much more interesting.

5. Pictures of animals were painted on the walls of caves in France and Spain because______. A. the hunters wanted to see the pictures B. the painters were animal lovers C. the painters wanted to show imagination D. the pictures were thought to be helpful

6. The Greek alphabet was simpler than the Egyptian system for all the following reasons EXCEPT that______. A. the former was easy to write B. there were fewer signs in the former

2

C. the former was easy to pronounce D. each sign stood for only one sound

7. Which of the following statements is TRUE? A. The Egyptian signs later became a particular alphabet. B. The Egyptians liked to write comic strip stories.

C. The Roman alphabet was developed from the Egyptian one. D. The Greeks copied their writing system from the Egyptians. 8. In the last paragraph, the author thinks that pictures ______. A. should be made comprehensible B. should be made interesting C. are of much use in our life D. have disappeared from our life

There are many theories about the beginning of drama in ancient Greece. The one most widely accepted today is based on the assumption that drama evolved from ritual. The argument for this view goes as follows. In the beginning, human beings viewed the natural forces of the world, even the seasonal changes, as unpredictable, and they sought through various means, to control these unknown and feared powers. Those measures which appeared to bring the desired results were then retained and repeated until they hardened into fixed rituals. Eventually stories arose which explained or veiled the mysteries of the rites. As time passed some rituals were abandoned, but the stories, later called myths, persisted and provided material for art and drama.

Those who believed that drama evolved out of ritual also argue that those rites contained the seed of theater because music, dance, masks, and costumes were almost always used. Furthermore, a suitable site had to be provided for performances, and when the entire community did not participate, a clear division was usually made between the \"acting area\" and the \"auditorium\". In addition, there were performers, and, since considerable importance was attached to avoiding mistakes in the enactment of rites, religious leaders usually assumed that task. Wearing masks and costumes, they often impersonated other people, animals, or supernatural beings, and mimed the desired effect-success in hunt or battle, the coming rain, the revival of the Sun-as an actor might. Eventually such dramatic representations were separated from religious activities.

Another theory traces the theater’s origin from the human interest in storytelling. According to this view, tales (about the hunt, war, or other feats) are gradually elaborated, at first through the use of impersonation, action, and dialogue by a narrator and then through the assumption of each of the roles by a different person. A closely related theory traces theater to those dances that are primarily rhythmical and gymnastic or that are imitations of animal movements and sounds.

9. What does the passage mainly discuss?

A. The origins of theater. B. The role of ritual in modern dance.

C. The importance of storytelling. D. The variety of early religious activities. 10. What aspect of drama does the author discuss in the first paragraph? A. The reason drama is often unpredictable. B. The seasons in which dramas were performed.

3

C. The connection between myths and dramatic plots. D. The importance of costumes in early drama.

11. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a common element of theater and ritual? A. Dance.B. Costumes.C. Music.D. Magic.

12. According to the passage, what is the main difference between ritual and drama? A. Ritual uses music whereas drama does not. B. Ritual is shorter than drama.

C. Ritual requires fewer performers than drama. D. Ritual has a religious purpose and drama does not. 13. The passage supports which of the following statements? A. No one really knows how the theater began. B. Myths are no longer represented dramatically. C. Storytelling is an important part of dance. D. Dramatic activities require the use of costumes.

Most earthquakes occur within the upper 15 miles of the earth's surface. But earthquakes can and do occur at all depths to about 460 miles. Their number decreases as the depth increases. At about 460 miles one earthquake occurs only every few years. Near the surface earthquakes may run as high as 100 in a month, but the yearly average does not vary much. In comparison with the total number of earthquakes each year, the number of disastrous earthquakes is very small.

The extent of the disaster in an earthquake depends on many factors. If you carefully build a toy house with an erect set, it will still stand no matter how much you shake the table. But if you build a toy house with a pack of cards, a slight shake of the table will make it fall. An earthquake in Agadir, Morocco, was not strong enough to be recorded on distant instruments, but it completely destroyed the city. Many stronger earthquakes have done comparatively little damage. If a building is well constructed and built on solid ground, it will resist an earthquake. Most deaths in earthquakes have been due to faulty building construction or poor building sites. A third and very serious factor is panic. When people rush out into narrow streets, more deaths will result.

The United Nations has played an important part in reducing the damage done by earthquakes. It has sent a team of experts to all countries known to be affected by earthquakes. Working with local geologists and engineers, the experts have studied the nature of the ground and the type of most practical building code for the local area. If followed, these suggestions will make disastrous earthquakes almost a thing of the past.

There is one type of earthquake disaster that little can be done about. This is the disaster caused by seismic sea waves, or tsunamis. (These are often called tidal waves, but the name is incorrect. They have nothing to do with tides.) In certain areas, earthquakes take place beneath the sea. These submarine earthquakes sometimes give rise to seismic sea waves. The waves are not noticeable out at sea because of their long wave length. But when they roll into harbors, they pile up into walls of water 6 to 60 feet high. The Japanese call them \"tsunamis\\"harbor waves\

Tsunamis travel fairly slowly, at speeds up to 500 miles an hour. An adequate warning system is in use to warn all shores likely to be reached by the waves. But this only enables people to leave the threatened shores for higher ground. There is no way to stop the oncoming wave.

14. Which of the following CANNOT be concluded from the passage? A. The number of earthquakes is closely related to depth.

4

B. Roughly the same number of earthquakes occur each year. C. Earthquakes are impossible at depths over 460 miles. D. Earthquakes are most likely to occur near the surfaces. 15. The destruction of Agadir is an example of ______.  A. faulty building construction B. an earthquake's strength C. widespread panic in earthquakes D. ineffective instruments

16. The United Nations' experts are supposed to______. A. construct strong buildings B. put forward proposals C. detect disastrous earthquakes D. monitor earthquakes

17. The significance of the slow speed of tsunamis is that people may______. A. notice them out at sea B. find ways to stop them C. be warned early enough D. develop warning systems

It was the worst tragedy in maritime (航海的) history, six times more deadly than the Titanic.

When the German cruise ship Wilhelm Gustloff was hit by torpedoes (鱼雷) fired from a Russian submarine in the final winter of World War II, more than 10,000 people - mostly women, children and old people fleeing the final Red Army push into Nazi Germany - were packed aboard. An ice storm had turned the decks into frozen sheets that sent hundreds of families sliding into the sea as the ship tilted andbegan to go down. Others desperately tried to put lifeboats down. Some who succeeded fought offthose in the water who had the strength to try to claw their way aboard. Most people froze immediately. Tll never forget the screams,\" says Christa Ntitzmann, 87, one of the 1,200 survivors. She recalls watching the ship, brightly lit, slipping into its dark grave - and into seeming nothingness, rarely mentioned for more than half a century.

Now Germanys Nobel Prize-winning author Gtinter Grass has revived the memory of the 9,000 dead, including more than 4,000 children - with his latest novel Crab Walk, published last month. The book, which will be out in English next year, doesnt dwell on the sinking; its heroine is a pregnant young woman who survives the catastrophe only to say later: \"Nobody wanted to hear about it, not here in the West (of Germany) and not at all in the East.\" The reason was obvious. As Grass put it in a recent interview with the weekly Die Woche: \"Because the crimes we Germans are responsible for were and are so dominant, we didn\\’t have the energy left to tell of our own sufferings.

The long silence about the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff was probably unavoi dable - and necessary. By unreservedly owning up to their countrys monstrous crimes in the Second World War, Germans have managed to win acceptance abroad, marginalize ( 使...不得势 ) the neo- Nazis at home and make peace with their neighbors. Todays unified Germany is more prosperous and stable than at any time in its long, troubled history. For that, a half century of willful forgetting about painful memories like the German Titanic was perhaps a reasonable price to pay. But even the most politically correct Germans believe that they ye now earned the right to discuss the full historical record. Not to equate German suffering with that of its victims, but simply to acknowledge a terrible tragedy.

18、Why does the author say the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff was the worst tragedy in maritime history?

5

A) It was attacked by Russian torpedoes. B) Most of its passengers were frozen to death. C) Its victims were mostly women and children. D) It caused the largest number of casualties. 19、Hundreds of families dropped into the sea when A) a strong ice storm tilted the ship B) the cruise ship sank all of a sudden

C) the badly damaged ship leaned toward one side D) the frightened passengers fought desperately for lifeboats

20、The Wilhelm Gustloff tragedy was little talked about for more than half a century because Germans A) were eager,to win international acceptance B) felt guilty for their crimes in World War II C)~ad been pressured to keep silent about it D) were afraid of offending their neighbors

21、How does Gunter Grass revive the memory of the Wilhelm Gustloff tragedy? A) By presenting the horrible scene of the torpedo attack. B) By describing the ships sinking in great detail. C) By giving an interview to the weekly Die Woche. D) By depicting the survival of a young pregnant woman.

22、It can be learned from the passage that Germans no longer think that A) they will be misunderstood if they talk about the Wilhelm Gustloff tragedy

B) the Wilhelm Gustloff tragedy is a reasonable price to pay for the nations past misdeeds C) Germany is responsible for the horrible crimes it committed in World War II D) it-is wrong to equate their sufferings with those of other countries

Certainly no creature in the sea is odder than the common sea cucumber. All living creature， especially human beings， have their peculiarities， but everything about the little sea cucumber seems unusual. What else can be said about a bizarre animal that， among other eccentricities， eats mud， feeds almost continuously day and night but can live without eating for long periods， and can be poisonous but is considered supremely edible by gourmets？

For some fifty million years， despite all its eccentricities， the sea cucumber has subsisted on its diet of mud. It is adaptable enough to live attached to rocks by its tube feet， under rocks in shallow water， or on the surface of mud flats. Common in cool water on both Atlantic and Pacific shores， it has the ability to suck up mud or sand and digest whatever nutrients are present.

Sea cucumbers come in a variety of colors， ranging from black to reddish brown to sand color and nearly white. One form even has vivid purple tentacles. Usually the creatures are cucumber shaped-hence their name-and because they are typically rock inhabitants， this shape， combined with flexibility， enables them to squeeze into crevices where they are safe from predators and ocean currents.

Although they have voracious appetites， eating day and night， sea cucumbers have the capacity to become quiescent and live at a low metabolic rate-feeding sparingly or not at all for long periods， so that the marine organisms that provide their food have a chance to multiply. If it were not for this faculty， they would devour all the food available in a short time and would probably starve themselves out of existence.

But the most spectacular thing about the sea cucumber is the way it defends itself. Its major enemies are fish

6

and crabs， when attacked， it squirts all its internal organs into water. It also casts off attached structures such as tentacles. The sea cucumber will eviscerate and regenerate itself if it is attacked or even touched； it will do the same if the surrounding water temperature is too high or if the water becomes too polluted. 23. According to the passage， why is the shape of sea cucumbers important？ A. It helps them to digest their food.

B. It helps them to protect themselves from danger. C. It makes it easier for them to move through the mud. D. It makes them attractive to fish. 

24. The fourth paragraph of the passage primarily discusses______. A. the reproduction of sea cucumbers B. the food sources of sea cucumbers C. the eating habits of sea cucumbers D. threats to sea cucumbers' existence 

25. What can be inferred about the defence mechanisms of the sea cucumber？ A. They are very sensitive to surrounding stimuli. B. They are almost useless. C. They require group cooperation.

D. They are similar to those of most sea creatures. 

26. Which of the following would NOT cause a sea cucumber to release its internal organs into the water？ A. A touch B. Food C. Unusually warm water D. Pollution.

Municipal sewage is of relatively recent origin as a pollutant. It was first brought to public attention in the 19th century by a London physician who showed that the city's cholera outbreak had been caused by just one contaminated well. Even though the contamination of drinking water by disease germs has been nearly eliminated in this country, hundreds of communities are still discharging raw sewage into streams and rivers.When we consider that this sewage contains effluents from toilets, hospitals, laundries,industrial plants, etc., then the potential of the pollutants as a health hazard is apparent.

The problem of municipal sewage disposal is complicated by the fact that, years ago, mostcities combined their storm and waste disposal sewers. Many of these combined systems work well, but others cannot cope with sudden heavy rains. When such storms occur, water mixed with sewage may flood and disable treatment plants unless bypassed, untreated, into a stream. In either case, the people may have little protection for several days from these wastes that may contain disease germs.Even if adequately treated to eliminate the health hazard, sewage is aesthetically ndesirable because of odors and colors produced. Detergents have posed a particular disposal problem. Although there is no indication that they are injurious to health, they can cause foaming, which can clog treatment plants and, at the least, spoil the scenic beauty of streams.Rural and suburban residents should be aware that septic tanks and cesspools are a potential source of pollution to ground water supplies. This is especially true in the uburban areas with a high population density and with no municipal sewage disposal and treatment system available. In some areas, sewage disposal is accomplished by cesspools. Soil research is furnishing guidelines for more effective and safer use of systems such as these. 27. This passage is concerned primarily with the _____ . A. problems of waste disposal B. dangers of drinking from wells C. turbidity of polluted water D. outbreak of cholera

7

28. The author mentions the London cholera epidemic to _____ . A. prove that the city refused to deal with pollution

B. prove that medical science once knew little about pollution C. introduce the idea of contaminated water supplies D. recall a historical fact

29. In densely populated suburban areas, a danger exits from _____ . A. streams that do not flow directly to open bodies of water B. cesspools and septic tanks that contaminate water supplies C. storm and waste disposal sewers that have been combined D. the undesirable odors of sewage

30. In developing the main point, the author makes use of _____ . A. scientific arguments B. convincing testimony C. common sense observations D. analogy

参考答案及解析：

1. D) 根据阅读短文可知，作者主要描述了北美地区不同印第安部落的不同的生活方式 。故选项D为正确答案。

2. B) 此题为推断题。根据文章第一段可知，早在一千年前Hopi和Zuni两支北美印第安部落就用一种砖坯“adobe”来建造房屋，高可达四层楼高，有居住室还有储藏室，颇像现代的公寓，故选项B（高度发达）为正确答案。

3. D) 这是一道细节题。根据文章第二段尾句“Some scientists say that it was the key to the success of mankind”可知“stone chip”对于人类的发展起到了非常重要的作用，这与D正好相符。

4. B) 在文章最后一段中作者说人类在过去的几百万年时间里一直使用“stone chip”，人类社会发生的变化很小。而我们使用“silicon chips”才不过几年，生活却发生了巨大的变化。于是作者发出了疑问：“二十年后的生活会是什么样子的呢？”，“ 二百万年后的世界又会是什么样子呢？”，表明将来的生活无法预料，这与选项B相符。

5. D) 根据文章第一段第五行“Perhaps the painters thought that their pictures would help them to catch these animals.”可知古代人以为在墙上画画会对他们有所帮助，故选项D为正确答案。

6. C) 在做此类题时要注意题干的要求。通过阅读文章第四段很清楚就知道选项C “前者容易发音”在文中没有提及，故为正确答案。

7. A) 可用排除法来做本题。通过阅读文章很清楚选项B和D为错误陈述。选项C “罗马字母是从埃及字母发展而来的”根据文章第四段第四，五句可知为错误论述，因此只有选项A为正确答案。 8. C) 文章最后一段讲述了图画在今天的用途，故选项C为正确答案。

8

9. A) 这是一道主旨题。根据文章第一句“There are many theories about the beginning of drama in ancient Greece.”及第三段第一句“Another theory traces the theater’s origin from the human interest in storytelling.”可知本文是讨论戏剧的起源的。故选项A为正确答案。

10. C) 这也是一道主旨题。本题可用排除法来做。通过阅读第一段，首先很明显可将选项B和D排除；选项A（戏剧无法预测的原因）也不正确，故只有选项C（神话与戏剧情节的联系）为正确答案。

11. D) 这是一道细节题。在做本题时要注意题干中的NOT。通过阅读文章很明显选项D Magic 为正确答案。 12. D) 根据文章第二段可知尽管有人说戏剧起源于宗教仪式，但是它们还是有区别的，例如：戏剧演出“performances”要有合适的演出地点；戏剧表演时，“表演区”（“acting area”）和“观看区”（ “auditorium”）有明显的分界线，另外表演戏剧还要有演员。而宗教仪式在进行过程中为了避免犯错误都是由宗教领袖来进行，由他们戴上面具，穿上服装来模仿其他人，动物或超自然的东西，做出一些动作以求达到一些目的，例如：在打猎或战斗中取得胜利，祈雨等。由此可判断宗教仪式都有一定的宗教目的，而戏剧却没有，这正符合选项D。

13. A) 通过阅读文章可知，选项A 为正确答案。 14-17： C A B C 18-22： D C B D A

23. B） 通过阅读文章可以排除选项A、C、D，因为文中没有提及，故选项B为正确答

24. C） 此题为段落主旨题。通过阅读第四段可知作者都是讲述海参的进食习惯，故选项C为正确答案。 25. A） 此题为推论题。根据最后一段可知海参在受到外界刺激时，会做出一定的反应，这也反映出它的防御机制非常敏感，故A为正确答案。

26. B） 此题为细节题。根据最后一段可知惟有food不会使海参将体内器官吐出来，故其为正确答案。 27.A。此题为主旨题。线索词为\"sewage\"、\"pollutant\"、\"sewage disposal\"等，这些词贯穿文章始终，可见A项符合题意。B、C、D三项皆为文中细节，不能反映主题。

28.C。此题为细节题。答案在第一段。线索词为\"London cholera\"。此题考查作者

引用的目的。A项与文中所述事实相反。B项文中未涉及此话题。D项\"London cholera\"是一个\"historical fact\"，却不是作者引用之目的。

29. B。此题为细节题。答案在最后一段的主题句中。线索词为\"suburban\"、\"source of pollution\"和\"ground water\"。

30. C。此题为篇章结构题。作者首先提出排污系统为污染源，然后通过观察、分析、归纳来阐述观点，而没用A项\"科学论证\"、B项\"令人信服的证据\"或D项\"类比\"。

9