阅读理解练习2

阅读理解练习2

1

After a busy day of work and play, the body needs to rest. Sleep is necessary for good health. During this time, the body recovers from the activities of the previous day. The rest that you get while sleeping enables your body to prepare itself for the next day.

There are four levels of sleep, each being a little deeper than the one before. As you sleep, your muscles relax little by little. Your heart beats more slowly, and your brain slows down. After you reach the fourth level, your body shifts back and forth from one level of sleep to the other.

Although your mind slows down, from time to time you will dream. Scientists who study sleep state that when dreaming occurs, your eyeballs begin to move more quickly (although your eyelids are closed). This stage of sleep is called REM, which stands for rapid eye movement.

If you have trouble falling asleep, some people recommend breathing very slowly and very deeply. Other people believe that drinking warm milk will help make you drowsy. There is also an old suggestion that counting sheep will put you to sleep!

1. A good title for this passage is ____________.

A. Sleep

B. Good Health

C. Dreams

D. Work and Rest

2. The word \"drowsy\" in the last paragraph means ____________.

A. sick

B. stand up

C. asleep

D. a little sleepy

3. The passage suggests that not getting enough sleep might make you ____________.

A. dream more often

B. have poor health

C. nervous

D. breathe quickly

4. During REM, ____________.

A. your eyes move quickly

B. you dream

C. you are restless

D. both A and B

5. The average number of hours of sleep that an adult needs is ____________.

A. approximately six hours

B. around ten hours

C. about eight hours

D. not stated here

2

To the curious and the courageous, the sea still presents the challenge of the unknown, for ignorance is still the distinguishing characteristic of man's relation to the sea. But now, more than ever, necessity urges us onward in our exploration of the sea. We now have submarines capable of staying under water of many months holding missiles capable of destruction many times greater than those used in World War II. For strategic reasons, therefore, we need urgently to learn more about the ocean bottom. Quite apart from the threat of war, another necessity presses us to learn to master the sea. That necessity is basic to life itself: food. The lives of two-third of the world's people are wholly dictated by that basic necessity, they are oppressed by hunger and by the weakness and disease which hunger generates. Out of the sea we can extract the food to relieve the hunger of these millions of people and give dignity to their lives. We must turn to the sea, because the bounty of the land has limit.

6. The best title of the passage may be ____________.

A. Challenge of the Unknown

B. World's Food Problem

C. Conquering the Sea

D. The Unknown World

7. Which of the following statements is true?

A. The sea is of special importance to the curious and the courageous.

B. The sea may be a potential threat to man.

C. Submarines may help us conquer the sea.

D. As yet, we still don't know much about the sea.

8. Modern submarines can ____________.

A. destroy all the natural resources at the ocean bottom

B. stay under water for months without returning to their base for supplies

C. be the one and only answer to win the next war

D. be economically used as transport vessels

9. The author implies that ____________.

A. the ocean may hold the key to solving the world's food problem

B. the advance of science and technology is a threat to human existence

C. conquering the sea may ultimately mean the conquest of the world

D. food shortage drives people to war

10. Wisely explored and fairly distributed of its harvest, the sea stands for ____________.

A. a mighty threat

B. an unseen enemy

C. a great challenge

D. a potential promise

3

It is a matter of common observation that although incomes keep going up over the years, people never seem to become much better off! Prices are rising continuously. This condition is termed one of inflation; the money supply is becoming inflated so that each unit of it becomes less valuable. People have grown accustomed in recent years to higher and higher rates of

inflation. What could be bought ten years ago for one dollar now costs well over two dollars. Present indications are that this rate of inflation is tending to rise rather than to fall. If in the real world our money incomes go up at the same rate as prices one might think that inflation does not matter. But it does. When money is losing value it lacks one of the qualities of a good money - stability of value. It is no longer acceptable as a store of value; and it becomes an unsuitable standard of deferred(延迟) payments. Nobody wants to hold a wasting asset(资产), so people try to get rid of money as quickly as possible. Inflation therefore stimulates consumer spending, and prevents people from saving.

11. Inflation is a situation in which __________.

A. we find our money increase in its value

B. employment no longer becomes a problem

C. people can always find better paying jobs

D. money keeps losing its value

12. According to the author, inflation __________.

A. is very common at the present time

B. seldom happens

C. has become rare in recent years

D. is just reasonable

13. According to the passage, if incomes and prices rise together __________.

A. money will hold its value

B. inflation poses no problem

C. inflation will remain to be a problem

D. the business will prosper

14. When money loses its value __________.

A. it is no longer stable

B. its rate against gold will be kept at the same level

C. goods will lose their value

D. incomes will keep rising

15. In a period of inflation, people are likely to __________.

A. invest heavily on the stock market

B. save money

C. hold on to money as a dependable asset

D. spend money and not bother to save

4

My formula for staying young is simple: concentrate on the part of you that's young and growing - your brain. Keep your mind awake and you'll stay young all over. These are exciting times. Take an interest in the world around you, and make a point of learning at least one new thing every day.

Regardless of your age, it's not too late to make your life more interesting. I know a housewife with no previous knowledge who made herself into an outstanding industrial designer; I know a retired electrical engineer who has become a highly paid ceramic artist.

Get over the notion that you are ever too old to go back to school. I know a man who entered medical college at 70. He got his degree with honors and became an eminent physician. Another man went to law school at 71 and his now an active lawyer.

In spite of years, staying young is easy for those who live in the future. You can do it if you care enough to try. Keep your mind awake and active; that's the only youth elixir(万灵药) guaranteed to work.

16. The statement that our brain remains young and growing regardless of age is __________.

A. an impossibility

B. a scientific fact

C. a supposition

D. a ridiculous conclusion

17. It is wrong to __________.

A. think oneself too old to go back to school

B. keep one's mind awake

C. try to stay young

D. get one's degree with honor

18. The passage states that a man who entered college at 70 became __________.

A. an active lawyer

B. an electric engineer

C. a distinguished doctor

D. a highly paid ceramic artist

19. The only youth elixir is to __________.

A. go back to school

B. forget one's own age

C. keep in touch with young people

D. keep one's mind awake and active

20. All of the following statement are true EXCEPT that __________.

A. human brain never gets old with age

B. every person should take up a new occupation when he becomes old

C. staying young is not difficult if one is willing to try

D. there is always something to learn if you have an interest in what's going on around you

5

The water level of oceans rises and falls alternately twice a day. This movement of water is called the tide. Tides are caused by the pull of the sun and the moon on the earth's surface; since the moon is closer, it affects the tides more than the sun. When the moon is directly overhead, it actually pulls on the water that is below it. This causes the water level to rise because the water is pulled away from the earth. As the moon disappears over the horizon, the pull lessens and the water level settles back towards the ocean bottom.

When the water reach its highest level, we have high tide. And when the water comes to its lowest level, we have low tide. From its lowest point, the water rises gradually for about six hours until it reaches high tide. Then it begins to fall continuously for about six hours until it reaches low

tide. Then the cycle begins again.

21. Which of the following may be the best title for the passage?

A. The Moon and Ocean

B. The Moon and the Tide

C. Water Levels

D. The Pull of the Moon and the Sun

22. The pull of the moon on the earth's surface is stronger than that of the sun because __________.

A. The moon is directly over the earth

B. The moon pulls the water away from the earth

C. The moon is closer to the earth

D. The moon moves around the earth

23. Water level reaches its low point when __________.

A. the moon is hidden by clouds

B. the moon's effect is indirect

C. the moon moves far away

D. the sun is overhead

24. High tide occurs __________.

A. every 12 hours

B. every 6 hours

C. every 24 hours

D. every 18 hours

25. According to the passage, which of the following statements is true?

A. Weather sometimes affects tides.

B. The force directly affecting the earth's surface comes form the moon only.

C. The effect to the sun on the ocean water can be neglected.

D. Tides are the result of the pull of the moon and the sun.

参考答案：

1. A 2. D 3. B 4. D 5. D

6. C 7. D 8. B 9. A 10. D

11. D 12. A 13. C 14. A 15.D

16. B 17. A 18. C 19. D 20. B

21. B 22. C 23. C 24. A 25. D