GCT英语阅读理解强化练习与答案.doc

阅读理解强化练习Reading Comprehension 1Passage 1 “Family” is of course an elastic word. But when British people say that theirsociety is based on family life, they are thinking of “family” in its narrow, peculiarly European sense of mother, father and children living together alone in their own house as an economic and social unit. Thus, every British marriage indicates the beginning of a new and independent family hence the tremendous importance of marriage in British life. For both the man and the woman, marriage means leaving ones parents and starting ones own life. The mans first duty will then beto his wife, and the wifes to her husband. He will be entirely responsible for her financial support, and she for the running of the new home. Their children willbe their common responsibility and theirs alone. Neither the wifes parents northe husbands, nor their brothers or sisters, aunts or uncles, have any right to interfere with them they are their own masters.Readers of novels like Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice will know that in former times marriage among wealthy families were arranged by the girls parents, that is, it was the parents duty to find a suitable husband for their daughter, preferably a rich one, and by skillful encouragement to lead him eventually to asktheir permission to marry her. Until that time, the girl was protected and maintained in the parents home, and the financial relief of getting rid of her could be seen in their giving the newly married pair a sum of money called a dowry. It is very different today. Most girls of today get a job when they leave school andbecome financially independent before their marriage. This has had two results. Agirl chooses her own husband, and she gets no dowry.1. What does the author mean by “Family is of course an elastic word”?A. Different families have different ways of life.B. Different definitions could be given to the word.C. Different nations have different families.D. Different times produce different families.2. For an English family, the husbands duty is _.A. supporting the family while the wife is financialB. defending the family while the wife is running the homeC. financial while the wife is running the homeD. independent while the wife is dependent3. Everything is decided in a family _.A. by the couple B. with the help of their parentsC. by brothers and sisters D. with the help of aunts and uncles4. What is true concerning the book Pride and Prejudice?A. It is the best book on marriage.B. It is a handbook of marriage.C. It gives quite some idea of English social life in the past.D. It provides a lot of information of former time wealthy families.5. With regard to marriage in Britain, present-day girls differ from former time girls in _.A. the right to marry B. more parental supportC. choosing husbands D. social positionPassage 2 Except for the Indians, the earliest backpackers in America were frontiersmen, who roamed the wilderness looking either for necessities such as food and water or for sources of wealth such as fur and gold. For them backpacking was a way of survival or a means of achieving what one day would be called the “American Dream”. Today, however, many people enjoy backpacking as a recreational activity. Shouldering a pack and leaving behind the world of telephone, television and traffic promise an exciting experience. Testing ones stamina (耐力) and skills are challenging a sense of ones place in the natural world can be rewarding .Moreover, backpacking is an activity that can last any length for time and can be enjoyed alone or with friends. Then too, a backpacking trip may be organized within a day or two. The backpacker and his friends have only to decide on their destination and then organize the all-important kit, whose contents they must depend on throughout their trip. A map, a compass, a flashlight, along with firstequipment, food, and extra clothing can be rounded up without much difficulty. Once the backpackers have left word about where they go in a note on the refrigerator door or in a message on an answering machine, they can look forward to an adventure that will lift the spirit and nourish the soul. Their outing will enable them to return in a short time to the age of technology with the courage and independence of Natty Bumppo, who did indeed belong to the age of the frontier.6. The passage mainly discusses_ .A. the early backpackers B. backpacking as a perfect form of recreationC. how backpacking started D. why people of today are interested in backpacking7. The earliest backpackers were _. A. frontiersmen B. Indians C. fur traders D. gold miners8. Early backpackers who roamed about in wilderness were interested in finding_ .A. means to realize the American dream B. recreation in lifeC. relief from the stress of everyday life D. daily necessities9. One of the advantages of backpacking is that _. A. it can help people to establish a linkwith natureB. it is a group activity and can cure a persons lonelinessC. it is not so challenging as other activitiesD. it does not require people to decide on a destination10. According to the passage, Natty Bumppo was_.A. an American national hero B. a character in a Hemingway novelC. a man of valor D. an Indian warriorPassage 3American Indians played a central role in the war known as the American Revolution. To them, however, the dispute between the colonists and England was peripheral (边缘的). For American Indians the conflict was a war for American Indian independence, and whichever side they chose they lost it. Mary Brant was a powerful influence among the Iroquois. She was a Mohawk, the leader of the society of all Iroquois matrons, and the widow of Sir William Johnson, Superintendent of Indian Affairs. Her brother, Joseph Brant, is the best-known American Indian warrior of the Revolution, yet she may have exerted even more influence in the Confederacy than he did .She used her influence to keep the western tribes of Iroquois loyal to the English king, George .When the colonists won the war, she and her tribe had to abandon their lands-and retreat to Canada. On the other side, Nancy Ward held positions of authority in the Cherokee nation. She had fought as a warrior in the war against the Greeks and as a reward for her heroism was made “Beloved Woman” of the tribe. This office made her chief of the womens council and a member of the council of chiefs. She was friendly with the White settlers and supported the Patriots during the Revolution. Yet the Cherokees too lost their land.11. What is the main point the author makes in the passage? A. Siding with the English in the Revolution helped American Indians regain their land.B. At the time of the Revolution, the Superintendent of Indian Affairs had little power.C. Regardless of whom they supported in the Revolution, American Indians lost their land.D. The outcome of the Revolution was largely determined by American Indian women.12. According to the passage, Mary Brants husband had been a _ .A. government official B. Mohawk chiefC. revolutionary hero D. Cherokee council member13. To which tribe did Nancy Ward belong? A. Mohawk. B. Iroquois. C. Cherokee. D. Greek.14. How did Nancy Ward gain her position of authority? A. By bravery in battle. B. By marriage to a chief.C. By joining the Confederacy. D. By being born into a powerful family.15. According to the passage, what did Mary Brant and Nancy Ward have in common?A. Each was called “Beloved Woman” by her tribe. B. Each influenced her tribes role in the American Revolution.C. Each lost a brother in the American Revolution. D. Each went to England after the American Revolution.Passage 4 James Joyce was an Irish novelist who revolutionized the methods of depicting characters and developing a plot in modern fiction. His astonishing way of constructing a novel, his frank portrayal of human nature in his books, and his complete command of English have made him one of the outstanding influences on literature in the 20th Century. Many critics judge that he is second only to Shakespeare in his mastery of the English language. Joyce was deeply influenced by Ireland and wrote all his books about Dublin.When he was in Dublin College, he studied languages and spent his spare time reading books. He refused to take part in the nationalist movement like his fellow students, but he became passionately interested in literature. He wrote outspoken articles of literary criticism that shocked his teachers and even taught himself Norwegian so that he could read Ibsens works in the original.When he graduated in 1902, he knew he would become a writer and an exile, because he felt he could not be one without the other. In order to preserve his ideal of writing truthfully, fully, and as objectively as he knew how, about the people and places he knew best, he had to escape from all temptations to become involved in popular opinion or public life. He went to France, Italy and Switzerland, where he lived in poverty and obscurity for the first 20 years, only returning to Ireland when his mother was dying. Except for a couple of brief trips, he stayed abroad all his life.16. James Joyce was first of all a _. A. revolutionary B. critic C. novelist D. exile17. James Joyce was famous for many reasons EXCEPT _. A. his way of constructing a novel B. his frank portrayal of human nature C. his complete command of English D. his passion in literature18. “He is second only to Shakespeare” is a comment on his _. A. achievement in literature B. achievement in the nationalist movementC. achievement in his study of languages D. mastery of the English language19. How many examples are used to show his passion in literature?A. 2. B. 3. C. 1. D. 4.20. Why did James Joyce stay abroad almost all his life?A. Because he wanted to live in poverty and obscurity.B. Because he wanted to write the people and places he knew best.C. Because he wanted to escape from all temptations to become involved in popular opinion or public life.D. Because he wanted to preserve his ideal of writing truthfully, fully and objectively about the people and the places he knew best.Reading Comprehension 2Passage 1 At dawn on September 5th, 1972 a band of “Black September” Arab guerrillas broke into the Israeli building in the Olympic village near Munich where 10,000 athletes were staying. Over 250 plain clothes police had been brought into the village, following a tip off of trouble ahead, but none of them saw the Arabs scale the fence. They burst into the Israeli building with submachine guns blazing at 5:10 am. Some Israeli athletes escaped through the windows and side doors. Nine were taken hostage. The guerrillas demanded the release of 200 Palestinians held in Israeli jails and a safe passage out of Germany. Within hours the Olympic village was surrounded by 13000 police. The Olympic Games were suspended. After some negotiations, the terrorists were told they would be flown with their hostages to an Arab country. They were taken by helicopter to the Furstenfield military airport 25 miles from Munich. Just before midnight the guerrillas and their hostages began to walk across the tarmac to a waiting Boeing 727 aircraft. Suddenly al the airport lights were turned out and German police sharp shooters opened fire. The rescue attempt failed tragically. In the gun battle all nine hostages were killed, as well as four Arabs and one policeman. Three Arabs were captured and one escaped into the nearby woods. On the 8th, Israeli planes bombed ten guerilla bases in revenge for Munich massacre.1. The most possible reason for Israeli athletes being attacked and kidnapped is that _.A. they had a conflict with the Arab guerrillasB. the Arab guerrillas wanted to save the Palestinians held in Israeli jailsC. the German Government hated IsraelD. the Arab guerrillas hoped to get a large sum of money2. When the trouble took place, the Olympic Games _.A. were completed B. were going on C. were to be finished D. were to take place3. The terrorists were told that they would be probably sent by air to _.A. Italy B. India C. Syria D. Nigeria4. How many Arabs were there as terrorists?A. Seven. B. Eight. C. Nine. D. It wasnt mentioned.5. What do you think Palestine and Israel would act next?A. They would begin another conflict.B. They would begin to negotiate.C. They would try to improve each others relation.D. They would turn to UN.Passage 2 Of the tens of thousands of ships on the ocean bottom, only a handful, less than1 percent, contain negotiable treasure, such as gold and jewels. Most give us a different, priceless treasure history. A sunken ship lies in trust, preserved in the airless environment of the sea, and those in deep water are especially well protected. No dry land sites anywhere except perhaps Egyptian tombs are in a better state of preservation than a vessel deep in the ocean. A sunken ship, therefore, can be a rare window through which a moment in time is glimpsed.This is not to imply that sunken ships are always found intact. Most ships break up on the way down, hit the bottom at about 100 miles per hour, and become a chaotic, confusing jumble (混乱的一堆). I recall the chagrin (懊恼) of a novice diver who , after surfacing from an underwater tour of a 400-foot ship, asked his diving buddy. “Where was the wreck?” It takes experience to actually know sunken ship when one sees it.But no matter what its condition on the way down, a ship deteriorates much more slowly as it sinks deeper into protective layer of sand and mud. Ancient vessels have been found in remarkably good condition. In 1997 a group of marine archaeologists excavating (发掘) a 900-year-old wreck recovered engraved glassware, Greek coins, bronze kettles, and amazingly, Greek jars containing seeds, almonds, and lentils even a plate with chicken bones.6. Which of the following is meant by the “priceless treasure” mentioned in line 2?A. Valuable information. B. Ancient coins. C. Precious stones. D. Old books.7. The author compares a sunken ship preserved in the deep sea to which of the following?A. A tomb in Egypt. B. A Greek jar. C. A vacuum. D. A bronze chest.8. According to the passage, which of the following usually happens to a ship as it sinks?A. It remains in an upright position. B. It gets transported by the currents.C. It breaks into pieces. D. It attracts marine life.9. Which of the following objects found on the 900-year-old wreck most surprised the author?A. Money. B. Jars. C. Chicken bones. D. Glassware.10. Which of the following features of an ancient ship is of most interest to the author?A. Speed. B. Contents. C. Location. D. Design.Passage 3 In the early days of sea travel, seamen on long voyages lived exclusively on salted meat and biscuits. Many of them died of scurvy (坏血病), a disease of the blood which causes swollen gums, livid white spots on the flesh and general exhaustion. On one occasion, in 1535, an English ship arrived in Newfoundland with its crew desperately ill. The mens lives were saved by Iroquois Indians who gave them vegetable leaves to eat. Gradually it came to be realized that scurvy was caused by some lack in the sailors diet and Captain Cook, on his long voyages of discovery to Australia and New Zealand, established the fact that scurvy could be warded off by the provision of fresh fruit for the sailors.Nowadays it is understood that a diet which contains nothing harmful may yet result in serious disease if certain important elements are missing. These elements are called “vitamins”. Quite a number of such substances are known and they are given letters to identify them, A, B, C, D, and so on. Different diseases are associated with deficiencies of particular vitamins. Even a slight lack of Vitamin C, for example, the vitamin most plentiful in fresh fruit and vegetables, is thought to increase significantly our susceptibility (敏感度) to colds and influenza.The vitamins necessary for a healthy body are normally supplied by a good mixed diet, including a variety of fruit and green vegetables. It is only when people try to live on a very restricted diet, say during extended periods of religious fasting (斋戒), or when trying to lose weight, that it is necessary to make special provision to supply the missing vitamins.11. Scurvy is a disease that is provoked by _A. salted meat and biscuits B. exhaustionC. want of some essential substances D. lack of fresh vegetables and fruits12. In the last sentence of Paragraph 1, “warded off” could probably be replaced by _.A. got rid of B. killed C. avoided D. cleared away13. To avoid such disease as scurvy, its better for us _.A. not to eat much salted meat B. to supplement our diet with various vitamin pillsC. to have more fresh fruit and vegetables D. to develop a good dietary habit14. Based on the passage we can safely conclude that if our diet is not comprehensive enough _.A. vitamin pills are of no avail B. nutritious food might be unhealthyC. vegetable leaves can be a good remedy D. religious fasting may help out a lot15. Which of the following sentences best expresses the central ideal of the passage?A.