全国中考英语阅读冲刺(四)社会文化篇

1、Section IV 社会文化篇Passage 32For most people, the word “fashion means “clothes. But people may ask the question, “What clothes are in fashion? And they use the adjective (形容词) “fashionable in the same way: “She was wearing a fashionable color.But of course there are fashions in many things, not only in

2、 clothes. There are fashions in holidays, in restaurants, in films and books. There are even fashions in school subjects, jobsand in languages.Fashions change as time goes. If you look at pictures of people or things from the past, you will see that fashions have always changed. An English house of

3、1750 was different from his grandson in 1860.Today fashions change very quickly. Some of this is natural (自然的). We hear about things much more quickly than in the past. Newspapers, radios, telephones and television send information from one country to another in a few hours.New fashions mean that pe

4、ople will buy new things, so you see there is money in fashion.1.From this passage we know that “fashion means _.A. clothes B. many things C. most of the popular things D. everything2.Which of the following things is fashionable today?A. Surfing on the Internet B. Having a family dinner on New Years

5、 DayC. Learning to sing songs on the radio D. Doing morning exercises at school.3.Today fashions change very quickly because _.A.People read newspapers every day B. radios send information from one country to anotherC. new things that people like are often shown on TVD. people quickly learn what is

6、happening in the world4.“There is money in fashion. means _.A. clothes are expensive B. money comes from fashionC. people like new things D. there are no fashions without moneyPassage 33First Frenchman: I once heard someone shout, Look out, I put my head out of a window and a basin (盆) of water fell

7、 on me. It seems that Look out may mean dont look out.Second Frenchman: Once I was on a ship and heard the captain (船长) shout, All hands on deck, I put my hands on the deck and someone walked on them.Third Frenchman: I once visited an English friend early in the morning and the maid who came to the

8、door and said, Hes not up yet. Come back in half an hour, When I went again for him, she said, Hes not down yet.If hes not up and hes not down, where is he? I asked.She said, Hes still in bed. When I say Hes not up I mean he has not yet got up. When I say Hes not down I mean he has not yet come down

9、stairs,1.Look out here means “ _.A. put your head out of the window and look B. Take careC. Im going to pour the water D. Help me2.All hands on deck means “ _ .A.All the sailors gather ( 集合 )on deck B. Give your hands to meC.Put your right hand and left hand on deck D. Shake your hands with me3.When

10、 the maid said, “Hes not up yet. She meant that _ .A. he has not grown up yet B. he has not yet got upC. he has not woke up yet D. he has not yet come upstairs4.When the third Frenchman went back, the English friend _ .A. was washing his face B. was having his breakfastC. was still in an upstairs ro

11、om D. was reading a newspaper5.Which do you think is the best title for this article?A. Three Frenchmen and their English Friends B. The English LanguageC. Three French Stories D. What a Language!Passage 34Newspapers are very important in our daily life. Many people begin their day by reading the pa

12、per. In this way they learn what is going on in the world. Sometimes, however, they didnt have the time to read the news carefully and must be pleased with a quick look at the front page. At other times they may be in such a hurry that they have time only to have a quick look at the headlines (标题).T

13、here are newspapers to please every reader. In big cities there are many types with several different editions every day. In some towns there are fewer newspapers and perhaps only one edition each day. In some places the paper is printed weekly.Most papers have several editions, especially on Sunday

14、s when the edition is larger than usual. There are besides the front page with the most important news, the sports news, the amusement (娱乐) page, a business page and so on.1.People read newspaper to _.A. learn about the most important news B. be pleasedC. get some information D. learn about whatever

15、 they want2.Reading the headlines, people can know _.A. what the passages are about B. what is going onC. about the most important news D. about sports3.In big cities newspapers are usually printed _.A. daily B. weekly C. monthly D. yearly4.Most papers have _ on Sundays than usual.A. more types B. m

16、ore pages C. less types D. less pages5.If you want to see a film, youd better read _ in a newspaper.A. the business page B. the front pageC. the sports page D. the amusement pagePassage 35This dictionary tells you about English words and how to use them in reading, writing and speaking English. It n

17、ot only gives the meaning of words, it can also help you with spelling, word building, grammar and pronunciation.To use your dictionary correctly, you need to understand how the dictionary works. At the front of the book, you will find some exercises to help you make the most use of your dictionary.

18、If you look up the word “colour, you will find two spellings for this word. “Colour is used in British English, while “color is used in American English. When such a thing happens, the dictionary shows it with the word “BrE for British English and “AmE for American English.The dictionary also helps

19、you pronounce words correctly. It uses a special alphabet (特殊字母表) to show pronunciation. If you turn to the inside back face, you will see all the phonetic letters (音标) with some words to show you how they are pronounced. Just have a look this page when youre not sure how to say a word.The most impo

20、rtant reason for using a dictionary is to find out the meaning of a wordits DEFINITION.In this dictionary, the definitions have been written using only 2000 words. This means that the definitions of even the most difficult words are simply explained (简单解释) and easy to understand.When a word has more

21、 than one meaning, read all the meanings until you find the one that correctly tells the use of the word you are looking for.Most of the words in this dictionary can be used by people in all parts of the world.1.This dictionary cannot help you with _.A. singing B. grammar C. spelling D. pronunciatio

22、n2. _of the words in the dictionary have two spellings.A. All B. One C. Few D. Some3.The AmE spelling of the Chinese word “颜色in this dictionary is_.A. colour B. collar C. color D. corner4.The phonetic alphabet helps you each word correctly.A. understand B. write C. say D. know5.The Chinese meaning o

23、f “definition here is _.A. 词性 B. 词条 C. 词义 D. 词库6.How many words are there in this dictionary?_.A. Two thousand B. One thousand C. One hundred D. We dont know7.The dictionary explains _.A. some of the difficult words B. all the words in a simple wayC. all the easy words D. the words of two meaningsPa

24、ssage 36The Winter Olympics is also called the White Olympics. At this time, many colorful stamps are published (发行) to mark (标志) the great Games. The first stamps marking the opening came out on January 25, 1932 in the United States for the 3rd White Olympics. From then on, publishing stamps during

25、 the White Olympics became a rule(规定).During the 4th Winter Olympic Games a group of stamps were published in Germany in November 1936. The five rings of Olympics were drawn on the front of the sportswear. It was the first time that the rings appeared on the stamps of the White Olympics.In the 1950s

26、, the stamps of this kind became more colorful. When the White Olympics came, the host countries (东道主) as well as the non-host countries published stamps to mark those Games. China also published four stamps in February 1980, when the Chinese sportsmen began to take part in the White Olympics.Japan

27、is the only Asian country that has ever held the White Olympics. Altogether 14, 500 million stamps were sold to collect money for this sports meeting.Different kinds of sports were drawn on these small stamps. People can enjoy the beauty of the wonderful movements of some sportsmen.1.The White Olymp

28、ics and the Winter Olympics _.A. are the same thing B. are different gamesC. are not held in winter D. are held in summer2.The world made it a rule to publish stamps to mark the great world Games _.A. after the year 1936 B. after the 3rd Winter OlympicsC. before the 3rd White Olympics D. before the

29、year 19323.The Winter Olympics is held once _.A. every two years B. every three years C. every four years D. every five years4.Which of the following is true?A.Only the host countries can publish stamps to mark those Games.B.Only the non-host countries can publish stamps to mark those Games.C.All th

30、e countries can publish stamps to mark those Games.D.Japan cant publish stamps to mark those Games.5.What may appear on the stamps of the White Olympics?A. Basketball. B. Table tennis. C. Football. D. Skating.Passage 37In 1998, World Cup Football Match held in France took up a new rule. Instead of t

31、he usual black and white ball, a colorful ball was used in the game. The new ball was made up of 32 pieces of three colors: red, blue and white. Interestingly enough, the French national flag happened to be in three colors, too. Besides, 32 teams took part in the coming World Cup. But early football

32、 was made up of eight pieces of leather. As time went by, more pieces of leather were used, from 12 pieces to 18 to 26 and then to 32 now.About three million such new footballs were made. And then some players were playing the new ball in their training. The makers have warned the goalkeeper that th

33、e new ball flies in a direct line at a fast speed.After trying the ball for some time, a footballer said that the ball was quite different from the traditional (传统的) black and white one, and that the goalkeeper would find it harder to catch them. Another footballer said that there would be more goal

34、s. “For the player on the ground, the new ball is easier to control as it flies. A good player can shoot in more goals, he said.1.What was the new rule in the 1998 World Cup Football Match?A.The new ball made up of 32 pieces of three colors was used.B.The flags of the teams were in three colors.C.On

35、ly 32 teams took part in the game.D.The white and black football was used instead.2.What is the color of the French national flag?A.Black and white. B. Red and black. C. Blue, red and white D. Black, white and red.3.Which of the following sentences is not true?A.Early footballs were made up of eight

36、 pieces of leather in two colors.B.Eighteen pieces of leather were once used to make a football.C.Footballers often used the black and white balls in the past.D.The football made up of twelve pieces of leather was just used by twelve teams.4.It is not easy for the goalkeepers to catch the new footba

37、lls, because _.A.they are not as big as the old ones B.they fly at a fast speedC.they are made up of more pieces of leather than the old onesD.the goalkeepers havent tried the new football5.Whats the best title for this passage?A. Football of New Kind B. 98 World Cup Football MatchC. Goalkeepers and

38、 Players D. Three-color Flag of FrancePassage 38Most people have flown kites or have seen one or ride and dip in a strong spring wind. Not so many people know that kites were first made in China thousands of years ago. The ancient (古代的) Chinese were making and flying kites even before they were writ

39、ing.A long time ago, the Chinese made kites to use in wars. They would fly these war kites in the dark. The kites were fixed so that they made strange sounds. Men who were at war with them would hear these sounds and run away. The thought those sounds were made by gods in the sky.The ancient Chinese

40、 also flew kites to bring good luck and to make their crops grow rich and tall. Sometimes they tied long strings (绳子) and hooks (钩) to their kites. Then they would fly the kites over water, letting the hooks hang down to catch fish.The Chinese use sticks, strings and paper for their kites. Some of t

41、hese kites look like animals or trees. Others look like birds or houses.1.The main idea of the first paragraph is that _.A.kites were first made in ChinaB.most of us have flown or seen oneC.the ancient Chinese were making kites before they were writingD.the ancient Chinese were good at making kites2

42、.In ancient China kites could be used for _.A.catching fish B. helping people flyC. watering the crops D. helping people walk in the dark3.The ancient Chinese used kites in wars because the kites _.A. could bring good luck B. looked like animalsC. could help them win a war D. could fly high4.The Chi

43、nese usually use _ for their kites.A.sticks, strings and grass B. strings, hair and woodC. paper, strings and sticks D. paper, ropes and hooks5.What is the best title of this passage?A. Lucky Kites B. Strange KitesC. Beautiful Kites D. Chinese KitesPassage 39Shanghai: Car rentals (出租) are becoming m

44、ore and more popular as an inexpensive way of taking to roads. Business people, foreign and families alike are making good use of the growing industry (工业).The first car rental company opened in Shanghai in 1992 and now 12 car rental players are in the game, with more than 11,500 cars in their books

45、.The largest player-Shanghai Basher Tourism Car Rental Center offers a wide variety of choicesdeluxe sedans, minivans, station wagons, coaches. Santana sedans are the big favorite.Companies can attract (吸引) enough customers (消费者) for 70 percent of their cars every month. This figure (数字) shoots up d

46、uring holiday seasons like National Day, Labor Day and New Years Day, with some recording 100 % rental.The main market force rests in the growing population of white-collar employees (白领雇员), who can afford the new service, said Zhuang Yu, marketing manager of Shanghai Angel Car Rental Co.1.The words

47、 “deluxe sedans, “minivans and “station wagons used in the text refer to(指)_.A. cars in the making B. car rental firms C. cars for rent D. car makers2. Which of the following statements is true according to the text?A. 70% of the cars can be rented out on holiday.B. 70% of the customers are white-co

48、llar employees.C. More firms are open for service during holiday seasons.D. Some firms rent out all their cars during holiday seasons.3. Shanghais car rental industry is growing so fast mainly due to_.A. better cars supplied by producers B. fast service offered by car rental firmsC. the increasing n

49、umber of white-collar employeesD. peoples growing interest in traveling during holidaysPassage 40The cost of medical care in the United States is very high. More time and money that doctors spend on their medical education is probably one reason for this problem.A visit to a doctors office costs fro

50、m 15 to 50 dollars. It is almost impossible for people to pay for the medical care they need. Many people in the United States think that doctors are overpaid. Most doctors, however, disagree. They say that they were required (要求) to study medicine for a long time. Tuition for many years of medical

51、education costs a lot of money. Doctors say that it is necessary for most medical students to borrow money from bank to pay their tuition. Because their money must be repaid to the bank, young doctors need to receive a lot of money for their work. So, they charge (收费) people high prices for medical

52、care.Therefore, it is possible that the high cost of medical care in America is unnecessary, because high tuition is one cause of high costs. One way to lower costs would be to have medical schools that are free or have low tuition.1.The word “tuition in the passage probably refers to _.A. teaching

53、the students B. studying the coursesC. payment for education D. living at school2.The reason for the high medical cost told in the passage is that _.A.tuition in medical schools is high B. the price of medicine is highC. doctors are overpaid D. doctors must pay money to the banks3.One way to lower t

54、he cost of medical care would be _ .A. not to see a doctor B. to pay doctors less moneyC. to let medical students have free or partly free medical educationD. to forbid doctors to ask their patients for too much money4.The main idea of the article is that_ .A. a visit to a doctors office may cost as

55、 much as $15 to $50 in the United StatesB. the cost of medical care is the main reason for the high costs in the United StatesC. medical care in the United States costs a lot of money because doctors want to be richD. the high cost of tuition in medical schools is one reason for the high cost of med

56、ical care in America5.The cost of medical care in the United States is very high. What does the writer think about it?A. He agrees that doctors are overpaid.B. He thinks it a big problem and suggests a way to settle it.C. He doesnt think the medical students should borrow money from banks.D. He doesnt think it necessary for the medical students to study for a long time.Passage 41You will have a lot of reading to do in this grade this year. You can do more of it in less time if you learn to read rapidly.Pe