1、阅读提速练阅读理解A(2018江西赣中南五校联考)In its early history，Chicago had floods frequently，especially in the spring，making the streets so muddy that people，horses and carts got stuck.An old joke that was popular at the time went like this：A man is stuck up to his waist in a muddy Chicago street.Asked if he needs h
2、elp， he replies， “No，thanks.Ive got a good horse under me.”The city planner decided to build an underground drainage(排水) system，but there simply wasnt enough difference between the height of the ground level and the water level.The only two options were to lower the Chicago River or raise the city.A
3、n engineer named Ellis Chesbrough convinced the city that it had no choice but to build the pipes above ground and then cover them with dirt.This raised the level of the citys streets by as much as 12 feet.This of course created a new problem：dirt practically buried the first floors of every buildin
4、g in Chicago.Building owners were faced with a choice：either change the first floors of their buildings into basements，and the second stories into mainfloors，or hoist(吊起) the entire buildings to meet the new street level.Small woodframe buildings could be lifted fairly easily.But what about large，he
5、avy structures like the Tremont Hotel, which was a sixstory brick building?Thats where George Pullman came in.He had developed some housemoving skills successfully.To lift a big structure like the Tremont Hotel， Pullman would place thousands of jackscrews(螺旋千斤顶) beneath the buildings foundation.One
6、man was assigned to operate each section of roughly 10 jackscrews.At Pullmans sign each man turned his jackscrews by the same amount at the same time，thereby raising the building slowly and evenly.Astonishingly，the Tremont Hotel stayed open during the entire operation，and many of its guests didnt ev
7、en notice anything was happening.Some people like to say that every problem has a solution. But in Chicagos early history, every engineering solution seemed to create a new problem.Now that Chicagos waste water was draining efficiently into the Chicago River，the citys next step was to clean the poll
8、uted river.【解题导语】 本文主要介绍了芝加哥为了应对洪水泛滥的问题而实行了一些解决方案的故事。1The author mentions the joke in Paragraph 1 to show_Ahorses were fairly useful in ChicagoBChicago s streets were extremely muddyCChicago was very dangerous in the springDthe Chicago people were particularly humorousB 解析：推理判断题。根据第一段第一句“In its earl
9、y history，Chicago had floods frequently，especially in the spring，making the streets so muddy that people，horses and carts got stuck.”可推知，作者提及这个笑话是为了表明芝加哥的街道非常泥泞，故选 B。2The city planners were convinced by Ellis Chesbrough to_Aget rid of the street dirtBlower the Chicago RiverCfight against heavy flood
10、sDbuild the pipes above groundD 解析：细节理解题。根据第三段第一句 “An engineer named Ellis Chesbrough convinced the city that it had no choice but to build the pipes above ground and then cover them with dirt.”可知，Ellis Chesbrough 让城市规划者相信在地上建管道才能解决洪水泛滥所带来的问题，故选 D。3What can we conclude about the moving operation of
11、the Tremont Hotel?AIt went on smoothly as intended.BIt interrupted the business of the hotel.CIt involved Pullman in turning ten jackscrews.DIt separated the building from its foundation.A 解析：细节理解题。根据第五段内容可推知，用螺旋千斤顶把 the Tremont Hotel升高的事项进展顺利，故选 A。4The passage is mainly about the early Chicagos_Apo
12、pular lifestyles and their influencesBenvironmental disasters and their causesCengineering problems and their solutionsDsuccessful businessmen and their achievementsC 解析：主旨大意题。结合全文可知，本文主要讲的是早期芝加哥如何应对洪水泛滥的问题的故事，故选 C。B(2018成都高中毕业班摸底测试)The world record holder for the number of university degrees is a 7
13、0yearold Italian.Mr.Luciano Baietti lives in the town of Velletri near Rome and spends his days walking around his small house and garden.But every morning as early as 3 oclock，he pulls out his textbooks and starts studying.He now holds 15 bachelors or masters degrees from universities across Italy，
14、and is already attempting his 16th.“Thanks to books，I feel free， ”he tells the BBC journalists.“After all，the words share the same root， ”he says，referring to the Italian words libro(book)and libero(free)The certificates proving his talent hang on the walls of his study， showing people that he was w
15、riting new pages in the Guinness Book of Records.In 2002 he got his eighth degree in motor skills.And before that he already had degrees in sociology，literature，law，political science and philosophy，most from Rome s famous La Sapienza University, one of the oldest in the world.Since then，he has added
16、 seven other degrees to his list，including one in criminology(犯罪学)，one in military strategies and the latest one in tourism in February 2017.All of these three were from online universities.“Each time I set myself a new challenge to see how far my body and my brain can go， ”says Mr.Baietti.【解题导语】 本文
17、是一篇新闻报道。来自意大利的 70 岁的 Luciano Baietti 先生是已获得大学学位总数最多的世界纪录保持者。5What can we know about Mr.Baietti from the passage?AHe has a wide range of learning.BHe is the oldest world record holder.CHe has got crazy about getting degrees.DHe got all his degrees by going to school.A 解析：推理判断题。根据第三至五段可以推断 Luciano Bai
18、etti 先生的学习范围非常广泛。a wide range of 意思是“广泛的，多种多样的” ，所以选项 A 正确。6Why has Mr.Baietti tried to get so many degrees?ATo show his talent.BTo challenge himself.CTo become popular.DTo break the world record.B 解析：细节理解题。根据最后一段中的“Each time I set myself a new challenge to see how far my body and my brain can go”可知
19、选项 B 正确。7Where does this passage most probably come from?AA newspaper. BA biography.CA travel magazine. DA story book.A 解析：推理判断题。根据全文尤其是第四段 Luciano Baietti 先生接受 BBC 采访的信息可以推断本文应该是一篇新闻报道。所以选项 A 正确。C(2018银川检测)Crossing your legs is an extremely common habit; most people dont even notice that theyre doi
20、ng it when they sit down. While you may find it comfortable to sit with one knee crossed over the other, it might be causing health problems that you are not aware of.A study published in Blood Pressure Monitoring stated that sitting with your legs crossed can increase your blood pressure. The reaso
21、n for this is that the blood in your legs has to work against gravity to be pumped back to your heart and that crossing one leg over the other increases resistance, making it even harder for the blood to circulate. This causes your body to increase your blood pressure to push the blood back to the h
22、eart. You wont feel any immediate effects, but repeated, drawnout increases in blood pressure can cause longterm health issues. So, planning to sit for a long period of time? Dont keep your legs crossed.“Crossing your legs at the knee can also cause pressure on the major nerve in your leg that passe
23、s just below your knee and along the outside of your leg， ” explains Richard Graves, a medical expert. This pressure can cause numbness and temporary paralysis(麻痹) of some of the muscles in your foot and leg, preventing you from being able to raise your anklewhat we know as that “pins_and_needles” s
24、ensation. While the feeling of discomfort may only last a minute or two, repeatedly crossing your legs until they feel numb can cause permanent nerve damage.So next time you sit down, try to get yourself in the habit of sitting with both of your feet on the floor. Not only will it help your posture
25、and stability, but it will also save your health in the long run.【解题导语】 本文是一篇科普说明文。研究表明，虽然跷二郎腿是常见的习惯，但是该习惯会引起血压的升高，还会导致膝盖以下的重要神经受损。所以不要跷二郎腿，要有正确的坐姿。8What can we learn about crossing ones legs?AIt is a very bad social habit.BIt is usually practiced deliberately.CIt can do harm to people s health.DIt
26、can make others feel uncomfortable.C 解析：细节理解题。根据第一段的第二句 “While you may find it comfortable to sit with one knee crossed over the other, it might be causing health problems that you are not aware of.”可知，跷二郎腿会引起健康问题，故 C 项正确。9According to the study, sitting with your legs crossed can_Aaffect your blood
27、 pressureBresist gravity effectivelyClead to heart attacks easilyDimprove the function of legsA 解析：细节理解题。根据第二段的第一句 “A study published in Blood Pressure Monitoring stated that sitting with your legs crossed can increase your blood pressure.”可知，研究表明，跷二郎腿会引起血压的升高，故 A 项正确。10In the third paragraph “pins
28、and needles” probably means “_”Aslightly sharp pains Bbeing a little tiredCserious muscle injuries Dbeing highly flexibleA 解析：词义猜测题。根据第三段的 “This pressure can cause numbness and temporary paralysis(麻痹) of some of the muscles in your foot and leg, preventing you from being able to raise your ankle”可知，
29、这种压力会导致腿部和脚的一些肌肉暂时麻痹，使人无法站立，有一种针刺感；据此可以判断，画线词意为“轻微的针刺感似的疼痛” ，故 A 项正确。11What is the main purpose of the text?ATo compare common habits.BTo give readers some advice.CTo evaluate the effects of an experiment.DTo introduce research methods.B 解析：写作意图题。根据全文内容尤其是最后一段可知，本文通过分析跷二郎腿这一习惯导致的健康问题，建议人们不要跷二郎腿，要有正确
30、的坐姿，故 B 项正确。D(2018黄岗检测) On Christmas Day, 2003, a woman named Nancy Sue Brown took her daughter and grandchildren to see a movie at an AMC theater. When the movie was over, the crowd made for the exits. A theater employee had just finished mopping the hallway and dutifully placed the “wet floor” sig
31、n in the slippery area. No one slipped due to the wet conditions, but someone did manage to knock over the sign. And by the time Ms. Brown got to the area, the sign was lying on the floor. And shortly thereafter, so was she. Her foot got caught in the sign, in a bad way, and she fell. Unfortunately
32、Ms. Brown had undergone a back operation, and the fall caused more damage than it otherwise would have. So she and her husband sued (提起诉讼)AMC argued that the entire point of the “wet floor” sign above was to warn of danger, and therefore, courts should encourage the use by not allowing Browns case t
33、o proceed (继续进行). AMC referred to a case about a December, 1998 incident, where a “wet floor” sign, not in use, fell to the floor causing another tripand fall. In that case, Georgias Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the store, but didnt go so far as to say that “wet floor” signs couldnt give rise
34、to legal liability(责任) in tripandfall accidents. In the Brown case, the Supreme Court therefore rejected AMCs argument that the former case applied.But the Browns argued something surprising that the “wet floor” sign was, itself, dangerous, because “using this type of sign in areas passed by lots of
35、 customers creates an unreasonable risk of foreseeable harm to the public in the form of tripping hazards(危险) ” Thats rightthe safety sign, used in the way it was designed, was itself dangerous. The court thankfully didnt accept that argument, at least not entirely. But it did conclude that Browns c
36、ase could continue to a jury(陪审团)“a merchants selection and use of equipment designed to warn customers of one danger that has the potential to expose them to a different one”【解题导语】 本文主要介绍了布朗夫人在美国一家 AMC 影院看完电影离开时，被“小心地滑”的指示牌绊倒受伤后，向法院提起诉讼的原因以及法院的审判结果。12According to the text, Ms. Brown_Aslipped on the
37、 wet floorBtripped over a warning signCknocked over a warning signDwas knocked down by the crowdB 解析：细节理解题。根据文章第一段中的Ms. Brown got to the area, the sign was lying on the floor. And shortly thereafter, so was she. Her foot got caught in the sign, in a bad way, and she fell.可知，布朗夫人被“小心地滑”的指示牌绊倒了。B 项中的
38、tripped over 意为“被绊倒” ，与文章表述相符，故选 B 项。13AMC mentioned the 1998 case in order to _Aaccept its legal liability for Ms. Browns lossBprove Ms. Brown had some physical problemsCstress that it had no legal liability for the accidentDprove other customers were responsible for the accidentC 解析：推理判断题。根据文章第二段第
39、一句 AMC argued that.encourage the use by not allowing Browns case to proceed(继续进行) 可知，AMC 影院认为布朗夫人的控诉不成立，法院应该鼓励使用这样的警示牌，接着第二句 AMC 影院提出 1998 年的案例来支持自己的观点。由此可推测，AMC 影院提到这一案例是为了强调自己不应该承担本次事故的责任。故选 C 项。14What can we learn about the Browns case from the last paragraph?AIt would be judged by jury.BIt would
40、 not be allowed to proceed.CThe court would rule in favor of AMC.DThe court accepted all the arguments of the Browns.A 解析：细节理解题。根据文章最后一段中的 But it did conclude that Browns case could continue to a jury(陪审团) .可知，法院提请陪审团来审理此案。故选 A 项。15The underlined word “one” in the last paragraph refers to “_”Adanger
41、BcustomerCbusiness ownerDequipment in public placesA 解析：代词指代题。根据文章最后一段最后一句可知，一个商人选择和使用某一种设备来警示顾客某种危险，而这种设备本身就可能将顾客置于另一种危险中。由此可猜测，one 指代上文中的 danger。故选 A 项。七选五(2018甘肃重点中学协作体联考)Coming facetoface with your inadequacies(缺点) can be painful, to say the least. 1._ It even makes you question yourself. Your k
42、neejerk reaction may be to get defensive or even dismiss the critique entirely. But handling negative feedback with grace will not only make you look gracious, but it could ultimately help you grow as a person. Heres how to do it.Be objective about the criticismBefore you jump to conclusions and beg
43、in to challenge the other persons opinion, take a step back and look at it objectively.Next time you get a bad review, dont immediately allow your emotions to get the better of you, but rather, take a moment to consider whether the criticism is at all accurate. 2._Avoid unnecessary conflictIf you de
44、cide that the point is valid, it may be hard to take. In your discomfort, you may feel the urge to criticize the other person angrily and defend yourself. 3._Be open to the idea of change4_ And it may be because of a concept called “cognitive dissonance” that can prevent us from changing even when t
45、hats what we need most.Ask questionsIf youre open to using the criticism as a springboard to improvement, you will likely need more information. 5._ Your emotions will be running high, and you may not be particularly receptive to extra information. However, when you feel ready, it could be worth rev
46、isiting the subject with the person who criticized you. Even if you dont agree with their advice, thank them and promise to consider it.AMost of us are pretty stubborn.BThere is no doubt that change is necessary.CBut its best to avoid getting into an argument.DBeing sensitive to criticism leads you
47、nowhere.EIt challenges the way you believe people see you.FGive yourself a chance to really take in the information and evaluate it.GThe initial moment you hear it may not be the best time to ask for more details.【解题导语】 听到别人对你的批评也许会很痛苦，但是如果优雅地处理这些问题，自己将变得更好。1E 解析：根据空后一句话可知，空处与下一句是递进关系，E 项“这会挑战你认为别人看
48、待你的方式” ，所以 E 项符合语境。2F 解析：根据空前的“dont immediately allow your emotions to get the better of you, but rather, take a moment to consider whether the criticism is at all accurate”可知，空处应讲给自己一个机会真正吸收这些信息并对其进行评估。故 F 项符合语境。3C 解析：根据该段小标题 “Avoid unnecessary conflict”可知，C 项“但是最好避免陷入争吵”符合语境。4A 解析：根据空后的“ And it may be because of a concept called cognitive dissonance that can prevent us from changing even when thats what we need most.”及本段小标题可知，A 项“我们大部分人都很倔强 ”符合语境。5G 解析：根据空后的“Your emotions will be running high, and you may not be particularly receptive to extra in