It seems that there is no middle ground when it comes to cats. People either love them or hate them. These feelings are not new either. All through history, cats have been worshiped or hated. A study of ancient writings and evidence found in tombs indicates that for the past 5,000 years, cats have been kept as pets in China, Arabia, Egypt, and India. However, this isn’t very long compared to dogs, which have been domesticated for 50,000 years. Still, while the period in which cats have been domesticated may be quite short, it has definitely had its high and low points.
Cats were at their highest position of domesticated life in ancient Egypt. There were more cats living in Egypt during the time of the pharaohs than in any other place in the world since that time. This high number of cats was probably due to the laws protecting them. Cats were associated with the moon goddess, Bast, so the Egyptians worshiped them as holy animals. If anyone was caught killing a cat, the person could be put to death. Families in Egypt also mourned the death of a cat and had the body of the dead cat wrapped in cloth before it was finally laid to rest. This respect for cats carried over to the Roman Empire where cats were the only animals allowed into temples. This fact was probably due to the ability of cats to keep the temples free of mice and rats. With the coming of the Dark Ages in Europe, the place of cats in society took a turn for the Empire, Christians began to associate cats with pegan (异教徒) beliefs. Cats had a reputation as helpers of witches. When a person was accused of being a witch, a cat would often be put on trial with the person. The cat would be tortured（拷打） to try and make the person tell the truth, and usually the cat and the person would end up being burned in a bonfire or drowned. Bonfires of collected cats were not uncommon during this time.
The days of hunting witches have ended, but other myths about cats still hold out. For a while, people in some places used to bury live cats under new buildings for good luck. As well, many people today continue to believe that black cats bring bad luck. If a black cat walks in front of a person, that person must take extra care in the near future to watch out for dangerous situations. Regardless of superstition(迷信), cats remain a popular pet today. Some cat experts believe that a cat never truly be domesticated because it may turn wild and run away at any time. However, this claim has not put people off keeping cats in their homes. A third of homes in the United States have cats, and one out of every three of these homes keeps both a dog and a cat. Especially in large cities, many people in small apartments have found that cats make much better pets than dogs.
Cats may not be worshiped as gods any more, but there are people who seem to think of their cat as their children. These cat owners will do almost anything to keep their pets healthy and happy. For those cat owners who have always wondered what their pets are trying to tell them, a Japanese company may have come up with the perfect invention. In 2003, the Takara Company announced the Meowlingual, a cat translation device. The Meowlingual uses a microphone, display, and cat voice analyzer to analyze a cat’s meows to determine which of 200 phrases a cat is trying to say.
According to a company spokesperson, “… cat owners all over the world have been telling Takara, ‘ We want a cat translator!’” Now, the company “is making their dream come true by bringing in a new era of communication between cat lovers and their pets.”
【小题1】Which of these is NOT discussed in the passage?
| A．the status of cats throughout history |
| B．the evolution of different species of cats |
| C．the popularity of the cats today |
| D．communication between cats and their owners |
| A．how Bast became a goddess. |
| B．the low point in the history of cats |
| C．the high point in the history of cats |
| D．the reason why cats are such good hunters |
| A．as farm animals | B．as food | C．as magical creatures | D．as honored guests |
| A．about 10 percent | B．nearly 25 percent | C．about 33 percent | D．close to 50 percent |
【小题1】B
【小题2】C
【小题3】C
【小题4】A
解析试题分析：文章主要说明了猫在古埃及、欧洲等地的地位，数量，以及现在世界各地猫与人的关系。
【小题1】细节题，由文章中这些细节People either love them or hate them./This high number of cats was probably due to the laws protecting them/ Cats were at their highest position of domesticated life in ancient Egypt./According to a company spokesperson, “… cat owners all over the world have been telling Takara, ‘ We want a cat translator!’”可知选B.文章没有讨论猫的进化演变。
【小题2】细节题，由第二段Cats were at their highest position of domesticated life in ancient Egypt.可知第二段主要讲猫的高地位。故选C。
【小题3】细节题，由第二段With the coming of the Dark Ages in Europe, the place of cats in society took a turn for the Empire, Christians began to associate cats with pegan (异教徒) beliefs. Cats had a reputation as helpers of witches可知猫被认为是由魔力的生物。故选C。
【小题4】细节题，有第三段A third of homes in the United States have cats, and one out of every three of these homes keeps both a dog and a cat.可知选A。
考点：说明文的阅读。
点评：这是一篇说明文，主要考查细节问题，考生只要找到与问题相关的细节并理解这些细节就可做出正确选择。
开心练习课课练与单元检测系列答案科目：高中英语 来源：湖北省宜昌市2010届高三下学期第二次调研考试 题型：阅读理解
E
President Obama’s meeting with the Dalai Lama has already made China extremely angry and stirred up Tibet advocates who thought it should have come sooner. China says Tibet is part of it, and that the meeting represents an unwanted intrusion(侵犯) into its own affairs. Many Americans still see the Dalai Lama as the representative of a people treated cruelly by Chinese rule. Many Tibetans are dissatisfied with Chinese rule, and this has led to widespread rioting(暴乱) over the past few years. Theywantself-determination; fair enough. But that seems to be the only story about Tibet that is ever told. The other story is — Looking at growth, standard of living, infrastructure(基础设施), and GDP, one thing is clear: China has treated Tibetans amiably.
Since 2001, Beijing has spent $45.4 billion on development in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR). The effect: double-digit GDP growth for the past nine years. About a third of the money went to infrastructure investment, including the train connecting Beijing to Lhasa. The train provides an opportunity for Tibetan goods to be sold outside of the region and for a massive increase in number of tourists, reaching more than 5.5 million in 2009 — up from close to 2 million in 2005, the year before the train. While Tibetan independence groups like Free Tibet raise concerns about the increase in tourism, Hillman，a Tibet expert, points out that “tourism is an important industry that can benefit local Tibetans.”
Infrastructure improvements have not only helped grow the economy but also have aided in modernizing remote parts of Tibet, an area with 3 million people about twice the size of France.
Though Tibet is seriously puzzled by the "special contradiction" of the Dalai Lama, the central government stressed the need for Tibet to develop using the "combination of economic growth, well-off life, a healthy eco-environment, and social stability and progress" and The government is offering Tibetans the same bargain it has offered the rest of the country: in exchange for a great rise in living standards, the government requires citizens to stop having the right to free worship and free speech. Even if Tibetan residents never signed the contract, they have benefited from its policy—a fact Obama might keep in mind when he meets the Dalai Lama.
67. What does the underlined word “amiably” in the first paragraph mean?
A. rudely B. kindly C. politely D. coldly
68. According to the writer’s viewpoint it can be inferred that .
A. it doesn’t matter much to the Chinese government whether Tibetan problems exist
B. all the Americans agree with their president Obama’s meeting with the Dalai Lama
C. Hillman and Free Tibet hold different attitudes towards the increase in tourism
D. the Tibet Autonomous Region is an area of dense(稠密的) population
69. What can be learnt about the writer from the passage? The writer ______ .
A. urges the Chinese government to promote economy in Tibet
B. has an obvious political trend
C. describes what a happy life Tibetans are living to the public
D. states the facts as they are
70. The writer’s attitude towards the economical policy of the Chinese government in Tibet is ____ .
A. positive B. negative C. doubtful D. pessimistic
查看答案和解析>>
科目：高中英语 来源：广东省中山市2009--2010学年高一下学期第一次段考英语试题 题型：信息匹配
第二节 信息匹配（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）
下面是一篇应用文及其应用场合的信息，请阅读下列应用文和相关信息，并按照要求匹配信息。
首先，请阅读下列的应用文：
A. “Just do it!” — This slogan (口号) speaks out to teens. It tells them to do something, only if they think it’s worth it. And if so, why not do it wearing Nike?
B. “Always Coca-Cola.” — Coke’s slogans change every few years, but this one has enjoyed a lasting popularity because it shows the brand’s spirit. It seems to say “Coke is the only drink there is; there are no other forms of drink.”
C. “Share moments, share life.” — This slogan from Kodak connects photos and beauty. It asks people to remember the happy moments in life by taking photos of them — using Kodak film of course!
D. On hearing the slogan “Make yourself heard”, you will know there is Ericsson product for you to call anyone.
E. There are some public service advertisements (PSAs) that educate people about public service projects, such as Project Hope. Its slogan is “Project Hope — Schooling every child.”
F. One toothpaste ad says “Bright-teeth fights bad breath!” The advertisers want you to read the word “fight” and think that the toothpaste cures bad breath.
请阅读以下购买者的信息，然后匹配购买者和他/她拟购买产品的广告语：
61. Jack passed the entrance exam and was admitted to a famous university. These days, his father is looking for a mobile phone for him so as to keep in touch with each other closely.
62. Tom was a senior middle school student. He likes sports very much and plays football every afternoon. But after class this afternoon he has to buy a pair of shoes because his shoes have been worn out.
63. There’s a party this evening — for Mary’s 15th birthday. Her family are making preparations for it. Her brother’s job is to buy some drink.
64. Joan doesn’t want to forget the past, especially the happy moments.
65. Alice is afraid of opening her mouth, because a bad smell will come out, which makes her feel embarrassed when talking with others. So she needs something which can remove the smell no matter how much it is.
购买者 广告语
61. Jack A. Just do it!
62. Tom B. Always Coca-Cola.
63. Mary C. Share moments, share life.
64. Joan D. Make yourself heard.
65. Alice E. Project Hope — Schooling every child.
F. Bright-teeth fights bad breath!
查看答案和解析>>
科目：高中英语 来源：广东省山一2010届高三第八次模拟考试试题（英语） 题型：完型填空
II. 语言知识及应用（共两节，满分35分）
第一节完形填空（共10小题，每小题2分，满分20分）
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从21~30各题所给的A、B、C和D项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
At the beginning of a new year, I always ask my Chinese friends what their expectations are. I am 21 to realize that, they all dream of owning a car. Most of them 22 that sooner or later every Chinese family can acquire a car.
I don’t by any means contest the 23 of Chinese people to enjoy the same housing conditions, household appliances and other goods that are available in developed countries. But it seems obvious that many of them have related to the mass ownership of 24 autos.
I know that it’s not 25 to sacrifice our personal comfort and open our minds to consider what is good for an entire 26 , rather than just for ourselves. But I would not 27 to the further pollution of Beijing by owning a car. And if I were to return to Montreal, I would not buy a car there either.
In today’s China owning a car is seen as a symbol of 28 and success. I wish Chinese people would acquire the maturity to reject that idea, and make their 29 towards developing a good public transportation system. The country needs more trains, more buses and more subways. That is the only way to get out of the traffic 30 .
21. A. delighted B. surprised C. satisfied D. frightened
22. A. hope B. suggest C. require D. encourage
23. A. trends B. hobbies C. rights D. duties
24. A. modern B. fashionable C. public D. private
25. A. difficult B. easy C. convenient D. suitable
26. A. organization B. family C. society D. country
27. A. belong B. contribute C. stick D. devote
28. A. wealth B. glory C. treasure D. achievement
29. A. ways B. decisions C. turns D. efforts
30. A. accident B. jam C. way D. system
查看答案和解析>>
科目：高中英语 来源：2011-2012学年浙江省慈溪市高三上学期期中考试英语题 题型：阅读理解
Will Nanfang University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen announce a new beginning for China’s higher education reform? It’s too early to answer.But its presence is challenging the Ministry of Education.Even without the approval of the ministry it seems that the school is determined to move forward and enroll 50 students, so-called child prodigies(奇才), to begin classes on March l, 2011.On graduating in 2015, these students will receive a diploma unauthorized by the Ministry of Education-unlike the students of their age from the state-run universities.
The school is committed to modeling itself on Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, but if the government will not approve the school, the situation could cause a lot of trouble for those 50 students if they want to do graduate studies at other higher learning institutions.Other schools could turn their applications down for their unauthorized diplomas.
The difficulties, however, have not frightened students and their parents away.On Dec.18, 2010 more than 1,000 students and their parents visited Nanfang University of Science and Technology for interviews.
Private investment marks the school out from other higher learning institutions in the nation.Not a penny comes from the government. So the government will have no voice in how the school will be run.
The Ministry of Education has published a comprehensive plan for education reform and development between 2011 and 2020.The goal is to make China’s higher education internationally competitive.To accomplish this goal, the government should have the courage to let the educators who have big ideas try them out.The ministry should have applauded the independence the school in Shenzhen has shown and encouraged more to do likewise.
Education reform in China has reached a new and crucial stage.Nanfang University of Science and Technology has a long way to go to prove itself competitive rather than a diploma mill.
1.Over 1,000 students and parents visited the school because .
A．they believe that the school will have a bright future
B．they believe the government is sure to approve the school
C．the school models itself on Hong Kong University successfully
D．they will never do graduate studies at other higher learning institutions
2.The trouble the students in the school may have is that .
A．the government will have no voice in the school
B．they won’t receive any diploma when graduating from the school
C．other schools are unlikely to accept their diploma from the school
D．they will not learn how to be competitive
3.What does the author think of Nanfang University of Science and Technology?
A．It is another kind of diploma mill.
B．It’s impossible for the school to be competitive.
C．It will never get the approval from the Ministry of Education.
D．Its independence from the government may benefit the education reform.
4.What is the best title of the passage?
A．University of New Style. B．China’s Education Reform.
C．Modeling Hong Kong University. D．Authorized or Not?
查看答案和解析>>
科目：高中英语 来源：2010-2011学年黑龙江大庆实验中学高三考前得分训练三 题型：阅读理解
The iPhone, the iPad, the iPod, each of apple's products sounds cool and has become a pad (一时的风尚). Apple has cleverly taken advantage of the power of the letter “i”，-- and many other brands are following suit. The BBC’s iPlayer —which allows Web users to watch TV programs on the internet—adopted the title in 2008. A lovely bear—popular in the US and UK—that plays music and video is called “iTeddy”.A slimmed-down version of London’s Independent newspaper，was launched last week under the name “i”.
In general，single-letter prefix have been popular since the 1990s，when terms such as e-mail and e-commerce first came into use.
Most “i”products are targeted at young people and considering the major readers of the Independent’s “i”，it’s no surprise that they’ve selected this fashionable name.
But it’s hard to see what’s so special about the letter “i”.Why not use “a”，“b”or “c”instead？According to Tony Thorne，head of Language Center at King’s College，London，“i”works because its meaning has become ambiguous .When Apple uses “i”，no one knows whether it means internet，information，individual or interactive，Thorne told BBC magazines “even when Apple created the iPod，it seems it didn’t have one clear definition，”he says.
“However，thanks to Apple，the term is now associated with portability （轻便）， ”adds Thorne.
Clearly the letter “i”also agrees with the idea that the Western World is centered on the individual. Each person believes they have their own needs，and we love personalized products for this reason.
Along with “Google”and “blog”，readers of BBC magazines voted “i”as one of the top 20 words that have come to define the last decade.
But as history shows，people grow tired of fads. From the 1900s to the 1990s，products with “2000”in their names became fashionable as the year was associated with all things advanced and modern. However，as we entered the new century，the trend inevitably disappeared.
1.
We can infer that the Independent’s “i”is aimed at _______.
A. young readers B. old readers C. fashionable women D. engineers
2.
查看答案和解析>>
湖北省互联网违法和不良信息举报平台 | 网上有害信息举报专区 | 电信诈骗举报专区 | 涉历史虚无主义有害信息举报专区 | 涉企侵权举报专区
违法和不良信息举报电话：027-86699610 举报邮箱：58377363@163.com