Ⅳ. Reading Comprehension (60 points)
Directions:
There are four reading passages in this part. Each passage is followed by five questions. For each question there are four suggested answers marked A, B, C and D. Choose one best answer and blacken the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet.
Passage One
What’s the best way to protect a tender, green seedling from the hungry stomach of deer? Give the seedling bad breath!
The same chemical that gives people bad breath after they have eaten garlic can save small trees from being eaten by animals.
A kind of chemical selenium(硒), which is also found in garlic, is planted in the soil near a young tree. The tree’s roots absorb the selenium which is then carried to the leaves.
From there the selenium is used to form a chemical called dimethyl selenide (乙烷硒化物)—the same chemical made in the human mouth after eating garlic. As deer wander around looking for food, they smell the seedlings’ leaves and leave the plants alone.
The selenium is important. Why? Because each year deer eat millions of dollars’ worth of trees farm seedlings.
So far, selenium has been tested only on Douglas fir (枞树) seedlings, but researchers think they could protect fruit trees and garden plants, too.
61. When people eat garlic, ________.
A. they send out a horrible smell B. they are out of breath
C. they will feel sick D. it is hard for them to breathe
62. According to this passage the bad smell given off from those leaves is that of ______.
the young trees absorb garlic
the roots of the young trees smell like garlic
the young trees aren’t fit for the deer to eat
the leaves of the young trees smell like garlic
64. Up till the time the news was announced, this kind of chemical was used _______.
A. all over the world B. all over the United States
C. on fruit trees and garden trees D. on Douglas fir young trees
65. The best title of this passage is ________.
A. Hungry Deer and Young Trees B. Why Don’t Deer Eat Young Fruit Trees
C. Plants Saved by “Bad Breath” D. How to Protect Young Trees
Passage Two
Hair loss is one of those things we still do not understand. Science has, of course, shown that men are more likely than women to suffer major hair loss. Some kinds of hair loss are temporary (暂时的), an effect of illness. In those cases we can expect the hair to grow back.
It all depends on whether the hair root is alive. If it is not, hair loss is permanent and nothing will help.
Some daily loss of hair is a normal, healthy sign. Most people lose between 40 to 50 scalp hairs each day.
Each of these scalp hairs grows for from two to six years and then rests. About three months later it is pushed out by a new hair growing from the same root.
This is not something that should cause great concern.
Something else we know is that normal hair loss is seasonal, with the most hair loss occurring in the fall. Everyone experiences a normal cycle of loss and growth.
The problem of hair loss results when loss is greater than growth.
The main cause of hair loss in men seems to be accumulation (积累) of a hormone (荷尔蒙) in the body. When that hormone reaches a certain level, the hair growing period is shortened and hair loss is the result. This is no cure for most cases of hair loss. This, however, is not the end of the world.
66. According to science, _________.
hair loss is a normal, healthy sign
man should pay special attention to hair loss
it’s likely that men have more problems of hair loss
men lose more hair than women do
67. The writer thinks _______.
illness causes hair loss
human beings have no way to cure hair loss
hair loss happening in the fall is an effect of illness
hair loss is permanent
68. We now know that the most hair loss happening in the autumn is ________.
A. permanent B. healthy sign C. seasonal D. nothing serious
69. The sentence “This, however, is not the end of the world” means _______.
man is sure to find the best way of curing his hair loss in the future
the writer believes the earth exists for ever
we can’t destroy the world by any means
the last day will never come to our people
70. The best title for the passage may be ________.
A. Loss or Growth B. Hair Loss C. Healthy Sign D. Change with Seasons