山东德州2013届高考英语二轮复习阅读理解精练精析15
The number of speakers of English in Shakespeare’s time is estimated to have been about five million. Today it is estimated that some 260 million people speak it as a native language, mainly in the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. In addition to the standard varieties of English found in these areas, there are a great many regional and social varieties of the language as well as various levels of usage that are employed both in its spoken and written forms.
In fact, it is impossible to estimate the number of people in the world who have acquired an enough working knowledge of English in addition to their own languages. The purpose for English learning and the situations in which such learning takes place are so varied that it is difficult to explain and still more difficult to judge what forms an adequate working knowledge for each situation.
The main reason for the widespread demand for English is its present-day importance as a world language. Besides serving the indefinite needs of its native speakers, English is a language in which some of important works in science, technology, and other fields are being produced, and not always by native speakers. It is widely used for such purposes as meteorological and airport communications, international conferences, and the spread of information over the radio and television networks of many nations. It is a language of wider communication for a number of developing countries, especially former British colonies. Many of these countries have multilingual populations and need a language for internal communication in such matters as government, commerce, industry, law and education as well as for international communication and for entrance to the scientific and technological developments in the West.
1. What would be the best title for this passage?
A. The Difficulties of Learning English
B. International Communications
C. The Standard Varieties of English
D. English as a World Language
2. Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A. Some 260 million people in the world have an adequate working knowledge of English.
B. There are some 260 million native speakers of English in the world.
C. It is almost impossible to estimate the number of people with an adequate working knowledge of English.
D. People learn English for a variety of reasons.
3. According to the passage, what is the main reason for the widespread use of English?
A. It was popular during Shakespeare’s time.
B. It is used in former British colonies.
C. It serves the needs of its native speakers.
D. It is a world language that is used for international communication.
4. What type of developing countries would be most likely to use English?
A. Those geographically close to the United States.
B. Those interested in the culture of the United States.
C. Former colonies of the Great Britain.
D. Countries where international conferences are held.
(B)
［2012济南模拟］
A woman renewing her driver’s license at the County Clerk’s office was asked to state her occupation. She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself.
“What I mean is, ” explained the recorder, “do you have a job, or are you just a. . . ”
“Of course I have a job, ” said Emily. “I’m a mother. ”
“We don’t list ‘mother’ as an occupation. . . ‘housewife’ covers it, ” said the recorder.
One day I found myself in the same situation. The clerk was obviously a career woman, confident and possessed of a high sounding title. “What is your occupation? ” she asked.
The words simply popped out. “I’m a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations. ”
The clerk paused, her ballpoint pen frozen in mid-air.
I repeated the title slowly, and then I stared with wonder as my statement was written in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.
“Might I ask, ” said the clerk with new interest, “Just what you do in this field? ”
Coolly, without any trace of panic in my voice, I heard myself reply, “I have a continuing program of research (what mother doesn’t）, in the lab and in the field (normally I would have said indoors and out). Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities (any mother care to disagree? ), and I often work 14 hours a day (24 is more like it). But the job is more challenging than most careers and rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money. ”
There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk’s voice as she completed the form, stood up, and showed me out.
As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants—ages 13, 7, and 3.
Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model (a 6-month-old baby), in the child-development program, testing out a new vocal pattern.
I felt proud! I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable (不可缺少的) to mankind than “just another mother”.
Motherhood. . . What a glorious career! Especially when there’s a title on the door.
5. What can we infer from the conversation between the woman and the recorder at the beginning of the passage?
A. The woman felt ashamed to admit what her job was.
B. The recorder was impatient and rude.
C. The author was upset about the situation that mothers faced.
D. Motherhood was not recognized and respected as a job by society.
6. How did the author feel when describing her job to the clerk?
A. Calm. B. Panic-stricken.
C. Confident. D. Cool.
7. Why did the woman clerk show more respect for the author?
A. Because the author cared little about rewards.
B. Because she admired the author’s research work in the lab.
C. Because she thought the author did admirable work.
D. Because the writer did something she had little knowledge of.
8. What is the author’s purpose of writing the passage?
A. To show how you describe your job affects your feelings toward it.
B. To argue that motherhood is a worthy career and deserves respect.
C. To show that the author had a grander job than Emily.
D. To show that being a mother is hard and boring work.
答案解析
【文章大意】本文介绍了英语的发展变化情况，说明了英语最后成为世界语言的原因及英语在当代社会中的重要性。
1. 【解析】选D。主旨大意题。全文讲述的是英语在全世界的广泛应用。第三段第一句又特别提出英语作为一种世界语言的原因，故选D项。A项文中并未涉及；B项和C项只是文中细节，不能概括全文。
2. 【解析】选A。推理判断题。根据文章第一段中第二句及第二段的第一句的描述可推知B、C两项正确，A项错误。由第二、三段可知D项正确。
3. 【解析】选D。推理判断题。根据文章最后一段的描述，英语广泛应用于气象和机场的交流，国际会议和信息传播等，可推知此题的答案为D。
4. 【解析】选C。细节理解题。根据文章最后一段倒数第二句It is a language of wider communication for a number of developing countries, especially former British colonies. 可推知此题答案为C。
5. 【解析】选D。推理判断题。由第四段对话中的“We don’t list ‘mother’ as an occupation. . . ‘housewife’ covers it. . . ”可知。
6. 【解析】选A。细节理解题。由第十段中的Coolly, without any trace of panic in my voice可以看出作者在介绍自己的职业时沉着冷静。
7. 【解析】选C。细节理解题。根据“我”对工作的叙述可以看出，这个办事员认为“我”所从事的工作是令人羡慕的。
8. 【解析】选B。推理判断题。由文章的前半部分可知，很多人不认为motherhood是种职业，但是“我”对此感到自豪，由此可见，作者写这篇文章的目的是讨论motherhood是一项值得尊敬的职业。
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