【5题详解】

细节理解题。根据文章第二段“In humans, babies can put a round shape in a round hole fromaround one year of age(在人类身上，婴儿从一岁左右就可以把一个圆形的物品放进一个圆形的洞里)”结合选项，可知，一岁儿童最有可能完成“将一个球放进一个圆形的洞里”的任务。故选C。

【6题详解】

推理判断题。通过文章最后一段“The next step, according to the researchers, is to try andwork out whether the cockatoos rely entirely on visual clues, or also use asense of touch in making their shape selections.(根据研究人员的说法，下一步是尝试弄清楚凤头鹦鹉是完全依靠视觉线索，还是也使用触觉来选择它们的形状)”可推知，后续测试的目的是了解凤头鹦鹉在测试中是否使用触觉。故选D。

【7题详解】

主旨大意题。通读全文，再结合文章第一段“Coffin’s cockatoos, a kind of small parrot native toAustralasia, have been shown to have similar shape-recognition abilities to ahuman two-year-old.(科芬的凤头鹦鹉是一种原产于大洋洲的小鹦鹉，它的形状识别能力与两岁的人类相似)”可推知，本文主要介绍了会识别形状的凤头鹦鹉。D项“Cockatoos:Skilful Shape-Sorters (凤头鹦鹉：识别形状的熟练工)”符合文意，最适合作为本文标题。故选D。

C

As Ginni Bazlinton reached Antarctica, she found herself greeted by a groupof little Gentoo penguins(企鹅) longing to say hello. These gentle, lovelygatekeepers welcomed her and kick-started what was to be a trip Ginni wouldnever forget.Ever since her childhood, Ginni, now 71, has had a deep love fortravel. Throughout her career(职业) as a professional dancer, she toured in theUK, but always longed to explore further When she retired from dancing and hersons eventually flew the nest, she decided it was time to take the plunge.Aftertaking a degree at Chichester University in Related Arts, Ginni began to travelthe world, eventually getting work teaching English in Japan and Chile. And itwas in Chile she discovered she could get last-minute cheap deals on ships goingto Antarctica from the islands off Tierra del Fuego, the southernmost tip of theSouth American mainland. “I just decided wanted to go,” she says. “I had no ideaabout what I’d find there and I wasn’t nervous, I just wanted to do it. And Iwanted to do it alone as I always prefer it that way.”In March 2008, Ginniboarded a ship with 48 passengers she’d never met before, to begin the journeytowards Antarctica. “From seeing the wildlife to witnessing sunrises, the wholeexperience was amazing. Antarctica left an impression on me that no other placehas,” Ginni says. “I remember the first time I saw a humpback whale; it justrose out of the water like some prehistoric creature and I thought it wassmiling at us. Yocould still hear the operatic sounds it was makingunderwater.”The realization that this is a precious land, to be respected byhumans, was one of the biggest things that hit home to Ginni.

8. Which of the following best explains “take the plunge” underlined inparagraph 2?

A. Try challenging things.

B.Take a degree.

C. Bring back lost memories.

D.Stick to a promise.

9. What made Ginni decide on the trip to Antarctica?

A. Lovely penguins.

B.Beautiful scenery.

C. A discount fare.

D.A friend’s invitation.

10. What does Ginni think about Antarctica after the journey?

A. It could be a home for her. B.It should be easily accessible.

C. It should be well preserved. D. It needs to be fully introduced.

11What is the text mainly about?

A. A childhood dream.

B.An unforgettable experience.

C. Sailing around the world.

D.Meeting animals in Antarctica.

【答案】8. A 9. C 10. C 11. A

【解析】

【导语】本文是一篇说明文。文章主要介绍了71岁的GinniBalinton从小就对旅行有着深深的热爱，渴望探险，不再跳舞和孩子们成家立业之后，她开始周游世界，并在2008年开始了前往南极洲的旅程。

【8题详解】

词句猜测题。根据第二段划线词前文“Throughout her career(职业) as a professional dancer, shetoured in the UK, but always longed to explore further.(在她的职业舞蹈演员生涯中，她曾在英国巡演，但一直渴望进一步探索)”和“When she retired from dancing and her sonseventually flew thenest,(当她不再跳舞，她的儿子们最终独立生活)”可知，Ginni在退休和儿子们成家立业之后，她决定尝试有挑战性的事情。由此推知，划线词组take theplunge与try challenging things“尝试有挑战性的事情”意思接近。故选A。

【9题详解】

细节理解题。根据第三段中的“And it was in Chile she discovered she could get last-minutecheap deals on ships going to Antarctica from the islands off Tiera delFuego.(正是在智利，她发现自己可以在最后一刻买到从火地岛附近岛屿前往南极洲的廉价船只)”可知，是一张折扣票价让Ginni决定去南极洲旅行的。故选C。

【10题详解】

细节理解题。根据最后一段“The realization that this is a precious land, to be respected byhumans, was one of the biggest things that hit home toGinni.(意识到这是一块宝贵的土地，应该受到人类的尊重，这是Ginni最深刻的感受之一。)”可知，旅行结束后，Ginni认为南极洲应该得到很好的保护。故选C。

【11题详解】

主旨大意题。根据第二段“Ever since her childhood, Ginni, now 71 has had a deep love fortravel.(今年71岁的吉妮从小就对旅行有着深深的热爱)”及全文可知，文章主要介绍了71岁的GinniBalinton从小就对旅行有着深深的热爱，渴望探险，不再跳舞和孩子们成家立业之后，她开始周游世界，并在2008年开始了前往南极洲的旅程。由此可知，Achildhood dream.(童年的梦想)能够概括文章主旨。故选A。

D

Sometime in the early 1960s, a significant thing happened in Sydney,Australia. The city discovered its harbor. Then, one after another, Sydneydiscovered lots of things that were just sort of there — broad parks, superbbeaches, and a culturally diverse population. But it is the harbor that makesthe city.Andrew Reynolds, a cheerful fellow in his early 30s, pilots Sydneyferryboats for a living. I spent the whole morning shuttling back and forthacross the harbor. After our third run Andrew shut down the engine, and we wentour separate ways — he for a lunch break, I to explore the city.“I’ll miss theseold boats,” he said as we parted.“How do yomean?” I asked.“Oh, they’rereplacing them with catamarans. Catamarans are faster, but they’re not soelegant, and they’re not fun to pilot. But that’s progress, I guess.”Everywherein Sydney these days, change and progress are the watchwords (口号), andtraditions are increasingly rare. Shirley Fitzgerald, the city’s officialhistorian, told me that in its rush to modernity in the 1970s, Sydney sweptaside much of its past, including many of its finest buildings. “Sydney isconfused about itself,” she said. “We can’t seem to make up our minds whether wewant a modern city or a traditional one. It’s a conflict that we aren’t gettingany better at resolving (解决).”On the other hand, being young and old at the sametime has its attractions. I considered this when I met a thoughtful youngbusinessman named Anthony. “Many people say that we lack culture in thiscountry,” he told me. “What people forget is that the Italians, when they cameto Australia, brought 2000 years of their culture, the Greeks some 3000 years,and the Chinese more still. We’ve got a foundation built on ancient cultures butwith a drive and dynamism of a young country. It’s a pretty hard combination tobeat.”He is right, but I can’t help wishing they would keep those oldferries.

12. What is the first paragraph mainly about?