1、专题三 阅读理解 一、主旨大意类 1主旨大意类题目的设题方式：(1)The main idea of the passage is _.(2)What does the passage mainly deal with?(3)Whats the main idea/topic/subject/point/theme of the passage?(4)The passage is mainly about _.(5)The best title for the passage is _.(6)The article is written to explain _.(7)The second p
2、aragraph uses the facts to develop theessential idea that _.(8)Which of the following statements best summarizes theauthors main point?(9)What is the main problem being discussed in the passage?2主旨大意类阅读理解的备考策略此类问题属于全局性的问题，难度相对较大，因此必须阅读全文，抓住文章的中心思想。下列几种策略有助于快速准确地把握文章的中心思想：(1)把此类问题留在最后。因为回答其他细节性问题后，自然
3、就会对文章大意有一定的了解。(2)找出文章的中心思想句。要把注意力放在阅读材料的开头和结尾，放在观点性、归纳性和概括性的句子上，放在被许多句子说明和证实的句子上。(3)找出各个段落的主题句。主题句有以下几个特征：它是概括全段思想的句子；一般出现在段首，其次是段尾，有的出现在段落当中；它表达的是观点，而不是事实。(4)注意由 in summary，in a word，as a result，finally，inshort，in conclusion 和 in brief 等“信号词”引导的句子。(5)正确选项的特点：不出现细节信息；不含过分肯定或绝对意义的词。(6)干扰项特点：细节信息明显；过于
4、笼统。实例透析1(2011安徽卷D)Ireland has had a very difficult history.The problems started in the 16th century when English rulers tried to conquer(征服)Ireland.For hundreds of years，the Irish people fought against the English.Finally，in 1921，the British government was forced to give independence to the south of
5、 Ireland.The result is that today there are two“Irelands”Northern Ireland，in the north，is part of the United Kingdom.The Republic of Ireland，in the south，is an independent country.In the 1840s the main crop，potatoes，was affected bydisease and about 750,000 people died of hunger.This，and ashortage(短缺
6、)of work，forced many people to leave Irelandand live in the USA，the UK，Australia and Canada.As aresult of these problems，the population fell from 8.2 millionin 1841 to 6.6 million in 1851.For many years，the majority of Irish people earnedtheir living as farmers.Today，many people still work on thelan
7、d but more and more people are moving to the cities towork in factories and offices.Life in the cities is verydifferent from life in the countryside，where things move at aquieter and slower pace.The Irish are famous for being warmhearted and friendly.Oscar Wilde，a famous Irish writer，once said that
8、the Irish were“the greatest talkers since the Greeks”Since independence，Ireland has revived(复兴)its own culture of music，language，literature and singing.Different areas have different styles of old Irish songs which are sung without instruments.Other kinds of Irish music use many different instrument
9、s such as the violin，whistles，etc.68What does the author tell us in Paragraph 1?AHow the Irish fought against the English.BHow Ireland gained independence.CHow English rulers tried to conquer Ireland.DHow two“Irelands”came into being.答案 D解析 主旨大意题。通读第一段可知，本段介绍了爱尔兰共 和 国(The Republic of Ireland)及 北 爱 尔
10、 兰(Northern Ireland)的由来，故 D 项正确。70The last paragraph is mainly about _.Athe Irish characterBIrish culture CIrish musical instrumentsDa famous Irish writer答案 B解析 主旨大意题。文章末段从爱尔兰民族习性、音乐、语言及文学等方面介绍了爱尔兰民族文化，故 B 项正确。A、C、D 各项虽都提及，但都是细节。解析 标题归纳题。通读全文可知，本文从地理状况、人口发展、经济情况以及社会生活等方面介绍了爱尔兰共和国的过去及现在，故 C 项最为全面。71W
11、hat can be the best title for the text?ALife in IrelandBA Very Difficult HistoryCIreland，Past and PresentDThe Independence of Ireland答案 C2(2011重庆卷D)William Butler Yeats，a most famous Irish writer，was born in Dublin on June 13,1865.His childhood lacked the harmony(和睦)that was typical of a happy famil
12、y.Later，Yeats shocked his family by saying that he remembered“little of childhood but its pain”In fact，he inherited(继承)excellent taste in art from his familyboth his father and his brother were painters.But he finally settled on literature，particularly drama(戏剧)and poetry.Yeats had strong faith in t
13、he coming of new artistic movements.He set himself the fresh task in founding an Irish national theatre in the late 1890s.His early theatrical experiments，however，were not received favorably at the beginning.He didnt lose heart，and finally enjoyed success in his poetical drama.Compared with his dram
14、atic works，Yeatss poems attract much admiring notice.The subject matter includes love，nature，history，time and aging.Though Yeats generally relied on very traditional forms，he brought modern sensibility to them.As his literary life progressed，his poetry grew finer and richer，which led him to worldwid
15、e recognition.He had not enjoyed a major public lift since winning the Nobel Prize in 1923.Yet，he continued writing almost to the end of his life.Had Yeats stopped writing at age 40，he would probably now be valued as a minor poet，for there is no other example in literary history of a poet who produc
16、es his greatest works between the ages of 50 and 75.After Yeatss death in 1939，W.H.Auden wrote，among others，the following lines：Earth，receive an honoured guest：William Yeats is laid to rest.Let the Irish vessel(船)lieEmptied of its poetry.71.What is the passage mainly about?AYeatss literary achieveme
17、nts.BYeatss historical influence.CYeatss artistic ambition.DYeatss national honor.答案 A解析 主旨大意题。文章主要介绍了 William Butler Yeats的文学成就。考题印证A(2011 山 东 卷 A)Arthur Miller(1915 2005)is universally recognized as one of the greatest dramatists of the 20th century.Millers father had moved to the USA from Austria
18、-Hungary，drawn like so many others by the“Great American Dream”However，he experienced severe financial hardship when his family business was ruined in the Great Depression of the early 1930s.Millers most famous play，Death of a Salesman，is a powerful attack on the American system，with its aggressive
19、way of doing business and its insistence on money and social status as indicators of worth.In Willy Loman，the hero of the play，we see a man who has got into trouble with this system.Willy is“burnt out”and in the cruel world of business there is no room for sentiment：if he cant do the work，then he is
20、 no good to his employer，the Wagner Company，and he must go.Willy is painfully aware of this，and at a loss as to what to do with his lack of success.He refuses to face the fact that he has failed and kills himself in the end.When it was first staged in 1949，the play was greeted with enthusiastic revi
21、ews，and it won the Tony Award for Best Play，the New York Drama Critics Circle Award，and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.It was the first play to win all three of these major awards.Miller died of heart failure at his home in Roxbury，Connecticut，on the evening of February 10,2005，the 56th anniversary of
22、 the first performance of Death of a Salesmanon Broadway.1Why did Arthur Millers father move to the USA?AHe suffered from severe hunger in his home country.BHe was attracted by the“Great American Dream”CHe hoped to make his son a dramatist.DHis family business failed.答案 B解析 细节理解题。由第一段中的“Millers fath
23、er had moved to the USA from Austria-Hungary，drawn like so many others by the Great American Dream”可知，米勒的父亲搬到美国去是被“伟大的美国梦”所吸引，故选 B。2The play Death of a Salesman _.Aexposes the cruelty of the American business worldBdiscusses the ways to get promoted in a companyCtalks about the business career of Ar
24、thur MillerDfocuses on the skills in doing business答案 A解析 细节理解题。由第二段第一句“Millers most famous play，Death of a Salesman，is a powerful attack on the American system，with its aggressive way of doing business and its insistence on money and social status as indicators of worth.”可知，推销员之死揭露了美国商业社会的残酷，故选 A。解
25、析 推理判断题。由第二段中的“.if he cant do the work，then he is no good to his employer，the Wagner Company，and he must go.in the end.”可推知，Willy Loman是美国社会制度的牺牲品。3What can we learn about Willy Loman?AHe treats his employer badly.BHe runs the Wagner Company.CHe is a victim of the American system.DHe is regarded as
26、a hero by his colleagues.答案 C4After it was first staged，Death of a Salesman_.Aachieved huge successBwon the first Tony AwardCwas warmly welcomed by salesmenDwas severely attacked by dramatists答案 A解析 细节理解题。由第三段第一句“When it was first staged in 1949.the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.”可知，这部戏剧获得了巨大的成功，故选 A。B 项
27、错误在于不是赢得了第一个 Tony Award。5What is the text mainly about?AArthur Miller and his family.BThe awards Arthur Miller won.CThe hardship Arthur Miller experienced.DArthur Miller and his best-known play.答案 D解析 主旨大意题。综合整篇文章可知，本文主要介绍了阿瑟米勒的生平及其代表作品。211 工程(优秀生选做题)2vocabulary：(1)recognize v认出；承认recognize.as(be re
28、cognized as)把认为是It is recognized that.人们公认为他是公认的新一届冠军。He the new champion.(2)at a loss 不知所措；困惑make a loss 亏损a loss 遭受损失我弄不明白发生了什么事。I was to understand what had happened.sufferis recognized asat a loss1从文中找出与下句意义相近的句子He wouldnt like to accept that he is a failure and commits suicide at last.1What doe
29、s the underlined word“this”in Para.2 mean?If he cant do the work，then he is no good to He refuses to face the fact that he has failed and kills himself in the end.his employer，the Wagner Company，and he must go.B(2011湖南卷C)A recent study of ancient and modern elephants has come up with the unexpected
30、conclusion that the African elephant is divided into two distinct(不同的)species.The discovery was made by researchers at York and Harvard Universities when they were examining the genetic relationship between the ancient woolly mammoth and mastodon to modern elephantsthe Asian elephant，African forest
31、elephant，and African savanna elephant.Once they obtained DNA sequences(序列)from two fossils(化 石)，mammoths and mastodons，the team compared them with DNA from modern elephants.They found to their amazement that modern forest and savanna elephants are as distinct from each other as Asian elephants and m
32、ammoths.The scientists used detailed genetic analysis to prove that the African savanna elephant and the African forest elephant have been distinct species for several million years.The divergence of the two species took place around the time of the divergence of Asian elephants and woolly mammoths.
33、This result amazed all the scientists.There has long been debate in the scientific community that the two might be separate species，but this is the most convincing scientific evidence so far that they are indeed different species.Previously，many naturalists believed that African savanna elephants an
34、d African forest elephants were two populations of the same species，despite the elephantssignificant size differences.The savanna elephant has an average shoulder height of 3.5 metres while the forest elephant has an average shoulder height of 2.5 metres.The savanna elephant weighs between six and s
35、even tons，roughly double the weight of the forest elephant.But the fact that they look so different does not necessarily mean they are different species.However the proof lay in the analysis of the DNA.Alfred Roca，assistant professor in the Department of Animal Sciences at the University of Illinois
36、，said，“We now have to treat the forest and savanna elephants as two different units for conservation purposes.Since 1950，all African elephants have been conserved as one species.Now that we know the forest and savanna elephants are two very distinctive animals，the forest elephant should become a big
37、ger priority(优先)for conservation purposes.”1One of the fossils studied by the researchers is that of _.Athe Asian elephant Bthe forest elephant Cthe savanna elephant Dthe mastodon elephant 答案 D解析 细节理解题。由第三段第一句话“.two fossils，mammoths and mastodons.”可知 D 项正确。解析 词义猜测题。科学家们一直在证明非洲森林大象和非洲草原大象是两个不同的物种，它们之
38、间的差异使科学家们大为惊讶。2The underlined word“divergence”in Paragraph 4 means“_”Aevolution BexhibitionCseparation Dexamination答案 C3The researchers conclusion was based on a study of the African elephants _.ADNA BheightCweight Dpopulation答案 A解析 细节理解题。由倒数第二段最后一句话“However the proof lay in the analysis of the DNA.
39、”可知。4What are Alfred Rocas words mainly about?AThe conservation of African elephants.BThe purpose of studying African elephants.CThe way to divide African elephants into two units.DThe reason for the distinction of African elephants.答案 A解析 推理判断题。由文章最后一段中“.for conservation purposes”可知 A 项正确。5Which of
40、 the following can be the best title for the passage?ANaturalists Beliefs about ElephantsBAmazing Experiments about ElephantsCAn Unexpected Finding about ElephantsDA Long Scientific Debate about Elephants答案 C解析 主旨大意题。全文讲述了关于大象的一项意外的发现。211 工程(优秀生选做题)2vocabulary：(1)to ones amazement 令某人惊讶的是(to ones名词)
41、to ones surprise 使某人吃惊的是to ones joy 让某人高兴的是to ones disappointment 使某人失望的是使我们惊讶的是他实际上拒绝帮助我们。(2)lie in在于To our amazement，he actually refused to help us.consist in 1What was the previous belief about the two kinds of elephants?1翻译句子There has long been debate in the scientific community that the two mig
42、ht be separate species，but this is the most convincing scientific evidence so far that they are indeed different species.有说服力的科学证据，即它们事实上是不同的种类。size differences.长期以来在科技领域关于这两种大象可能是不同的种类一事一直存在着争论，但是这是到目前为止最Previously，many naturalists believed thatAfrican savanna elephants and African forestelephants
43、were two populations of the samespecies，despite the elephants significantC(2011江西卷D)Why should mankind explore space?Why should money，time and effort be spent exploring and researching something with so few apparent benefits?Why should resources be spent on space rather than on conditions and people
44、 on the Earth?These are questions that，understandably，are very often asked.Perhaps the best answer lies in our genetic make-up(基因构成)as human beings.What drove our ancestors to move from the trees into the plains，and on into all possible areas and environments?The wider the spread of a species，the be
45、tter its chance of survival.Perhaps the best reason for exploring space is this genetic tendency to expand wherever possible.Nearly every successful civilization has explored，because by doing so，any dangers in surrounding areas can be identified and prepared for.Without knowledge，we may be completel
46、y destroyed by the danger.With knowledge，we can lessen its effects.Exploration also allows minerals and other potential(潜在的)resources to be found.Even if we have no immediate need of them，they will perhaps be useful later.Resources may be more than physical possessions.Knowledge or techniques have b
47、een acquired through exploration.The techniques may have medical applications which can improve the length or quality of our lives.We have already benefited from other spin-offs including improvements in earthquake prediction，in satellites for weather forecasting and in communication systems.Even no
48、n-stick pans and mirrored sunglasses are by-products(副 产 品)of technological developments in the space industry!While many resources are spent on what seems a small return，the exploration of space allows creative，brave and intelligent members of our species to focus on what may serve to save us.While
49、 space may hold many wonders and explanations of how the universe was formed or how it works，it also holds dangers.The danger exists，but knowledge can help human beings to survive.Without the ability to reach out across space，the chance to save ourselves might not exist.While Earth is the only plane
50、t known to support life，surely the adaptive ability of humans would allow us to live on other planets.It is true that the lifestyle would be different，but human life and cultures have adapted in the past and surely could in the future.1Why does the author mention the questions in Paragraph 1?ATo exp
51、ress his doubts.BTo compare different ideas.CTo introduce points for discussion.DTo describe the conditions on Earth.答案 C解析 推理判断题，是对作者写作目的和意图的推断。作者提出这些问题是为了引出下文要讨论的观点，故选 C。2 What is the reason for exploring space based on Paragraph 2?AHumans are nature-born to do so.BHumans have the tendency to figh
52、t.CHumans may find new sources of food.DHumans dont like to stay in the same place.答案 A解析 细节理解题。由第二段第一句话“Perhaps the best answer lies in our genetic make-up(基因构成)as human beings.”和 此 段 最 后 一 句“Perhaps the best reason for exploring space is this genetic tendency to expand wherever possible.可知 A 项正确。”
53、3 The underlined word“spin-offs”in Paragraph 4 probably refers to_.Asurvival chancesBpotential resourcesCunexpected benefitsDphysical possessions答案 C解析 词 义猜测题。由第四 段中的“We have already benefited from other spin-offs including improvements in earthquake prediction，in satellites for weather forecasting
54、and in communication systems.”可推出，此处 spin-offs 意为“意想不到的好处”。survival chances 生存机会；potential resources 潜在的资源；unexpected benefits 意想不到的好处；physical possessions 物质财产，故选 C。4What makes it possible for humans to live on other planets?AOur genetic make-up.BResources on the earth.CThe adaptive ability of huma
55、ns.DBy-products in space exploration.答案 C解析 细节理解题。由倒数第二段最后一句“Without the ability to reach out across space，the chance to save ourselves might not exist.”和最后一段中的“It is true that the lifestyle would be different，but human life and cultures have adapted in the past and surely could in the future.”可以得出人
56、类的适应能力使得人类居住在其他星球成为可能。5Which of the statements can best sum up the passage?ASpace exploration has created many wonders.BSpace exploration provides the best value for money.CSpace exploration can benefit science and technology.DSpace exploration may help us avoid potential problems on Earth.答案 D解析 主旨
57、大意题。由全文内容可知，文章主要讲述太空探索可以帮助人类避免地球上潜在的一些问题。211 工程(优秀生选做题)2vocabulary：(1)benefit v.&n.利益be of benefit to对有益benefit 受益于为了某人的利益(2)survive v.幸存，活下来；比活得长survivor n.幸存者survival n.幸存；残存丈夫死后她又活了十年。She by ten years.be beneficial tofrom/byfor ones benefitsurvived her husband1将下句改为 if 条件句The wider the spread of
58、a species，the better its chance of survival.1从文中找出与下句意义相近的句子If we dont explore space，we wont live on.If a species spreads wider，its chance of Without the ability to reach out across space，survival will be better.the chance to save ourselves might not exist.D(2011 江 西 卷 C)The garden city was largely
59、the invention of Ebenezer Howard(1850 1928)After immigrating from England to the USA，and an unsuccessful attempt to make a living as a farmer，he moved to Chicago，where he saw the reconstruction of the city after the disastrous fire of 1871.In those days，it was nicknamed“the Garden City”，almost certa
60、inly the source of Howards name for his later building plan of towns.Returning to London，Howard developed his design in the 1880s and 1890s，drawing_on ideas that were popular at the time，but creating a unique combination of designs.The nineteenth-century poor city was in many ways a terrible place，d
61、irty and crowded；but it offered economic and social opportunities.At the same time，the British countryside was in fact equally unattractive：though it promised fresh air and nature，it suffered from agricultural depression(萧条)and it offered neither enough work and wages，nor much social life.Howards id
62、ea was to combine the best of town and country in a new kind of settlement，the garden city.Howards idea was that a group of people should set up a company，borrowing money to establish a garden city in the depressed countryside，far enough from existing cities to make sure that the land was bought at
63、the bottom price.Garden cities would provide a central public open space，radial avenues and connecting industries.They would be surrounded by a much larger area of green belt，also owned by the company，containing not merely farms but also some industrial institutions.As more and more people moved in，
64、the garden city would reach its planned limitHoward suggested 32,000 people；then，another would be started a short distance away.Thus，over time，there would develop a vast planned house collection，extending almost without limit；within it，each garden city would offer a wide range of jobs and services，b
65、ut each would also be connected to the others by a rapid transportation system，thus giving all the economic and social opportunities of a big city.1How did Howard get the name for his building plan of garden cities?AThrough his observation of the country life.BThrough the combination of different id
66、eas.CBy taking other peoples advice.DBy using the nickname of the reconstructed Chicago.答案 D解析 细节理解题。通过文章第一段的第三句得出：芝加哥的花园城市几乎成为了 Howard 后来命名的来源。2The underlined phrase“drawing on”in Paragraph 1 probably means_.Amaking use ofBmaking comments on Cgiving an explanation ofDgiving a description of 答案 A解析
67、词义猜测题。通过文章第一段叙述可知 Howard 在到达芝加哥后有了创建“花园城市”的灵感，回到伦敦后，他运用当时比较流行的观点把各种设计进行了结合，形成了他自己的独特设计。因此，drawing on 意为“利用”，与making use of 意义相同。3 According to Howard，garden cities should be built_.Aas far as possible from existing citiesBin the countryside where the land was cheapCin the countryside where agricultu
68、re was developedDnear cities where employment opportunities already existed答案 B解析 细节理解题。根据文章第二段的最后一句话可知：要远离现有的城市带以保证土地可以以最低的价位买到。故答案为 B 项。4What can we learn about garden cities from the last paragraph?ATheir number would continue to rise.BEach one would continue to become larger.CPeople would live a
69、nd work in the same place.DEach one would contain a certain type of business.答案 A解析 推理判断题。由最后一段我们可以了解到花园城市的数量会越来越多，并通过便捷的交通运输系统相互连接。由此可以推断出 A 项正确。解析 主旨大意题。全文主要讲述了the garden city的发明。5What could be the best title for the passage?ACity and CountrysideBThe Invention of the Garden CityCA New City in Chic
70、agoDA Famous Garden City in England答案 B211 工程(优秀生选做题)2vocabulary：(1)immigrate v(从外地)移居；移民v迁移；迁徙(2)surround v围绕adj.周围的；附近的surroundings n环境；周围的事物be surrounded.被所包围1How old was Howard when he died?1Which two garden cities are mentioned in the passage?78.The garden city of Chicago and the garden cityof London.by/with migratesurrounding返回
