1、课时作业8Computers.阅读理解AFamily sizes are shrinking around the world. In many countries, families are having fewer than two children. Smaller families mean many children now grow up with fewer cousins. This is hard to imagine, as I come from a large extended family with 23 first cousins on one side and 2
2、5 on the other.Sometimes when I cant sleep, I try to name all my relatives. Of course, almost all of those cousins have married and had children and now their children are having children. With extended families growing so large and spreading so far, gettogethers have nearly become a thing of the pa
3、st.One of the last gatherings on my fathers side was at the home of a cousin who has a place in the country on top of a hill. A tent was set up, holding long tables creaking (嘎吱作响) under the weight of fried chicken, potato salad and chocolate cake. A fishing hole waited nearby for the kids. Vehicles
4、 poured in from every direction, parking on the drive, the grass, wherever they could find a spot. There was talking and laughing and joking and food.While such gatherings had grown infrequent, we were all happy to be together. Although some of us had not seen one another since soandsos wedding or s
5、omebodys fathers funeral, most people were still easy to recognize. Three sisters who sat together all had the same beautiful skin their mother had. The cousin with bright blue eyes who raced her horse as a teenager still had bright blue eyes. An older cousin who gave me piano lessons when I was you
6、ng and naughty seemed to have forgiven me. We share a gene pool of people who work hard and laugh often.It was very dark when the last set of taillights disappeared into the night. As we gathered our things, said our goodbyes and prepared to leave, a cousin called to me saying, “Dont forget where yo
7、u come from.” I never could. And Id never try.本文是一篇记叙文。作者来自于一个大家庭，虽然随着家庭规模的扩大，大家聚在一起的机会越来越少，但是作者和亲戚都很珍惜彼此之间的感情纽带。1Whats the authors attitude to his large family?ADelighted. BSad.CAshamed. DIndifferent.答案：A解析：推理判断题。根据第四段中While such gatherings had grown infrequent, we were all happy to be together.可知，
8、虽然这样的聚会越来越少了，但我们都很高兴能在一起。由此推测作者喜欢和亲人聚在一起，对于自己拥有一个大家庭这件事是高兴的，故选A项。2What can we infer from the last two paragraphs?AThe authors families often get together.BAll the family members have come to the gathering.CThe old cousin who taught the author piano didnt like him.DThe author and his large family mem
9、bers cherish the bond between them.答案：D解析：推理判断题。根据最后两段内容可知，虽然像这样一大家子聚在一起的机会越来越少了，但作者他们都很高兴能在一起。作者能够轻易地认出来大多数亲戚。当聚会结束，最后一组尾灯消失在夜色中时，天已经很黑了。当作者收拾好东西，说再见，准备离开的时候，一个表哥打电话给他，说：“别忘了你来自哪里。”他回答到“我永远不会。我永远不会尝试”。从作者能够认出大部分亲戚，表哥打电话给作者说的话以及作者的回答等可以推断出作者和亲戚都很珍惜他们之间的关系，故选D项。3Why does the author write this passage
10、?ATo compare the small families with large ones.BTo share his feeling about large family.CTo show his worry about the shrinking of family size.DTo give advice of family relationships.答案：B解析：推理判断题。根据文章内容可知，虽然世界各地的家庭规模都在缩小，意味着很多孩子在成长过程中很少有表亲。但作者很难想象这个，因为他来自于一个大家庭。作者描述了来自于一个大家庭是怎么的经历，并着重描写了在表亲家的一次聚会，展现
11、了与亲戚之间的感情纽带。由此可知，作者写这篇文章是为了分享他对大家庭的感受，故选B项。BHow some companies fight the curse (祸害) of presenteeism (超时工作)? Ronald Reagan famously joked that “its true hard work never killed anybody, but I figure, why take the chance？” Beyond_a_certain_level,_extra_effort_seems_to_be_selfdefeating. Studies suggest
12、that, after around 50 hours a week, employee productivity declines sharply.But that doesnt stop some managers from demanding that workers stay chained to their desk for long periods. Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba, the Chinese ecommerce group, recently praised the 996 model, where employees work fr
13、om 9 am to 9 pm, six days a week, as a “great opportunity”. Yet presenteeism is the curse of the modern office worker.There will be days when you do not have much to do; perhaps because you are waiting for someone else in a different department, or a different company, to respond to a request. As th
14、e clock ticks past 5 pm, there may be no purpose in staying at your desk. But you can see your bosses hard at work and, more importantly, they can see you. So you make an effort to look busy.The consequence is often wasted effort. Rather than work hard, you slave to make bosses think that you are. B
15、ut presenteeism has more serious consequences. As well as reduced productivity, this can mean greater medical expenses for the employer. According to a study in the Journal of Occupation and Environmental Medicine, these costs can be six times higher for employers than the costs of absenteeism among
16、 workers.None of this is to say that employers are not called to expect workers to be in the office for a proper period of time. Surely there will be a need for some (preferably short) meetings. Dealing with colleagues facetoface creates a feeling of togetherness, allows for a useful exchange of ide
17、as and enables workers to have a better sense of their mutual needs.Turning an office into a prison, with inmates (囚犯) allowed home for the evenings, does nothing for creativity that is increasingly demanded of office workers as routine tasks are automated. To be productive you need presence of mind
18、, not just being present in the flesh.本文是一篇议论文，作者在文中论述了超时工作的负面影响，包括降低生产效率、增加成本等。4Why deos the author mention Ronald Reagans joke in Para.1?ATo encourage people to grasp the chance to work hard.BTo show that hard work is harmless.CTo introduce the topic of the passage.DTo praise Ronald Reagans joking
19、 skills.答案：C解析：推理判断题。通读全文可知，文章的主题是论述超时工作的负面影响。从结构上来看，作者在第一段用罗纳德里根曾说过的一句著名的俏皮话点题(为什么要冒险加班工作)，下文则紧接着论述让员工超负荷工作产生的各种负面影响，由此可推知作者在第一段提到里根的话是为了引出文章主题。故选C。5What is the meaning of the underlined sentence?AExtra effort causes problems or difficulties.BWith extra effort, we can defeat anybody.CWe should say
20、no to extra effort.DExtra effort isnt necessarily helpful.答案：D解析：句意理解题。根据上文罗纳德里根的俏皮话可知，没有必要冒险努力工作；下文表明，一周工作50个小时后，员工的生产力会急剧下滑，由此可推知画线句表示超过一定水平后，多余的努力会适得其反，故选D。6According to the passage, which of the following situation is helpful to the company?AYour team has a tenminute meeting after work for an ur
21、gent problem.BYou dont go home until 7：30 pm because your boss is in his office and he can see you.CThe manager tours the engineering department at 7：30 pm to check people are at their desks.DYou attend the office even when you suffer lower back pain.答案：A解析：推理判断题。根据倒数第二段中的“Surely there will be a nee
22、d for some (preferably short) meetings”可知，开会(最好是短会)对公司是有必要的，故选A。7Which of the following opinions agrees with the passage?ASome managers expect workers tie themselves up with a chain to their desks.BReduced productivity can mean greater medical expenses for the employer.CWith growing demand of creati
23、vity on office workers, a prisonlike office is not a wise option.DPresence of mind guarantees your productivity.答案：C解析：细节理解题。根据尾段第一句可知，把办公室变成监狱对(员工的)创造力毫无益处，故选C。.七选五Many people believe that there is some truth in the saying, “Laughter is the best medicine.” _1_ Laughter helps relieve pain, strengthe
24、n the immune system and reduce stress. Laughter stimulates (激发) hormones which make us feel happy. Laughter also increases the flow of blood throughout the body and has benefits which are similar to the ones you get by doing exercise._2_ Children exposed to funny films and cartoons before major medi
25、cal procedures are able to cope better with pain and anxiety. _3_ These are professional clowns who are sent to hospitals and wards to entertain and distract sick children.Laughter therapy has become very popular in recent years and as a result, more and more laughter clubs are starting to open up i
26、n cities and towns all over the world. At a laughter session, a trained therapist instructs the group to perform a series of exercises which are designed to produce laughter. _4_ And it takes them some time to get rid of their inhibitions (拘谨). They might even start off with fake laughter, but this
27、doesnt matter because our bodies cant tell the difference, and the results are the same. Moreover, laughter is contagious (有感染力的). _5_So next time you feel ill, stressed out or depressed, try watching a funny film or try remembering an amusing incident in your life. You will soon feel better.AIf one
28、 person starts giggling, it is unavoidable that everyone else will be drawn in.BLaughter helps you focus.CThis finding has led to socalled clown doctors.DIn fact, research done by scientists has shown that laughter has a lot of health benefits.ELaughter makes the world a better and more colorful pla
29、ce.FSome people may find the idea embarrasssing at first.GUsing laughter therapy in childrens hospitals has proven to be invaluable.笑对人体健康有诸多好处。笑疗法已被证明是非常有效的，全世界各地的专业的笑疗法治疗机构越来越多。1D解析：根据空前的“Laughter is the best medicine”和空后的内容可知，笑对人体健康有诸多好处，故D项“实际上，由科学家做出的研究表明笑对健康有很多益处”符合语境，承上启下。2G解析：根据空后一句可知，孩子在进行重
30、大医疗手术之前，看滑稽的电影和卡通片能够更好地应付痛苦和焦虑，故G项“在儿童医院使用笑疗法被证明是极有用的”符合语境，且该项中的“childrens hospitals”和空后的“Children”呼应。3C解析：根据空后一句可知，这些都是专业的小丑，他们被派往医院和病房以逗乐生病的孩子，分散他们的注意力；故可推知，C项“这一调查结果导致了所谓的小丑医生的诞生”符合语境。4F解析：根据空后的“their inhibitions (拘谨)”可知，F项“这个主意刚开始可能会让一些人难为情”符合语境，衔接下文。5A解析：根据空前一句可知，笑声是有感染力的，故A项“如果一个人开始咯咯地笑，其他人也会无
31、法避免地跟着笑”符合语境，承接上文。.语法填空Ever wondered how many calories are in the human body? Or ever wondered why old people have _1_ (big) ears than they used to? The winners of Ig Nobel Prizes (搞笑诺贝尔奖) have got the answers.The Ig Nobel Prizes, founded in 1991, are to honor achievements _2_ first make people laug
32、h, and then make them think. The ceremony _3_ (take) place at Harvard University every year. Winners acceptance _4_ (speech) are limited to 60 seconds, _5_ (strict) policed (监督) by an eightyearold girl.The honored research might seem ridiculous _6_ first sight, but that doesnt mean it lacks scientif
33、ic value. For example, the research in 2006 on why dry spaghetti tends to break into more than two pieces was important _7_ (discover) failure in bridge spans (跨度) or human bones. And a followup paper _8_ (publish) by MIT physicists several years later. But people are more likely to read about _9_ (
34、break) spaghetti than to read an academic paper. Even when there is no immediate usefulness, _10_ is still good to encourage people to observe and think.1bigger解析：考查形容词的比较级。分析句子结构可知，空处修饰名词ears，应用形容词形式，在句子中作定语，又根据句中的比较级符号“than”可知，此处应填big的比较级形式bigger。2that/which解析：考查定语从句。分析句子结构可知，空处引导一个限制性定语从句，在从句中作主语
35、，修饰表示物的先行词“achievements”，所以填that或which。3takes解析：考查动词的时态和主谓一致。分析句子结构可知，空处应为谓语，和句子的主语“The ceremony”构成主动关系，又由句中的时间状语“every year”可知，空处应用一般现在时的单数形式，所以填takes。4speeches解析：考查名词的单复数。由句中的“are”可知，空处应为名词的复数形式，所以填speeches。5strictly解析：考查词性转换。分析句子结构可知，空处修饰policed，应用副词形式，在句子中作状语，所以填strictly。6at解析：考查介词。at first sigh
36、t“乍一看”是固定用法，所以填介词at。7to_discover解析：考查非谓语动词。“be important to do sth.”是一种固定用法，故空处应用动词不定式形式to discover。8was_published解析：考查动词的时态和语态。分析句子结构可知，空处为句子的谓语，a followup paper为句子主语；由句中的被动语态符号“by”和语境可知，空处与主语a followup paper之间为被动关系，应用被动语态；又由句子的时间状语“several years later”可知，此处应用一般过去时，所以填was published。9breaking解析：考查动名词。根据语境可知，此处表示人们更可能读关于断裂的意大利细面条的信息，空处应用动名词形式，故填breaking。10it解析：考查代词。此处是“it is形容词to do sth.”(做某事是的)固定句型，it作形式主语，动词不定式作真正的主语，所以填代词it。