冲刺新高考英语阅读理解20天集训 Word版 Day 16

冲刺新高考英语阅读理解20天集训 Word版

Day 16

A

Big messaging apps abroad

While WeChat is China's biggest mobile messaging app (应用软件), there are many equivalent apps in other

countries that offer similar features.

WhatsApp (US)

Users: more than 300 million

Platforms: Android, iOS, Windows Phone, BlackBerry

Features: text chats, pushtotalk, file sharing, location sharing

With more than 300 million active users, WhatsApp is one of WeChat's biggest competitors. Developed by

two exYahoo employees in 2009, WhatsApp originally focused on text chats, but on Aug. 6 it also started pushto-talk service. It's noted for its accessibility, ease of use and the absence (没有) of adverts. The service is free for the

first year, after which D|S0.99 (6.06 yuan) is charged for a oneyear subscription.

Kakao Talk (South Korea)

Users: more than 100 million

Platforms: Android, iOS, Windows Phone, BlackBerry and Bada (an operating system developed by

Samsung)

Features: text chats, group chats, pushtotalk, group calls, file sharing

With more than 100 million users in more than 230 countries, Kakao Talk is a multiplatform (多平台)

texting application that allows users to send and receive messages for free. With Kakao Talk, users can message

each other oneonone or in group chats with unlimited numbers of friends. You can also choose from more than

250 animated emoticons and share them with friends.

Line (Japan)

Users: more than 200 million

Platforms: Android, iOS, Windows Phone, BlackBerry and PC

Features: text chats, group chats, pushtotalk, file sharing, location sharing, gaming, stickers

Line tops the list of the most downloaded free apps in 52 countries. Apart from text and voice messaging,

Line provides its users with more than 250 original stickers and emoticons to buy from its own shop. In the first

quarter of 2013 alone, it made D|S17 million just from stickers. The popular app also allows friends to battle each

other in the Line games.

1. The first paragraph of the passage is used to ________.

A. introduce the most popular mobile messaging apps in China

B. talk about new features in the latest mobile messaging apps

C. draw readers' attention to various popular mobile messaging apps

D. explain how mobile messaging apps have become so popular

2. Compared with the other two apps, which of the following features makes Line stand out?

A. Group mobile games.

B. Free stickers and emoticons.

C. Free download of the app.

D. Text and group chats.

3. One of the popular features of WhatsApp is that users ________.

A. can send and receive messages for free

B. can enjoy live video chats within groups

C. don't need to worry about unwanted ads

D. regularly get free stickers and emoticons

B

Unless you are fortunate enough to know an NBA player, Ryan Martin is probably the best basketball player

you’ll ever meet. Unlike those who fly up and down the court, however, Martin is forced to take a different

approach; he doesn’t have legs.

Martin, a 33-year-old man, is a professional wheelchair basketball player. His achievements have taken

him halfway around the world to play in Spain for the last seven years. There he made a comfortable living

playing basketball and working with some of the greatest athletes in the world.

“A good wheelchair player can make $50, 000 a year, while a star can make six figures,” said Martin. But

he couldn’t see his family for months and European cities were unfriendly to the disabled. He also had to learn

Spanish. Martin, however, overcame those drawbacks(困难).

He started playing basketball when he was 12. It didn’t take long for him to fall in love with the sport and,

after graduating from Somers High, he attended Southwest Minnesota State University on a basketball scholarship.

In college, he scored over 1, 000 points in his career and set several school records.

And he works as hard—if not harder—as any other professional athlete.“He destroys me,” said Gina

Navarra, who works out with Martin on occasion.“What he does amazes me.”

Martin also recognizes that, at age 33, he’s in the back end of his career. With that in mind, he has been

focusing more and more on his foundation.

“I have 12 brothers and sisters. College gave me a true sense of achievement. The foundation is designed

to give those with disabilities the opportunity to realize the dreams that I once had,” Martin said.

“I’m not saying that out of a sense of pity,” he said. “I realize how fortunate I am to have achieved what I

have. But I want to open doors for people.”

4. What was Ryan Martin’s life like in Spain?

A. Free. B. Boring.

C. Difficult. D. Bitter-sweet.

5. How was Ryan Martin’s performance in college?

A. He stood out in basketball.

B. He failed to make a record.

C. He was weak in his studies.

D. He never won a scholarship.

6. Why did Ryan Martin work for the foundation?

A. To help those in need.

B. To finish his basketball career.

C. To earn more money for his family.

D. To learn basketball skills from other players.

7. Which of the following words can best describe Ryan Martin?

A. Honest and responsible.

B. Ambitious and sensitive.

C. Reliable and knowledgeable.

D. Determined and warm-hearted.

C

When "irregardless" was included in Merriam-Webster dictionary, it caused wide disagreements.

“Irregardless” has been in widespread and near-constant use since 1795, when a newspaper called The Charleston

City Gazelle of Charleston Ga., first used it. We do not make the English language, we merely record it,“ the

dictionary's staff wrote in “Words of the Week”.

The word's definition, when we read it, would seem to be without regard. However, Merriam-Webster

defines "irregardless" as “nonstandard” but meaning the same as “regardless”. According to Merriam-Webster,

"Many people find 'irregardless' to be a ridiculous word, as the ir-prefix usually indicates negative meaning;

however, in this case it appears to make the meaning of ' regardless’ stronger. "

“It's not a real word. I don't care what the dictionary says,” responds author Michelle Ray, who teaches

English in Silver Spring, Md. And she says she's still planning to mark “irregardless" as incorrect on her students'

work.

An American newspaper the Baltimore Sun published the word in editor John McIntyre's commentary on

Saturday: Irregardless' is too a word; you just don't understand dictionaries. People get upset about the dictionary

because they think it is some sort of official document. But actually, it's not. It's just lexicographers identifying

words that people use and trying to find out how they are spelled, how they are pronounced, what meanings they

have and where they came from. "

“The dictionary's recognition doesn't enroll a word as correct in the English language,“ McIntyre says. "It

just says this is a word that a lot of people use in English. And here's what we know about it. " So it's a word, but

its use is still discouraged in formal writing.

8. Where was "irregardless" first used?

A. In a newspaper. B. In an online post.

C. In a new dictionary. D. In an expert's comment.

9. How does Merriam-Webster define “irregardless”?

A. It defines it as meaningless. B. It defines it as a nonstandard usage.

C. It defines it as the opposite of “regardless”. D. It defines it as indicating a negative attitude.

10. What is Michelle Ray's attitude towards the use of “irregardless”？

A. She is uncertain about it. B. She thinks it informal but correct.

C. She is unwilling to accept it. D. She doesn't care about how her students use it.

11. What is the best title for the text?

A. "Irregardless" Is Frequently Used in Formal Writing

B. Experts Can't Agree on the Meaning of “Irregardless"

C. " Irregardlee" Shouldn't be Included in the Dictionary

D. Regardless of What You Think, “Irregardless" Is a Word

D

From linguists’ point of view, grammar is a set of patterns for how words are put together to form phrases or

clauses, whether in spoken or written. Different languages have different patterns. Some scholars have tried to

identify patterns common to all languages. But apart from some basic features, few of these so-called linguistic

universals have been found.

The study of these patterns open up “an ongoing debate” between two positions, known as prescriptivism and

descriptivism. Prescriptivism thinks a given language should follow consistent rules, while descriptivism sees

variation and adaptation as a natural and necessary part of language.

Language purists(纯化论者) worked to establish and promote this standard by detailing a set of rules that

reflected the established grammar of their times. And rules for written grammar were applied to spoken language

as well. Speech patterns that deviated from the written rules were considered signs of low social status. And many

people who are grown-ups speaking in these ways were forced to adopt the standardized form.

More recently, however, linguists have understood that speech is a separate phenomenon from writing with

its own regularities and form our spoken skills through unconscious habits, not memorized rules. And

because speech also uses mood and intonation for meaning, its structure is often more flexible, adapting to the

needs of speakers and listeners. This could mean avoiding complex clauses that are hard to understand in real time,

making changes to avoid awkward pronunciation or removing sounds to make speech faster.

But while the debate between prescriptivism and descriptivism continues, the two are not mutually exclusive.

Like language itself, it’s a wonderful and complex fabric woven through the contributions of speakers and

listeners, writers and readers, prescriptivists and descriptivists from both near and far.

12. What does the underlined word“deviated”in Paragraph 3 probably mean?

A. copied B. updated C. differed D. originated

13. According to the passage, prescriptivism____________.

A. focuses on established language patterns B. accepts the differences between languages

C. follows the innovations in language patterns D. attaches more importance to written language

14. What is Paragraph 4 mainly about?

A. A new understanding of language. B. The beliefs held by prescriptivists.

C. The impact of grammar on language. D. The ongoing debate between linguists.

15 Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?

A. The Importance of Grammar. B. The History of Grammar.

C. Grammar: Rules or Habits. D. Grammar: Writing Rules.

答案

A

【答案解析】

1. C 2. A 3. C

本文是一篇广告布告类短文阅读。文章主要介绍了国外几个较大的移动交流应用软件。

【1题详解】

推理判断题。根据第一段的内容可推知，第一段在文章中起导入作用，以引起读者对各种移动交流应用软件的关注，故选C项。

【2题详解】

细节理解题。根据文章对三个不同移动交流应用软件特色的介绍可知，日本的Line有gaming和stickers这两个特别的功能，结合选项可知，故选A项。

【3题详解】

细节理解题。根据WhatsApp (US)部分的“It's noted for its accessibility, ease of use and the absence (没有)

of adverts.”可知，WhatsApp的一个受人欢迎的特点就是没有广告，故选C项。

B

【答案解析】

DAAD

【分析】

文章介绍了轮椅篮球运动员Ryan Martin的事迹。

4. D 细节题。根据第2段中的There he made a comfortable living和第3段中的“But he couldn’t see his

family for months and European cities were unfriendly to the disabled. He also had to learn Spanish.”可知, Martin在西班牙的生活有喜有忧、苦乐参半。

5. A 细节题。根据第4段中的“In college, he scored over 1, 000 points in his career and set several school

records.”可知, Martin上大学时在篮球方面表现突出。

6. A 推断题。根据倒数第2段中的The foundation is designed to give those with disabilities the

opportunity to realize the dreams that I once had可知, Martin的基金会旨在帮助需要帮助的人。

7. D 推断题。Ryan Martin虽然失去双腿, 但他克服重重困难, 坚持不懈, 经过努力拼搏, 成为一名出色的轮椅篮球运动员, 并且建立基金会, 帮助其他有残疾的人实现梦想。由此可知, Ryan Martin是一个意志坚定、富有爱心的人。

C

【答案解析】

8. A 9. B 10. C 11. D

【分析】

这是一篇议论文。“irregardless”一词被收录进韦氏词典在社会上引起了广泛的争议。文章介绍了“irregardless”这个单词的起源，韦氏词典对其的解释以及人们对此的不同看法。

【8题详解】

细节理解题。根据第一段中““Irregardless” has been in widespread and near-constant use since 1795,when a

newspaper called The Charleston City Gazelle of Charleston » Ga., first used it.( “Irregardless”这个词从1795年开始就被广泛使用，当时一份叫做Charleston City Gazelle of Charleston的报纸第一次使用这个词)”可知，“irregardless”最先在报纸上使用的。故选A。

【9题详解】

细节理解题。根据第二段中“However, Merriam-Webster defines "irregardless" as “nonstandard” but

meaning the same as “regardless”.(然而，《韦氏词典》将“irregardless”定义为“不标准的”，但意思与“regardless”相同)”可知，韦氏词典把irregardless定义为一种非标准用法。故选B。

【10题详解】

推理判断题。根据第三段““It's not a real word. I don't care what the dictionary says,” responds author

Michelle Ray, who teaches English in Silver Spring, Md. And she says she's still planning to mark “irregardless"

as incorrect on her students' work.(“这不是一个真正的词。 我不在乎字典上怎么说。”作者Michelle Ray回应道，她在马里兰州银泉市教英语。而且她说她还打算在学生的作业上把“irregardless”标记为不正确。)”可推知，Michelle Ray不愿意接受“irregardless”一词的使用。故选C。

【11题详解】

主旨大意题。根据第一段中“When "irregardless" was included in Merriam-Webster dictionary, it caused

wide disagreements.(当irregardless一词被收录进韦氏词典时，引起了广泛的争议)”结合文章介绍了“irregardless”这个单词的起源，韦氏词典对其的解释以及人们对此的不同看法。可知，D选项“不管你怎么想，‘irregardless’就是算一个单词”最符合文章标题。故选D。

D

【答案解析】

12. C 13. A 14. A 15. C

【分析】

这是一篇说明文。介绍了以前对语言模式研究有两大立场——规定主义和描述主义，而最近语言学家提出语言是一种独立于文字的现象，有其自身的规律和模式，我们通过无意识的习惯而不是记忆规则来形成语言技能。

【12题详解】

词义猜测题。根据后文And many people who are grown-ups speaking in these ways were forced to adopt

the standardized form.可知许多用这种方式说话的成年人被迫采用标准化的形式。这是前一句的结果，由此可知，不同于书面规则的说话方式被认为是社会地位低下的标志。故划线单词意思为“不同”。A. copied复制；B. updated更新；C. differed使……不同；D. originated起源。故选C。

【13题详解】

细节理解题。根据第二段中Prescriptivism thinks a given language should follow consistent rules, while

descriptivism sees variation and adaptation as a natural and necessary part of language.可知规定主义认为特定的语言应该遵循一致的规则，而描述主义则认为变异和顺应是语言的自然和必要的组成部分。由此可知，规定主义专注于既定的语言模式。故选A。

【14题详解】

主旨大意题。根据第四段More recently, however, linguists have understood that speech is a separate

phenomenon from writing with its own regularities and patterns. We form our spoken skills through unconscious

habits, not memorized rules. And because speech also uses mood and intonation for meaning, its structure is often

more flexible, adapting to the needs of speakers and listeners. This could mean avoiding complex clauses that are

hard to understand in real time, making changes to avoid awkward pronunciation or removing sounds to make

speech faster.可知然而，最近语言学家已经明白，说话是一种独立于书写的现象，有其自身的规律和模式。我们通过无意识的习惯，而不是记忆规则来形成口语技能。而且，由于讲话也使用语气和语调来表达意思，它的结构往往更加灵活，以适应说话人和听众的需要。这可能意味着要避免复杂的从句，因为这些从句很难实时理解，要做出改变，以避免尴尬的发音，或消除声音，以提高讲话速度。由此可知，本段主要讲的是不同于规定主义和描述主义的、新的对语言模式的理解，即第四段的主要内容是对语言有了新的理解。故选A。

【15题详解】

主旨大意题。根据第一段From linguists’ point of view, grammar is a set of patterns for how words are put

together to form phrases or clauses, whether in spoken or written. Different languages have different patterns.

Some scholars have tried to identify patterns common to all languages. But apart from some basic features, few of

these so-called linguistic universals have been found.可知从语言学家的观点来看，语法是一套模式，无论在口语还是书面语中，词汇如何组合成短语或从句。不同的语言有不同的模式。一些学者试图找出所有语言的共同模式。但除了一些基本特征外，这些所谓的语言共性很少被发现。结合文章介绍了以前对语言模式研究有两大立场——规定主义和描述主义，而最近语言学家提出语言是一种独立于文字的现象，有其自身的规律和模式，我们通过无意识的习惯而不是记忆规则来形成语言技能。由此可知，C选项“语法：规则或习惯”最符合文章标题。故选C。