三、阅读理解(共20小题;每小题2分，满分40分)

A

There are many opposite things, which cannot be united by many people. But, there will always be a chance to unite two different things in one work. The following explanation will tell you more about the possibility to combine painting and poetry.

Perhaps, it is not a new idea to tell people that they can actually produce the great work through combining the painting and poems. In this case, we can unite both things in two ways. The first thing is to make poems as the main inspiration to do paintings. It is also possible to write a poem after looking at the painting. That will be the great first recommended way people can look at.

What about the next idea to combine painting and poetry? In this case, we can combine both of them on the canvas. You can do a good painting on the canvas and then write down the poem on that painting. It is a unique artwork and will be a good example to be looked at. I do not know whether this kind of concept has been used before. But this is the quite great new idea for me. It will make people love painting and poetry at once. You will not need to read the poem on the white plain paper anymore.

A poem is a good work to represent a story or a thought. It is not too long and complicated. It is a series of words arranged in stanza (节) and lines. So, combining it with another type of art (such as painting) will be very good. You can get the message of the poem through the colors and "story" on the canvas. Do you want to try it out? All you need to do is to play with your creativity in making a painting with the right color composition and also the great words on it.

36. What’s the author’s attitude toward the combination of painting and poetry?

A. Supportive. B. Opposed. C. Bored. D. Indifferent.

37. The underlined word “canvas” in Paragraph 3 probably means 　　  .

A. walls of buildings B. pieces of paper

C. painting cloth D. computer screens

38. What function does a poem serve according to the text?

A. Making an artist famous.

B. Indicating the creativity of a poet.

C. Working as a symbol of a good work.

D. Delivering the message of a story or a thought.

39. What do you need if you want to combine painting and poetry?

A. Great Creativity.   B. The knowledge of poetry.

C. Life experiences. D. Skills of art.

40. It can be inferred from the text that 　　  .

A. any opposite things can be united through efforts

B. poems can inspire us to paint but not the opposite

C. painting and poems are recently combined together

D. the author hasn’t combined poems and painting before

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B

The word “cancer” seems to leave most people at a loss for words. I found this out first hand 16 months ago. I was diagnosed with breast cancer and left the doctor’s office in the dark. Upon arriving home, I gave my husband the medical certificate (诊断书). He had very little to say about it.

During the period before my surgery, my husband would only talk about it if pressed into a conversation. I felt alone, very depressed, and unloved. I didn’t think he really cared for me and showed me moral support of some form or another.

On the morning of my surgery, we were at the hospital early. We just made small talk as we awaited my appointed hour. When the nurse came to wheel me away to operation, she said my husband could accompany us as far as the waiting area.

There were several people already in the waiting area, and right in front of the nurse and the other people, my husband bent down and kissed me and said, “I love you.” This is something that the nurse had probably heard quite often, but you need to realize that for my husband did this in public. At that point, I finally realized that he did care.

I felt fine after the surgery. However, I was concerned about my “appearance” and how my husband would accept all this. I looked at myself in the mirror, biting my lip to keep from crying. Just then, he hugged me and said it didn’t matter to him that I’d had both breasts removed and it mattered that I got well.

I had always felt close to my husband and had always considered him a friend. But at that moment in the bathroom, I suddenly knew what the words “best friend” and “soul mate” meant.

41. Why did the author think her husband was not concerned about her?

A. Because her husband didn’t even know her state of illness.

B. Because the author went to see the doctor alone.

C. Because her husband didn’t say much about her illness.

D. Because the author felt alone and unloved.

42. When her husband kissed her in public, the author was probably 　　  .

A. surprised B. heartbroken C. ashamed D. shy

43. When did the author first realize her husband cared for her?

A. After her husband comforted her in the bathroom.

B. As her husband accompanied her to the surgery.

C. When her husband said, “I love you” in public.

D. After her husband accepted her appearance.

44. We can learn from the text that after the surgery, the author 　　  .

A. felt very satisfied

B. was very sad about her appearance

C. lost confidence in her husband

D. cared little about what her husband thought of her

45. According to the author, “best friend” and “soul mate” refer to those who 　　  .

A. accept what you are and care for you

B. support you whenever you are in low spirits

C. share your sadness and happiness whenever it is

D. help you out if you have some emotional problems

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C

Once upon a time, a doting mother asked Albert Einstein what she should read to her son to help him grow up as brilliant and intelligent as the famous scientist.

“Fairy-tales,” he said, wisely nodding his head.

Why? Why would Albert Einstein — the Nobel Prizes winning physicist recommend reading fairy-tales? Was he joking? All the evidence suggests he was deadly serious. He also said, “When I examine myself and my methods of thought, I come to the conclusion that the gift of fantasy has meant more to me than any talent for abstract, positive thinking.”

Childhood is one of the factors that blur (使变模糊) the distinctions between the self and other objects. Thus fantasy stories appeal to children and appear to make sense to them.

There are several commonly accepted genres (流派) of fantasy, “Animal Fantasy” which centers around the lives of lovable talking animals and “Modern Fantasy” which focuses on adventures in other worlds and magical events. I am inclined to add a third genre “Human and Animal Fantasy”, which mixes human and animal characters. Another genre of fantasy may be “High Fantasy” which features heroes who combat evil and save the world from destruction.

Fantasy feeds a child’s imagination and encourages creativity. The enjoyment that the genre engenders (产生) promotes reading and enhances literacy. Moreover, the fantasy genre may be used for teaching purposes. For example: A story about cruelty to animals would limit appeal to a child; however a fantasy celebration of closeness between the children and their pets may give an element of excitement as the children are able to save animals from someone with cruel intentions.

Children love the Harry Potter series, and if they only see the movies they miss a great opportunity to develop their reading skills by spending time with the lovable young wizards and witches (巫婆)of the Hogwarts community.

46. Albert Einstein recommended reading fairy-tales because 　　  .

A. he was just joking with the mother

B. he contributed his gift of fantasy to reading fairy-tales

C. he got some scientific ideas from fairy-tales

D. the gift of fantasy equals to the talent for abstract, positive thinking

47. A student who likes reading about heroes will probably read 　　  .

A. Animal Fantasy  B. Modern Fantasy

C. Human and Animal Fantasy D. High Fantasy

48. Children are advised to read the Harry Potter series because 　　  .

A. they are better than the films

B. they can help improve children’s reading ability

C. the films are not true to the original stories

D. children can’t learn much from the films

49. Which of the following best gives the main idea of the sixth paragraph?

A. Fantasy can be educational to children.

B. Fantasy can bring great joy to children.

C. Children should not read stories about animals.

D. Fantasy can teach children to be kind to animals.

50. The author of the passage probably believes 　　  .

A. children should not read too much fantasy

B. all genres of fantasy are suitable for children

C. fantasy can benefit children in many ways

D. Human and Animal Fantasy is most suitable for children

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D

“A serious attack on the fantasy story for children comes from those who do not wish children to be frightened,” writes C.S. Lewis in an essay named Three Ways of Writing for Children. Those who say that children must not be frightened mean two things. Firstly, they mean that we mustn’t do anything likely to give children fears, and secondly, they want to keep out of their minds that they are born into a world of death, violence (暴力), wounds, good and evil (邪恶). C.S. Lewis says he agrees with the first reason, but not the second.

He goes on to comment, “Since it is so likely that they will meet cruel (残酷的) enemies, let them at least hear of brave fighters and heroic courage. By limiting your child to perfect and nice stories of child life in which nothing alarming ever happens, they would fail to face fears and hardships.” “It would be nice,” he continues, “if no little boy in bed ever hears a frightening sound. But if he is to be frightened, I think St. George, or any bright champion in armor, is a better comfort than the idea of the police.”

Bruno Bettelheim, a well-known child psychologist, also points out that fantasy stories provide children with a valuable education about good and evil.  He believes that all children have many personal fantasies filled with fears and fantasy stories comfort them and offer solutions.  Happy endings tell them that solutions and hope are real and model the kind of happy life children want to find.

A good fantasy suggests rather than teaches possible answers to life. It’s believed that reading fantasies quickens the ability to get and put ideas from books to reality. It’s what good literature does — it makes life larger.

51. According to the first paragraph, C.S. Lewis thinks that 　　  .

A. children shouldn’t read any fantasy story because it is bad

B. adults shouldn’t do things that may frighten their children

C. death and badness should be kept out of children’s minds

D. writing a fantasy story is the best way of writing for children

52. What probably is St. George according to the text?

A. He is a policeman in real life.

B. He is a murderer caught by the police.

C. He is a brave man in a fantasy novel.

D. He is a frightening person in a story.

53. Why should children read fantasy literature according to Bruno Bettelheim?

A. Because it encourages children to have a lot of fantasies.

B. Because it helps children overcome fears and find solutions.

C. Because it teaches children to write their own fantasy stories.

D. Because it gives children a happy memory when they grow up.

54. It can be inferred from the text that 　　  .

A. good literature can give readers more valuable stories

B. fantasies can improve one’s ability to solve problems

C. personal fantasies can help children get away from danger

D. most children can understand what fantasy literature is

55. Which of the following features of fantasy literature does the author want to stress?

A. It’s necessary and helpful. B. It’s interesting and attractive.

C. It’s useless but enjoyable. D. It’s frightening but exciting.