SSAT閱讀-Posttest-1

1、PosttestOnePassage1In2004,Americansalonespentnearly$1.9billiononEastercandysomuchsosupermarketshadtodoubletheshelfspacetheyallottoEastercandyandholiday-relatedmerchandise.ManufacturersproducedasmanyassixtymillionchocolateEasterbunnies.And,ifyoutakealltheEasterjellybeanssoldandlinedthemupendtoend,the

2、ywouldcircletheearththreetimes.Inshort,judgingfromthecandysales,peoplecertainlyseemtoenjoycelebratingEater.Interestingly,though,mostpeopledonotknowtheoriginofEastercelebrationpractices.Afterall,mostpeopleconsiderEasterareligiousholiday,adaydevotedtotheresurrectionofJesusChrist.WhatdoEasterbunnieshav

3、etodowithreligion?Whydoweassociatechicksandeggswithchurchdoctrine?WhydowecolorEastereggsandarrangethemcarefullyinEasterbaskets?Weregladyouasked.TheEasterholidaydatesbacktoapaganholidaycalledOstara,aholidaydedicatedtotheAnglo-Saxongoddessofspringandfertility.Overtime,languagechangeschangedthespelling

4、(andpronunciation)fromOstaratoEaster.LegendhasitthatOstara,wantingtopleasesomechildren,changedherpetbirdintoarabbit;therabbitthenlaidcoloredeggsforthechildren.ThechildrenwovebirdsnestsoutofgrassandputthecoloredeggsinsidThen,thechildrencontinuedtheritualyearly,thinkingthathavingcoloredeggsinthebasket

5、sbroughtgoodluck.1. Thebesttitleforthispassagewouldbe.A. HereComesPeterCottontail!B. WhatDoesEasterHavetoDowithNests,Anyway?C. TheEvolutionofFabergeEggsD. FromOstaratoEaster:AnOverviewofEaster2. Theauthorsuseoftheword“allot”impliesthatthewordcanbedefiedas:A.fewB. manyC. devoteD. respond3. Howmuchmon

6、eydidAmericansspendonEasterlastyear?A. sixtymilliondollarsB. onehundredthousanddollarsC. onepointninebilliondollarsD. Nothing;Americansboycottedtheevent.4. Whichofthefollowingstatementsisimpliedbythepassage?A. Peoplearewisenottoinvestigatethereasonswhytheyspendmoney.B. Becausepeoplespentalotofmoneyo

7、nEaster,Easterisapopularholiday.C. PeoplewillmostlikelyspendalotmoremoneyonEasternextyear.D. Wehaveneverbeforespentsomuchmoneyonaholiday.Passage2Impressionism,anartformfavoredbyartistssuchasCamillePissarro,PierreAugusteRenoir,andMaryCassat,allowedartistsanewformofself-expression.Basedontheideathatar

8、tdidnothavetolimititselftomirrorimagesofreallifeortoboringpicturesofstatelyhistoricaltopics,Impressionismallowedtheimaginationmoreinfluence.Consequently,Impressionismcreatedenemiesforitselfalmostimmediately;indeedImpressionismgotitsnamefromasarcasticcommentmadebyFrenchartcriticLouisLeroyabouthowamat

9、eurishheconsideredtheartisticstyle.Twoverydifferentpainters,ClaudeMonetandEdgarDegas,inparticularfavoredImpressionism.ClaudeMonet(1840-1926)foundgreatinspirationinnature,andheconsistentlyusednatureinhiswork.Hefrequentlydepictedtheinterplayoflightandshadowingardens(usuallyhisown);justbeforehisdeath,M

10、onetcompletedperhapshismostfamouspiece,anenormousworkofwaterlilies.Becauseofhisuseofnature,someargue,Monetsstyleischaracterizedbyanabilitytoexpressthemovementandthejoyoflifeinstilllifeformat.EdgarDegas(1834-1917),bycontrast,preferredevenmoreimmediateyemtorefleetingsubjects:theswirlingmassofhumanitys

11、urroundinghim.HedrewinspirationfromJapaneseartformsandincorporatedbrillianthuesintohispaintingsofracetracks,dancers,andcaffrequenters.HisinterestinJapaneseartalsoencouragedhimtoexperimentwithinnovative,asymmetricalanglesofobservation.Degasencapsulatesworkadistinctive,sympatheticinterestinthestruggle

12、sanddefeatsofwomen;perhapstheworkthatbestshowsDegassympathyforwomenishisworkentitledInaCafe(TheAlDrinker).5. WhichartistdiscussedinthepassagediedjustbeforetheendofWorldWarI?A.MaryCassatB. ClaudeMonetC. AugustRenoirD.EdgarDegas6. Theauthorimpliesthat.A. artcreatedpriortoImpressionismwasfarmorerealist

13、icandconservativeB. artcreatedafterImpressionismwasfarmorerealisticandconservativeC. withouttheuseofJapaneseartforms,ImpressionismwouldnothavebeencreatedD. monetonlycreatedonepieceofartduringhiscareer7. Theuseofthewordencapsulates,asusedinthispassage,ismostlikelydefinedbywhichofthefollowing?A. denie

14、sB. leavesbehindC. obscuresD. shows8. Thispassagesmainpurposeismostlikely.A. toconvincethereaderthatImpressionistartissomewhatlackinginvalueB. tointroducesomebasicprinciplesofImpressionism,aswellassomefamousexamplesofImpressionistartandartists,tothereaderC. tomakethepointthatImpressionistartisbetter

15、thanmodernartD.toencouragethereadertoinvestigateJapaneseartformsPassage3IfyouarelikemostAmericans,youjugglequiteabusyschedule.Youprobablyfaceafull-timeschoolschedule,anafter-schooljob(orsimilarlytime-consumingleisuretimeactivities),homework,andfamilyobligations.Youalso,likemostAmericans,mustfaceagre

16、atdealofstresstryingtogetthesetasksdone.Youmayfindyourselfstayinguplate,drinkingextracolasorevencoffee.Ormaybeyournervessimplywontallowyoutosleepthusallowingyoutimeenoughtomeetyourobligations.Youarenotalone.Basedonfindingsfromrecentstudies,theaverageAmericannowsleepsonlyaboutsevenhoursanight,aboutan

17、hourandahalflessthanpeopledidacenturyago.Whilethisshiftinlifestyleappearstobemoreefficientallowingmoredoneinlesstimethelong-termprognosisisnotgood.Inshort,wearecreatingforourselvesagreatsleepdebtthatshowsupinhealthcarereportsaswellashighwayaccidentratesandon-the-jobcasualties.Goingmorethan24hourswit

18、houtsleepsimulatestheeffectsofacoupleofstiffalcoholicdrinksonthehumansystem.Scientistsplacetheblameonmodernlifestyles,which,moreoftenthannot,nowadaysincludetoomuchcaffeine,smoking,alcoholconsumption,lackofexercise,andirregularhours.Whateverthecause,however,thelongtermeffectsofsleepdeprivationareeven

19、worse;unchecked,peoplesufferingsleeplossfaceincreasedriskofhighbloodpressure,heartfailure,stroke,obesity,anddiabetes.9. Thewordprognosisasitisusedinthepassagemostcloselymeans.A. diagnosisB. evaluationC. predictionD. argument10. Themainpointofthispassageisthat.A. inthelongrun,allowingourselvestofunct

20、iononlessandlesssleepwillcreateserioushealthandsocialproblemsB. scientistshavetracedthecauseofdiabetestoanunexpectedsource:extremefatigueC.schooladministratorsshouldbreathalyzestudentsasameansoffightingfatigueinclassD.ifyoudonotgetenoughsleep,youwillnecessarilyhavehealthandsocialproblems11. Howmanyh

21、oursofsleep,onaverage,didpeopleoncegetroutinely?A.sevenB. sevenandahalfC. eightD. eightandahalf12. Whichofthefollowingmayweinferfromthispassage?A. Ifyouaresleepinglessthansixhourspernightanddrinkingcolasorcaffeinethroughoutyourday,youwillbeveryefficientandproductive.B. Ifyouaresleepingninehoursperni

22、ghtanddrinkingnocaffeine-basedbeverages,youwillbemoreproductivethanthosewhoaregettinglesssleep.C. Ifyouaresleepingsevenhoursanight,butnotdrinkingcaffeine-basedbeverages,youwillneedotherstimulantstokeepyougoing.D. Ifyouaresleepinglessthansixandahalfhourspernight,drinkingcolas,andpushingyourselftobe“e

23、fficient,you”willexhaustyourreservesand,mostlikely,createotherproblemsforyourselfintheprocess.Passage4Snakesarefascinatingreptiliancreatures,buttheyhavelonglivedunderacurse.Afterall,accordingtoChristianbelief,thedeviltookonasnakeformtotempthumanityintosin.EvenoldertextsthantheBiblegivethesnakeabadre

24、putation.Take,forexample,theEpicofGilgamesh,inwhichGilgamesh,theheroofthework,winsaflowerthatawardsitsbearernever-agingclothing.Unfortunatelyhelosesittothetrickeryoftheserpent.Thesnake,moreover,enjoysadubiousreputationforbeingabletotantalizeitsvictims,oftenbylookingunfortunatecreaturesfullintheeyean

25、dstaringthemdown;RudyardKipling“RikkiTikkiTavi”paystributetothislegend.Yet,thereal-lifesnakeisafascinatingcreature,onedeservingofmorehonorandcompassionthansuchstoriesallow.Thesnakecanaccomplishamazingfeatsroutinely.Allsnakesjaws,forexample,allowthemtoeatfoodmuchbiggerthantheirheads.Allsnakesareborni

26、neggs,butscientificstudyshowsthatsomesnakesactuallywigglefree,fromtheeggsac,eitherexitingthemothersbodythroughthemouthordirectlythroughtheskin.Andthemothersurvivestheprocess!Snakeskinrejuvenateseasily(Gilgameshsfwork)asthesnakeincreasesinsize.Indeed,thesnakeprovidescaptivatingentertainmentifonlyoneh

27、asthecouragetolookhimintheeye.13. Whydoyouthinktheauthorrefersparentheticallyto“GilgameshsfloweratwA. Thephrasemakesitclearthatbyusingtheflower,snakescanparalyzetheirvictims.B. Thephrasestatesobviouslythatalloftheauthordestailsarefictionratherthannonfiction.C. Thephraseexplainswhyasnakewouldwanttost

28、ealGilgameshsflowerofrejuvenD. Thephraseexpandsontheearlier,briefreferencetothesnakesactionsintheofEden.14. Theworddubiouscanbedefinedas.A. stupidB. untrustworthyC. angryD. doubtful15. Thewritersmainpurposeforwritingthispassageis.A. todiscussallofthewaysauthorshaveusedsnakesintheirliteratureB. todis

29、cusssomereal-life,butapparentlyfantastic,factsaboutsnakesC. toshowhowdangerousandwithoutpurposesnakesareD. toexplainwhyauthorslikeJ.K.RowlingandRudyardKiplingusesnakesintheirwriting16. Theauthorstatesthatwhichofthefollowingstatementsistrue?A. Rarely,snakes,likemammals,arebornlivefromthebodywithoutpa

30、ssingthrougheggsacs.B. Somesnakeshavejawsthatcanaccommodateeatingfoodlargerthantheirheads.C. Nosnakescanreallyparalyzetheirvictims,likeNaginKiplings“RikkiTikkD. Somesnakesarebornthroughtheskinoftheirlivingmother.Passage5Overtime,scienceandmagichavefrequentlybeenconfusedonefortheother.Onecancertainly

31、understandwhypeoplemight,superficially,beconfused.Themoonsgrexample,exertsapullonthewateralongtheshorelines,creatingsomethingwenowcalltidesbutwecannotseethepullofgravity;Weonlyseetheeffectofthatpull(e.g.tides).Withoutthebenefitofscientificinstrumentstotellthedifference,howwrongisittoattributethewaxi

32、ngandwaningoftidestoamoongoddess(liketheRomandeityDiana)ortothemovementsofagiantseaturtle(accordingtoRudyardKiplingsJustSoThisideathattruthisoftenstrangerthanfictionbecomesthebasisofMaryStewartseriesretellingtheCamelotcycle.Stewartcreatesacaptivatingseriesoffourbooksthattelloftheriseandultimatefallo

33、fKingArthurandhisKnightsoftheRoundTable.Only,Stewartremovesorotherwiseexplainsawaythemagicassociatedwiththetale.StewartMerlinisnomagicianonlyaveryperceptive,verygiftedscientist,abletomakeaccuratepredictionsregardinghumanbehaviorandtoengineerlargeprojectslikeStonehenge.Take,asoneexample,thefirstrealt

34、estMerlinundertakesinthestory.KingUtherpendragonwishestoerectamightycastle.Butthewallsandfoundationfalltimeandagain.HiswisemensaythatMerlinblsood,rubbedonthewalls,willstrengthenthem.HeconfrontsMerlinwho,afteranalyzingthesituation,realizesthattheroyalarchitectsandengineersarebuildingonanunstablelandf

35、ault.Hesaveshisownlifebygliblyturningthetablesontheso-called“wisemen”andsuggestinganewlocation.Stewartsseriesisanadmirablework,balancingthedifficulttasksoftellingagoodstoryandtellingarealisticone.Onlyinthecourseofthefinalbook,TheWickedDay,doesherstorytellingfallshort.17. Basedontheauthorsuseofthewor

36、dgliblyinthispassage,whichofthefollowingdefinitionsismostappropriate?A. clumsilyB. jokinglyC. skillfullyD. angrily18. Accordingtothepassage,towhatforcedoesRudyardKiplinggivecreditforcreatingtides?A. agiantturtleB. Diana,goddessofthemoonC. theearthsgravityD. UtherPendragon19. Thespeakersmainpurposein

37、writingthispassageismostlikely.A. towarnpeopleawayfromreadingMaryStewartsnovelsB. toencouragepeopletoreadbetterfantasybooks,likethosebyRudyardKiplingC. toarguethatfictionismorefunandfulfillingtoreadthanfactD. togetpeopleinterestedinreadingMaryStewartsKingArthurnovels20. Thepiecewouldmostlikelygetpub

38、lishedinwhattypeofpublication?A.analmanacB. asocialsciencesmagazinelikeNationalGeographicC. theartsandleisuresectionofthelocalnewspaperD. asciencefictionmagazinelikeOmni21. Howdoestheauthorfeelaboutthisbooks/heisdiscussing?A.generallypleasedB.disgustedC.disappointedD.exuberantPassage6s escPerhapsone

39、ofthemostcaptivatingtruestoriesofheroism,daring,anddeterminationcomestousintheformofRunningaThousandMilesforFreedom:ThestoryofWilliamandEllenCraft.Thisstory,livedandretoldbyex-slaveWilliamCraft,datesbackto1848,whenWilliamandhiswifeEllenriskedeverythingtogaintheirfreedom.Almostanyslavenarrativehasthe

40、abilitytocapturetheattention;thestoryoftheCraftmoredramaandsensationalismthanmost.WilliamandEllenescapedusingtrickery:byhavingEllendressasaninvalidwhiteslavemaster,travelingtoPhiladelphiafromGeorgiaformedicalreasons,accompaniedbyherslave,William.Whywasthisstorysopopular?Onereasonisbecausethetalefits

41、owellwiththevaluesofitsaudience.ThestorypleasedAbolitionistsandEuropeancriticsoftheAmericanslaverysystem.Suchmembersoftheaudiencethrilledtohearhowtwoslavesescapedthechainsofslavery:outsmartingtheirmasters,findingappropriateandusefulloopholesintheSouthsslaverysystem,andoftentravelingdisguisedinbroadd

42、aylightunderthewatchfuleyesoftheirwould-becaptors.Ontheotherhand,slaveownerscouldnothearthetaleoftenenough,ifonlybecauseofobsessiveself-denigrationforhavingallowedthemselvestobetricked.22. ThestoryofWilliamandEllenCrafttookplacebeforewhichofthefollowing?A.TheRevolutionaryWarB.TheCivilWarC.WorldWarID

43、.WorldWarII23. Thewordself-denigrationasusedbytheauthormostcloselymeans.A. sadnessB. happinessC. angerD. self-hatred24. Thispassagemostcloselyresembleswhichgenreofliterature?A.criticalreviewB. bookreportC. statisticalanalysisD. philosophicaltreatise25. Thepassagedealsmainlywith.A. explainingwhyslave

44、narrativesingeneralareinterestingB. explainingwhythestoryofWilliamandEllenCraftinparticularisinterestingC. explainingwhytheSouthoptedforaslavesysteminthefirstplaceD. explainingwhytheNorthhatedtheCraftsstorysomuch26. Whichofthefollowingbestsummarizesthepurposeofparagraphtwo?A.anattempttoretellthemajo

45、rplotpointsofthebookmentionedinparagraphoneB.anattempttodiscouragefuturereadersfromreadingthisbookbytellingonlyboringdetailsC.anattempttoconcludeanalreadyoverlylongargumentaboutthebookD.anattempttoexplainacuriositydescribedintheprecedingparagraphPassage7Authorshavefrequentlyshownthemselvesfascinated

46、withtheflawsfoundinhumannature.Inparticular,theyfindhumanhypocrisyfascinating.Earlymedievalwriters,whodiscussthesinsoftheclergyandthewickednessofkingsandgovernmentalrulers,havehandeddowntheideathatpeopleareinnatelyevilandselfish;today,thismessageconstantlyappearsinliteratureandmedia.Literaryinterest

47、inhypocrisyreachedapeakinthe1940sand1950s,asWorldWarIIshooktheworldandallitsbeliefs.Peoplesuddenlyfoundthemselvesfacedwiththeuncertaintyofthefuture.Theygrewfearfulofwide-scaledestructionofthewarthatloomedbeforethem.Suddenlytheyfailedtofindfulfillmentinthecookiecutterlifeexpectationsrepresentedbythen

48、uclearfamily.Itcomesasnosurprise,therefore,thatJ.D.SalingersTheCatcherintheRyehavegottensomuchattentionpositiveornegative.Themaincharactershowscompletescornandirreverenceforhiscookie-cutterworld,hispreprogrammedlifeexpectations,andtheapparentlyartificiallifegoalstowardwhichheseemsheaded.Andhesimplyd

49、ropsoutofsociety,stopsmaking“forwardprogress,”andstartsregressingtowardchildhoodonlytrulyhappytimeinhislifeWhatstartedwithSalingercontinuestoday.CatcherwasfollowedsoonafterbyCharlesWebbsTheGraduate,andmorerecently,weareofferedlgbyGoesDown.These“comingofage”novelsshowaconsistentpattern:anenduringconc

50、ernwithmoralitycombinedwithaninabilitytochartasatisfyingpaththroughthephonyseasthatsurroundus.27. BecauseoftheauthorsdiscussionofJ.D.SalingersTheCatcherintheRye,anoveralltopicofthepassage,wecaninferthat.A. Salingerisuninterestedinstudyinghumanhypocrisy.B. CharlesWebbsTheGraduatefailsasasuccessfullit

51、erarycommentonhumannature.C. TheCatcherintheRyeuseshypocrisyasamajortheme.D. PeoplereallylovedTheCatcherintheRye.28. Theauthorspurposeinwritingthispassageisbestdescribedas.A. drawingacorrelationbetweentheinterestsofsocietyandtheliteratureitproducesB. reviewingseveraltexts,identifyingtheirthemesandth

52、eirliterarymeritC. bashingvariousso-called“popular”butultimatelybadtextsD. discussingthehypocrisyofpriests,politicians,andotherprominentsocialfigures29. Theauthorusesthewordinnatelyinthispassagetomean.A.universallyB.basicallyC.eagerlyD.unavoidably30. Whendidliteratureshowevidencethatpeoplewereintens

53、elyinterestedinhumanhypocrisy?A. 1940sB. 1840sC. 1740sD. 1640s31. Whichofthefollowingbestdescribestherelationshipofthesecondparagraphtothepassageasawhole?A. awayofintroducingthemessageofthepieceB. awayofcommunicatinganinterestingsocialeventC. awayofshowinghowoneauthorrespondedtocurrenteventsD. awayo

54、fconnectingthepastwiththepresentPassage8Ifyouwerelookingforawaytostudyhumanity,howwouldyougoaboutdoingit?Wouldyoulookatourliterature?Ourmusic?Wouldyousearchthroughdecayingcities?Whatwouldbethebestsourceofinformationaboutourever-changing,ever-contradictoryspecies?IfyouwereRobertHertz,asociologistwhos

55、eworkdatesbackto1907,youwouldstudyhumanfunerarypractices.Heconsideredourdeathritualstobeourmostcommondenominator.AccordingtoHertz,ourdeathritualsuniteus,remainingrelativelyunchangedforfarlongerthanotherritualsorpracticesthatuniteus.Unfortunately,IdonotthinkthatHertzwasexpectingthesurprisesthatthe20t

56、hcenturywouldathim.Mostofusfollowthenatural,prescribedfunerarypractices.Mostofuswilloptforburialor,forthoseofuswhoareabitmoredaring,cremation.Butincreasingly,peoplearegettingcreativewiththeirfinalmoments.Take,forexample,thelastritesadministeredtoTonyMullan.Mullandiedrecently,attherelativelyripeageof

57、63.Hewasashootingenthusiast,and,accordingtofriends,wanted“togooutwithabang.”Mullanleftinstructionstohavehimselfcremated,packedintoshotguncartridges,anddistributedtofriends.Now,everytimeMullansfriendsgtheyrituallyfireoffaspecial“Mullanc”artridge,spreadinghislastremainsoverthegroundshereveredmost.32.

58、Whatisthebestconcludingsentenceforthispassage?A.“Tonywouldhavedonethesameforus,”sayMullansfriends.B. MullansremainingasheshavebeenbakedintoclaypigeonsandotherwiseburiednearhisparentsgravestonesinDundalk,Ireland.C. Groundskeepersare,needlesstosay,nothappywithMullanandhisfriends.D. PeopleinterestedinfollowinginMullansfootprintsshouldcontact33. Whichofthefollowingoptionsarelistedinthepassageasasourceofdataonecouldusetostudyhumanlife?A. ar