of the rivers of sweat running down their brows and inside their clothes. At the first smell of a perfumed man or woman boarding the stuffy bus or train, most people feel they are reborn.
During the rains you can’t avoid getting wet or muddied. The windows, almost always, are not a perfect fit and if you’re not drenched by a sudden, heavy rain shower then you are bound to catch a jet spray of muddy water caused by a fellow motorist driving fast through a puddle.
Rains are a perfect time for people to switch their old umbrellas for new ones. Since there are so many that look alike, it’s impossible to tell whose is whose.
Winter is the time when it feels good — or at least warm — to be part of a crowd. It is amazing how much the collective breaths of a 100 or so people can raise the freezing temperature inside. Looking at the masses dressed in their bright red pullovers or green coats, it’s fun to imagine what faces lie beneath their dark woolen hats.
The cold winter passes, making way for spring. It is impossible not to see every little flower by the wayside blooming proudly. And the warm sun manages to transmit some of their pleasantness to the inside of a bus or train.
Now, wouldn’t it be perfect if we had a public transport worth the name in all our cities?
6. On Indian public transport, you can always expect to see people ________. A. sleeping and reading newspapers B. arguing and playing games
C. enjoying the view and playing cards D. carrying umbrellas and whispering politely
7. According to the author what will make passengers feel refreshed during summer travelling?
A. The cool evening breeze. C. The joy of a game of cards. passenger.
B. The rain pouring over their clothes.
D. The sweet fragrance of a new
8. If you see people in colourful clothing and breathing heavily, you are probably travelling during the ________. A. summer
B. rainy seasons
C. winter
D. spring
9. We can infer from the passage that __________.
A. Indian people don’t mind switching umbrellas with others B. almost everyone in India wears perfume when they go out C. the buses and trains are old and in poor conditions D. Indian transport is the most crowded in the world 10. What is the tune of language used in this passage?
A. Humourous. B. Critical. C. Frightening. D. Concerned. 【参考答案】6—10、ADCCA
【广东省2012届高三考前冲刺卷(六)】B
Motherhood may make women smarter and may help prevent dementia (痴呆) in old age by bathing the brain in protective hormones (荷尔蒙) ，U.S.researchers reported on Thursday.
Tests on rats show that those who raise two or more litters of pups do considerably better in tests of memory and skills than rats who have no baby，and their brains show changes that suggest they may be protected against diseases such as Alzheimer’s (早老性痴呆症)．University of Richmond psychology professor Craig Kinsley believes his findings will translate into humans.
“Our research shows that the hormones of pregnancy (怀孕) are protecting the brain，including estrogen (雌激素)，which we know has many neuro-protective (保护神经的) effects，” Kinsley said.
“It’s rats’ data but humans are mammals just like these animals are mammals，” he added in a telephone interview.“They go through pregnancy and hormonal changes.”Kinsley said he hoped public health officials and researchers will look to see if having had children protects a woman from Alzheimer’s and other forms of
age-related brain decline.
“When people think about pregnancy，they think about what happens to babies and the mother from the neck down，” said Kinsley，who presented his findings to the annual meeting of the Society of Neuroscience in Orlando，Florida.
“They do not realize that hormones are washing on the brain.If you look at female animals that have never gone through pregnancy，they act differently toward young.But if she goes through pregnancy，she will sacrifice her life for her infant—that is a great change in her behavior that shows in genetic alterations to the brain.” 31．How do scientists know “Motherhood may make women smarter”？ A．Some researchers have told them. B．Many women say so.
C．They know it by experimenting on rats. D．They know it through their own experience.
32．What does the phrase “litters of pups” mean in the second paragraph? A．Baby rats. B．Animals. C．Old rats. D．Grown-up rats.
33．What can protect the brain of a woman according to the passage? A．Estrogen.
B．The hormones of pregnancy. C．More exercise.
D．Taking care of children.
34．“It’s rats’ data but humans are mammals just like these animals are mammals.” What does the sentence suggest?
A．The experiments on the rats have nothing to do with humans. B．The experiments on the rats are very important for animals. C．The experiments on the rats are much the same on humans. D．The experiments on the rats are much the same on other animals. 35．Which title is the best for this passage? A．Do You Want to Be Smarter B．Motherhood Makes Women Smarter
C．Mysterious Hormones D．An Important Study
31．C [细节理解题。根据“Tests on rats show...”可知科学家是通过做老鼠实验得出这个结论的。]
32．A [词义猜测题。后面的对比who have no baby，实际上提供了一个相反的情况，所以我们可以推测“those who raise two or more litters of pups”中的“litters of pups”指的是“刚出生不久的小老鼠”。]
33．B [细节理解题。根据文章第三段中的“...the hormones of pregnancy(怀孕) are protecting the brain...”可得出答案。]
34．C [句意理解题。科学家通过用老鼠做实验来说明人的问题。因为人和老鼠都属于哺乳动物，很多生理机能都相同。]
35．B [主旨大意题。短文第一句“Motherhood may make women smarter...”是主题句，据此我们可以得出答案。]
