生命中，不斷地有人離開或進入。于是，望見的，看不見的；記住的，遺忘了。

生命中，不斷地有得到和失落。于是，看不見的，望見了；遺忘的，記住了。

然而，看不見的，是不是就等于不存在？記住的，是不是恒久不會消逝？

英語六級閱讀理解練習題（五）

Intoday*sworld,insuranceplaysavitalroleintheeconomicandsocialwelfareoftheentire

population.Thewishtoguardagainstdangerstolifeandpropertyisbasictohumannature.By

usingvariouskindsofinsurance>societyhasbeenabletoreducetheeffectsofsuchhazards.

Nowhereisinsurancemoreimportantthaninthemanagementofabusiness.Inmanyinstances,

lossesinasmallfirmcanmeanthedifferencebetweengrowthandfailure,vitalityandstagnation

（停滯）.Veryfewsmallbusinesseshaveevenaportionofthefinancialresourcesavailableto

largerGnterprisos.Eroquontly,theymustoperateonaverysiightmarginiftheyhop?tostay

inbusiness.Andthus,theyareparticularlysensitivetounexpectedlosses.

Withoutenoughinsurance*whathappenstosuchafirmwhentheownerdiesorissuddenlydisabled?

Whenafirebreaksoutanddestroysthefirm,sbuildingorstock?Whenanemployeeisfound

tohavestolencompanyfunds?Whenacustomerisawardeda1iabilityjudgmentforanaccident?

Toooften,thebusinessisforcedtothewall,itsfutureoperationsdrasticallycurbed;

sometimes,itisdamagedbeyondrepair,itsabilitytocontinuecompletelycrushed.

Almostalways,asmal1businessmanwouldfinditimpossibletohandletheful1burdenofhis

potentialrisk.Theamountofmoneyhewouldhavetosetasidetocoverpossiblelosseswould

leavehimnothing,oralmostnothingttorunhisbusinesswith.Iflossweretooccurwhich

hecouldrepairbyusinghisreservefund,whatassurancewouldhehavethatanotherloss-the

samekindordifferent-mightnotoccurnextweek,nextmonth?Butthenhewouldhavenoreserve

fundandlittlelikelihoodofstayinginbusinessatall.

1.Thisselectiondealsmainlywith.

A.therelationbetweeninsuranceandsociety

B.accidentsandlosses

C.businessfailures

D.theimportanceofinsurancetobusiness

2.InParagraph3,**forcedtothewall"means""。

A.driventodespairB.stayinginastrongposition

C.doingwellD.climbingup

3.Theauthorthinksthat.

A.accidentsalwayshappen

B.abusinessmanshouldtakerisks

C.businessesshouldhaveadequateinsurance

D.insuranceisasocialwelfareproject

4.AdequateinsurancewilldoallofthefollowingEXCEPTthatitwill.

A.freesomebusinessfundsB.addtobenefitsforemployees

C.relievesomemanagementproblemsD.provideforunexpectedincidents

5.Theword“curbed“inParagraph3isnearestinmeaningto.

A.checkedB.advanced

C.expandedD.disturbed

答案：1.D2.A3.C4.B5.A

Plasticsarcmaterialswhicharesoftenedbyheatandsetintolastingfomwhenshapedinamold.

Somearenatural;somearesemi-synthetic(半合成的),theresultofchemicalactiononnatural

substance;somearesynthetic,builtupfromtheconstituentsofoilorcoal.Allarebasedon

thechemistryofcarbon,withitscapacityforformingchains.Themoleculesthatcomposethem

(monomers)1inktogetherinthesettingorcuringprocesstoformchains(polymers),

whichgiveplasticstheirflexiblestrength.Someplasticsretaintheirabilitytobesoftened

andreshaped：likewax,theyarethermoplastic.Otherssetpermanentlyintheshapestheyare

givenbyheatandpressure;likeeggs,theyarethermosetting.

Fromindustrialbeginningsinthenineteenthcentury,plasticshavestruggledthroughahundred

andtwentyyearsofglory,failure,disreputeandsuspicionontheslowroadtopublicacceptance.

Now,atlast,onecanpositivelysaythatplasticsareappreciatedandenjoyedforwhatthey

are;thattheymakemodern1ifericher,morecomfortableandconvenient,andalsomorefun.

Plasticsarcwarmmaterials,sympathetictothehumantouch,andtheirtransformationintothings

thatcomeintocontactwithhumanbeingsisentirelyappropriate.

Thefactthatthereareplasticantiquescomesasashocktomostpeople.Howcanamaterialthat

seemssoessentiallytwentiethcentury,andonethatissomuchassociatedwithcheap,disposable

products,hasahistoryatall?Itisayoungtechnology,andagreatpartofthefunofcollecting

plasticsisthatbeautifulpiecesofhistoricalinterestcanstillbefoundverycheaply.

1.Theword“sympathetic"inParagraph2mostprobablymeans.

A.harmfulB.agreeable

C.pitifulD.sorry

2.Itcanbeconcludedfromthispassagethat_______.

A.plasticsaresyntheticmaterials

B.plasticswonpublicacceptance120yearsago

C.plasticsareveryharmfulinmodernlife

D.plasticsarecheapasantiques

3.Whichofthefollowingisessentialtocreateanytypeofplastics?

A.Carbon.B.Eggs.

C.Oil.D.Coal.

4.Plasticsthathardenintopermanentshapesarecalled.

A.chainedB.thermoplastic

C.syntheticD.thermosetting

5.Whichofthefollowingisthebesttitleforthepassage?

A.TheImportanceofPlasticsintheNineteenthCentury.

B.WhyPeopleAreSuspiciousofPlastics.

C.TheDevelopmentofPlasticsasaModernMaterial.

D.HowPlasticsAreManufactured.

答案：1.B2.D3.A4.D5.C

Duringthenineteenthandtwentiethcenturies,migrationshavetakenplacewithin_1_countries;

thecitieswiththeirindustrieshaveattractedpeopleawayfromthecountry.Thepossibility

ofearningafixed_2_inafactoryorofficewasmoreattractivethanthepossibilityofstaying

onthefarmandhavingone'swork_3_byfrost,storms,ordroughts.Furthermore,the

developmentofagriculturalmachinerymadeitpossibleforfewerpeopletodothesame_4_of

work.

Thus,atthesametimewhentheindustrialrevolutionmadeitpossibletoproducegoods

more_5—andmorequicklyinfactories,agriculturalrevolutionalsotookplace.Insteadof

leavingfieldsemptyeverythirdyear,farmersbegantoplantcloverorsomeothercropthat

would_6_thesoil.Insteadofusingonlyanimalfertilizer?farmersbegantousechemical

fertilizerstokeepthesoilrich.ThesemethodshaveenabledFrenchfarners,forexample,to

getfivetimesasmuchwheataswas_7_fromthesamelandtwocenturiesago.

Inmanycountriesfarmersfinditriore_8_toraiseonlyonecroporonekindofanimal.They

choosethekindthatgivesthebestresults.Thentheysellallthattheyproduce,insteadof

tryingtogrowalittleofeverythingandconsumewhattheygrow.Thisisamorefeasibletype

of—9—becausemodernmethodsandmachineryareadaptedtospecificanimalsandspecificcrops.

Therefore,itwouldbetooexpensivetodoalltheworkbyhand,ortobuythe_10_neededfor

severaldifferentkindsoffarming.

A.salaryE.desertedI.equivalentM.destroyed

B.freelyF.operationJ.enrichN.certain

C.profitableG.amountK.fruitful0.cheaply

D.obtainedH.paymentL.equipment

答案：1.N2.A3.M4.G5.06.J7.D8.C9.F10.L

Agiftofthegods.AccordingtoanoldGreekmyth,Prometheusandhisbrother,Epimetheus,

heroesofaraceofgiantscalledtheTitans,weregiventhetaskofcreatingman.Epimetheus

wasalsotoprovideal1theanimalswithmeansofdefenseorflight.Tosomehegavecourage,

strength,andclawswithwhichtofight,andtootherslonglegs,nimblefeet,orwingswith

whichtoescape.Solavish（慷慨的）washewiththesegiftstotheloweranimalsthathehad

nothinglefttogivetoman.Prometheus,however?wasdeterminedthatmanshouldnotbeneglected

andso,accordingtothemyth,hegainedaccesstoheavenandlightedhistorchatthechariot

ofthesun.Returningtoearth,hepresentedfiretoman,andwiththisgiftcamemanrsdominion

overalltheearth.

Thefirstcook.Ittookalongtime,however,tolearnhowtousethisgift.Forcenturiesmen

livedlikewildanimals.Theirfoodconsistedofnuts,herbs.fruit>andthefleshofanimals.

Cookingwasunknown,andwhenawildanimalwascaptured,thesavagetoreitapartandatethe

rawflesh.Accordingtoonelegend,ahunter,afteralongtramp,succeededincatchingarabbit.

Onhiswayhomehefoundasmoldering（緩慢燃燒的）firewhichhadbeenstartedbylightning.

Throwinghisrabbitonalog,helaydownandwenttosleep.Whenheawoke,hefoundthathis

rabbithadfallenintothefire.Inattemptingtorescueit,thesavagegotsomeofthejuice

oftheroastedrabbitonhisfingers.Byinstinct,heputhisburntfingerstohismouth,and

thetastewassopleasingthatheimmediatelyfinishedtherabbit,andthisishowmanlearned

tocook.

Reductionofmetals.Ageslater,manbegantousefiretomakemetalsandtoformthemintospears

andhatchetsforhuntingandfighting.Thealchemists,asweknow,useefireintheirattempts

tochangethebasemetalsIntogold,andtodayfiresareburningInmanyfurnacesproducing,

ifnotgold,metalsoffargreatervaluetotheprogressofcivilization.Copper,bronze,iron*

andsteel,producedbyfire,havebeenthesteppingstonesofman'sprogressthroughtheages.

Thechemistryinvolvedintheextraction,purification,andalloyingofnetalsissointeresting

andofsuchgreatimportancethatvolumeshavebeenwrittenonthissubject.

Heatinghomes.Wearesoaccustomedtolivinginheatedhomesthatitisonlywhensomethinggoes

wrongwiththefurnacethatwegiveanythoughttotheblessedfire.To:hesavageshiveringin

hiscave,however,afirewasarealblessing,evenifitdidfillhiseyeswithsmoke.Keeping

thehomefiresburning

wasadifficulttaskfortheAmericanIndian,whodelegatedthistohiswife.Woebetothesquaw

(印第安女子或妻子)wholetthefiregoout.Inthewintertime,thefirewasbuiltontheground

inthecenterofthetent,whichhadasmallholeinthetoptoactasasmokestack.Eventhe

palacesnfth。wanlthyintheMiddipAgpswar。r.nIdanddamp,thpfirpplarpshpingsninefficient

thatonlyaportionofoneroomcouldbeheatedatatime.Notuntilacomparativelyrecentdate

(1742)werestovesinvented,andfurnaceswereunknownevenwhenyourgrandfatherwasaboy.

Howfiresarestartedandstopped.Youhavelearnedthatburningisrapidoxidationwhichgives

offlightandheat.Inordertostartafire?threeconditionsarenecessary：(1)something

toburn：(2)somethingtosupportthecombustion;and(3)ameansoflightingthefuel(raising

ittoitskindlingtemperature)°Havinglivedallhislifeinahomewherethefurnaceiskept

burningallwinter,theaveragepersonseldomthinksofthedifficultyofstartingafire.

Togetsomeideaofthedifficultyofstartingfires,imagineyourselfshipwreckedlikeRobinson

Crusoeuponanuninhabitedisland.Tobuildafire,thefirstconditionwouldbemetbycollecting

somewood.Thesecondconditionwouldbenoproblemasairisalwayspresenttosupportcombustion.

Thethirdcondition,raisingthefueltoitskindlingtemperature,wouldofferarealdifficulty.

Twomethodshavebeenused.Thefirstistoemploytheheatoffrictioncausedbyrubbingtwo

drystickstogether.Thissoundssimple,butmuchskillandpracticeareessentialtothesuccess

ofthisoperation.Thesecondmethodistomakesparksbystrikingtwopiecesofflint(極硬

的東西，燧石)together.Thismayworkiftheoperatorispersistentandifhisfuelissufficiently

fineanddry.Butbeforehesucceccsingettingafirestartedbycithermethod,ourRobinson

Crusoewilldosomethinkingabouttheusefulnessofthecommonmatch.

Poisonmatches.Therearetwokindsofphosphorususedinmakingmatches,whiteandred.White

phosphorushasanadvantageandadisadvantage.Whitephosphorusischeaperand,atonetime*

itsusewasquitecommon.Whitephosphorusispoisonous,however,andforthisreasonitsuse

inmakingmatchesisprohibitedbylawinnearlyallcivilizedcountries.Menworkinginmatch

factorieswhichusedwhitephosphorusweresubjecttoadiseasewhichcausedthejawbonesto

decay.Thedangerofsmallchildrenbeing

poisonedbythesematchesisalsoevident.

Fortunately,chemistshavediscoveredamethodofmakingaformofphosphoruswhichisnot

poisonous.Whenwhitephosphorusisgentlyheatedforseveralhoursinaclosedvesselfromwhich

airisexcluded,Itslowlychangesincolorandtheno-poisonousredphosphorusisformed.In

additiontothefactthatitisnotpoisonous,redphosphorushasotheradvantages.Itskindling

temperatureismuchhigherthanthatofthewhitevariety,andthismakesredphosphorusless

dangeroustoshipandtostore.Anothermethodofmakingphosphorussafeforuseinmatchesis

tocombineitwithsulphur.Todothis,thetwoelementsaremixedandheatedintheabsence

ofair.Thephosphorussulphide,whichisformed,isnotpoisonous.

1.Withthehelpofhisbrother.Prometheussucceededinpresentingfiretoman.

2.Firegavemananadvantageoverotheranimals.

3.Manlearnedtocookbyaccident.

4.IntheMiddleAgeseventhepalacesofthewealthywerecoldbecausewoodwasmuchtooexpensive.

5.Instrikingamatch,frictionraisesthephosphoruscompoundinths?tiptothekindling

temperature.

6.Redphosphorusistheonlymeansofmakingphosphorussafe.

7.Firehasplayedanimportantroleintheprogressofcivilization.

8.ThesmallholeinthetopoftheAmericanIndiantentwasusedasa.

9.Employeesinmatchfactoriesusedtosufferfromadisease___thejawbones.

10.Airisneededtostartafirebecauseit.

答案：I.N2.Y3.Y4.N5.NG6.N7.Y

8.smokestack9.whichdecayed10.supportscombustion

Lazinessisasin（罪）,everyoneknowsthat.Wehaveprobablyallhadlecturespointingout

thatlazinessisimmoral,thatitiswasteful,andthatlazypeoplewillneveramounttoanything

inlife.Butlazinesscanbemoreharmfulthanthat,anditisoftencausedbymorecomplexreasons

ratherthansimplewishtoavoidwork.Somepeoplewhoappeartobelazyaresufferingfrommuch

moreseriousproblems.Theymaybesodistrustfuloftheirfellowworkersthattheyareunable

tojoininanygrouptaskforfearofridiculeorofhavingtheirideastolen.Thesepeoplewho

seemlazymayberuinedbyafearoffailurethatpreventsfruitfulwork.Orothersortsoffantasies

（幻想）maypreventwork;somepeoplearesobusyplanning,sometimesplanninggreatdealsof

fantasticachievementsthattheyareunabletodealwithwhatever“lesser"workisonhand.

Stillotherpeoplearenotavoidingwork;strictlyspeaking,theyaremerelyprocrastinating

reschedulingtheirday.

Lazinesscanactuallybehelpful.L.keprocrastinators,somepeoplemaylooklazywhentheyare

reallythinking,planning,researching.Weshouldallrememberthatgreatscientificdiscoveries

occurredbychance.Newtonwasn'twork1nginiheorchardwhentheapplehithimandhedevised

thetheoryofgravity.Allofuswouldliketohavesomeone"lazy"buildthecarorstovewe

buy,particularlyifthat“laziness“werecausedbytheworker*stakingtimeto

checkeachstepofhisworkandtodohisjobright.Andsometimes?being"lazy"-thatis,,

takingtimeoffforarest-isgoodfortheoverworkedstudentsorexecutives.Takingarestcan

beparticularlyhelpfultotheathletewhoistryingtoohardorthedoctorwho'ssimplyworking

himselfovertimetoomanyeveningsa:theclinic.Sobecarefulwhenyou'retemptedtocallsomeone

lazy.Thatpersonmaybethinking,resting,orplanninghisorhernextwork.

1.Themainideaofthispassageisthat

A.lazinessisamoralsin

B.thereareadvantagesanddisadvantagesinbeinglazy

C.lazinessisthesignofdeep-seatedemotionproblems

D.lazypeopledomorecarefulwork

2.Thepassagestatesthat.

A.lazinessisadisease

B.lazinessismorebeneficialthanharmful

C.agooddefinitionoflazinessisemotionalillness

D.somepeopleappearlazybecausetheyareinsecure

3.Whichofthefollowingconclusionsdoesthepassagesupport?

A.Mostofthetimelazinessisavirtue.

B.Mostassemblyworkersarelazy.

C.Thewordlazinessissometimesappliedincorrectly.

D.Mostinsecurepeoplearelazy.

4.Asusedinthispassage,theword“devised”(Para.2)means

A.understoodB.wrote

C.madeD.proved

5.Beinglazymaybegoodfor.

A.doctorsB.athletes

C.executivesD.thosewhooverworkthemselves

答案i1.B2.D3.C4.C5.D

Whatdowethinkwith?Onlythebrain?Hardly.Thebrainislikeatelephoneexchange.Itis

theswitchboard,butnotthewholesystem.Itsfunctionistoreceiveincomingsignals,make

properconnection,andsendthemessagesthroughtotheirdestination.Forefficientservice,

thebodymustfunctionasawhole.

Butwhereisthe"mind”?Isitinthebrain?Orperhapsinthenervoussystem?Afterall,

canwcsaythatthemindisinanyparticularplace?Itisnotathing,likealeg,oreven

thebrain.Itisafunction,anactivity.Aristotle,twenty-threehundredyearsago,observed

thatthemindwastothebodywhatcuttingwastotheax.Whentheaxisnotinuse.thereis

nocutting.Sowiththemind."Mind,“saidCharlesH.Woolbert,“iswhatthebodyisdoing.M

Ifthisactivityisnecessaryforthinking,itisalsonecessaryforcarryingthoughtfromone

persontoanother.Observehowpeoplegoaboutthebusinessofordinaryconversation.Ifyouhave

neverdonethispainstakingly,youhaveasurpriseinstore,forgoodconversationalistsare

almostconstantlyinmotion.Theirheadsarecontinuallynoddingandshakingsometimesso

vigorouslythatyouwonderhowtheirneckscanstandthestrain.

Eventhelegsandfeetareactive.Asforthehandsandarms,theyareseldomstillformore

thanafewsecondsatatime.

Thesepeople,remember,arenotmakingspeeches.Theyaremerelycomnonfolktryingtomake

othersunderstandwhattheyhaveinmind.Theyaienotc