Weekly Practice 26第二部分阅读理解（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该选项的标号涂黑。

ALooking back over the years, I sometimes wonder what I could have done differently that day when my father cut down my favorite cherry tree. I should have spat twice over my shoulder when I saw the single magpie(喜鹊)，maybe. But that's the thing about superstitions(迷信).You don't know how much power they have until you break them.We lived in a dark shabby house in Bucks. Wood blocks lay over dirt on the floor. That part of England was full of cherry trees.The rice had caught in the bottom of the pot that morning at breakfast and all I could smell was burned rice. Even now when I think of that day I have the taste of burned rice in my mouth."I'm going to cut down the old cherry tree," my father announced."You've been saying that for years," said my mother lightly touching the end of her nose. Her nose ran all year long. Her arms rested on the table, a cup of tea placed between her hands, steam rising into the air. "You'll never get round to it."My stomach, balled into a tight little knot, relaxed itself."Millie's going to cry if you cut it down," said my younger brother, Simon, his eyes bright as a fox. "Silly Millie, silly Millie.""Hold your noise," said my father, patting Simon on the head. "And put back that butter. That's a week's ration（限额）you've got on your plate.""The war's over," said Simon in a low voice. "We haven't had rationing for ages." Simon was right. Even sugar had come off points. However, we still occasionally received food parcels from distant cousins in Canada,My father glared at him and then went on."Pigs. Burt says he'll come and help me take the tree down if he can have some of the wood.""No," I said springing to my feet. "You can't do it. That's my tree. Always has been. Always will be. I won't let you."Tom took a piece of toast, watching my reaction. My older brother, he knew what the tree meant to me."Now then, Millie," said my father softening his face. "That tree's wild. It's in the way."21. The magpie is mentioned to show that .A. Millie got much power on seeing the birdB. things seemed to go wrong from the beginningC. the bird caused her father's getting hurt that dayD. without the bird Millie would have done differently22.According to the passage, how many kids does the family have at least?A. 6.B. 5.C. 4.D. 3.23. By saying "balled into a tight little knot", the author means that she .A. had a terrible stomachache that morningB. felt like crying on hearing her brother's wordsC. was afraid of her cherry tree being cut downD. hated to hear her mother saying that way24. What can be the best title of the passage?A. The Great Power of SuperstitionsB. The Regretful Day in My LifeC. The Importance of Protecting TreesD. The Relationship between My Father and MeBResearch on embryonic stem cells is debatable because it requires the destruction of live human embryos（胚胎）.Supporters find it easy to minimize the significance of this fact because the embryos are only a few days old - nothing more than "blastocysts（胚泡）"．But if it's OK to destroy 5-day-old embryos to further scientific inquiry, is it OK to destroy embryos that are five weeks old? Five months? Eight months? Science can't answer that question.You don't have to be part of the group respecting life to have concerns about this kind of scientific research. James Thomson, the University of Wisconsin biologist has said, "If human embryonic stem cell research does not make you at least a little bit uncomfortable, you have notthought about it enough." However, the president's new order suggests we should not think too much.Recently, supporters of embryonic stem cell research called on president to allow experiments using "surplus (多余的)" fifty frozen embryos in clinics, arguing that they would be got rid of anyway. But Obama didn't limit his new policy to these fertilized eggs（受精卵）．On the contrary, he left open the possibility of funding studies using embryos created specifically so their cells can be harvested. He did, however, reject another option. "We will ensure," he said, "that our government never open the door to the use of cloning for human reproduction. It is dangerous, profoundly wrong and has no place in our society, or any society."But this position is hard to square with his claimed approach. On one hand, the president says his policy is "about letting scientists do their jobs, free from pressure". On the other, he will use pressure to keep them from doing reproductive cloning.What this policy means is simple: It may be permissible for scientists to create cloned embryos and kill them. It's not permissible to create cloned embryos and let them live. Their cells may be used for our benefit, but not for their own.It's the policy that is risky not just to days-old human embryos. The rest of us are sure to receive important medical benefits from this research one day, But we may lose something even more important in a moral sense.25. It's implied in the fourth paragraph that the group respecting life .A. support the research on embryonic stem cellsB. don't agree with any kind of scientific researchC. agree to James Thomson's opinionD. rarely think of the consequences of embryonic stem cell research26. The underlined phrase "square with" in the passage is closest in meaning to .A. go againstB. agree withC. quarrel withD. pay off27. Which of the following statement is TRUE according to the passage?A. The author thinks there's a big difference between a 5-day embryo and a 8-month embryo.B. In Obama's policy, embryonic researchers can only use surplus embryos in clinics.C. President Obama hasn't expressed his attitude toward human reproductive cloning.D. The research on embryonic stem cells may bring people medical benefits in the future.28. The author thinks the policy is worrying because .A. the research is against the lawB. we may suffer morally for the researchC. scientists are not really working without pressureD. the ban on human cloning is in the long run harmful to human developmentCMany critics worry about violence on television, mostly out of fear that it stimulates viewers to violent or aggressive acts. Our research, however, indicates that the consequences of experiencing TV's symbolic world of violence may be much more far-reaching.We have found that people who watch a lot of TV see the real world as more dangerous and frightening than those who watch very little. Heavy viewers are less trustful of their fellow citizens, and more fearful-of the real world. Since most TV "action-adventure" dramas occur in urban settings, the fear they inspire may contribute to the current flee of the middle class from our cities. The fear may also bring increasing demands for police protection, and election of law-and-order politicians, While none of us is completely dependent upon television for our view of the world, neither have many of us had the opportunity to observe the reality of police stations, courtrooms, corporate board rooms, or hospital operating rooms. Although critics complain about the fixed characters and plots of TV dramas, many viewers look on them as representative of the real world. Anyone who questions that statement should read the 250,000 letters, most containing requests for medical advice, sent by viewers to "Marcus Welby, M.D." —a popular TV drama series about a doctor—during the first five years of his practice on TV.Violence on television leads viewers to regard the real world as more dangerous than it really is, which must also influence the way people behave. When asked, "Can most people be trusted?" the heavy viewers were 35 percent more likely to choose "Can't be too careful."Victims, like criminals, must learn their proper roles, and televised violence may perform the teaching function all too well. Instead of worrying only about whether television violence causes individual displays of aggression in the real world, we should also be concerned about social reality. Passive acceptance of violence in the face of injustice may result from far greater social concern than occasional displays of individual aggression.We have found that violence on prime-time network TV develops overstated assumptions about the threat of danger in the real world. Fear is a universal emotion, and easy to exploit. The overstated sense of risk and insecurity may lead to increasing demands for protection and to increasing pressure for the use of force by established authority. Instead of threatening the social order, television may have become our chief instrument of social control.29. What's the passage mainly about?A. Watching televised violence and aggression.B. Violence on television and social disorder.C. The great influence of watching violence on TV.D. Police protection and election of law-and-order politicians.30. According to the passage, why did "Marcus Welby, M.D." receive so many letters?A. Because viewers believed the doctor did exist in the real life.B. Because certain TV programmes recommended him to viewers.C. Because he was an experienced doctor and saved many lives.D. Because the TV appealed to people to pay attention to health.31. According to the author, is mainly to blame for people's fear of the real world.A. network TVB. social realityC. individual display of violenceD. televised violence32. We can infer from the passage that .A. people tend to be aggressive or violent after watching televised violenceB. people can learn to protect themselves from dangers by watching violence on TVC. the occasional displays of individual aggression may threaten the social orderD. watching TV may cause the misuse of authority and disturb the social orderDKuringai Chase National Park Guided Walks and Nature ActivitiesSUNDAY MAY EASYEarly Morning Stroll in Upper LaneCove Valley Meet at 7：30 a．m．at the end of Day RD．Cheltenham,while the bush is alive with FRIDAY JUNE6 EASYPoetry around a CampfireMeet 7：00 p．m．Kalkaari Visitor Center．Share your favourite poem or one of yourbirdsong．Round trip：4 hours own with a group around a gently cracking fire．Drinks and food to follow．Bring a cup and a blanket(or a chair)．Cost：$4.00 per person．Duration：2.5 hoursFRIDAY MAY12 MEDIUM Possum ProwlMeet 7：30 P．m．at Seaforth Oval carpark．Enjoy the peace of the bush at night．Lovely water views．Bring torch andwear non-slip shoes as some rockclimbing involved．Coffee and biscuits supplied．Duration：2 hours SUNDAY JUNE 25 EASYMorning Walk at Mitchell ParkMeet 8：30 a.m．entrance to Mitchell Park，Mitchell Park Rd．Cattai for a pleasant walk wandering through rainforest，river flats and dry，forest to swampland(沼泽地)．Binoculars(双筒望远镜)a must to bring as many birds live here．Finish with morning tea．Duration：3 hours------------------------------------------------------------ ---GRADINGEASY，suitable for ALL fitness levels NEDIUM for those who PERIODICALLYexerciseHARD only if you REGULARTY exerciseSUNDAY JUNE4 HARDBaime Basin TrackMeet 9：30 a.m．Track#8，West HeadRoad，Magnificent Pittwater views．visit Beechwood coRage．Bring lunchand drink．Some steep sections．Reasonable fitness required．33. If you seldom exercise, prefer nature to literature and are used to getting up early, you're most likely to join .A. Early Morning: Stroll in Upper Lane Cove ValleyB. Baime Basin TrackC. Poetry around a CampfireD. Morning Walk at Mitchell Park34. If you want to enjoy the peace of the bush at night, you are required to .A. meet at 7:30 p.m. June 6B. bring slippers with youC. prepare a torchD. climb rocks for two hours35. In the activity "Morning Walk at Mitchell Park", one may have no chance to .A. appreciate bird watchingB. enjoy mountain climbingC. take a relaxing walkD. have morning tea第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。