Question

III.阅读理解

People aren’t walking any more—if they can figure out a way to avoid it.

I felt superior about this matter until the other day I took my car to mail a small parcel. The journey is a matter of 281 steps. But I used the car. And I wasn’t in any hurry,either. I had merely become one more victim of a national sickness ：motorosis.

It is an illness to which I had thought myself im-mune (免疫的) ，for I was bred in the tradition of going to places on my own two legs. At that time,we re-garded 25 miles as a good day's walk and the ability to cover such a distance in ten hours as a sign of strength and skill. It did not occur to us that walking was a hardship. And the effect was lasting. When I was 45 years old I raced —and beat—a teenage football player the 168 steps up the Statue of Liberty.

Sudh enterprises today are regarded by many middle-aged persons as bad for the heart. But a well-known British physician,Sir Adolphe Abrahams,pointed out recently that hearts and bodies need proper exercise. A person who avoids exercise is more likely to have illnesses than one who exercises regularly. And walking is an ideal form of exercise—the most familiar and matural of all.

It was Henry Thoreau who showed mankind the richness of going on foot. The man walking can learn the trees,flowers,insects,birds and animals,the significance of seasons,the very feel of himself as a living creature in a living world. He cannot learn in a car.

The car is convenient means of transport,but we have made it our way of life. Many people don't dare to approach Nature any more;to them the world they were born to enjoy is all threat. To them security is a steel river thundering on a concrete road. And much of their thinking takes place while waiting for the traffic light to turn green.

I say that the green of forests is the mind's best light. And none but the man on foot can evaluate what is basic and everlasting.

1. What is the national sickness?

   A. Walking too much.

   B. Travelling too much.

   C. Driving cars too much.

   D. Climbing stairs too much.

2. What was life like when the author was young?

   A. People usually went around on foot.

   B. People often walked 25 miles a day.

   C. People used to climb the Statue of Liberty.

   D. People considered a ten-hour walk as a hardship.

3. The author mentions Henry Thoreau to prove that.

   A. middle-aged people like getting back to nature

   B. walking in nature helps enrich one's mind

   C. people need regular exercise to keep fit

   D. going on foot prevents heart disease

4. What is compared to‘‘a steel rever”in Paragraph 6?

   A. A queue of cars. B. A ray of traffic light.

   C. A flash of lightning. D. A stream of people.

5. What is the author^ intention of writing this passage?

   A. To tell people to reflect more on life.

   B. To recommend people to give up driving.

   C. To advise people to do outdoor activities.

   D. To encourage people to return to walking.

Answer 1

1. C 2. A 3. B 4. A 5. D

III. 1. C解析：细节理解题。根据第二段的最后一句…a national sickness： mo-torosis.以及前文的• •. a matter of 281 steps. But I used the car.可知，作者提到 的全国病就是人们开车太多了，所以选 择C项。

2. A解析：推理判断题。文章第三段提 到“我”年轻时靠自己的双腿奔波各处， 一天走25英里路，但从没觉得走路是一 种痛苦，可推知作者年轻时人们通常通 过步行到处走动，所以选择A项。

3. B解析：推理判断题。根据第五段中 的第一句 It was Henry Thoreau who showed mankind the richness of going on foot.可知作者提到 Henry Thoreau 是为了证明B项(在大自然中走路可以 帮助丰富一个人的思想) 。

A项(中年人 喜欢回归自然) 、C项(人们需要定期的 锻炼来保持健康) 、D项(走路预防心脏 病) 均与Henry Thoreau无关。

4. A解析:词义猜测题。根据画线词组 后面的on a concrete road (在混凝土路 上) 以及 while waiting for the traffic light to turn green可知，画线部分指的 是一排车。

5. D解析:主旨意图题。纵览全文可知， 作者提到现代人过多地依赖车，很少自 己走路，而走路使人身体健康，丰富人的 内心。同时引用专家的观点进一步证明 自己的观点，其目的都是在鼓励人们回 归走路，所以选择D项。

A项“告诉人 们多反思生活”，范围过大;B项“建议人 们放弃开车”，与文章内容不符，作者只 是建议多走路，并不是放弃开车；C项 “建议人们进行户外运动”，范围过大。