[外语类试卷]雅思（阅读）模拟试卷98及答案与解析.doc

1、雅思（阅读）模拟试卷 98及答案与解析 一、 Reading Module (60 minutes) 0 You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-13, which are based on Reading Passage 1 below. Communicating in Colour There are more than 160 known species of chameleons. The main distribution is in Africa and Madagascar, and other tropical reg

2、ions, although some species are also found in parts of southern Europe and Asia. There are introduced populations in Hawaii and probably in California and Florida too.New species are still discovered quite frequently. Dr Andrew Marshall, a conservationist from York University, was surveying monkeys

3、in Tanzania, when he stumbled across a twig snake in the Magombera forest which, frightened, coughed up a chameleon and fled. Though a colleague persuaded him not to touch it because of the risk from venom, Marshall suspected it might be a new species, and took a photograph to send to colleagues, wh

4、o confirmed his suspicions. Kinyongia magomherae, literally “the chameleon from Magombera“, is the result, and the fact it was not easy to identify is precisely what made it unique. The most remarkable feature of chameleons is their ability to change colour, an ability rivalled only by cuttlefish an

5、d octopi in the animal kingdom. Because of this, colour is not the best thing for telling chameleons apart and different species are usually identified based on the patterning and shape of the head, and the arrangement of scales. In this case it was the bulge of scales on the chameleons nose.Chamele

6、ons are able to use colour for both communication and camouflage by switching from bright, showy colours to the exact colour of a twig within seconds. They show an extraordinary range of colours, from nearly black to bright blues, oranges, pinks and greens, even several at once. A popular misconcept

7、ion is that chameleons can match whatever background they are placed on, whether a chequered red and yellow shirt or a Smartie* box. But each species has a characteristic set of cells containing pigment distributed over their bodies in a specific pattern, which determines the range of colours and pa

8、tterns they can show. To the great disappointment of many children, placing a chameleon on a Smartie box generally results in a stressed, confused, dark grey or mottled chameleon.Chameleons are visual animals with excellent eyesight, and they communicate with colour. When two male dwarf chameleons e

9、ncounter each other, each shows its brightest colours. They puff out their throats and present themselves side-on with their bodies flattened to appear as large as possible and to show off their colours. This enables them to assess each other from a distance. If one is clearly superior, the other qu

10、ickly changes to submissive colouration, which is usually a dull combination of greys or browns. If the opponents are closely matched and both maintain their bright colours, the contest can escalate to physical fighting and jaw-locking, each trying to push each other along the branch in a contest of

11、 strength. Eventually, the loser will signal his defeat with submissive colouration.Females also have aggressive displays used to repel male attempts at courtship. When courting a female, males display the same bright colours that they use during contests. Most of the time, females are unreceptive a

12、nd aggressively reject males by displaying a contrasting light and dark colour pattern, with their mouths open and moving their bodies rapidly from side to side. If the male continues to court a female, she often chases and bites him until he retreats. The range of colour change during female displa

13、ys, although impressive, is not as great as that shown by males.Many people assume that colour change evolved to enable chameleons to match a greater variety of backgrounds in their environment. If this was the case, then the ability of chameleons to change colour should be associated with the range

14、 of background colours in the chameleons habitat, but there is no evidence for such a pattern. For example, forest habitats might have a greater range of brown and green background colours than grasslands, so forest-dwelling species might be expected to have greater powers of colour change. Instead,

15、 the males whose display colours are the most eye-catching show the greatest colour change. Their displays are composed of colours that contrast highly with each other as well as with the background vegetation. This suggests that the species that evolved the most impressive capacities for colour cha

16、nge did so to enable them to intimidate rivals or attract mates rather than to facilitate camouflage.How do we know that chameleon display colours are eye-catching to another chameleon - or, for that matter, to a predatory bird? Getting a view from the perspective of chameleons or their bird predato

17、rs requires information on the chameleons or birds visual system and an understanding of how their brains might process visual information. This is because the perceived colour of an object depends as much on the brains wiring as on the physical properties of the object itself. Luckily, recent scien

18、tific advances have made it possible to obtain such measurements in the field, and information on visual systems of a variety of animals is becoming increasingly available.The spectacular diversity of colours and ornaments in nature has inspired biologists for centuries. But if we want to understand

19、 the function and evolution of animal colour patterns, we need to know how they are perceived by the animals themselves - or their predators. After all, camouflage and conspicuousness are in the eye of the beholder.*SmartiesTM are sugar-coated chocolates in a range of bright colours.Questions 1-4Ans

20、wer the questions below.Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.Write your answers in boxes 1-4 on your answer sheet. 1 What kind of climate do most chameleons live in? 2 Which animal caught a chameleon from an undiscovered species? 3 What was the new species named after? 4

21、Which part of the body is unique to the species Kinyongia magomberae? 4 Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 1 ? In boxes 5-13 on your answer sheet, write TRUE if the statement agrees with the information FALSE if the statement contradicts the information N

22、OT GIVEN if there is no information on this 5 Few creatures can change colour as effectively as cuttlefish. （ A）真 （ B）假 （ C） NOT GIVEN 6 Chameleons can imitate a pattern provided there are only two colours. （ A）真 （ B）假 （ C） NOT GIVEN 7 Chameleons appear to enjoy trying out new colours. （ A）真 （ B）假 （

23、 C） NOT GIVEN 8 Size matters more than colour when male chameleons compete. （ A）真 （ B）假 （ C） NOT GIVEN 9 After a fight, the defeated male hides among branches of a tree. （ A）真 （ B）假 （ C） NOT GIVEN 10 Females use colour and movement to discourage males. （ A）真 （ B）假 （ C） NOT GIVEN 11 The popular expla

24、nation of why chameleons change colour has been proved wrong. （ A）真 （ B）假 （ C） NOT GIVEN 12 There are more predators of chameleons in grassland habitats than in others. （ A）真 （ B）假 （ C） NOT GIVEN 13 Measuring animals visual systems necessitates removing them from their habitat. （ A）真 （ B）假 （ C） NOT

25、GIVEN 13 You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14-26, which are based on Reading Passage 2 below. The Pursuit of Happiness A In the late 1990s, psychologist Martin Seligman of the University of Pennsylvania urged colleagues to observe optimal moods with the same kind of focus with which the

26、y had for so long studied illnesses: we would never learn about the full range of human functions unless we knew as much about mental wellness as we do about mental illness. A new generation of psychologists built up a respectable body of research on positive character traits and happiness-boosting

27、practices. At the same time, developments in neuroscience provided new clues to what makes us happy and what that looks like in the brain. Self-appointed experts took advantage of the trend with guarantees to eliminate worry, stress, dejection and even boredom. This happiness movement has provoked a

28、 great deal of opposition among psychologists who observe that the preoccupation with happiness has come at the cost of sadness, an important feeling that people have tried to banish from their emotional repertoire. Allan Horwitz of Rutgers laments that young people who are naturally weepy after bre

29、akups are often urged to medicate themselves instead of working through their sadness. Wake Forest Universitys Eric Wilson fumes that the obsession with happiness amounts to a “craven disregard“ for the melancholic perspective that has given rise to the greatest works of art. “The happy man,“ he wri

30、tes, “is a hollow man.“ B After all, people are remarkably adaptable. Following a variable period of adjustment, we bounce back to our previous level of happiness, no matter what happens to us.(There are some scientifically proven exceptions, notably suffering the unexpected loss of a job or the los

31、s of a spouse. Both events tend to permanently knock people back a step.)Our adaptability works in two directions. Because we are so adaptable, points out Professor Sonja Lyubomirsky of the University of California, we quickly get used to many of the accomplishments we strive for in life, such as la

32、nding the big job or getting married. Soon after we reach a milestone, we start to feel that something is missing. We begin coveting another worldly possession or eyeing a social advancement. But such an approach keeps us tethered to a treadmill where happiness is always just out of reach, one toy o

33、r one step away. Its possible to get off the treadmill entirely by focusing on activities that are dynamic, surprising, and attention-absorbing, and thus less likely to bore us than, say, acquiring shiny new toys. C Moreover, happiness is not a reward for escaping pain. Russ Harris, the author of Th

34、e Happiness Trap, calls popular conceptions of happiness dangerous because they set people up for a “struggle against reality“. They dont acknowledge that real life is full of disappointments, loss, and inconveniences. “If youre going to live a rich and meaningful life,“ Harris says, “youre going to

35、 feel a full range of emotions.“ Action toward goals other than happiness makes people happy. It is not crossing the finish line that is most rewarding, it is anticipating achieving the goal. University of Wisconsin neuroscientist Richard Davidson has found that working hard toward a goal, and makin

36、g progress to the point of expecting a goal to be realised, not only activates positive feelings but also suppresses negative emotions such as fear and depression. D We are constantly making decisions, ranging from what clothes to put on, to whom we should marry, not to mention all those flavors of

37、ice cream. We base many of our decisions on whether we think a particular preference will increase our well-being. Intuitively, we seem convinced that the more choices we have, the better off we will ultimately be. But our world of unlimited opportunity imprisons us more than it makes us happy. In w

38、hat Swarthmore psychologist Barry Schwartz calls “the paradox of choice,“ facing many possibilities leaves us stressed out - and less satisfied with whatever we do decide. Having too many choices keeps us wondering about all the opportunities missed. E Besides, not everyone can put on a happy face.

39、Barbara Held, a professor of psychology at Bowdoin College, rails against “the tyranny of the positive attitude“. “Looking on the bright side isnt possible for some people and is even counterproductive,“ she insists. “When you put pressure on people to cope in a way that doesnt fit them, it not only

40、 doesnt work, it makes them feel like a failure on top of already feeling bad.“ The one-size-fits-all approach to managing emotional life is misguided, agrees Professor Julie Norem, author of The Positive Power of Negative Thinking. In her research, she has shown that the defensive pessimism that an

41、xious people feel can be harnessed to help them get things done, which in turn makes them happier. A naturally pessimistic architect, for example, can set low expectations for an upcoming presentation and review all of the bad outcomes that shes imagining, so that she can prepare carefully and incre

42、ase her chances of success. F By contrast, an individual who is not living according to their values, will not be happy, no matter how much they achieve. Some people, however, are not sure what their values are. In that case Harris has a great question: “Imagine I could wave a magic wand to ensure t

43、hat you would have the approval and admiration of everyone on the planet, forever. What, in that case, would you choose to do with your life?“ Once this has been answered honestly, you can start taking steps toward your ideal vision of yourself. The actual answer is unimportant, as long as youre liv

44、ing consciously. The state of happiness is not really a state at all. Its an ongoing personal experiment. Which paragraph mentions the following? Write the correct letter, A-F, in boxes 14-19 on your answer sheet. NB You may use any letter more than once. 14 the need for individuals to understand wh

45、at really matters to them 15 tension resulting from a wide variety of alternatives 16 the hope of success as a means of overcoming unhappy feelings 17 people who call themselves specialists 18 human beings capacity for coping with change 19 doing things which are interesting in themselves 19 Choose

46、TWO letters, A-E. Write the correct letters in boxes 20 and 21 on your answer sheet Which TWO of the following people argue against aiming for constant happiness? A Martin Seligman B Eric Wilson C Sonja Lyubomirsky D Russ Harris E Barry Schwartz 21 Choose TWO letters, A-E. Write the correct letters

47、in boxes 22 and 23 on your answer sheet. Which TWO of the following beliefs are identified as mistaken in the text? A Inherited wealth brings less happiness than earned wealth. B Social status affects our perception of how happy we are. C An optimistic outlook ensures success. D Unhappiness can and

48、should be avoided. E Extremes of emotion are normal in the young. 23 Complete the sentences below. Choose NO MORE THAN ONE WORD from the passage for each answer. Write your answers in boxes 24-26 on your answer sheet 24 In order to have a complete understanding of how peoples minds work, Martin Seli

49、gman suggested that research should examine our most positive_as closely as it does our psychological problems. 25 Soon after arriving at a_in their lives, people become accustomed to what they have achieved and have a sense that they are lacking something. 26 People who are_by nature are more likely to succeed if they make thorough preparation for a presentation. 26 You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 27-40, which are based on Reading Passage 3 below. The Deep Sea At a time when most think of outer space as the final frontier, we must remember that