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Section Ⅱ Reading Comprehension

Part A

Directions:

Read the following four texts.Answer the questions below each text by choosing A,B,C,or D. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1.(40 points)

Text 3

In the early 1960s Wilt Chamberlain was one of only three players in the National Basketball Association (NBA) listed at over seven feet.  If he had played last season, however, he would have been one of 42.  The bodies playing major professional sports have changed dramatically over the years, and managers have been more than willing to adjust team uniforms to fit the growing numbers of bigger, longer frames. 

The trend in sports,  though, may be obscuring an unrecognized reality:Americans have generally stopped growing.  Though typically about two inches taller now than 140 years ago,  today’s people—especially those born to families who have lived in the U.S. for many generations—apparently reached their limit in the early 1960s. And they aren’t likely to get any taller.“In the general population today,   at this genetic,  environmental level,  we’ve pretty much gone as far as we can go,”says anthropologist William Cameron Chumlea of Wright State University. In the case of NBA players, their increase in height appears to result from the increasingly common practice of recruiting players from all over the world.

Growth, which rarely continues beyond the age of 20, demands calories and nutrients—notably, protein—to feed expanding tissues. At the start of the 20th century, undernutrition and childhood infections got in the way. But as diet and health improved, children and adolescents have,  on average, increased in height by about an inch and a half every 20 years, a pattern known as the secular trend in height. Yet according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, average height—5′9″ for men,  5′4″ for women—hasnt really changed since 1960.

Genetically speaking, there are advantages to avoiding substantial height. During childbirth, larger babies have more difficulty passing through the birth canal. Moreover, even though humans have been upright for millions of years, our feet and back continue to struggle with bipedal posture and cannot easily withstand repeated strain imposed by oversize limbs.“There are some real constraints that are set by the genetic architecture of the individual organism, ”says anthropologist William Leonard of Northwestern University.

Genetic maximums can change, but don’t expect this to happen soon. Claire C. Gordon, senior anthropologist at the Army Research Center in Natick, Mass.,  ensures that 90 percent of the uniforms and workstations fit recruits without alteration. She says that,  unlike those for basketball, the length of military uniforms has not changed for some time. And if you need to predict human height in the near future to design a piece of equipment, Gordon says that by and large, “you could use todays data and feel fairly confident.”

31.Wilt Chamberlain is cited as an example to.

A.illustrate the change of height of NBA players

B.show the popularity of NBA players in the U.S.

C.compare different generations of NBA players

D.assess the achievements of famous NBA players

32.Which of the following plays a key role in body growth according to the text?

A.Genetic modification.B.Natural environment.

C.Living standards.D.Daily exercise.

33.On which of the following statements would the author most probably agree?

A.Non-Americans add to the average height of the nation.

B.Human height is conditioned by the upright posture.

C.Americans are the tallest on average in the world.

D.Larger babies tend to become taller in adulthood.

34.We learn from the last paragraph that in the near future. 

A.the garment industry will reconsider the uniform size.

B.the design of military uniforms will remain unchanged.

C.genetic testing will be employed in selecting sportsmen.

D.the existing data of human height will still be applicable.

35.The text intends to tell us that.

A.the change of human height follows a cyclic pattern.

B.human height is becoming even more predictable.

C.Americans have reached their genetic growth limit.

D.the genetic pattern of Americans has altered.

In the early 1960s Wilt Chamberlain was one of only three players in the National Basketball Association (NBA) listed at over seven feet. 

20世纪60年代初，威尔特·张伯伦是全国篮球协会(NBA)仅有的身高超过7英尺的三名球员之一。

【句子讲解】本句是“主语（Wilt Chamberlain）+系动词（was）+表语（one of only three players）”结构的简单句；介词短语in the National Basketball Association (NBA)和过去分词短语listed at over seven feet均作players的后置定语，介词短语In the early 1960s作时间状语。

If he had played last season, however, he would have been one of 42. 

然而，如果他参加了上个赛季的比赛，那他就是42名超过7英尺的球员之一

【句子讲解】本句是一个复合句。主句由“主语(he)+系动词(would have been)+表语(one of 42)”构成。If引导的条件状语从句作主句的条件状语；从句的主语是he，谓语是had played，last season作时间状语。however为插入语。注意，本句使用了虚拟语气，表示与过去事实相反的假设。

The bodies playing major professional sports have changed dramatically over the years, and managers have been more than willing to adjust team uniforms to fit the growing numbers of bigger, longer frames. 

过去这些年来，参加重大比赛的职业运动员身高变化显著，俱乐部经理也很乐意调整球队的制服尺寸，以适应日益增多的、身材高大的球员。

【句子讲解】本句是由and连接的并列句。分句一是“主语（The bodies）+谓语（have changed）”结构的简单句；副词dramatically作状语，修饰谓语；现在分词短语playing major professional sports作bodies的后置定语；介词短语over the years作时间状语。分句二是简单句，其主语是managers，系动词是have been，表语是more than willing，动词不定式短语to adjust team uniforms为表语补足语，动词不定式短语to fit the growing numbers of bigger, longer frames作目的状语。

【词汇注释】dramatically* ［drə'mætɪkli］  ad.显著地；戏剧性地【记】dramatic a.戏剧的；给人深刻印象的【例】Her attitude dramatically changed. 她的态度完全变了。more than willing 非常乐意(做某事)【例】She is more than willing to help the poor. 她很乐意帮助穷人。

Tips: more than+a.的用法

本句中more than willing是由more than+a.构成的，其中more than+a.= very+a.。例如：I am more than happy to read your email today. 今天收到你的邮件，我非常开心。She is more than glad to give us help when we are in trouble. 当我们遇到困难时，她很乐意帮助我们。考生应熟记此用法，可运用于写作中。

The trend in sports, though, may be obscuring an unrecognized reality: Americans have generally stopped growing. 

虽然如此，体育界人士的身高变化趋势可能掩盖了一个不为人知的事实：美国人基本上已经不再长高了。

【句子讲解】本句的主语为The trend，谓语may be obscuring使用了现在进行式，宾语为an unrecognized reality；介词短语in sports作trend的后置定语，though作插入语，冒号后的内容Americans have generally stopped growing解释说明reality。

【词汇注释】obscure* ［əb'skjʊr］  v.掩盖，使变模糊 a.费解的，模糊不清的 【例】 We can’t let these minor details obscure the main issue. 我们不能让这些枝节问题掩盖主要问题。unrecognized ［ʌn'rɛkəg'naɪzd］  a.未被意识的，不受重视的，未被认出的【词缀】词根cogn意为“认知”【例】an unrecognized reality 不为人知的事实

Though typically about two inches taller now than 140 years ago, today’s people—especially those born to families who have lived in the U.S. for many generations—apparently reached their limit in the early 

1960s. 今天的美国人，尤其是那些祖辈们已经在美国生活了很多代的美国人，他们的身高普遍比140年前高出两英寸。虽然如此，很明显这些人在20世纪60年代初已达到了身高的极限。

【句子图解】

                        

 

【要点注释】在though引导的让步状语从句中，省略了主语和系动词，其主语和主句的主语相同，补充完整应为：Though todays people are typically…。插入语中，过去分词短语born to families作后置定语，修饰those。

And they aren’t likely to get any taller. 他们不太可能长得更高了。

【句子讲解】本句是一个简单句。句子主语是they，系动词是aren’t，表语是likely，动词不定式短语to get any taller作表语likely的补足语。句首的And为连词，承接上句内容。

“In the general population today, at this genetic, environmental level, weve pretty much gone as far as we can go,” says anthropologist William Cameron Chumlea of Wright State University.

“如今，就总人口而言，在现有的基因和环境水平上，我们已经长得够高了，”莱特州立大学的人类学家威廉·卡梅隆·查姆利说。 

【句子讲解】本句是倒装句，主语是anthropologist William Cameron Chumlea，谓语是says，直接引语作says的宾语；介词短语of Wright State University作主语的后置定语。直接引语是复合句，其主句的结构为“主语（we）+谓语（have…gone）”；副词短语pretty much和副词far均作状语，修饰谓语；第一个as为副词，修饰far；第二个as为连词，引导比较状语从句，该从句的结构为“主语（we）+谓语（can go）”；介词短语In the general population today和at this genetic, environmental level均作状语。

 【词汇注释】anthropologist ［,ænθrə'pɑlədʒɪst］  n.人类学家，人类学者

In the case of NBA players, their increase in height appears to result from the increasingly common practice of recruiting players from all over the world. 

NBA球员的身高在增长，是因为他们不断地从世界各地挑选球员。

【句子讲解】本句为“主语（their increase）+系动词（appears）+表语（to result from the increasingly common practice）”结构的简单句。介词短语in height和of recruiting players分别作increase和practice的后置定语，介词短语from all over the world作recruiting players的地点状语；介词短语In the case of NBA players作状语。

【词汇注释】recruit ［rɪ'krut］  v.招募，招收 n.新兵，新成员【词组】recruit on a regular basis定期招募 recruit sb. as a spy招收某人为特工

Growth, which rarely continues beyond the age of 20, demands calories and nutrients—notably, protein—to feed expanding tissues. 

人的生长需要热量和营养(特别是蛋白质)，以满足机体组织生长的需要。一般而言，人在20岁以后就很难长高了。

【句子讲解】本句是复合句。主句的结构为“主语（Growth）+谓语（demands）+宾语（calories and nutrients）”；破折号之间的notably, protein补充说明宾语，动词不定式短语to feed expanding tissues作目的状语。which引导的非限定性定语从句，修饰Growth；从句中，which代替先行词Growth作主语，谓语是continues；副词rarely作状语，表否定；介词短语beyond the age of 20作时间状语。

【词汇注释】nutrient ［'nutrɪənt］  n.营养品，滋养物 a.营养的，滋养的【词缀】词根nutr意为“抚育，哺育”【例】Books are the nutrient of the whole world.书籍是全世界的营养品。notably* ［'notəbli］  ad.尤其，值得注意地，极大程度上【记】notable a.值得注意的，显著的 n.名人，重要人物【例】Many students were absent, notably the monitor. 许多学生缺席，特别是连班长也没来。tissue ［'tɪʃu］  n.(人、动植物)组织；纸巾【词组】nerve tissue神经组织

At the start of the 20th century, under-nutrition and childhood infections got in the way. 

20世纪初期，营养不良和儿童传染病阻碍了身高的增长。

【句子讲解】本句是简单句，主语是under-nutrition and childhood infections，谓语是got in the way。介词短语At the start of the 20th century作时间状语。

【词汇注释】get in the way 阻碍；妨碍【例】That sensitivity can sometimes get in the way of making decisions. 这种敏感有时会妨碍人们做出抉择。

But as diet and health improved, children and adolescents have, on average, increased in height by about an inch and a half every 20 years, a pattern known as the secular trend in height. 

但是，随着饮食和健康状况的改善，儿童和青少年身高平均每20年就增高约1.5英寸，这样的增长模式被称为身高增长的长期趋势。

【句子讲解】本句是复合句。主句由“主语（children and adolescents）+谓语（have…increased）”构成；介词短语on average和in height均作状语；介词短语by about an inch and a half作状语，表程度；every 20 years作时间状语。a pattern作同位语，补充说明主句；过去分词短语known as the secular trend in height作a pattern的后置定语。as引导的时间状语从句，作主句的时间状语；该从句由“主语（diet and health）+谓语（improved）”构成。句首的连词But承接上句，表转折。

【词汇注释】adolescent ［,ædə'lɛsnt］  n.青少年 a.青春期的，青少年的【记】adolescence n.青春期，青春【词组】adolescent period 青春期secular trend 长期趋势【例】This is a secular trend for emerging market. 对于新兴市场来说，这是个长期趋势。

Yet according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, average height—5′9″ for men, 5′4″ for women—hasn’t really changed since 1960. 

但是，根据疾病控制和预防中心的研究，1960年以来，男性5.9英尺、女性5.4英尺的平均身高就一直没有变化。

【句子讲解】本句是简单句，由“主语（average height）+谓语（hasn’t…changed）”构成；5′9″for men，5′4″for women作插入语，解释说明average height；副词really作状语，修饰谓语；介词短语since 1960作时间状语。介词短语according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention作状语；句首的连词Yet表转折。

【词汇注释】prevention* ［pri'vɛnʃən］  n.预防；阻止；妨碍【记】prevent v.阻止；阻碍；阻挠【例】Prevention is better than cure. 防患于未然是上策。

Genetically speaking, there are advantages to avoiding substantial height. 

从基因角度来看，避免身高过高是有好处的。

【句子讲解】本句使用了there be句型，由“there+be（are）+主语(advantages)”构成。Genetically speaking作句子的状语；to avoiding substantial height为介词短语作后置定语，修饰advantages。

During childbirth, larger babies have more difficulty passing through the birth canal. 

婴儿出生时，个头大的孩子很难通过产道。

【句子讲解】本句是“主语(larger babies)+谓语(have)+宾语(more difficulty)”结构的简单句。介词短语During childbirth作时间状语；介词短语（in）passing through the birth canal作状语，表方面。

【词汇注释】childbirth ［'tʃaɪldbɝθ］  n.分娩【例】She died in childbirth. 她生小孩时去世了。

Moreover, even though humans have been upright for millions of years, our feet and back continue to struggle with bipedal posture and cannot easily withstand repeated strain imposed  by oversize limbs. 

而且，虽然人类直立行走已有几百万年的历史，但我们的双脚和后背仍然需要努力才能维持站立的姿势，且无法承受过大的四肢所造成的持续重压。

【句子讲解】本句是复合句。主句的主语为our feet and back，and连接并列谓宾：谓语一是continue，其宾语是to struggle with bipedal posture，谓语二是cannot...withstand，其宾语是repeated strain；easily作状语，修饰谓语二；过去分词短语imposed by oversize limbs作strain的后置定语。even though引导的让步状语从句，作主句的让步状语；该从句由“主语（humans）+系动词（have been）+表语（upright）”构成，介词短语for millions of years作时间状语。句首的副词Moreover作状语，修饰整个句子。

【词汇注释】bipedal ［baɪ'pɛdəl］  a.两足动物的 n.两足动物【词组】bipedal posture 双脚站立姿势 posture ［'pɑstʃɚ］  n.姿势；态度；处理方式 v.故作姿态【记】postural a.(坐、立)姿势的【例】Back pains can be the result of bad posture. 腰背疼可能是不良姿势造成的。withstand* ［wɪð'stænd］  v.承受；经受住；抵住【例】The materials used have to be able to withstand high temperatures. 所使用的材料必须能够耐高温。impose* ［ɪm'poz］  v.将……强加于【词组】impose on/upon 强加于【例】Parents shouldn’t impose their own tastes on their children. 父母不应把自己的喜好强加给孩子。limb ［lim］  n.肢；树的主干【词组】leave sb. out on a limb弃某人于孤立无援的境地【例】He stood up and stretched his limbs. 他站起来，伸了伸胳膊和腿。

“There are some real constraints that are set by the genetic architecture of the individual organism,” says anthropologist William Leonard of Northwestern University. 

西北大学人类学家威廉·伦纳德说：“个体有机体的基因结构会对身高造成一种实质性的限制。”

【句子图解】

                         

【词汇注释】constraint ［kən'strent］  n.限制，约束；限制性的事物【记】constrain v.强迫，限制，约束【例】There is no greater evil for men than the constraint of happiness 对于人们来说，没有比约束幸福更大的罪恶了。

Genetic maximums can change, but don’t expect this to happen soon. 基因的最大值可以改变，但不能期望这种改变会很快发生。

【句子讲解】本句是一个由but连接的并列句，but表转折。分句一是“主语（Genetic maximums）+谓语（can change）”结构的简单句。分句二是祈使句，由“谓语（don’t expect）+宾语(this)+宾语补足语(to happen)”构成。副词soon作时间状语，修饰to happen。

 【词汇注释】maximum* ［ˈmæksəməm］  n.最大量, 最大限度, 极大 a.最高的，最多的，最大极限的【例】This hall holds a maximum of 100 people. 这个厅最多容纳100人。

Claire C. Gordon, senior anthropologist at the Army Research Center in Natick, Mass., ensures that 90 percent of the uniforms and workstations fit recruits without alteration. 

，90%的军装尺码和工作站不用调整就可以供新兵使用。

【句子讲解】本句是复合句。主句的主语为Claire C. Gordon，谓语是ensures，that引导的宾语从句作ensures的宾语；名词短语senior anthropologist作主语的同位语，介词短语at the Army Research Center in Natick, Mass.作senior anthropologist的后置定语。宾语从句的结构为“主语（90 percent of the uniforms and workstations）+谓语（fit）+宾语（recruits）”，介词短语without alteration作状语。

【词汇注释】alteration ［,ɔltə'reʃən］  n.变更，改变【例】My coat needs alteration. 我的上衣需要改改。

She says that, unlike those for basketball, the length of military uniforms has not changed for some time. 

她说，和篮球队服不同，军装的长度已有好长时间没有改变了。

【句子讲解】本句是复合句。主句的主语为She，谓语为says，that引导的宾语从句作says的宾语。宾语从句中，主语为the length of military uniforms，谓语has not changed使用了现在完成式，介词短语unlike those for basketball作状语，介词短语for some time作时间状语。

And if you need to predict human height in the near future to design a piece of equipment, Gordon says that by and large, “you could use today’s data and feel fairly confident.” 

如果你要预测人类在不远的将来的身高以设计一套装备的话，戈登说，一般情况下，“你可以非常自信地使用今天的数据。”

【句子图解】

               

    

【词汇注释】by and large 一般而言，大体上；总的说来【例】By and large, Tom enjoyed his time in China. 总的来说，汤姆在中国玩得很开心。

答案是：36~40 DBCAB

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