IV. Reading Comprehension ( 60 points)

Directions:There are five reading passages in this part. Each passage is followed by fourquestions. For each question there are four suggested answers marked A, B, C and D. Chooseone best answer and blacken the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet.

Passage one

I talk to strangers for a living and love the challenge of getting their stories published in newspapers.I've been married for years，but until six months ago，I could be a typical absent—minded husband.Often l was just nodding when l was supposed to.When my wife asked，“Did you even hear what I just said?”1 would defensively say，“of course I did!”

In January，I began to lose my voice.Doctors told me I needed surgery，or my throat would be permanently damaged.Total silence would be required for the first few weeks of my recovery.

Two hours after the surgery，my eyes filled with tears as my two-year-old son looked puzzled because l wouldn’t answer his questions.I wanted to talk but couldn’t.Luckily，I'd recorded myself reading some of his favorite books.That would come in handy the next couple of weeks.

It had never left.I'd just stopped noticing.I found myself understanding her better on topics I'd previously dismissed as “things I just don’t get as a guy”.I also realized my son wasn’t just talking nonstop but that he often had thoughtful things to say.Even while walking my dog in the woods near our home，I began hearing pleasant patterns in birdsongs.Before my surgery，I'd have spent those walks on my phone.

After several weeks，I was fully recovered. Conversation in our house is better now，not because I'm talking more.I’m just listening better and becoming less and less surprised that I like what I hear.

第36題單選 According to the passage，the author is most likely a __________ .

A.driver

B.teacher

C.doctor

D.Journalist

參考答案：D

第37題單選 What does the wife mean by asking “Did you even hear what I just said? ”in Paragraph 1 ?

A.Yon should listen to me.

B.You didn’t want to talk with me.

C.You should tell me what I said just now.

D.You didn’t have to nod while you were listening.

參考答案：A

第38題單選 What is true of the author after the surgery?

A.He was required to keep silent for the first few months

B.He was worried about his recovery after the surgery.

C.He was unable to communicate with his son.

D.He was unwilling to talk to his wife.

參考答案：C

第39題單選 What did the author realize after the surgery?

A.His wife was a talkative woman.

B.His house was full of pleasant talks.

C.His son didn’t like talking.

D.His dog liked pleasant birdsongs.

參考答案：B

Passage Two

Coconut(椰子)is an unusual food for many reasons.It is one of the largest edible seeds produced by any plant.Its unusual contents also make it unique in the seed world—it consists of both “meat“ and “water” inside.The coconut meat is the white substance with which we are all familiar，as it is used extensively for cooking and flavorings;the coconut water is a white and sweet liquid.Portuguese(葡萄牙的)

explorers gave the nut its name in the l5th century, referring to it as coco，meaning “ghost” in their language.The outside appearance of coconuts reminded them of a ghost’s face，and the tree has had that name ever since.

The coconut has varied uses.It is used to make various cooking oils for fast food restaurants around the world to make diet materials.The coconut fluid is a favorite drink in hot climates，providing a cool and refreshing beverage right off the tree.This water is also used by manufacturers of various sports drinks.Even the shell itself has many uses，including animal food and fertilizer.

And all these are only some of the uses found for the coconut fruit.The coconut tree， which produces the nut，also produces many useful things.It’s no wonder that the coconut tree has been taken as “the tree of life”.

第40題單選 What does the underlined word“edible’in Paragraph 1 mean?

A.Visible.

B.Collectible.

C.Available

D.Eatable.

參考答案：D

第41題單選 The coconut got its name because of __________ .

A.its hard shell

B.its white color

C.its ghostlike appearance

D.its round shape

參考答案：C

第42題單選 What is the passage mainly about?

A.The history of coconut.

B.Uses of coconut.

C.The discovery of coconut.

D.Types of coconut seeds

參考答案：B

第43題單選 What can be learned from the passage?

A.Coconut trees are useful plants.

B.Coconut oil is rare and expensive.

C.Coconut trunks are houses for birds.

D.Coconut fluid can become fertilizer.

參考答案：A