天津市宁河县2014高考英语阅读理解训练（3）及答案（解析）阅读理解TheTibetanPlateau(青藏高原)istheworld'shighestplace.It'sfourtimesthesizeofFranceandhometomostoftheworld'shighestmountains.Asyoumightexpect,it'scoldthere.AnditmaybethatthedeepchilloftheTibetanPlateauplayedaroleintheevolutionofsomeoftheworld'smostcharismatic(魅力十足的)animals.That'sthebeliefofascientistwhodiscoveredtheskullofawoollyrhino(长毛犀)ontheTibetanPlateau.Thewoollyrhino—twotons,twotusks,lotsofhairandlotsofattitude—wasanIceAgegiant.ItlivedwithotherIceAgebeastsinEuropeandAsia,startingabout2.5millionyearsago.ButXiaomingWang,fromtheNaturalHistoryMuseumofLosAngelesCounty,wasshockedwhenhefounda3.5-million-year-oldrhinoskull(头骨化石)ontheTibetanPlateau."ItcaughtusbycompletesurprisethattheyareactuallyupinthehighplateauwellbeforetheIceAgehasstarted,"Wangsays.That'saboutamillionyearsbeforetheIceAgestarted,infact.WangthinkshisdiscoveryshowsthatatleastsomeanimalswerepreparedfortheIceAge."Atleastinthecaseofthewoollyrhino,itactuallyadapteditselfinthecoldenvironmentintheTibetanPlateaubeforetheIceAgehasevenstarted,"Wangsays."Theanimalactuallyuseditsheadtosweepsnow,"Wangexplains,"sotheycangetatthevegetationbelowthesnowcover."SoWangthinksthePlateauwasasortofevolutionarycradle(摇篮)forcold-weatheranimals.Whentherestoftheworldeventuallyicedup,theymovedoutofTibetandtookover.AnthonyBarnosky,apaleontologistattheUniversityofCalifornia,Berkeley,saysevennow,theseisolated"cradles"areimportantforevolution(进化)."Theinterestingthing,"Barnoskysays,"isonEarthtodaywehavebiodiversity(生物多样性)isolatedincertainspots,andwejustneverknowwhichofthoseisolatedplaceswillbethecradleofevolutionforthenextbigenvironmentalchangecomingdownthepike(出现)."Theonlyproblemisthattobeready,youhavetoknowwhatthenextenvironmentwillbelike.Orjustbeverylucky.16.Theunderlinedword"chill"inPara.2couldbereplacedas___________.A.holeB.coldC.shapeD.lake17.WhichisNOTtrueaboutthewoollyrhinos(长毛犀)ontheTibetanPlateau?A.TheywereIceAgegiantswithtwotusks,lotsofhairandlotsofattitude.B.TheyhadlivedontheTibetanPlateaubeforetheIceAgehasstarted.C.Theywereabletosweepsnowwiththeirheads.D.Theyhardlyadaptedthemselvesinthecoldenvironment.18.WhatdidAnthonyBarnoskythinkoftheisolated"cradles"?A.Theyadaptedthecoldweather.B.Theyplayedanimportantroleinevolution.C.Itwashardtoknowwhethertheywouldchange.D.Itwaslucktochangethenextbigenvironmental.19.Theresearchmightappearinthe.A.journalscienceB.newspaperC.EnglishtextbookD.blog20.Fromthepassage,wecaninferthat_________.A.Facingthecold,theanimalscontinuouslyevolvedB.XiaomingWangworksintheUSAC.BothWangandBarnoskyarepaleontologistsD.AChinesescientistdiscoveredtheskullofawoollyrhino【参考答案】16—20、BDBAA阅读理解（共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。AInSingapore,mostofuslovewindow-shoppingwhilesomeothersenjoyhavingapicnicatEastCoastParkorChangiBeachonsunnydays.Singaporeansareneverbotheredbytheoccasionalthunderstorm.However,weknowthatifitrainsforlongcontinuousperiods,therewillbemoreseriouseffects.JustrecentlythemainshoppingstreetofOrchardRoadwasfloodedandsomepartofBukitTimahwasimpassabletotraffic.Peoplereactedbywritingintothenewspapertocomplainaboutthis!Weforgetthatothercountriessuffermuchworseeffects.Elsewhere,heavytropical（热带的）stormsoftenresultinflood...
