巴朗Barron第一套模考题阅读部分.docx

1、巴朗Barron第一套模考题阅读部分1.1 BeowulfHistorical BackgroundThe epic poem Beowulf, written in Old English, is the earliest existing Germanic epic and one of four surviving Anglo-Saxon manuscripts. Although Beowulf was written by an anonymous Englishman in Old English, the tale takes place in that part of Scan

2、dinavia from which Germanic tribes emigrated to England. Beowulf comes from Geatland, the southeastern part of what is now Sweden. Hrothgar, king of the Danes, lives near what is now Leire, on Zealand, Denmarks largest island. The Beowulf epic contains three major tales about Beowulf and several min

3、or tales that reflect a rich Germanic oral tradition of myths, legends, and folklore.The Beowulf warriors have a foot in both the Bronze and Iron Ages. Their mead-halls reflect the wealthy living of the Bronze Age Northmen, and their wooden shields, wood-shafted spears, and bronze-hilted swords are

4、those of the Bronze Age warrior. However, they carry iron-tipped spears, and their best swords have iron or iron-edged blades. Beowulf also orders an iron shield for his fight with a dragon. Iron replaced bronze because it produced a blade with a cutting edge that was stronger and sharper. The North

5、men learned how to forge iron in about 500 B.C. Although they had been superior to the European Celts in bronze work, it was the Celts who taught them how to make and design iron work. Iron was accessible everywhere in Scandinavia, usually in the form of “bog-iron” found in the layers of peat in pea

6、t bogs. The Beowulf epic also reveals interesting aspects of the lives of the Anglo-Saxons who lived in England at the time of the anonymous Beowulf poet. The Germanic tribes, including the Angles, the Saxons, and the Jutes, invaded England from about A.D. 450 to 600.By the time of the Beowulf poet

7、,Anglo-Saxon in English was neither primitive nor uncultured. Although the Beowulf manuscript was written in about A.D. 1000, it was not discovered until the seventeenth century. B Scholars do not know whether Beowulf is the sole surviving epic from a flourishing Anglo-Saxon literary period that pro

8、duced other great epics or whether it was unique even in its own time. C Many scholars think that the epic was probably written sometime between the late seventh century and the early ninth century. If they are correct, the original manuscript was probably lost during the ninth-century Viking invasi

9、ons of Anglia, in which the Danes destroyed the Anglo-Saxon monasteries and their great libraries. However, other scholars think that the poets favorable attitude toward the Danes must place the epics composition after the Viking invasions and at the start of the eleventh century, when this Beowulf

10、manuscript was written. The identity of the Beowulf poet is also uncertain. D He apparently was a Christian who loved the pagan heroic tradition of his ancestors and blended the values of the pagan hero with the Christian values of his own country and time. Because he wrote in the Anglian dialect, h

11、e probably was either a monk in a monastery or a poet in an Anglo-Saxon court located north of the Thames River. Appeal and Value Beowulf interests contemporary readers for many reasons. First, it is an outstanding adventure story. Grendel, Grendels mother, and the dragon are marvelous characters, a

12、nd each fight is unique, action-packed, and exciting. Second, Beowulf is a very appealing hero. He is the perfect warrior, combining extraordinary strength, skill, courage, and loyalty. Like Hercules, he devotes his life to making the world a safer place. He chooses to risk death in order to help ot

13、her people, and he faces his inevitable death with heroism and dignity. Third, the Beowulf poet is interested in the psychological aspects of human behavior. For example, the Danish heros welcoming speech illustrates his jealousy of Beowulf. The behavior of Beowulfs warriors in the dragon fight reve

14、als their cowardice. Beowulfs attitudes toward heroism reflect his maturity and experience, while King Hrothgars attitudes toward life show the experiences of an aged nobleman.Finally, the Beowulf poet exhibits a mature appreciation of the transitory nature of human life and achievement. In Beowulf,

15、 as in the major epics of other cultures, the hero must create a meaningful life in a world that is often dangerous and uncaring. He must accept the inevitability of death. He chooses to reject despair; instead, he takes pride in himself and in his accomplishments, and he values human relationships.

16、1. According to paragraph 1, which of the following is true about Beowulf?A. It is the only manuscript from the Anglo-Saxon period.B. The original story was written in a German dialect.C. The author did not sign this name to the poem.D. It is one of several epics from the first century.2. The word w

17、hich in the passage refers toA. taleB. ScandinaviaC. manuscriptsD. Old English3. Why does the author mention “bog-iron” in paragraph 2?A. To demonstrate the availability of iron in ScandinaviaB. To prove that iron was better than bronze for weaponsC. To argue that the Celts provided the materials to

18、 make iron.D. To suggest that 500 B.C. was the date that the Iron Age began.4. Which of the sentences below best expresses the information in the highlighted statement in the passage? The other choices change the meaning or leave out important information.A. Society in Anglo-Saxons was both advanced

19、 and cultured.B. The society of the Anglo-Saxons was not primitive or cultured.C. The Anglo-Saxons had a society that was primitive, not cultured.D. English during the Anglo-Saxon society was advanced, not cultured.5. The word unique in the passage is closet in meaning toA. oldB. rareC. perfectD. we

20、ak6. According to paragraph 4, why do many scholars believe that the original manuscript for Beowulf was lost?A. Because it is not like other manuscripts.B. Because many libraries were burned.C. Because the Danes were allies of the Anglo-SaxonsD. Because no copies were found of the monasteries7. In

21、paragraph 4, the author suggests that Beowulf was discovered in theA. first centuryB. ninth centuryC. eleven centuryD. seventeenth century8. Why does the author of this passage use the word “apparently” in paragraph 5?A. He is not certain that the author of Beowulf was a Christian.B. He is mentionin

22、g facts that are obvious to the readers.C. He is giving an example from a historical reference.D. He is introducing evidence about the author of Beowulf.9. The author compared the Beowulf character to Hercules becauseA. they are both example of the ideal heroB. their adventures with a dragon are ver

23、y similarC. the speeches that they make are inspiringD. they lived at about the same time10. The word exhibits in the passage is closet in meaning toA. createsB. demonstratesC. assumesD. terminates11. The word reject in the passage is closet in meaning toA. manageB. evaluateC. refuseD. confront12. L

24、ook at the four squares that show where the following sentence could be inserted in the passage.Moreover, they disagree as to whether this Beowulf is a copy of an earlier manuscript.Where could the sentence best be added?Click on a square to insert the sentence in the passage.13. Directions: An intr

25、oduction for a short summary of the passage appears below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that mention the most important points in the passage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not included in the passage or are minor points

26、 from the passage.This question is worth 2 points.Beowulf is the oldest Anglo-Saxon epic poem that has survived to the present day. Answer ChoicesA. The Northmen were adept in crafting tools and weapons made of bronze, but the Celts ere superior in designing and working in iron.B. In the Viking inva

27、sions of England, the Danish armies destroyed monasteries, some of which contained extensive libraries.C. King Hrothgar and Beowulf become friends at the end of their lives, after having spent decades opposing each other on the battlefield.D. The poem chronicles life in Anglo-Saxon society during th

28、e Bronze and Iron Ages when Germanic tribes were invading England.E. Although Beowulf was written by an anonymous poet, probably a Christian, about 1000A.D., it was not fould until the seventeenth century.F. Beowulf is still interesting because it has engaging characters, and adventures plot, and an

29、 appreciation for human behavior and relationships.1.2 ThermoregulationMammals and birds generally maintain body temperature within a narrow range (3638C for most mammals and 3942C for most birds) that is usually considerably warmer than the environment. Because heat always flows from a warm object

30、to cooler surroundings, birds and mammals must counteract the constant heat loss. This maintenance of warm body temperature depends on several key adaptations. The most basic mechanism is the high metabolic rate of endothermy itself. Endotherms can produce large amounts of metabolic heat that replac

31、e the flow of heat to the environment, and they can vary heat production to match changing rates of heat loss. Heat production is increased by such muscle activity as moving or shivering. In some mammals, certain hormones can cause mitochondria to increase their metabolic activity and produce heat i

32、nstead of ATP. This nonshivering thermogenesis (NST) takes place throughout the body, but some mammals also have a tissue called brown fat in the neck and between the shoulders that is specialized for rapid heat production. Through shivering and NST, mammals and birds in cold environments can increase their metabolic heat production by as much as 5 to 10 times above the minimal levels that occur in warm conditions.Another major thermoregulatory adaptation that evolved in mammals and birds is insul