Question

5．For centuries，in the countries of south and Southeast Asia，the elephant has been an important part of the culture，economy and religion．And nowhere more so than in Thailand．Unlike its African cousin，the Asian elephant is easily domesticated（馴化）．The rare so-called white elephants have actually lent the power of royalty to its rulers，and until the 1920s the national flag was a white elephant on a red background．To the early Western visitors，the  country's romantic name was"Land of the White Elephant"．
Today，however，the story is very different．Out of work and out of land，the Thai elephant   struggles for survival in a nation that no longer needs it． The elephant has found itself more or less deserted by previous owners who have moved on to a different economic world and a society in  the western part．And while the elephant's problems began many years ago，now it has a very low  national advantage．
How does the national symbol turn into ignored animals？It is a story of worse environment and the changing lives of the Thais themselves．According to Richard Lair，Thailand's expert on  the Asian elephant and author of the report Gone Astray，at the turn of the  last century，there may well have been as many as 100，000 national elephants in the country．
In the north of Thailand alone，it was estimated （估計） that more than 20，000 elephants were employed in transport，1，000 of them alone on the road between the cities of Chiang Mai and Chiang Saen．     
This was at a time when 90 percent of Thailand was still forest--a habitat that not only supported the animals but also made them necessary to carry goods and people．Nothing ploughs through thick forest better than lots of sure-footed elephants．
By 1950 the elephant population had dropped，but still to the number of 13，397．However，today there-are probably no more than 3，800，with another l，350 wandering free in the national parks．But now，Thailand's forest covers only 20 percent of the land．This deforestation（采伐森林） is the central point of the elephant's difficult situation，for it has effectively put the animals out of work．This century，as the road network grew，the elephant's role as a beast of Burden decreased．
41．What can we know about African elephants from the passage？B
A．It is easy to domesticate them．
B．It is hard to domesticate them．
C．They are living a better life than Asian elephants．
D．Their fate is quite similar to that of Asian elephants．
42．Thailand was once called"Land of the White Elephant"becauseA
A．white elephant was a national symbol until the 1920s
B．white elephant is rarely seen and thus very special
C．white elephant has helped kings to gain the ruling authority
D．this name was so romantic that it was popular among visitors
43．Why is the Thai elephant"out of work"，according to the author？D
A．Because there are too many elephants but too few jobs．
B．Because the elephants can't do labor work any longer．
C．Because the government pays little attention to the problem．
D．Because the elephants are no longer useful to their owners．
44．Which of the following statements is TRUE about the elephant population at various times？D
A．There were 100，000 domesticated elephants at the turn of the last century．
B．20，000 elephants were employed in transport in Thailand at the turn of the century．
C．By 1950 the elephant population in Thailand has been quite small．
D．Today the elephant population is estimated at 5，150．
45．The passage is most probably fromC
A．a travel magazine                                      
B．a history book
C．a research report                    
D．an official announcement．

Answer 1

分析 文章介紹了亞洲象的現狀．在泰國，亞洲象在歷史上有很高的地位，曾經是國家的象征．但現在，因為很多原因，亞洲象的數量急速下降，大象作為最能負重的動物形象漸漸消失在人們的印象里．

解答 答案：41．B 推理判斷題．文章第一段說Unlike its African cousin，the Asian elephant is easily domesticated和非洲近親不同，亞洲象很容易馴化．可以推斷出非洲象不容易馴化．故選B．
42．A 細節判斷題．根據文章第一中的"until the 1920s the national flag was a white elephant on a red background．"可知當時白象是泰國的國家象征．故選A．
43．D 細節判斷題．文章有幾處解釋了大象失業的原因，如第二段中的"a nation that no longer needs it （Thai elephant）"及最后一段的最后一句"the elephant's role as a beast of burden declined"．故選D．
44．D 事實細節題．此題考查的是大象數量變化的情況．四個選項中的數字惟有選項D沒有直接出現，但根據第四段很容易推算出來（3800+1350）．故選D．
45．C 推理判斷題．從本文所用的大量客觀的數據和數字可以推斷這是一篇研究報告．本文趣味性不足，因此不能選A．選項B不能選，是因為歷史書不可能如此大篇幅的描述大象的問題．選項D也不是正確答案，因為政府公告通常是一些規定，而不是客觀的陳述．

點評 閱讀理解是考查語篇理解能力．常考的題型有：推理判斷題；主旨大意題；細節理解題；猜測詞意題．近幾年又出現了兩種新的考查方式：寫作態度判斷題和文章結構題．解題時，在讀懂文章的基礎上，還有特別注意掌握題型的特征，尤其是細節題和推斷題不可混淆：細節題是文章信息的再現；推斷題是文章信息的提取．本題是廣告類文章，考查主要是以細節題為主，細節題要注意常用的出題陷阱有：夸大，縮小，張冠李戴，偷梁換柱，無中生有等，做題時要看清看準．