Question

People turn to magic(魔力)chiefly as a form of insurance--that is, they use it along with actions that actually bring results. For example, hunters may use a hunting charm(咒語). But they also use their hunting skills and knowledge of animals. The charm may give hunters the extra confidence they need to hunt even more successfully than they would without it. If they shoot a lot of game(獵物), they credit the charm for their success. Many events happen naturally without magic. Crops grow without it, and sick people get well without it. But if people use magic to bring a good harvest or to cure a patient, they may believe the magic was responsible. 

People also tend to forget magic's failures and to be impressed by its surface successes. They may consider magic successful if it appears to work only 10 per cent of the time. Even when magic fails, people often explain the failure without doubting the power of the magic. They may say that the magician made a mistake in reciting the spell or that another magician cast a more powerful spell against the magician.

Many anthropologists(人類學家) believe that people have faith in magic because they feel a need to believe in it. People may turn to magic to reduce their fear and uncertainty if they feel they have no control over the outcome of a situation. For example, farmers use knowledge and skill when they plant their fields. But they know that weather, insects, or diseases might ruin the crops. So farmers in some societies may also plant a charm or perform a magic rite to ensure a good harvest.

16.From the passage, we can learn that the writer of the passage may be _______.

A. a hunter     B. a farmer     C. a magician    D. an anthropologist

17.Which of the following can best serve as the title of the passage?

A. Magic and Hunting.          B. Magic and Farming.

C. Why Magic Works?          D. Why People Believe in Magic?

18. The underlined word “spell”(Paragraph 2) most likely means______.

A. magic words.    B. magic events.    C. words or expressions     D. magicians.

19. People believe in magic because________.

A. magic powers are greater than natural powers

B. magic can turn dreams into reality

C. they are not sure of themselves  

D. magic can bring good results

20. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?

A. Even though magic fails, believers in magic will explain the reason.

B. Believers in magic usually overstate the power of magic.

C. People use magic to reduce their uncertainty and give them extra confidence

D. Magic can solve problems people can’t deal with in a natural way.

Answer 1

16.D；17.D；18.A19.C；20.D；

解析:

16.D本題考查把握作者態度的能力。有些人為什么相信魔法咒語呢？魔法咒語真的靈驗嗎？這些人相信魔法咒語是因為他們缺乏自信。作者以人類學家的科學眼光分析了這種社會現象。

17.D本題考查概括文章主旨大意的能力。全文主要介紹了人們為什么相信咒語。

18.A本題考查根據上下文猜測詞義的能力。同形異義詞需要根據上下文語境確定其具體意義，不可受原先熟悉詞義的約束。文中第二段的“spell”與“拼寫”無關而是指“咒語”,相當于上文的charm。

19.C細節理解題。根據第三段第二句話，人們相信魔法咒語是因為人們需要相信它。當人們無法控制情況的后果時，就可能轉向尋求魔法咒語來減輕自己的恐懼或不安,也就是人們缺乏自信。

20.D正誤判斷題。D項意思為：咒語可以解決人們用自然的方式不能解決的問題。但文章內容可知，咒語只是人們解決問題時的一種寄托和心理安慰，并不能真正地幫助解決問題，故D項表述錯誤。其他三項均可以從文中找到相應的依據。