Question

Cause and effect is one way to explain things that happen around us. Many things happen because something caused or influenced them to happen. Sometimes it is hard to look at a cause and find out what causes the effect. It may help you to start with the effect and use your reasoning (推理的) skills. Think about all the things you know that could be reasons for the effect you can see.

For example，you may see someone putting on a heavy jacket. This is the effect. To look for a cause, think to yourself, “What would make someone put on a heavy jacket?” Maybe the person is going outside into very cold weather. Maybe the person works in the penguin pen (企鹅圈养地) at Sea World. Maybe the person is going to visit an ice skating rink where the air is kept very cold. All of these things could be a cause for putting on a heavy jacket.

Now, think about a second example. The effect is a boy named Tony has to go to the head teacher’s office. What are the possible causes? Maybe he fought with another student. Maybe he is just being picked up early. Maybe he is being given a prize!

Here is another example for you to think about its cause and effect. Carol，13，was trying to fall asleep when her 8­-year­-old brother, Doug, came into her room. He looked around a bit，but seemed really out of it. Then Doug went back into the hallway and stood there looking straight up at the hall light for quite a while. Little brothers can be very strange，but this was really much too strange. Carol didn’t know what to do. Just then, Carol’s father appeared and explained that Doug was sleepwalking. What’s the cause and effect, could you tell?

1.According to the second paragraph，which of the following is an effect?

A. Someone puts on a heavy jacket.

B. Someone works in the penguin pen.

C. Someone will go outside into cold weather.

D. Someone will go to visit an ice skating rink.

2.Tony has to go to the head teacher’s office. Which of the following isn’t the possible cause?

A. He fought with another student. B. He is going shopping.

C. He is being picked up early. D. He is being given a prize.

3.What was Doug doing when his sister Carol tried to fall asleep?

A. He was going outside. B. He was reading a story.

C. He was sleepwalking. D. He was looking for his dad.

4.Which of the following is cause and effect?

A. Tony got up and had a glass of water.

B. We came home and found him sleeping.

C. The ball was lost and a window was broken.

D. Tim was late again and his teacher got angry.

Answer 1

1.A

2.B

3.C

4.D

【解析】

试题分析：这篇短文中作者主要以几个事例为基础，具体分析了事情之间的因果关系。

1.第二段“For example, you may see someone putting on a heavy jacket. This is the effect.”的描述可知，B、C、D的叙述不符合原文内容，有人穿厚厚的夹克符合原文内容，故选A。

2.短文第三段“Maybe he fought with another student. Maybe he is just being picked up early. Maybe he is being given a prize! ”的描述可知，他打算去购物，不是被叫去办公室的原因。故选B。

3.细节理解题。根据短文最后一段“Cait’s father appeared and explained that Doug was sleepwalking.”的描述可知，道格正在梦游。故选C。

4.根据短文描述可知，起床和喝水之间没有因果关系，我们回家和发现他正在睡觉不是因果关系，球丢失了和窗户被打碎也不是因果关系。蒂姆又迟到了和他的老师生气了是因果关系，故选D。

考点：科普类短文阅读。