Question

【题目】 Like clockwork, nearly every fourth February includes one extra day. February 29th, otherwise known as Leap Day, isn’t exactly a holiday. Instead, it’s there to keep your calendar consistent with the earth’s rotation (旋转) around the sun.

According to History, com, Roman emperor Julius Caesar is the “father” of Leap Year. Until he came along, people used a 355-day calendar, which was 10.25 days shorter than the solar year. Roman officials were supposed add an extra month every now and then to keep the seasons exactly where they should be. But that didn’t work out all that well. When special occasions started shifting into different seasons around 45 BCE, Caesar consulted with astronomers and decreed (下令) that the empire should use a 12-month, 365-day calendar, which he named after himself, Caesar’s Julian calendar included a Leap Day every four years.

Though Leap Day keeps your calendar in line with the earth’s rotation around the sun, it causes a different kind of problem for leapsters. When should these February 29th babies celebrate their birthdays during the other three-quarters of their lives? Some party on February 28th, while others prefer a two-day celebration that spans the last day of February and the first day of March.

Leap Day can be a nuisance in the legal system. In 2006, a court in Massachusetts was deciding whether criminal John Melo could be released a day early since his 10-year sentence included a Leap Day. In the case, the judge decided that since the man was sentenced to prison for years, not days. Leap Day didn’t make a bit of difference.

Though a few timekeepers have pushed for calendars that don’t include Leap Day, almost all astronomers and societies agree that Leap Day is the best method to keep the calendar on track.

【1】Why was Leap Day created?

A.To celebrate special occasions.B.To honor Emperor Julius Caesar.

C.To keep pace with the solar year.D.To keep track of all the seasons.

【2】What is the problem with the birthday celebration of February 29th babies?

A.It is sometimes delayed.B.It lasts at least two days.

C.It has to be held every other year.D.It may take place on different dates.

【3】What does the underlined word “nuisance” in Paragraph 4 mean?

A.Joke.B.Topic.

C.Trouble.D.Mistake.

【4】what is the attitude of most astronomers towards Leap Day?

A.Critical.B.Supportive.

C.Doubtful.D.Cautious.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】C

【2】D

【3】C

【4】B

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。文章主要说明了2月29日，也被称为闰日，并不是一个真正的节日。相反，设立闰日是为了与太阳年保持同步。文章说明了设立闰日的起源，以及给人们日常生活所带来的一些影响。

【1】细节理解题。根据第一段中Instead, it’s there to keep your calendar consistent with the earth’s rotation around the sun.可知，相反，它的存在是为了让你的日历与地球围绕太阳的自转保持一致。由此可知，设立闰日是为了与太阳年保持同步。故选C。

【2】细节理解题。根据第三段中Some party on February 28th, while others prefer a two-day celebration that spans the last day of February and the first day of March.可知，一些人在2月28日举行聚会，而另一些人则喜欢在2月的最后一天和3月的第一天举行为期两天的庆祝活动。由此可知，2月29日婴儿的生日庆祝可能发生在不同的日期。故选D。

【3】词义猜测题。根据后文In 2006, a court in Massachusetts was deciding whether criminal John Melo could be released a day early since his 10-year sentence included a Leap Day. In the case, the judge decided that since the man was sentenced to prison for years, not days.可知，2006年，马萨诸塞州的一家法院决定是否提前一天释放罪犯John Melo，因为他的10年刑期包括闰日。在这起案件中，法官判定，由于这名男子被判入狱按年计算，而不是按天。由此可知，在法律体系中，闰日可能是个麻烦事。划线单词意思为“麻烦”。故选C。

【4】推理判断题。根据最后一段Though a few timekeepers have pushed for calendars that don’t include Leap Day, almost all astronomers and societies agree that Leap Day is the best method to keep the calendar on track.可知，虽然有少数计时员力推不包括闰日的日历，但几乎所有的天文学家和社会团体都认为，闰日是让日历走上正轨的最佳方法。由此可推知，大多数天文学家认为闰日很重要。故选B。

词义猜测题是高考阅读理解中常考题型之一，可以大致分为

①定义猜词，可以根据定义信息和举例猜测词义。如文中常用refer to, be called或that’s to say, such as等。

②逻辑猜词可以根据同义词、反义词、因果关系词等猜测词义，例如，similarly, the same as, but, however, while, on the other hand, since ,because等，所猜词与这些提示词前/后面部分的含义一样、相反或是前因后果。

③语法猜词，可以根据构词法，再结合上下文进行猜词。

④语境猜词，猜测词义离不开上下文的语境，通过上下文提供的情景和线索进行合理的分析，同时还要关注其所在的整段及整篇文章。

⑤指代猜词即找出人称代词、指示代词、关系代词或关系副词等所指代的内容，做题时要注意指代词的位置，以便于判断，然后用所找的指代内容替换划线代词，核实其逻辑、意义、位置等是否一致，最后比较所找部分与选项，确定意思最接近的选项。

如第3小题，根据后文In 2006, a court in Massachusetts was deciding whether criminal John Melo could be released a day early since his 10-year sentence included a Leap Day. In the case, the judge decided that since the man was sentenced to prison for years, not days.可知，2006年，马萨诸塞州的一家法院决定是否提前一天释放罪犯John Melo，因为他的10年刑期包括闰日。在这起案件中，法官判定，由于这名男子被判入狱按年计算，而不是按天。由此可知，在法律体系中，闰日可能是个麻烦事。划线单词意思为“麻烦”。故选C。