Question

B  [2015 .江西省重点中学高三二模] 

No joke_: researchers say we are moving away from per?sonal ? real-world pranks and into a world of media-driven jokes and Internet boredom. Does this spell the end of April Fools' Day as we know it?

    Though pranksters (恶作剧的人)and joke-lovers in many countries now gleefully prepare to trick friends and loved ones on April Fool's Day, no one knows exactly when or why, or even where, this tradition began.

The importance of this day of prank-pulling freedom is no laughing matter. It's integral (完整的)to American cul?ture. A day of funny is important to society, and also helps humans bond. Researchers say our reaction on comedy is changing, though. And that may mean fewer pranks in the future.

"The usual pranks that we would see 50 years ago are much less common," Gary Alan Fine, a sociologist at North?western University in Illinois, told LiveScience. "I think we are seeing the decline of interpersonal pranks.，，

"At one time, pranking played a bigger role in American society. Some of the pranking was also very harmful," Jo?seph Bo skin, a professor retired from history at Boston Uni?versity, told LiveScience.

This type of harmful prank-playing was usually directed towards marginalized(使边缘化)sections of society. "Pranks have played a very big role in this situation, so I'm glad that the prankster part of it has declined, but the making fun of life in general goes on," Boskin said.

"The big problem is knowing where to draw the line be?tween playful pranks and meanness close to bullying," Fine said.

"Practical jokes of a certain sort shade into bullying, they shade into meanness and we are very concerned as a soci?ety about meanness," Fine said. "Finding out what that point is, is difficult for a society. And traditional pranking may be left out in the cold," Fine said.

5. Who will be made fun of on April Fool's Day?

 A.     Strangers.

B.     Friends and loved ones.

C.     Old men.

D.     Neighbours.

6. What does the underlined part in Paragraph 3 mean?

 A.     Serious affairs.

B.     Boring things.

C.     Funny matters.

D.     Foolish matters.

7. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?

 A.     April Fool's Day is part of American culture.

B.     No one knows exactly where the tradition of April Fool's Day began.

C.     Pranksters and joke-lovers usually trick friends on April Fool's Day.

D.     There'll be more pranks in the future.

8.What's Boskin's attitude towards the decline of pranks?
A. Doubtful.                             B. Objective.

C.  Positive.                            D. Indifferent.

Answer 1

B [文章大意]这是一篇读报笔记。研究人员表示，我们与切身的现实生活中的恶作剧渐行渐远，正走进充斥媒体炒作的笑话和网络无聊蠢事的世界。这是否意味着我们所熟知的愚人节的消亡呢？

5.B细节理解题。根据文中"Though pranksters(恶作剧的人）and joke-lovers in many countries now gleefully prepare to trick friends and loved ones on April Fool's Day..."可知，尽管;f艮多国家的恶作剧者和笑话达人正兴高采烈地准备在愚人节拿爱人和朋友开涮……，故选B项。

6.A 词义猜测题。根据文中"The importance of this day of prank-pulling freedom is no laughing matter."可知，愚人节能随便开玩笑，但它的重f性却并非儿戏。故选A项。

7. D 细节理解'题。根据文中"It's integral(完整的）to American culture."可知，它是美国文化不可缺少的一部分。故A正确；根据文中第二段的"…no one knows exactly when or why, or even where, this tradition began."可知，没有人知道这种习俗开始的确切时间、原因、甚至地点。故B正确；根据文中"Though prank?sters (恶 作剧 的人) and joke-lovers in many countries now gleeful?ly prepare to trick friends and loved ones on April Fool's Day..-" 可知C正确；根据第三段最后一句"And that may mean fewer pranks in the future.，，和最后一段最后一句'"And traditional pranking may be left out in the cold -"'可知，这样一来，传统的恶作剧可能就被冷落了。故选D项。

8.C 推理判断题。根据文中'"Pranks have played a very big mle in this situation, so I'm glad that the prankster part of it has de?clined, but the making fun of life in general goes on,⁷ Boskin said."的描述可知，恶作剧在这种情况下影响很大，因此"我"很高兴见到恶作剧的衰亡，但一般来讲拿生活开涮的习惯还在继续。可知C项正确。