That’s what happened in Taiwan recently , when a dead sperm whale being shipped to the Halobios Research Centre for an autopsy (尸体解剖) developed an extremely bad case of gas and blew up before it reached its destination .

The whale was found alive on a Taiwan beach last weekend, and died shortly after it was discovered . Since the 56-foot whale was the largest whale ever beached on Taiwan’s shores , scientists wanted to study it and perform an autopsy for educational purpose .

Obviously , too much time passed between when the animal died and the time it was set to be moved to the autopsy location , because it had already started to go bad .When things rot , they give off gases as a by-product . In the whale’s case , the gases were trapped in its belly . The pressure inside the rotting creature grew so much that it popped like an over-filled balloon . Unfortunately , it was on a truck in the middle of the city of Taiwan at the time ―cars and shops lining the street were covered with whale bits and juices , much to their owners’ discouragement .

According to news reports , traffic was tied up for hours while officials tried to clean up the streets .

Newspaper editors worldwide were probably smiling to themselves , since they had a ready-made headline ―several reports about the incident were titled “There She Blows !” after the famous line from the book Moby Dick .

68．The purpose of the question  at the beginning of this news report is to       .

       A．explain the reason                               B．sell newspapers

       C．attract readers                                    D．give an immediate answer

69．The whale’s explosion is the result of       .

       A．pressure from gases building up in the creature as it began to rot

       B．the long transport of the creature from the beach to the center

       C．the extremely busy traffic in the streets it passed by

       D．the quick process of rotting of the animal

70．What is the correct order of the incidents ?

       a. The whale was set to a flatbed truck .     

       b. The whale was discovered .

       c. The whale exploded .

       d. The whale died .

       A．b; c; a ; d            B．d; c; b; a             C．b; d; a; c            D．d; b; a; c

71．What do we know from the last paragraph ?

       A．Some newspaper editors were laughed at .

       B．Moby Dick is the name of a woman writer .

       C．All the newspapers reported the story under the same title .

       D．The title “There She Blows!” is taken from the book Moby Dick .

 (湖北省黄冈中学2009届高三五月适应性考试（B卷）D篇)

Question: What is more astonishing than a 60-ton whale on a flatbed truck being driven down the street?

Answer: A 60-ton whale on a flatbed truck exploding and raining blubber ( fat of whales) all over the sidewalk.

That’s what happened in Taiwan recently, when a dead sperm whale being shipped to the Halobios Research Center for an autopsy(尸体解剖) developed an extremely bad case of gas and blew up before it reached its destination.

The whale was found alive on a Taiwan beach last weekend, and died shortly after it was discovered. Since the 56-foot whale was the largest whale ever beached on Taiwan’s shores, scientists wanted to study it and perform an autopsy for educational purpose.

Obviously, too much time passed between when the animal died and the time it was set to be moved to the autopsy location, because it had already started to go bad. When things rot, they give off gases as a by-product. In the whale’s case, the gases were trapped in its belly. The pressure inside the rotting creature grew so much that it popped like an over-filled balloon. Unfortunately, it was on a truck in the middle of the city of Taiwan at the time--- cars and shops lining the street were covered with whale bits and juices, much to their owners’ discouragement.

According to the news reports, traffic was tied up for hours while officials tried to clean up the streets.

Newspaper editors worldwide were probably smiling to themselves, since they had a ready-made headline--- several reports about the incident were titled “ There She Blows!” after the famous line from the book Moby Dick.

63. The purpose of the question at the beginning of this news report is to_____.

   A. explain the reason                        B. sell newspapers

   C. attract readers                           D. give an immediate answer

64. The whale’s explosion is the result of_____.

   A. pressure from gases building up in the creature as it began to rot

   B. the long transport of the creature from the beach to the center

   C. the extremely busy traffic in the streets it passed by

   D. the quick process of rotting of the animal

65. What is the correct order of the incidents?

   a. The whale was set to a flatbed truck.

   b. The whale was discovered.

   c. The whale exploded.

   d. The whale died.

   A. b; c; a; d            B. d; c; b; a          C. b; d; a; c           D. d; b; a ; c

66. What do we know from the last paragraph?

   A. Some newspaper editors were laughed at.

   B. Moby Dick is the name of a woman writer.

   C. All the newspapers reported the story under the same title.

   D. The rifle “ There She Blows! “ is taken from the book Moby Dick.

阅读理解

阅读下面一篇短文，从每题所给四个选项中选出最佳答案。

　　Question：What is more astonishing than a 60－ton whale on a flatbed truck being driven down the street?

　　Answer：A 60－ton whale on a flatbed truck exploding and raining blubber (fat of whales) all over the sidewalk.

　　That's what happened in Taiwan recently, when a dead sperm whale being shipped to the Halobios Research Centre for an autopsy developed an extremely bad case of gas and blew up before it reached its destination.

　　The whale was apparently found alive on a Taiwan beach last weekend, and died shortly after it was discovered. Since the 56－foot whale was the largest whale ever beached on Taiwan's shores, scientists wanted to study it and perform an autopsy for educational purpose.

　　Apparently, too much time passed between when the animal died and the time it was set to be moved to the autopsy location, because it had already started to decompose. When things decompose, they give off gases as a by－product. In the whale's case, the gases were trapped in its belly. The pressure inside the decomposing creature grew so much that it popped like an over－filled balloon. Unfortunately, it was on a truck in the middle of the city of Taiwan at the time－cars and shops lining the street were covered with whale bits and juices, much to their owners' discouragement.

According to news reports, traffic was tied up for hours while officials tried to clean up the streets.

　　Incidentally, newspaper editors worldwide were probably smiling to themselves, since they had a ready made headline－several reports about the incident were titled “There She Blows! ,” after the famous line from the book Moby Dick.

1．The purpose of the question at the beginning of this news report is to ________.

[　　]

A．attract readers

B．sell newspapers

C．explain the reason

D．give an immediate answer

2．The whale's explosion is the result of

[　　]

A．the length of time for the transport of the creature from the beach to the centre

B．pressure from gases building up in the creature as it began to decompose

C．the quick process of decomposing of the animal

D．the extremely busy traffic in the streets it passed by

3．What is the correct order of the incidents?

a．The whale was set to a flatbed truck.

b．The whale was discovered.

c．The whale exploded.

d．The whale died.

[　　]

4．What do we know from the last paragraph?

[　　]

A．The title “There She Blows! ” is taken from the book Moby Dick.

B．All the newspaper reported the story under the same title.

C．Moby Dick is the name of. a woman writer.

D．Some newspaper editors were laughed at.

Question: What is more astonishing than a 60-ton whale on a flatbed truck being driven down the street?

Answer: A 60-ton whale on a flatbed truck exploding and raining blubber ( fat of whales) all over the sidewalk.

That’s what happened in Taiwan recently, when a dead sperm whale being shipped to the Halobios Research Center for an autopsy(尸体解剖) developed an extremely bad case of gas and blew up before it reached its destination.

The whale was found alive on a Taiwan beach last weekend, and died shortly after it was discovered. Since the 56-foot whale was the largest whale ever beached on Taiwan’s shores, scientists wanted to study it and perform an autopsy for educational purpose.

Obviously, too much time passed between when the animal died and the time it was set to be moved to the autopsy location, because it had already started to go bad. When things rot, they give off gases as a by-product. In the whale’s case, the gases were trapped in its belly. The pressure inside the rotting creature grew so much that it popped like an over-filled balloon. Unfortunately, it was on a truck in the middle of the city of Taiwan at the time--- cars and shops lining the street were covered with whale bits and juices, much to their owners’ discouragement.

According to the news reports, traffic was tied up for hours while officials tried to clean up the streets.

Newspaper editors worldwide were probably smiling to themselves, since they had a ready-made headline--- several reports about the incident were titled “ There She Blows!” after the famous line from the book Moby Dick.

63. The purpose of the question at the beginning of this news report is to_____.

   A. explain the reason               B. sell newspapers

   C. attract readers                    D. give an immediate answer

64. The whale’s explosion is the result of_____.

   A. pressure from gases building up in the creature as it began to rot

   B. the long transport of the creature from the beach to the center

   C. the extremely busy traffic in the streets it passed by

   D. the quick process of rotting of the animal

65. What is the correct order of the incidents?

   a. The whale was set to a flatbed truck.

   b. The whale was discovered.

   c. The whale exploded.

   d. The whale died.

   A. b; c; a; d     B. d; c; b; a    C. b; d; a; c     D. d; b; a ; c

66. What do we know from the last paragraph?

   A. Some newspaper editors were laughed at.

   B. Moby Dick is the name of a woman writer.

   C. All the newspapers reported the story under the same title.

   D. The rifle “ There She Blows! “ is taken from the book Moby Dick.