阅读理解

　　Each Indian tribe (部落) had a different language. Many Indians never learned any language except their own. Do you know how Indians from different tribes talked to each other? They had two ways to talk without sound. One way was by sign language; another way by signals.

　　Sign language is a way of talking by using signs. Indians used sign language when they met strangers. In this way, they could find out whether the stranger was a friend or an enemy. In Indian sign language, signs were made with the hands. One sign meant “man”. Another meant “horse”. To tell the time of day when something happened, an Indian pointed to the sky. He showed where the sun had been at the time.

　　Indians usually used signals when they wanted to send messages to someone far away. To make signals, an Indian might use a pony (a small horse). He might use a blanket (毯子). Or he might use smoke, or a mirror.

　　To signal that he had seen many animals, an Indian rode his pony in a large circle. Sometimes the Indian gave a signal like this and then went away to hide. This meant that there was danger.

　　The blanket signal could be seen from far away. An Indian held the corners of a blanket in his hands. Then he began to swing the blanket from side to side in front of him. An Indian could send many different signals with his blanket.

　　He could also send many signals with a mirror. He usually used the mirror to warn someone of danger. Or he tried to get the attention of a person far away. But he also used it to send messages in code. Of course, mirrors could be used only when the sun was shining.

　　An Indian also sent signals with smoke. He made a small fire of dry wood. Then he put grass or green branches on it. He held a blanket over the fire for a minute. When he removes the blanket from the fire, there was a cloud of smoke. The number of clouds of smoke told his message in code.

　　Now you can see that Indians didn't need to learn each other's language. They could talk to one another by using signals or sign language.

1．Which of the following is true?

[　　]

A．When an Indian wanted to say “man”, he pointed to himself.

B．When an Indian wanted to say “horse”, he rode his horse.

C．When an Indian wanted to say “sun”, he pointed to the sky.

D．Indians used sign language to find out whether a stranger was a friend or an enemy.

2．When an Indian meant there was danger, he ________.

[　　]

A．rode on his pony

B．rode his pony in a large circle and then went away to hide

C．began to make fire

D．drew a big circle on the ground

3．An Indian used a mirror to ________.

[　　]

A．warn someone of danger

B．get the attention of someone far away

C．send messages in code

D．all of the above

4．Indians didn't need to learn each other's language because________.

[　　]

A．they never met each other

B．they could use signals or sign language

C．they could write messages

D．they thought they could easily make themselves understood without learning a new language

阅读理解

　　In the Ituri forest of America live many tribes(部落), one of which is Pygmy. Most of the Pygmies in the tribe are not taller than four feet. They weigh only about eighty pounds each.

　　In spite of their small size, they are the best hunters among all the jungle people. Even the great elephant can be caught by them. They can shoot three or four arrows so rapidly that often the last one Leaves the bow before the first has hit its mark. If an arrow should miss its aim, the impatient Pygmy may become very angry, breaking his arrows and stepping on them.

　　Since they do not plant any crops, Pygmies are constantly moving around. They seldom sleep in one camp for more than a few days. In their camps there is not furniture at all except for some weapons such as spears, bows and arrows. There are no cooking pots either. Food is eaten uncooked or smoked over a fire. So when the tribe moves to a new camp there is nothing to carry except these weapons and babies too small to walk.

　　Pygmies can move on the tree tops almost as skillfully as monkeys. Often they travel great distances through the branches without touching the ground.

　　One of the surprising facts about these small men and women is their great appetite(食欲). A Pygmy can eat up sixty bananas at a single meal besides quantities of meat. After eating, they will lie on their hard earth bed and groan(呻吟)in all night. But in the morning, they are ready to eat the same amount of food or fight among themselves.

(1)Pygmies are small in size, but they are brave in ________.

[　　]

A．hunting　　　　B．shooting

C．eating　　　　 D．fighting with their enemies

(2)Why do Pygmies move from place to place continuously? The main reason is that ________.

[　　]

A．that want to look after wild animal

B．they have no furniture

C．they have no crops

D．Their possession are easy to move

(3)Pygmies are so skillful that ________.

[　　]

A．they never walk on the ground

B．they always walk with sticks

C．they can hang from the branches

D．they can move on the top of trees

(4)The writer wrote this article so as to ________.

[　　]

A．ask people to learn from Pygmies

B．help Pygmies go out of the forests

C．tell us the world is big and wide

D．let us know the local condition and customs of the Pygmies