阅读下列文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳答案。

Certain dustmen prefer to be known as “Refuse Collection and Disposal Office”. You may think that this is rather silly and that it is better to call a spade a spade. But dustmen can be as sensitive as people of any other occupation, though we must admit that their job is not the most romantic one in the world. We often take dustmen for granted. Perhaps because they usually come very early in the morning, before most people are up, we are inclined to forget that they exist. Our dustbins are emptied regularly, but we rarely stop to think about the men who do this. However it is one of the most important jobs in the world, and when there are no dustmen to take away the rubbish the general public soon becomes aware that something is wrong.

    Recently the dustmen of England went on strike for higher wages. During the first few days it was regarded as a joke. For some reason, jokes have always been made about dustmen, and some people thought this strike was very amusing. But when the first two weeks had passed, and the dustbins were overflowing in nearly every, backyard in the country, the joke did not seem so funny any more. As the strike continued, people could not bear the accumulation of rubbish around their dustbins, and they looked for other places in which to get rid of it. Even Leicester Square, in the heat of the west end of London, was piled high with the plastic sacks full of smelly rubbish. This was a tourist attraction that the people of London were not at all happy to see. Even when the strike was over, and the wages dispute had been settled, it took several weeks for the country to get cleaned up immediately, as so much rubbish had accumulated. Perhaps now the English people appreciate the work of their dustmen rather more highly, and won't take them for granted any more.

1．Why are dustmen often taken for granted?

    A. Because they are very sensitive people.

    B. Because the dustbins are always emptied at regular intervals.

    C. Because their job is a very important one.

    D. Because this job is not the most romantic one in the world.

2．When do ordinary people stop to think about dustmen and their work?

    A. Very early in the morning before other people are up.

    B. During a strike, when the dustbins were not emptied.

    C. Never.

    D. At regular intervals.

3．Why did people at first think that the strike started by the dustmen was funny?

    A. Because they predicted the strike would end soon.

    B. Because the purpose of the dustmen was to amuse the Londoners.

    C. Because funny stories had been created about dustmen.

    D. Because a city couldn't go on for quite a long while without the rubbish being collected.

4．Why do the English people appreciate the work of their dustmen rather more highly, and won't take them for granted any more now?

    A. Because the dustmen have done their work well.

    B. Because they have realized the dustmen's job is very important.

    C. Because the dustmen often go on strike for higher wages.

D. Because the dustmen usually come early in the morning, before most people are up.

阅读理解

阅读下列文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳答案。

Certain dustmen prefer to be known as “Refuse Collection and Disposal Office”. You may think that this is rather silly and that it is better to call a spade a spade. But dustmen can be as sensitive as people of any other occupation, though we must admit that their job is not the most romantic one in the world. We often take dustmen for granted. Perhaps because they usually come very early in the morning, before most people are up, we are inclined to forget that they exist. Our dustbins are emptied regularly, but we rarely stop to think about the men who do this. However it is one of the most important jobs in the world, and when there are no dustmen to take away the rubbish the general public soon becomes aware that something is wrong.

    Recently the dustmen of England went on strike for higher wages. During the first few days it was regarded as a joke. For some reason, jokes have always been made about dustmen, and some people thought this strike was very amusing. But when the first two weeks had passed, and the dustbins were overflowing in nearly every, backyard in the country, the joke did not seem so funny any more. As the strike continued, people could not bear the accumulation of rubbish around their dustbins, and they looked for other places in which to get rid of it. Even Leicester Square, in the heat of the west end of London, was piled high with the plastic sacks full of smelly rubbish. This was a tourist attraction that the people of London were not at all happy to see. Even when the strike was over, and the wages dispute had been settled, it took several weeks for the country to get cleaned up immediately, as so much rubbish had accumulated. Perhaps now the English people appreciate the work of their dustmen rather more highly, and won't take them for granted any more.

1．Why are dustmen often taken for granted?

    A. Because they are very sensitive people.

    B. Because the dustbins are always emptied at regular intervals.

    C. Because their job is a very important one.

    D. Because this job is not the most romantic one in the world.

2．When do ordinary people stop to think about dustmen and their work?

    A. Very early in the morning before other people are up.

    B. During a strike, when the dustbins were not emptied.

    C. Never.

    D. At regular intervals.

3．Why did people at first think that the strike started by the dustmen was funny?

    A. Because they predicted the strike would end soon.

    B. Because the purpose of the dustmen was to amuse the Londoners.

    C. Because funny stories had been created about dustmen.

    D. Because a city couldn't go on for quite a long while without the rubbish being collected.

4．Why do the English people appreciate the work of their dustmen rather more highly, and won't take them for granted any more now?

    A. Because the dustmen have done their work well.

    B. Because they have realized the dustmen's job is very important.

    C. Because the dustmen often go on strike for higher wages.

D. Because the dustmen usually come early in the morning, before most people are up.

Did you know that women’s brains are smaller than men’s?  The average women’s brain weighs 10% less than men’s．Since research has shown that the bigger the brain, the cleverer the animal, men must be more intelligent than women．Right? Wrong．Men and women always score similarly on intelligence tests, despite the difference in brain size．Why? After years of study, researchers have concluded that it’s what’s inside that matters, not just the size of the brain．The brain consists of “grey matter” and “white matter”．While men have more of the latter, the amount of “thinking” brain is almost exactly the same in both sexes．

It has been suggested that smaller brain appears to work faster, perhaps because the two sides of the brain are better connected in women．This means that little girls tend to learn to speak earlier, and that women can understand sorts of information from different sources at the same time．When it comes to talking to the boss on the phone, cooking dinner and keeping an eye on the baby all at the same time, it’s women who come out on top every time．

There are other important differences between two sexes．As white matter is the key to spatial tasks, men know better where things are in relation to other things．“A great footballer always knows where he is in relation to the other players, and he knows where to go,” says one researcher．That may explain one of life’s great mysteries: why men refuse to ask for direction and women often need to!

The differences begin when fetuses（胎儿）are about nine weeks old, which can be seen in the action of children as young as one．A boy would try to climb a barrier before him or push it down while a girl would attract help from others．These brain differences also explain the fact that more men take up jobs that require good spatial skills, while more women speech skills．It may all go back to our ancestors, among whom women needed speech skills to take care of their babies and men needed spatial skills to hunt, according to one research．

If all this disappoints you, it shouldn’t．“The brain changes throughout our lives according to what we do with it．”says a biologist．

Which of the following is true according to the first paragraph? ________．

A．Women’s brain is 10% less than men’s

B．Grey matter controls thinking in the brain．

C．Grey matter plays the same role as white matter．

D．Both sexes have the same amount of white matter．

What can we infer from the second and third paragraphs? ________．

A．Men do better dealing with one job at a time．

B.Women prefer doing many things at a time． 

C．Women do not need to tell directions．

D．Men have weaker spatial abilities．

Which of the following do you agree with according to the fourth paragraph? _  A.More women take up jobs requiring speech skills

B.Young boys may be stronger than young girls．

C．Women may have stronger feelings than men．

D．Our ancestors needed more spatial skills．

What is the writer’s attitude in writing this passage? ________．

A．Defensive．  B．Objective．  C．Persuasive． D．Supportive．

Did you know that women’s brains are smaller than men’s?  The average women’s brain weighs 10% less than men’s．Since research has shown that the bigger the brain, the cleverer the animal, men must be more intelligent than women．Right? Wrong．Men and women always score similarly on intelligence tests, despite the difference in brain size．Why? After years of study, researchers have concluded that it’s what’s inside that matters, not just the size of the brain．The brain consists of “grey matter” and “white matter”．While men have more of the latter, the amount of “thinking” brain is almost exactly the same in both sexes．
It has been suggested that smaller brain appears to work faster, perhaps because the two sides of the brain are better connected in women．This means that little girls tend to learn to speak earlier, and that women can understand sorts of information from different sources at the same time．When it comes to talking to the boss on the phone, cooking dinner and keeping an eye on the baby all at the same time, it’s women who come out on top every time．
There are other important differences between two sexes．As white matter is the key to spatial tasks, men know better where things are in relation to other things．“A great footballer always knows where he is in relation to the other players, and he knows where to go,” says one researcher．That may explain one of life’s great mysteries: why men refuse to ask for direction and women often need to!
The differences begin when fetuses（胎儿）are about nine weeks old, which can be seen in the action of children as young as one．A boy would try to climb a barrier before him or push it down while a girl would attract help from others．These brain differences also explain the fact that more men take up jobs that require good spatial skills, while more women speech skills．It may all go back to our ancestors, among whom women needed speech skills to take care of their babies and men needed spatial skills to hunt, according to one research．
If all this disappoints you, it shouldn’t．“The brain changes throughout our lives according to what we do with it．”says a biologist．
【小题1】Which of the following is true according to the first paragraph? ________．