4 阅读强化训练(四)

阅读强化训练四 建议用时25分钟 阅读理解 If you’ve ever seen old blackandwhite photographs from long, long ago, the faces in those old photos would seem to confirm a sad existencethere’s rarely a smile to be found anywhere.Was life back then really that bad Or is there another explanation for the lack of smiling faces in old photos Some people believe it’s because people long ago had really bad teeth. Did people simply refuse to smile for the camera because they didn’t want to show their discolored or missing teethIt’s possible, although some experts doubt that’s a primary reason.Since everyone back then would have had similar oral health issues, people themselves probably weren’t aware of it. Another possible factor is technologythe earliest cameras required long exposure暴露 time to capture a photograph. Some believe people simply couldn’t hold a smile for that long, so they instead chose a more solemn expression that they could maintain for a longer time.Experts point out, however, that much shorter exposure time came about long before smiles became common in photos. Some experts believe the lack of smiles in old photos is a result of historical views on smiling.In today’s world where the “selfie” is so common，smiles have something to do with happiness and wellbeing.In the distant past, wide smiles were often seen as signs of madness, loudness, or other undesirable traits.This historical view of smiling is shown in portraits肖像 that were painted in the hundreds of years before cameras came into existence.Hundreds of years ago, a portrait was, for most people, a onceinalifetime chance to be kept on canvas forever. A solemn expression was considered a dignified有尊严的 way to be represented forever, and it was better than a stupid wide smile that might make someone question your mental health.Experts believe this same view probably influenced the earliest photographs, which usually tried to imitate the painted portrait as an art . Today，smart phones and cameras are widely used.Smiles, even funny faces, are easily seen in today’s photos.After all, taking photographs is no longer a onceinalifetime opportunity 【解题导语】 本文是一篇说明文。作者从多个角度探讨了为什么在老照片里很少见到人们的笑脸。 1．Why does the author put forward questions in Paragraph 1 A．To introduce the main topic. B．To show the author’s attitude. C．To describe the life long ago. D．To show the difference in old photos. A 解析推理推断题。依据第一段两个问题可推断，作者提出两个问题主要是为了引出文章的主要话题。 2．What does the underlined word “solemn” mean in Paragraph 3 A．Anxious. B．Satisfied. C．Serious. D．Surprised. C 解析词义揣测题。结合前文的Some believe people simply couldn’t hold a smile for that long以及第五段第一句A solemn expression was considered a dignified有尊严的 way to be represented forever可推知，以前人们在照相时须要选择一个肃穆的表情，划线词意为“肃穆的”。 3．What conclusion can we draw from Paragraphs 4 and 5 A．An old portrait is more a picture than an art. B．Both portraits and photos can be seen as art. C．Wide smiles are also rarely seen in old portraits. D．O