2021年北京中考英语阅读理解D篇

Nature and culture are often seen as opposite ideas. What belongs to nature cannot be the result of human activities and, on the other hand, cultural development is achieved against nature. However, this is not the only opinion on the relationship between nature and culture. Studies in the development of humans suggest that culture, whether taken as an effort against nature or a natural effort, is part of the development of the human species(物种).

Several modern writers saw the process of education as a struggle(斗争) against human nature. We are born with wild natures, such as eating and behaving in a disorganized way or acting selfishly. Education uses culture as a way to get us out of our wildest natures;it is thanks to culture that the human species could learn to adapt(适应), progress and raise itself above and beyond other species.

Over the past century and a half, however, studies in the history of human development have shown that the formation of culture is part of the biological adaptation.Consider, for example, hunting(打猎). It seems to be an adaptation, which allowed humans to move into new and different areas, opening up the opportunity to change living habits. At the same time, the development of weapons(武器) is related to that adaptation—from rocks and stones to a set of hunting tools, and from hunting tools to rules relating to the proper use of weapons. Hunting also seems to be responsible for a whole set of bodily abilities, such as balancing on one foot. Just think of how this very simple thing is closely related to dance, a key expression of human culture. It is then clear that biological development and cultural development are closely tied.

The transmission of culture seems to be directly related to what's in our blood. Just as snails carry their shell, so do we bring along our culture. However, culture is also passed on among people of the same times or among people belonging to different populations. We can learn how to make jiaozi even if we were born from Russian parents in Paris just as we can learn how to speak English even if none of our family or friends speak that language.

30.What is Paragraph 2 mainly about?

A.Culture belongs to human nature.

B.Nature teaches humans how to adapt.

C.Humans are supposed to be well organized.

D.Education pushes the human species to progress.

31.Why does the writer talk about hunting in Paragraph 3?

A.To suggest some possible ways of changing living habits.

B.To stress the importance of tools in humans' struggle for life.

C.To show how culture develops as humans adapt to the environment.

D.To explain why there is a need to call for the proper use of weapons.

32.The word “transmission” in Paragraph 4 probably means “　　　”.

A.system B.spread C.start    D.spirit

33.What is the writer's opinion on the nature-culture relationship?

A.Culture and nature are separate yet balanced.

B.Culture depends much on nature to progress.

C.Nature and culture are different but connected.

D.Nature follows the unwritten rules set by culture.

 

 

 

[语篇解读]

本文是一篇议论文,主要论述了自然与文化虽然不同,但有联系。

30.D　段落大意题。根据第二段最后一句可知,教育以文化这种方式,促使人类进步,故选D。

31.C　推理判断题。第三段第一句指出,人类发展史方面的研究表明,文化的形成是生物适应的一部分。随后举了打猎的例子,以及在适应打猎这项活动的过程中发展出来的文化,由此得知谈论打猎是为了说明文化是如何在人类适应环境的过程中发展的,故选C。

32.B　词义猜测题。根据第四段第三句“However,culture is also passed on...”可猜测,第一句中的“The transmission of culture”也是在说文化的传播,故选B。本题要注意关键词also。

33.C　推理判断题。 文章第一段说文化和自然通常被认为是对立的,但是人类发展方面的研究表明文化也是人类物种发展的一部分;后文论证了这一观点,由此推断作者认为文化与自然虽然不同但有联系,故选C。