2016届高考英语二轮专题复习阅读理解极限突破测试卷(16)_高考复习指南

2016届高考英语二轮专题复习阅读理解极限突破测试卷(16)

　　B. teenagers preferring writing letters

　　C. parents preparing for Christmas

　　D. children planning to write to Santa

　　【参考答案】68—71 CDBD

　　阅读理解---------[2016·北京卷]

　　Tail Spin

　　Two dolphins race around in a big pool in the Ocean Park. The smaller dolphin, Grace, shows off a few of her tricks, turning around and waving hello to the crowd. The most amazing thing about her, however, is that she's even swimming at all. She doesn't have a tail.

　　Grace lost her tail as a baby when she got caught up in a fish trap.When the dolphin arrived at the Ocean Park in December 2005, she was fighting for her life. “Is she going to make it？” Her trainer, Abbey Stone, feared the worst. Grace did make it—but her tail didn't. She ended up losing her flukes and the lower part of her peduncle.

　　Over the past six years, she has learned to swim without her tail. Dolphins swim by moving their flukes and peduncle up and down. Grace taught herself to move another way—like a fish! She pushes herself forward through the water by moving her peduncle from side to side.

　　The movements put harmful pressure on Grace's backbone. So a company offered to create a man－made tail for her. The tail had to be strong enough to stay on Grace as she swam but soft enough that it wouldn't hurt her.

　　The first time Grace wore the artificial tail, she soon shook it off and let it sink to the bottom of the pool. Now, she is still learning to use the tail. Some days she wears it for an hour at a time, others not at all. “The new tail isn't necessary for her to feel comfortable，” says Stone, “but it helps to keep that range of motion(动作) and build muscles(肌肉)．”