阅读理解
For some people, music is no fun at all. About four percent of the population is what scientists call “amusic.” People who are amusic are born without the ability to recognize or reproduce musical notes (音调). Amusic people often cannot tell the difference between two songs. Amusics can only hear the difference between two notes if they are very far apart on the musical scale.
As a result, songs sound like noise to an amusic. Many amusics compare the sound of music to pieces of metal hitting each other. Life can be hard for amusics. Their inability to enjoy music set them apart from others. It can be difficult for other people to identify with their condition. In fact, most people cannot begin to grasp what it feels like to be amusic. Just going to a restaurant or a shopping mall can be uncomfortable or even painful. That is why many amusics intentionally stay away from places where there is music. However, this can result in withdrawal and social isolation. “I used to hate parties,” says Margaret, a seventy-year-old woman who only recently discovered that she was amusic. By studying people like Margaret, scientists are finally learning how to identify this unusual condition.
Scientists say that the brains of amusics are different from the brains of people who can appreciate music. The difference is complex, and it doesn’t involve defective hearing. Amusics can understand other nonmusical sounds well. They also have no problems understanding ordinary speech. Scientists compare amusics to people who just can’t see certain colors.
Many amusics are happy when their condition is finally diagnosed (诊断). For years, Margaret felt embarrassed about her problem with music. Now she knows that she is not alone. There is a name for her condition. That makes it easier for her to explain. “When people invite me to a concert, I just say, ‘No thanks, I’m amusic,’” says Margaret. “I just wish I had learned to say that when I was seventeen and not seventy.”
单选题
Which of the following is true of amusics?
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】细节理解题。根据“That is why many amusics intentionally stay away from places where there is music”（那就是许多没有乐感的人有意地远离有音乐的地方的原因），由此可以排除B项“他们喜爱很可能听到音乐的地方”。根据“Amusic people often cannot tell the difference between two songs”（没有乐感的人经常不能说出两首歌曲的不同）排除C项“他们能很容易地区别出两首歌”。根据文中“It can be difficult for other people to identify with their condition”（对于其他人来说，认同他们会很难），因此排除D项“音乐家们很理解他们的境况”。最后根据文章的第一句For some people, music is no fun at all.About four percent of the population is what scientists call amusic（对于一些人来说，音乐对他们说没有任何乐趣而言），可知A项“听音乐对他们来说完全不是愉快的”为正确答案。
单选题
According to paragraph 3, a person with “defective hearing” is probably one who __________.
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】判断推理题。根据关键词defective hearing定位第三段，根据“……and it doesn’t involve defective hearing. Amusics can understand other nonmusical sounds well. They also have no problems understanding ordinary speech. Scientists compare amusics to people who just can’t see certain colors”（它与听力障碍无关。没有乐感的人能够很好地理解其他非音乐的声音。对于普通的演讲理解起来也没任何问题。科学家们把没有乐感的人比作不能看见某些颜色的人），由此排除A 项“不喜欢听演讲的人”；B项“能听到任何非音乐的声音”以及D项“缺乏一个复杂的听力系统”。锁定答案C项“有听力障碍的”。
单选题
In the last paragraph, Margaret expressed her wish that __________.
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】细节判断题。根据关键词last paragraph，定位最后一段，找到Margaret说的那句话“I just wish I had learned to say that when I was seventeen and not seventy”（我只是希望我十七岁而不是七十岁的时候学会说那句话啊），这是一个虚拟语气的句子，可以看出Margaret说这句话的时候，已经七十岁了，因此排除B项“她十七了而不是七十了”，同时也排除C项“她的问题很好解释”；选项D“她能见到其他的没有乐感的人”从Margaret的愿望中，我们看不出这个意思了，因此排除D项。所以正确答案是A项。