二、阅读理解
A
It's funny, isn't it? Babies can't do anything but eat, cry, and stop us from sleeping

at night. But we think they're very cute, and we want to do everything for them!
OK, so babies look cute with their fat legs and arms and their big round eyes. But
it's not only how they look that makes them cute. It's also the things they do.
When babies learn to speak and walk, we find them cute. This is partly because
they make mistakes. They say the wrong word or say a word in a funny way. Think of a little baby
learning to walk—lots and lots of mistakes!
But mistakes aren't always cute. Think about it. You ask a friend to dinner. He gets food on his
face and orange juice on your kitchen table. You're not happy. But a baby does the same thing, and you
think it's cute.
Babies' mistakes are cute because they are young and helpless. We humans know our babies can't
survive without our help.
Like all living things, babies grow up—they get bigger! Do they stop being cute? Maybe a little.
But kids, adults(成年人), and much older adults can still be cute.
Small children often play at being adults—they dress up in adults' clothes or put on makeup or do
adult things, like "being a doctor" or "teaching school".
Parents can be cute, too. When we see the love between a parent and child, our mind tells us,
that's cute!
And then there are cute old people. What makes them cute? Often, it's their behaviour. Older
people sometimes do funny things. They are like young people. They show that they're in love, they
start new sports, or they like to use modern things like computers or smartphones.
Older people are also cute because they are a little like babies. They can be innocent, and they
often need more help than younger people. Again, something in our mind tells us to protect them.
() 1. Why do people think babies are cute?
A. Because they can speak clearly and walk fast.
B. Because they have lovely looks and helpless behaviours.
C. Because they can survive without any help.
D. Because they often get food on their faces and arms.
() 2. What example does the writer give to show that older people can be cute?
A. Older people always stay at home and watch TV.
B. Older people do funny things like showing love or starting new sports.
C. Older people often help young people with their problems.
D. Older people usually read a lot of books in their free time.
() 3. What does the underlined word "innocent" in the last paragraph probably mean?
A. Behaving like an adult. B. Having qualities of a child.
C. Being very tall and strong. D. Never making mistakes.
() 4. What is the main idea of the passage?
A. Babies are the cutest living things in the world.
B. People should take care of babies and children.
C. People of all ages can be cute in their own ways.
D. Adults should learn from babies and older people.

A
【语篇导读】本文主要围绕人类对"可爱"的认知展开,深入剖析了婴儿、小孩、父母以及老年人各自可爱的缘由,进而揭示出可爱这一特质并不受年龄限制的道理。
1. B 提示:细节理解题。根据第二段中"OK, so babies look cute with their fat legs and arms and their big round eyes. But it's not only how they look that makes them cute. It's also the things they do."以及第五段第一句"Babies' mistakes are cute because they are young and helpless."可知,婴儿因胖乎乎的胳膊和腿和圆溜溜的大眼睛显得可爱,但他们的可爱之处不仅是外表。婴儿年幼无助,让人觉得他们犯错时也很可爱。
2. B 提示:细节理解题。根据倒数第二段第四句"Older people sometimes do funny things."和最后一句"They show that they're in love, they start new sports, or they like to use modern things like computers or smartphones."可知,作者列举了老年人做的一些有趣的事,比如表达爱意、开始新的运动来说明老年人也可以很可爱。
3. B 提示:词义猜测题。根据画线词上下文"Older people are also cute because they are a little like babies. They can be innocent, and they often need more help than younger people."可知,老年人有点像婴儿,且他们经常需要比年轻人更多的帮助,由此推断画线词innocent此处意为"具有孩子般的特质"。
4. C 提示:主旨大意题。通读全文可知,文章主要讲述了人类对"可爱"的认知:婴儿因外貌和弱小无助而显得可爱,随着年龄增长,儿童模仿成人、父母展现对子女的爱、老人尝试新鲜事物等行为同样具有可爱特质,说明可爱不分年龄。