Part III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)
Section A
Directions: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.
Questions 26 to 35 are based on the following passage.
Millions of people travel by plane every single day. If you’re planning on being one of them soon, you might not be looking forward to the ___26___ feeling air travel often leaves you with.
Besides the airport crowds and stress, travelling at a high altitude has real effects on the body. Although the pressure of the cabin is ___27___ to prevent altitude sickness, you could still ___28___sleepiness or a headache. The lower oxygen pressure found in an aircraft cabin is ___29___ to that at 6,000-8,000 feet of altitude. A drop in oxygen pressure can cause headaches in certain ___30___. To help prevent headaches, drink plenty of water, and avoid alcohol and coffee.
Airplane food might not really be as tasteless as you ___31___ thought. The air you breathe in a plane dries out your mouth and nose, which can affect your sense of taste. Perception of sweet and salty foods dropped by almost 30 percent in a simulation of air travel. However, you can make your taste buds active again by drinking water. A dry mouth may ___32___ taste sensitivity, but taste is restored by drinking fluids.
Although in-flight infections ___33___ in dry environments like airplanes, your risk of getting sick from an airplane is actually low because of the air ___34___ used. Unless you’re sitting next to someone who is coughing or sneezing, you shouldn’t worry too much about getting sick. However, bacteria have been shown to live on cabin surfaces, so wash your hands ___35___.
A) adjustedI) particular
B) channelsJ) primarily
C) equivalentK) reduce
D) experienceL) renovated
E) filtersM) smooth
F) frequentlyN) thrive
G) individualsO) unpleasant
H) originally
答案解析：
26. 根据“you might not be looking forward to the...feeling air travel often leaves you with.”(你可能并不期待航空旅行常常给你留下的那种……感觉)，结合常识可知坐飞机常会留下不好的感觉，所以选O(unpleasant，令人不快的)。
27. 根据“Although the pressure of the cabin is...to prevent altitude sickness”(尽管机舱压力……以防止高原反应)，可知机舱压力是被调节来防止高原反应的，所以选A(adjusted，调整)。
28. 根据“you could still...sleepiness or a headache”(你仍然可能……困倦或头痛)，可知这里说的是可能会经历困倦或头痛，所以选D(experience，经历)。
29. 根据“The lower oxygen pressure found in an aircraft cabin is...to that at 6,000 - 8,000 feet of altitude.”(飞机客舱中的低氧压力……海拔6000 - 8000英尺处的(氧压力))，可知这里说的是两者相当，所以选C(equivalent，相等的，等价的)。
30. 根据“A drop in oxygen pressure can cause headaches in certain...”(氧气压力下降会导致某些……头痛)，可知这里说的是某些个体，所以选G(individuals，个体)。
31. 根据“Airplane food might not really be as tasteless as you...thought.”(飞机上的食物可能并不像你……认为的那样无味)，可知这里说的是最初的想法，所以选H(originally，最初地)。
32. 根据“A dry mouth may...taste sensitivity”(口干可能会……味觉敏感度)，可知口干会降低味觉敏感度，所以选K(reduce，降低)。
33. 根据“Although in - flight infections...in dry environments like airplanes”(尽管飞行中的感染在像飞机这样干燥的环境中……)，可知感染在干燥环境中容易滋生，所以选N(thrive，繁荣，茁壮成长，此处指滋生)。
34. 根据“your risk of getting sick from an airplane is actually low because of the air...used”(你因飞机而生病的风险实际上很低，因为使用了空气……)，可知这里说的是空气过滤系统，所以选E(filters，过滤器)。
35. 根据“However, bacteria have been shown to live on cabin surfaces, so wash your hands...”(然而，细菌已被证明能在客舱表面存活，所以要……洗手)，可知这里说的是要经常洗手，所以选F(frequently，频繁地)。
