Question

Why do we read poetry? First obvious one: because we enjoy it. The only other reason is for academic purposes, and that's not why this is here.

Many of us read poetry simply because we often feel depressed and hopelessly lost, and in poetry we see how beautiful and strange everything is. So in that way poetry calms our anxiety.

There are many different kinds of poems. They are not all calming. Some poems make me anxious, angry, scared, and sad, which is why I value them. As a reader, I want a full meal, not just dessert. I want the sweet and the bitter. Often, I read poetry when I'm already relaxed. In fact, I read more when I'm not stressed out.

Here are the main reasons I respond to poetry, as far as I can tell. Metrical(格律的) poems are about setting up rules and then bending them. Usually, this is done by setting up a rhythm and then violating it or almost violating it. And then returning to it again. This satisfies my desire for order and also my desire for testing boundaries.

Poetry plays with language and often slams words together in surprising ways, which is thrilling the way food can be when the chef has paired ingredients you never thought would taste good together but somehow do.

Many poems are dense. Words mean two or three things at once and lots of suggestions are packed between the lines. This is intellectually inspiring and it allows me to read the same poem over and over always finding new things in it.

And, of course, there's the subject matter. It interests me just as it would if the same subject was explored in a story or essay. Not all poems interest me in this way, but then not all stories and essays do, either.

1.What kind of poems does the author probably enjoy reading?

A. Academic poems.    B. Valuable poems.

C. Poems that calm readers down.    D. Poems that arouse feelings.

2.What does the underlined word "it" in Paragraph 4 refer to?

A. Setting up a rhythm.    B. Poetry.    C. Violating rules.    D. Rhythm.

3.Why does poetry appeal to the author'?

A. It plays with words.    B. It sounds surprising.

C. It is rich in meaning.    D. It is filled with new ideas.

4.What can we infer from the text?

A. The author doesn't like all the essays.    B. Reading poems requires patience.

C. The subject counts a lot to the author.    D. Writing poems is similar to cooking.

Answer

1.D

2.D

3.C

4.C

【解析】本文主要介绍了作者喜欢能够唤起人们感情的诗以及原因。

1.推理判断题。根据第二段中的“As a reader, I want a full meal, not just dessert. I want the sweet and the bitter.”可知，作者喜欢读那些能够唤起感情的诗，无论它们是甜蜜的还是苦涩的，故D项正确。

2.词义猜测题。根据画线词前的“Usually. this is done by setting up a rhythm and then violating it or almost violating it. And then returning to it again.”可知，通常设置一个韵律，然后违背它，最后再回到韵律身上，由此可知，it指代的就是前面的rhythm，故D项正确。

3.根据倒数第二段中的“Words mean two or three things at once and lots of suggestions are packed between the lines. This is intellectually inspiring and it allows me to read the same poem over and over always finding new things in it”可知，诗句中词语有丰富的含义，这吸引作者一遍一遍地读去发现新的东西，故C项正确。

4.推理判断题。根据最后一段中的“And, of course, there's the subject matter. It interests me just as it would if the same subject was explored in a story or essay. Not all poems interest me in this way, but then not all stories and essays do, either.”可知，诗的主题也很重要，并不是所有的诗以同样的方式吸引作者，故C项正确。

【名师点睛】代词指代题是高考英语阅读中常见的一种题型，做这类题时一定要注意上下文中出现的名词或名词性短语，例如本篇第2题，首先弄清楚所要猜测的代词的单复数，然后结合上下文语境找出相对应的名词或名词性短语，据画线词前的“Usually, this is done by setting up a rhythm and then violating it or almost violating it. And then returning to it again.”可知，通常这是通过设置一个韵律，然后违背它，最后再回到韵律身上，由此可知，it指代的就是前面的rhythm。