Question

    “O gentle sleep!\Nature’s soft nurse, how have I frightened thee\That thou no more wilt weigh my eyelids down.”Henry IV, as portrayed by Shakespeare, would have sympathized with people who struggle with insomnia (失眠). Now a major publisher has come up with a novel idea.

In a project to be launched this week, Penguin Random House has cooperated with the Sleep Council and the Children’s Sleep Charity in creating collections of “Sleep Tales” for adults and children. Combining “cutting-edge technology and the ancient art of storytelling to help solve an age-old problem”, these audiobooks are part soundscape, part descriptive narrative, with softly spoken voices to calm anxieties and take listeners to the land of nod.

Each story lasts about 15 minutes, enabling listeners to set their sleep timer. The stories draw on the Sleep Council’s research into sounds that help people wind down, such as waves lapping on a shore, soft rainfall and birdsong.

Richard Lennon, publisher at Penguin Audio, told the Guardian the project was inspired partly by the realization that increasing numbers of people were listening to audio books “as they’re going to sleep or as part of their bedtime routine”. He said both adults and children respond to something comforting and familiar as they are nodding off.

Asked whether a boring story could have the same effect, he said the stories needed to be “engaging enough not to put you off”: “This is about creating the right environment and headspace for you … to go to sleep. Strangely, if you’re bored, it doesn’t have that effect.” Audience research had been very positive, Lennon said. One listener reported: “The story made my mind stop racing.”

1.Why is the poem mentioned at the beginning of the passage?

A.To introduce the works of Shakespeare.

B.To appreciate the rhythm of the poem.

C.To lead to the topic of the passage.

D.To offer an example of people with insomnia.

2.What’s the character of the audio books of “Sleep Tales”?

A.Their target readers are children.

B.Every story is long and interesting.

C.They are read vividly in different tones.

D.They can make listeners sleepy.

3.What can we learn from Richard Lennon’s words?

A.Not many people prefer listening to audio books before sleep.

B.A boring story is more likely to make people sleepy.

C.The environment is very important for reading stories.

D.The audio books prove effective in helping people sleep in the research.

4.Which is the best title for the passage?

A.Releasing audio books to send listeners to sleep

B.The new trend of people’s reading habit

C.Audio books are becoming more and more popular

D.Ways to help people sleep easily

Answer

1.C

2.D

3.D

4.A

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。文章主要讲述了企鹅兰登书屋出版了一套主打催眠功能的有声书，以及它的有效功能。

1.细节理解题。根据文章第一段中Henry IV, as portrayed by Shakespeare, would have sympathized with people who struggle with insomnia （莎士比亚笔下的亨利四世，会同情那些与失眠作斗争的人们）由此可知，引用诗句的目的在于引出本文要描述的话题。结合选项，故选C。

2.细节理解题。根据文章第二段中“Combining “cutting-edge technology and the ancient art of storytelling to help solve an age-old problem”, these audiobooks are part soundscape, part descriptive narrative, with softly spoken voices to calm anxieties and take listeners to the land of nod”（ 这些有声书结合了“最前沿的技术和古老讲故事技巧，来解決一个存在已久的问题”，它们既包含了音景，又有描述性的故事，叙述者温和的嗓音将会抚慰听众的焦虑，并带着他们进入梦乡）。由此可知，电子故事书＂睡前故事集＂的特点就是有助于听众进入梦乡。结合选项，故选D。

3.推理判断题。根据文章第四段中“He said both adults and children respond to something comforting and familiar as they are nodding off.”（ 他说令人安心和熟悉的内容对于大人和小孩，都会产生积极的影响，因为他们会逐渐开始打瞌睡），由此可以推出，在实验中电子书在帮助人们睡眠中是很有效的。结合选项，故选D。

4.主旨大意题。根据文中第二段中“In a project to be launched this week, Penguin Random House has cooperated with the Sleep Council and the Children’s Sleep Charity in creating collections of “Sleep Tales” for adults and children.”（ 在本周即将启动的一个项目中，企鹅随机之家与睡眠委员会和儿童睡眠慈善机构合作，为成人和儿童创作了“睡眠故事集”。），由此可知，本文主要就是介绍企鹅兰登书屋出版了一套主打催眠功能的有声书，以及它的有效功能。所以使用 Releasing audio booksto send listeners to sleep作为文章的标题能够概括本文中心，符合题意。故选A。