Question

    If someone is crying in an attempt to fake sorrow, we say they are shedding “crocodile tears”. But how and why did we start relating insincere displays of feelings to crocodiles?

The origin may have become popular around the 14th century when a bestseller, The Voyage and Travel of Sir John Mandeville, referenced a kind of snake who drops tears while eating their human victims.

In the centuries since, crying crocodiles have been related to fake sorrow. The expression has been used as a story to teach sincere regret, by Shakespeare and, more recently, by media mocking tearful politicians or murder suspects.

In 2007, University of Florida zoologist Kent Vliet actually proved that the animals do drop tears while snacking. But because crocodiles eat while in the water—making a study of their meal-time tears difficult—he studied their close relatives, alligators, who might dine on dry land. Out of the seven he filmed eating at a Florida alligator park, five teared up before, during, and after eating.

Vliet’s theory is that when the animals enthusiastically hit their jaws, the movement forces air through the crocodiles’ sinuses and finally empties tears into their eyes. Their eyes not only water but can bubble, as Vliet witnessed at the alligator park, where some even teared up in expectation of their meal of chicks and other food.

Vliet was asked to investigate the biology behind this phenomenon by Malcolm Shaner, a doctor, about why facial palsy sufferers cry when they chew. Findings suggest that this is similar to the case of crocodiles.

1.What does “crocodile tears” express?

A.False sadness. B.Sincere apology.

C.Untrue suffering. D.Faithful concern.

2.Who has studied humans’ shedding tears while chewing?

A.John Mandeville. B.Shakespeare.

C.Kent Vliet. D.Malcolm Shaner.

3.What's the meaning of the underlined word “mocking” in Paragraph 3?

A.Teasing. B.Reporting. C.Fooling. D.Comforting.

4.What's the author's purpose in writing the passage?

A.To describe the physical appearance of crocodiles.

B.To give a biological explanation of crocodile tears.

C.To clarify a misunderstanding of political leaders.

D.To introduce results of research on human feelings.

Answer

1.A

2.D

3.A

4.B

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。当有人用流泪的方式表现出虚伪的悲伤时，其他人经常称之为“鳄鱼的眼泪”，而动物学家从生物学角度研究了鳄鱼流泪的原因。

1.

细节理解题。根据第一段中If someone is crying in an attempt to fake sorrow, we say they are shedding “crocodile tears”.可知如果有人试图假装悲伤而哭泣，我们就说他们在流“鳄鱼的眼泪”。由此可知，“鳄鱼的眼泪”表达了虚假的悲伤。故选A。

2.

细节理解题。根据最后一段中Vliet was asked to investigate the biology behind this phenomenon by Malcolm Shaner, a doctor, about why facial palsy sufferers cry when they chew.可知医生Malcolm Shaner请弗列特研究这一现象背后的生物学原理，研究面瘫患者咀嚼时会哭泣的原因。由此可知，Malcolm Shaner研究过面瘫者咀嚼时会流泪。故选D。

3.

词义猜测题。根据后文tearful politicians or murder suspects.可知“鳄鱼的眼泪”过去用于教导人们要真诚地悔过，现在媒体也用“鳄鱼的眼泪”来嘲笑那些泪流满面的政客或谋杀嫌疑犯。可知由此可知，划线单词意思为“嘲笑”。A. Teasing.嘲笑，取笑；B. Reporting.报告；C. Fooling.愚弄；D. Comforting.安慰。故选A。

4.

推理判断题。根据第四段第一句In 2007, University of Florida zoologist Kent Vliet actually proved that the animals do drop tears while snacking.可知2007年，佛罗里达大学的动物学家Kent Vliet证实了这种动物在进食时确实会流泪。结合文章主要说明了鳄鱼流泪的现象以及动物学家对此现象的研究，由此可推知，作者写这篇文章的目的是对鳄鱼的眼泪进行生物学解释。故选B。