二、阅读理解
A
You may have come across several “strange” cultural practices; some would grip you with fear, while others would leave you astonished. The wife-carrying competition in Finland falls into the latter category.
Strange as it might sound, wife-carrying is a real sport in Finland. In fact, it is a highly competitive sport in which male competitors race while each carrying a female teammate. The objective is for the male to carry the female through a special obstacle track in the fastest time. The length of the official track is 253.5 metres with two dry obstacles (障碍) and a water obstacle about one metre deep.
The first modern-day wife-carrying event was held in Finland in 1992 and foreign competitors gained admission in 1995. This event is now held annually in Sonkajärvi, Finland as the World Championship.
Although many might consider the sport a joke, competitors take it very seriously. Like every serious sport, the wife-carrying competition also has its guidelines which are set by the International Wife-Carrying Competition Rules Committee. While the International rules are the basis for all competitions, rules and prizes do vary for each competition.
It is not mandatory that you must be legally married to the “wife” to be carried, she may even be your neighbour’s wife or even someone you met during the competition; she must, however, be over 17 years of age. And her minimum weight must be 49 kilograms; otherwise, she will be burdened with a rucksack containing additional weight to bring the total load to be carried up to 49 kg. All participants must enjoy themselves. Yes, that is also one of the rules.
Special prizes go to the most entertaining couple, the best costume, and the strongest carrier. And for the grand prize, the wife’s weight in beer goes to the couple who completes the course in the shortest time. Whether you win or lose, the good thing is the sport encourages team spirit among couples.
41．Which can’t be used to describe the wife-carrying competition?
A．Fearful. B．Astonishing.
C．Competitive. D．Serious.
42．What is true about the competition?
A．The first event was in 1992.
B．The rules are flexible for each competition.
C．The official track is 253.5 metres long and 1 metre deep.
D．By no means can wives weighing less than 49 kg participate in it.
43．What does the underlined word “mandatory” in paragraph 5 mean?
A．Important. B．Necessary.
C．Strange. D．Possible.
41．A 42．B 43．B
【分析】
本文是一篇说明文。文章介绍芬兰的奇异比赛：背妻子比赛。
41．
细节理解题。根据第一段中“some would grip you with fear, while others would leave you astonished.”（有些人会因害怕而紧紧地抓住你，而另一些人会让你大吃一惊。）；根据第二段中“In fact, it is a highly competitive sport in which male competitors race while each carrying a female teammate.”（事实上，这是一项竞争激烈的运动，男性选手每名携带一名女性队友。）；再根据第四段中“Although many might consider the sport a joke, competitors take it very seriously.”（尽管许多人可能认为这项运动是一个笑话，但竞争对手却非常认真地对待它。）由第1、2、4段可知，这项活动让人吃惊、有竞争性、比赛者严肃对待，但不会让人害怕。故选A。
42．
细节理解题。由文章第4段中“While the International rules are the basis for all competitions, rules and prizes do vary for each competition.”（虽然国际规则是所有比赛的基础，但每一项比赛的规则和奖金都有所不同。）可知，尽管有国际规则做基础，每次的规则和奖品会有变化。故选B。
43．
词义猜测题。由第5段中的“she may even be your neighbour’s wife or even someone you met during the competition”（她甚至可能是你邻居的妻子，甚至是你在比赛中遇到的人）可知，背妻子比赛不一定要是自己的妻子，可是邻居的妻子或比赛期间遇到的女性。由此可知，划线词的意思是“必需的”。故选B。
A
You may have come across several “strange” cultural practices; some would grip you with fear, while others would leave you astonished. The wife-carrying competition in Finland falls into the latter category.
Strange as it might sound, wife-carrying is a real sport in Finland. In fact, it is a highly competitive sport in which male competitors race while each carrying a female teammate. The objective is for the male to carry the female through a special obstacle track in the fastest time. The length of the official track is 253.5 metres with two dry obstacles (障碍) and a water obstacle about one metre deep.
The first modern-day wife-carrying event was held in Finland in 1992 and foreign competitors gained admission in 1995. This event is now held annually in Sonkajärvi, Finland as the World Championship.
Although many might consider the sport a joke, competitors take it very seriously. Like every serious sport, the wife-carrying competition also has its guidelines which are set by the International Wife-Carrying Competition Rules Committee. While the International rules are the basis for all competitions, rules and prizes do vary for each competition.
It is not mandatory that you must be legally married to the “wife” to be carried, she may even be your neighbour’s wife or even someone you met during the competition; she must, however, be over 17 years of age. And her minimum weight must be 49 kilograms; otherwise, she will be burdened with a rucksack containing additional weight to bring the total load to be carried up to 49 kg. All participants must enjoy themselves. Yes, that is also one of the rules.
Special prizes go to the most entertaining couple, the best costume, and the strongest carrier. And for the grand prize, the wife’s weight in beer goes to the couple who completes the course in the shortest time. Whether you win or lose, the good thing is the sport encourages team spirit among couples.
41．Which can’t be used to describe the wife-carrying competition?
A．Fearful. B．Astonishing.
C．Competitive. D．Serious.
42．What is true about the competition?
A．The first event was in 1992.
B．The rules are flexible for each competition.
C．The official track is 253.5 metres long and 1 metre deep.
D．By no means can wives weighing less than 49 kg participate in it.
43．What does the underlined word “mandatory” in paragraph 5 mean?
A．Important. B．Necessary.
C．Strange. D．Possible.
41．A 42．B 43．B
【分析】
本文是一篇说明文。文章介绍芬兰的奇异比赛：背妻子比赛。
41．
细节理解题。根据第一段中“some would grip you with fear, while others would leave you astonished.”（有些人会因害怕而紧紧地抓住你，而另一些人会让你大吃一惊。）；根据第二段中“In fact, it is a highly competitive sport in which male competitors race while each carrying a female teammate.”（事实上，这是一项竞争激烈的运动，男性选手每名携带一名女性队友。）；再根据第四段中“Although many might consider the sport a joke, competitors take it very seriously.”（尽管许多人可能认为这项运动是一个笑话，但竞争对手却非常认真地对待它。）由第1、2、4段可知，这项活动让人吃惊、有竞争性、比赛者严肃对待，但不会让人害怕。故选A。
42．
细节理解题。由文章第4段中“While the International rules are the basis for all competitions, rules and prizes do vary for each competition.”（虽然国际规则是所有比赛的基础，但每一项比赛的规则和奖金都有所不同。）可知，尽管有国际规则做基础，每次的规则和奖品会有变化。故选B。
43．
词义猜测题。由第5段中的“she may even be your neighbour’s wife or even someone you met during the competition”（她甚至可能是你邻居的妻子，甚至是你在比赛中遇到的人）可知，背妻子比赛不一定要是自己的妻子，可是邻居的妻子或比赛期间遇到的女性。由此可知，划线词的意思是“必需的”。故选B。
