The objects around you are visible because they interact with light.Light typically travels in a straight line.But some materials slow and scatter(散射)light, bouncing it away from its original path.Others absorb light, stopping it dead in its tracks.Both scattering and absorption make an object look different from other objects around it, so you can see it easily.

　　But a transparent object doesn't absorb or scatter light, at least not very much. Light can pass through it without bending or stopping.That means a transparent object doesn't look very different from the surrounding air or water.You don't see it—you see the things behind it.

　　To become transparent, an animal needs to keep its body from absorbing or scattering light.Living materials can stop light because they contain pigments(色素) that absorb specific colors of light.But a transparent animal doesn't have pigments, so its tissues won't absorb light.According to Johnsen, avoiding absorption is actually easy.The real challenge is preventing light from scattering.

　　Animals are built of many different materials—skin, fat, and more—and light moves through each at a different speed.Every time light moves into a material with a new speed, it bends and scatters.Transparent animals use different tricks to fight scattering.Some animals are simply very small or extremely flat.Without much tissue to scatter light, it is easier to be see­through.Others build a large, clear mass of non­living jelly­like(果凍狀的)material and spread themselves over it.

　　Larger transparent animals have the biggest challenge, because they have to make all the different tissues in their bodies slow down light exactly as much as water does.They need to look uniform.But how they're doing it is still unknown.One thing is clear：for these larger animals, staying transparent is an active process.When they die, they turn a non­transparent milky white.

　　文章大意：你見過透明生物嗎?本文介紹了透明的海洋生物。作者為我們介紹了物體之所以不能透明的原理，從而讓我們理解沒有什么器官組織的透明生物能夠保持透明的奇特性。

　　1.According to Paragraph 1, transparent animals________.

　　A.stay in groups B.can be easily damaged

　　C.appear only in deep ocean D.are beautiful creatures

　　答案：B　細節理解題。根據文章第一段第三句Most of them are extremely delicate and can be damaged by a simple touch.可知，透明生物非常脆弱，輕輕的觸碰都可能使其致命，故選B項。

　　2.The underlined word “dead” in Paragraph 3 means________.

　　A.silently B.gradually

　　C.regularly D.completely

　　答案：D　詞義猜測題。文中畫線詞所在句的句意為：其他的物質吸收光線，完全阻擋光的傳播途徑。由后面一句中的look different fromother objects around it以及you can see it easily可知，物體不能透明是因為散射光線和吸收光線，光線被完全吸收時變得不透明。由此可以判斷句中的dead是副詞，意為“完全地”。

　　3.One way for an animal to become transparent is to________.

　　A.change the direction of light travel

　　B.gather materials to scatter light

　　C.avoid the absorption of light

　　D.grow bigger to stop light

　　答案：C　細節理解題。根據第五段第一句To become transparent, an animal needs to keep its body from absorbing or scattering light.可知，動物要想變透明就需要阻止身體吸收或散射光線，故C項是變透明的一個方法。

　　4.The last paragraph tells us that larger transparent animals ________.

　　A.move more slowly in deep water

　　B.stay see­through even after death

　　C.produce more tissues for their survival

　　D.take effective action to reduce light spreading

　　答案：D　推理判斷題。文章最后一段第一句說較大的透明動物面臨巨大挑戰，因為它們必須盡可能讓所有身體組織像水一樣降低光線傳播的速度。故選D項。

　　高考英語閱讀理解訓練2：

　　What Theresa Loe is doing proves that a large farm isn't a prerequisite for a modern grow­your­own lifestyle.On a mere 1/10 of an acre in Los Angeles，Loe and her family grow，can (裝罐) and preserve much of the food they consume.

　　Loe is a master food preserver，gardener and canning expert.She also operates a website，where she shares her tips and recipes，with the goal of demonstrating that everyone has the ability to control what's on their plate.

　　Loe initially went to school to become an engineer，but she quickly learned that her enthusiasm was mainly about growing and preparing her own food.“I got into cooking my own food and started growing my own herbs(香草) and foods for that fresh flavor，”she said.Engineer by day，Loe learned cooking at night school.She ultimately purchased a small piece of land with her husband and began growing their own foods.

　　“I teach people how to live farm­fresh without a farm，”Loe said.Through her website Loe emphasizes that “anybody can do this anywhere.”Got an apartment with a balcony (陽臺)?Plant some herbs.A window?Perfect spot for growing.Start with herbs，she recommends，because “they're very forgiving.”Just a little of the herbs “can take your regular cooking to a whole new level，”she added.“I think it's a great place to start.”Then?Try growing something from a seed，she said，like a tomato or some tea.

　　Canning is a natural extension of the planting she does.With every planted food，Loe noted，there's a moment when it's bursting with its absolute peak flavor.“I try and keep it in a time capsule in a canning jar.”Loe said.“Canning for me is about knowing what's in your food，knowing where it comes from.”

　　In addition to being more in touch with the food she's eating，another joy comes from passing this knowledge and this desire for good food to her children：“Influencing them and telling them your opinion on not only being careful what we eat but understanding the_bigger_picture，”she said，“that if we don't take care of the earth，no one will.”

　　文章大意：本文講述了特麗薩·洛和她的家人以身作則，號召大家自種自吃來保護環境的事跡。

　　5.The underlined word “prerequisite”(Para.1)is closest in meaning to “________”.

　　A.recipe B.substitute

　　C.requirement D.challenge

　　答案：C　詞義猜測題。根據文章第一段第二句可知，特麗薩·洛和她的家人在僅為十分之一英畝的土地上種植，裝罐和保存了他們食用的許多食物，與第一句中大農場與現代自種自吃生活方式之間的關系形成對比，可知自種自吃并不需要大面積的土地。故選C項。

　　6.Why does Loe suggest starting with herbs?

　　A.They are used daily.

　　B.They are easy to grow.

　　C.They can grow very tall.

　　D.They can be eaten uncooked.

　　答案：B　細節理解題。根據文章第四段第七句Start with herbs，she recommends, because “they're very forgiving.”可知，草本植物很好種植。forgiving意為“寬恕的;寬容的;寬大的”。故選B項。

　　7.According to Loe，what is the benefit of canning her planted foods?

　　A.It can preserve their best flavor.

　　B.It can promote her online sales.

　　C.It can better her cooking skills.

　　D.It can improve their nutrition.

　　答案：A　細節理解題。根據文章第五段第二句及第三句可知，洛認為每一種種植的食物都有一個味道達到頂峰的時刻，罐裝能將這一時刻保留。故選A項。

　　8.What is the “the bigger picture”(Para.6) that Loe wishes her children to understand?

　　A.The knowledge about good food.

　　B.The way to live a grow­our­own life.

　　C.The joy of getting in touch with foods.

　　D.The responsibility to protect our earth.

　　答案：D　詞義猜測題。根據文章最后一段最后一句可知...that if we don't take care of the earth，no one will.為同位語從句解釋說明the bigger picture的內容，即我們要關注地球，保護地球是我們的責任。故選D項。