专升本英语（阅读理解）模拟试卷27
阅读理解
Suppose we built a robot (机器人) to explore the planet Mars. We provide the robot with seeing detectors to keep it away from danger. It is powered entirely by the sun. Should we program the robot to be equally active at all times? No. The robot would be using up energy at a time when it was not receiving any. So we would probably program it to cease its activity at night and to wake up at dawn the next morning.
According to the evolutionary theory of sleep, evolution equipped us with a regular pattern of sleeping and waking for the same reason. The theory does not deny that sleep provides some important restorative functions. It merely says that evolution has programmed us to perform those functions at a time when activity would be inefficient and possibly dangerous. However, sleep protects us only from the sort of trouble we might walk into; it does not protect us from trouble that comes looking for us. So we sleep well when we are in a familiar, safe place, but we sleep lightly, if at all, when we fear that bears will nose into the tent.
The evolutionary theory accounts well for differences in sleep among creatures. Why do cats, for instance, sleep so much, while horses sleep so little? Surely cats do not need five times as much repair and restoration as horses do. But cats can afford to have long periods of inactivity because they spend little time eating and are unlikely to be attacked while they sleep. Horses must spend almost all their waking hours eating, because what they eat is very low in energy value. Moreover, they cannot afford to sleep too long or too deeply, because their survival depends on their ability to run away from attackers.
1.The author uses the example of the robot in space exploration to tell us________.(B)
A. the difference between robots and men
B. the reason why men need to sleep
C. about the need for robots to save power
D. about the danger of men working at night
解析：通过阅读文章可知作者通过引用机器人探索太空的例子来说明机器人也需要休息来进行能量补充，从而引出下面的话题，说明人类为什么需要睡眠，故选B。
2.Evolution has programmed man to sleep at night chiefly to help him________.(C)
A. maintain a regular pattern of life
B. prevent trouble that comes looking for him
C. avoid danger and inefficient labor
D. restore his bodily functions
解析：根据文章第二段中：The theory does not deny that sleep provides some important restorative functions． It merely says that evolution has programmed us to perform those functions at a time when activity would be inefficient and possibly dangerous，可知人们在夜间休息主要是因为晚间活动效率低下，而且可能很危险。故C正确。
3.According to the author, we cannot sleep well when we ______.(A)
A. are worrying about our safety
B. are overworked
C. are in a tent
D. are away from home
解析：文章第二段最后一句指出在一个熟悉、安全的地方我们能够睡得很好，但当担心会有野熊袭击时就会睡得很轻，即当我们担心安全问题时就会睡不好。故选A。
4.Cats sleep much more than horses do partly because cats________.(D)
A. need more time for restoration
B. are unlikely to be attacked
C. are more active than horses when they are awake
D. spend less time eating to get enough energy
解析：根据文章第三段中But cats can afford to have long periods of inactivity because they spend little time eating and are unlikely to be attacked while they sleep．Horses must spend almost all their waking hours eating，because what they eat is very low in ener
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