高考英语阅读训练（068）

The human nose has given to the language of the world many interesting expressions. Of course, this is not surprising. Without the nose, we could not breathe or smell. It is the part of the face that gives a person special character. Cyrano de Bergerac said that a large nose showed a great man courageous¹, manly² and wise.

A famous woman poet wished that she had two noses to smell a rose! Blaise Pascal made an interesting remark about Cleopatra’s（古埃及王后）nose. If it had been shorter, he said, it would have changed the whole face of the world!

Man’s nose has had an important role in his imagination. Man has referred to the nose in many ways to express his emotions. Expressions dealing³ with the nose refer to human weakness: anger, pride, jealousy（嫉妒）and revenge⁴（报复）.

In English there are a number of phrases⁶ about the nose. For example, to hold up one’s nose expressed a basic human feelingpride. People can hold up their hoses⁷ at people, things and places.

The phrase⁵, to be led around by the nose, shows man’s weakness. A person who is led around by the nose lets other people control him. On the other hand, a person who follows his nose lets his instinct（本能）guide him.

There are a number of others. However, it should be as plain as the nose on your face that the nose in more than an organ for breathing and smelling.

1. The passage is about ______.

A. an organ, with which people can breathe and smell

B. the nose, which gives different and useful expressions

C. the nose giving a person special character

D. interesting remarks about the nose made by some people

2. From the passage we know ______.

A. “Cleopatra’s nose” changed the whole face of the world indeed.

B. Cleopatra had a strong will to change the whole look of the world

C. Cleopatra’s nose was not short

D. Cleopatra hoped that people would change the whole face of the world

3. The nose expressed ______.

A. some human weakness or other

B. people’s shortcomings

C. people’s different emotions

D. human feeling in bad sense

4. A person who follows his nose ______.

A. won’t take others’ advice

B. is easily controlled by others

C. is weak-minded

D. has will of his own

5. How many expressions about the nose are mentioned in the passage?

A. Two B. Three C. Four D. Five

Keys: 1-5 BCCDC