中考阅读理解每日一练(2026.11.13,主题:动物为何比人类可爱)

Why Animals Are Cuter Than Humans

Many people think babies are cute, but when we compare them with baby animals, animals often win the “cuteness contest”. Scientists have been trying to find out why animals seem cuter than human babies.

First, many animals have “baby features” (特征) that make them look lovely: big round eyes, large heads, small noses, and soft bodies. These features make humans want to protect and take care of them. This is called “the baby schema (婴儿图式)” effect. Interestingly, some adult animals, like pandas and koalas, also keep these baby-like features, so they look cute all their lives.

Second, animals do not have complex (复杂的) social masks. Human beings often hide their true feelings behind smiles or serious looks. Animals, however, show their feelings honestly—a dog wags its tail when happy; a cat blinks slowly when relaxed. This honesty makes them feel warm and close to us.

Third, animals are usually smaller and less threatening than adult humans. Their size makes people feel safe, so we are more willing to get close to them and think they are adorable.

Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But science suggests that evolution (进化) has designed animals—especially baby animals—to touch our hearts more easily than our own kind. That is why a video of a sneezing panda gets millions of likes, while a video of a human baby may not.

1. According to the passage, which of the following is a “baby feature” mentioned?

A. Long legs

B. Big round eyes

C. A serious look

D. Hard body

点击空白答题丨淡出动画

2. The word “threatening” in Paragraph 4 probably means ______.

A. 有威胁的

B. 有吸引力的

C. 有营养的

D. 有耐心的

点击空白答题丨淡出动画

3. Why do dogs and cats make people feel warm?

A. Because they are bigger than human babies.

B. Because they hide their true feelings.

C. Because they show their feelings honestly.

D. Because they wear social masks.

点击空白答题丨淡出动画

4. What is the main idea of the passage?

A. Human babies are cuter than animals.

B. Animals look cute because of their size only.

C. Science explains several reasons why animals seem cuter than humans.

D. Pandas and koalas are the cutest animals in the world.

点击空白答题丨淡出动画

5. According to the “baby schema” effect, which adult animal might also look cute?

A. One with a very small head and tiny eyes.

B. One that keeps baby-like features such as a large head and big eyes.

C. One that is very large and dangerous.

D. One that hides its feelings.

点击空白答题丨淡出动画

一、词汇与短语积累：

cute /kjuːt/ adj. 可爱的（比较级cuter）

contest /ˈkɒntest/ n. 比赛，竞赛

feature /ˈfiːtʃə(r)/ n. 特征，特点

protect /prəˈtekt/ v. 保护

schema /ˈskiːmə/ n. 图式，模式

effect /ɪˈfekt/ n. 影响，效应

koala /kəʊˈɑːlə/ n. 考拉，树袋熊

complex /ˈkɒmpleks/ adj. 复杂的

mask /mɑːsk/ n. 面具；伪装

honestly /ˈɒnɪstli/ adv. 真诚地，坦率地

wag /wæɡ/ v. （尾巴）摇摆

blink /blɪŋk/ v. 眨眼

threatening /ˈθretnɪŋ/ adj. 有威胁的

willing /ˈwɪlɪŋ/ adj. 愿意的

adorable /əˈdɔːrəbl/ adj. 极可爱的（比cute程度深）

beholder /bɪˈhəʊldə(r)/ n. 观看者

evolution /ˌiːvəˈluːʃn/ n. 进化

sneeze /sniːz/ v./n. 打喷嚏

二、全文逐段中英对照翻译

第1段

Many people think babies are cute, but when we compare them with baby animals, animals often win the “cuteness contest”. Scientists have been trying to find out why animals seem cuter than human babies.

许多人认为婴儿很可爱，但当我们把他们和动物宝宝比较时，动物往往能赢得"可爱大赛"的冠军。科学家们一直在试图找出为什么动物看起来比人类婴儿更可爱。

第2段

First, many animals have “baby features” (特征) that make them look lovely: big round eyes, large heads, small noses, and soft bodies. These features make humans want to protect and take care of them. This is called “the baby schema (婴儿图式)” effect. Interestingly, some adult animals, like pandas and koalas, also keep these baby-like features, so they look cute all their lives.

首先，许多动物拥有让它们看起来很可爱的"婴儿特征"：又大又圆的眼睛、大大的脑袋、小小的鼻子，以及柔软的身体。这些特征会让人类想要保护和照顾它们。这被称为"婴儿图式"效应。有趣的是，一些成年动物，比如熊猫和考拉，也保留了这些婴儿般的特征，所以它们一辈子都看起来很可爱。

第3段

Second, animals do not have complex (复杂的) social masks. Human beings often hide their true feelings behind smiles or serious looks. Animals, however, show their feelings honestly—a dog wags its tail when happy; a cat blinks slowly when relaxed. This honesty makes them feel warm and close to us.

其次，动物没有复杂的社会面具。人类经常把真实的情感藏在微笑或严肃的表情背后。然而，动物会诚实地表达它们的感受——狗开心时会摇尾巴；猫放松时会慢慢地眨眼。这种真诚让它们让我们感到温暖和亲近。

第4段

Third, animals are usually smaller and less threatening than adult humans. Their size makes people feel safe, so we are more willing to get close to them and think they are adorable.

第三，动物通常比成年人更小、威胁性更低。它们的体型让人们感到安全，所以我们更愿意接近它们，并认为它们很可爱。

第5段

Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But science suggests that evolution (进化) has designed animals—especially baby animals—to touch our hearts more easily than our own kind. That is why a video of a sneezing panda gets millions of likes, while a video of a human baby may not.

当然，美在观者眼中。但科学表明，进化已经把动物——尤其是动物宝宝——设计成比我们自己的同类更容易触动我们心灵的存在。这就是为什么一只打喷嚏的熊猫的视频能获得数百万个赞，而一个人类婴儿的视频可能做不到。

三、长难句分析

长难句 1

Scientists have been trying to find out why animals seem cuter than human babies.

句子结构：主句+宾语从句（从句内含形容词的比较级）

拆解：主干Scientists have been trying to find out...（科学家一直试图找出……）;宾语从句why animals seem cuter than human babies 作find out 的宾语（由 why引导）;从句内比较级cuter than human babies（than 引导比较对象）

参考译文：科学家一直试图找出为什么动物似乎比人类婴儿更可爱。

长难句 2

Interestingly, some adult animals, like pandas and koalas, also keep these baby-like features, so they look cute all their lives.

句子结构：句首副词+主句主语+插入语+主句谓语+so引导的结果状语从句

拆解：句首副词interestingly修饰整个句子，说明“有趣的是”什么；主干some adult animals ... also keep these baby-like features；插入语like pandas and koalas（举例）；so 引导的结果状语从句so they look cute all their lives（所以它们一生都看起来可爱）

参考译文：有趣的是，一些成年动物（如熊猫和考拉）也保留这些婴儿般的特征，因此它们一生都显得可爱。

长难句 3

Animals, however, show their feelings honestly—a dog wags its tail when happy; a cat blinks slowly when relaxed.

句子结构：主句主语+连接副词（however）+主句谓语+破折号后的并列句1+when引导的时间状语从句的省略结构+破折号后的并列句2+when引导的时间状语从句的省略结构

拆解：主干Animals show their feelings honestly；when (it is) happy 和when (it is) relaxed是when引导的时间状语从句的省略结构（省略了主语+be动词，完整的时间状语从句为 when it is happy和when it is relaxed），不影响翻译；破折号后举两个并列例子（狗/猫），属于并列句。

参考译文：然而动物真诚地表达情感——狗开心时摇尾；猫放松时慢眨眼。

长难句 4

Their size makes people feel safe, so we are more willing to get close to them and think they are adorable.

句子结构：主句+so引导的结果状语从句（内含两个并列动词get和think，think后跟宾语从句）

拆解：so引导的结果状语从句：so we are more willing to...；and 连接两个并列动词：get close to them and think；结果状语从句里嵌套宾语从句think (that) they are adorable，they are adorable 作 think 的宾语（that 省略）。

参考译文：它们的体型让人感到安全，因此我们更愿意靠近它们，并认为它们极可爱。

长难句 5

But science suggests that evolution (进化) has designed animals—especially baby animals—to touch our hearts more easily than our own kind.

句子结构：主句+宾语从句+插入语+比较状语

拆解：主干science suggests that...（科学表明……）；宾语从句（that 引导）：that evolution has designed animals ... to touch our hearts more easily than our own kind；宾从主干evolution has designed animals to touch our hearts...（进化塑造动物去触动我们的心）；插入语especially baby animals（尤其动物宝宝，作 animals 的同位语）；比较状语more easily than our own kind（比我们同类更容易；our own kind = human beings）

参考译文：但科学表明，进化塑造了动物——尤其是动物宝宝——比我们自己的同类更容易触动我们的心。

长难句 6

That is why a video of a sneezing panda gets millions of likes, while a video of a human baby may not.

句子结构：主句+表语从句+while引导的让步/对比状语从句

拆解：主干That is why...（那就是……的原因）有why 引导的表语从句；表语从句why a video of a sneezing panda gets millions of likes；while 引导的让步/对比状语从句while a video of a human baby may not (get millions of likes) 省略了重复的谓语部分

参考译文：那就是为什么打喷嚏的熊猫视频能获百万点赞，而人类婴儿视频却未必（能做到）。

点赞 + 在看 + 关注，星标公众号，好文不错过。