Cause and effect is one way to explain things that happen around us. Many things happen b

Cause and effect is one way to explain things that happen around us. Many things happen because something caused or influenced them to happen. Sometimes it is hard to look at a cause and find out what causes the effect. It may help you to start with the effect and use your reasoning (推理的) skills. Think about all the things you know that could be reasons for the effect you can see.

For example, you may see someone putting on a heavy jacket. This is the effect. To look for a cause, think to yourself, “What would make someone put on a heavy jacket?” Maybe the person is going outside into very cold weather. Maybe the person works in the penguin pen (企鹅圈养地) at Sea World. Maybe the person is going to visit an ice skating rink where the air is kept very cold. All of these things could be a cause for putting on a heavy jacket.

Now, think about a second example. The effect is a boy named Abi has to go to the head teacher’s office. What are the possible causes? Maybe he bullied (欺负) another student. Maybe he is just being picked up early. Maybe he is being given a prize!

Here is another example for you to think about its cause and effect. Cait, 13, was trying to fall asleep when her 8-year-old brother, Doug, came into her room. He looked around a bit, but seemed really out of it. Then Doug went back into the hallway and stood there looking straight up at the hall light for quite a while. Little brothers can be very strange, but this was really much too strange. Cait didn’t know what to do. Just then, Cait’s father appeared and explained that Doug was sleepwalking. What’s the cause and effect, could you tell?

1. According to the second paragraph, which of the following is an effect?

A. Someone puts on a heavy jacket.

B. Someone works in the penguin pen.

C. Someone will go outside into cold weather.

D. Someone will go to visit an ice skating rink.

2. Abi has to go to the head teacher’s office. Which of the following isn’t the possible cause?

A. He bullied another student.

B. He is going shopping.

C. He is being picked up early.

D. He is being given a prize.

3. What was Doug doing when his sister Cait tried to fall asleep?

A. He was going outside.

B. He was reading a story.

C. He was sleepwalking.

D. He was looking for his dad.

4. Which of the following is cause and effect?

A. Tony got up and had a glass of water.

B. We came home and found him sleeping.

C. The ball was lost and a window was broken.

D. Tim was late again and his teacher got angry.

5. What is the best title for the text?

A. Truth and lies                  B. Work and sleep

C. Cause and effect                D. Life and dreams

1. A   由第二段中For example, you may see someone putting on a heavy jacket. This is the effect. (例如，你可以看到有人穿上厚的夹克。这是结果。)可知，“有人穿上厚的夹克”是结果。

2. B   由第三段中What are the possible causes? Maybe he bullied another student. Maybe he is just being picked up early. Maybe he is being given a prize! 可知，A项“他欺负别的学生”；C项“他被提前接走”；D项“他获了奖”，这三项都可能是Abi去校长室的原因。只有B项“他去购物”在文中没有提及，不可能是原因。故选B。

3. C   由最后一段中Cait, 13, was trying to fall asleep when her 8-year-old brother, Doug...Cait’s father appeared and explained that Doug was sleepwalking. 可知，当Cait要睡觉时，她的弟弟在梦游。

4. D   本题为推理判断题。根据文章所述，D项中，Tim再次迟到是原因，他老师生气是结果。而其他三项都没有因果关系。

5. C   A项“事实和谎言”；B项“工作与睡眠”；C项“原因和结果”；D项“生活和梦想”。通读全文可知，本文以实例的形式阐述了原因和结果的辩证关系。故选C。