A
Charles Darwin lived an unusually quiet life. In 1842, Darwin and his wife Emma moved from London to Kent in southern England to have as little disturbance(烦扰) as possible. They already had two children then, and would go on to have eight more in the country.
Darwin had very regular(有规律的) habits. He rose early and went for a walk. After breakfast he worked in his study until 9：30 am, his most productive time of the day, and then read his letters lying on the sofa before returning to work.
At midday he would go for another walk with his dog, stopping at his greenhouse to inspect(查看) his experiments. Then he would go for another walk around an area of woodland. While walking on his “thinking path”， Darwin would consider his unsolved scientific problems.
After lunch he read the newspaper and wrote letters. His network of friends provided information from all corners of the world.
The Darwins were not very strict parents and the children were always seen running wild. Their father worked patiently to a background of playful shouts and little footsteps walking past his study door.
After dinner Darwin played backgammon (a game for two people to play) with his wife. He once wrote, “Now the result with my wife in backgammon stands like this: she... has won only 2，490 games, while I have won, hurrah(a cheer of joy or victory), hurrah, 2，795 games！”
Although he had poor health, Darwin continued to publish(出版) a lot of creative works until his final book in 1881. He died the following year, aged 73.
Rather than a quiet space in the local churchyard, which he called “the sweetest place on Earth”， Darwin was given a state funeral(国葬) in London’s Westminster Abbey.
【解题导语】 本文是一篇记叙文。文章描写了英国著名科学家达尔文宁静的个人生活。
21．Why did the Darwins move to Kent?
A．To do more experiments.
B．To cut their cost of living.
C．To enjoy more peacefulness.
D．To be together with their children.
C 解析：推理判断题。由第一段中的moved from London to Kent in southern England to have as little disturbance(烦扰) as possible可知，达尔文夫妇搬家是为了免受外界的打扰，以享受更多的宁静。
22．What did Darwin do every day?
A．He studied in the woods.
B．He started to work at 9：30 am.
C．He wrote letters in the morning.
D．He examined his experiments.
D 解析：细节理解题。由第三段中的At midday he would go for another walk with his dog, stopping at his greenhouse to inspect(查看) his experiments.可知，达尔文每天会去查看实验的进展情况。
23．What did Darwin’s children probably think of him?
A．Strict. B．Sweet.
C．Cold. D．Brave.
B 解析：推理判断题。由第五段中的Their father worked patiently to a background of playful shouts and little footsteps walking past his study door.可推知，在孩子们眼里，父亲达尔文应该很温和。
24．What is this text mainly about?
A．Darwin’s scientific achievements.
B．Darwin’s unusual state funeral.
C．Darwin’s personal life.
D．Darwin’s large family.
C 解析：主旨大意题。首段第一句即文章主旨句Charles Darwin lived an unusually quiet life。本文描写了英国著名科学家达尔文宁静的个人生活。
