Monkeys are very similar to us in many ways—most have ten fingers and ten toes, and brains much like ours. We enjoy 1 them because they often act like us. In fact, Charles Darwin's theory of 2 says that monkeys and humans share a common 3 .
Monkeys make us smile, 4 they are creatures full of playful tricks. This is why many monkey 5 are about tricky people or playful acts. One of these expressions is “monkey shines”， meaning tricks or foolish acts. The meaning is 6 if you have ever watched a group of monkeys playfully chasing each other— 7 tails, stealing food, doing tricks. So, when a teacher says to a group of students, “ 8 those monkey shines right now！” You know that the kids are playing, instead of 9 .
You might hear that same teacher 10 a student not to “monkey around” with 11 equipment. You “monkey around” with something when you are touching or playing with something you should 12 ， so next time, don't “monkey around” on this occasion.
Also, you can “monkey around” 13 you feel like doing something, but have no 14 idea of what to do. For example, you tell your friend you are going out to spend the day “ 15 around” with your car. Well, you don't have any jobs or goals in 16 —it is just a way to 17 the time.
You may “make a monkey out of” someone when you make that person look 18 . Some people “make a monkey out of” themselves by doing something unwise.
If one monkey has fun, 19 how much fun a barrel of monkeys can have! If your friend says he had “more fun than a barrel of monkeys” at your party, you know that he had a really 20 time.
篇章导读：本文是一篇说明文。英语中有很多习惯用语的表达，也就是我们常说的俚语或俗语，它们所表达的意思往往并不是单词或短语的字面意思。本文主要介绍了与“monkey”有关的一些表达。
1．A.meeting B．touching
C．hearing D．watching
答案：D 根据下文“they often act like us”可知，因为猴子的行为与人类相似，所以我们喜欢看猴子。故D项正确。
2．A.conservation B．evolution
C．revolution D．relation
答案：B 根据常识可知，此处指达尔文的进化论。故B项正确。
3．A.origin B．planet
C．ancestor D．future
答案：C 根据常识可知，达尔文的进化论认为人类和猴子有共同的祖先。故C项正确。
4．A.because B．though
C．even if D．as if
答案：A 根据语境可知，猴子逗我们笑是因为它们花样百出。后句是前句的原因。故A项正确。
5．A.descriptions B．mottos
C．expressions D．stories
答案：C 根据下文“One of these expressions”可知，此处指的是许多和猴子有关的表达。故C项正确。
6．A.easy B．rich
C．exact D．clear
答案：D 根据下文“if you have ever watched a group of monkeys playfully chasing each other”可知，如果你曾见过一群猴子相互追逐嬉戏，那么“monkey shines”的意思就更清楚了。故D项正确。
7．A.raising B．waving
C．moving D．pulling
答案：D 根据上文“chasing each other”可知，此处指一群猴子相互拽尾巴、偷食物、耍花招等等。故D项正确。
8．A.Follow B．Stop
C．Start D．Change
答案：B 根据下文“You know that the kids are playing”可知，老师要求学生停止嬉闹。故B项正确。
9．A.studying B．praying
C．reviewing D．speaking
答案：A 根据上文“when a teacher says to a group of students ... the kids are playing”可知，学生们正在嬉闹而不是在学习。故A项正确。
10．A.warn B．promise
C．agree D．advise
答案：A 根据下文可知，monkey around意为“捣蛋，胡闹”。由此可推知，此处指老师警告学生不要乱动设备。故A项正确。
11．A.basic B．valuable
C．standard D．portable
答案：B 根据语境可知，老师警告学生不要动贵重的设备。故B项正确。
12．A.stick to B．figure out
C．leave alone D．make up
答案：C 句意：当你乱动你不应该动的东西时，你就是在添乱、捣乱。leave sth. alone表示“不要碰某物”，符合语境。故C项正确。
13．A.until B．unless
C．when D．because
答案：C 句意：当你感觉自己想做某事，但又不知道该做什么的时候，也可以用“monkey around”表达。根据句意可知，空格处应用when引导时间状语从句。故C项正确。
14．A.simple B．main
C．rough D．firm
答案：D 根据下文“you don't have any jobs or goals”可知，此处指没有确定的想法。故D项正确。
15．A.sticking B．hanging
C．moving D．monkeying
答案：D 根据“For example”可知，此处举例说明上文提到的“monkey around”。故D项正确。
16．A.time B．turn
C．mind D．place
答案：C 根据上文“have no 14 idea of what to do”可知，此处指你脑子里没有任何任务或目标。in mind表示“在头脑中”，符合语境。故C项正确。
17．A.save B．spend
C．make D．pass
答案：D 根据上文“Well, you don't have any jobs or goals in”及对“monkey around”的阐释可知，你没有任务或目标，此处指打发时间。pass the time意为“打发时间”，符合语境。故D项正确。
18．A.dangerous B．foolish
C．lovely D．fearful
答案：B 根据下文“Some people ‘make a monkey out of’ themselves by doing something unwise.”可知，当你使别人看上去很傻时，你就是在戏弄他人。故B项正确。
19．A.predict B．expect
C．imagine D．count
答案：C 句意：如果一只猴子很有趣，那么想象一下一大群猴子会多么有趣啊！故C项正确。
20．A.fantastic B．swift
C．convenient D．cozy
答案：A 句意：如果你的朋友说，在你的聚会上他比一群猴子还开心，那么你就知道他真的玩得非常开心。故A项正确。
