Part&I&阅读基础篇（61～80）
Part&I&阅读基础篇（61～80）
Passage 61Jack started to draw when he was only three, and when he was five, he was already good at it. He drew a good many beautiful and interesting drawings, and people paid a lot of money for them. They said: “This boy is surely going to be a famous man when he’s a little older. And then he’s going to sell his pictures at a higher price.”Jack’s pictures were quite different from other people’s because he never drew only all of the paper. He usually drew one on half of it. The lower half of it, and the other half was almost empty .“That’s very clever, indeed,” nearly everyone said, “Nobody else does that.”One day, somebody bought one of Jack’s pictures and then asked him. “Would you please tell me why you draw only on the bottom half of your pictures, but not on the top half?”“Because I’m small, and my brush doesn’t reach very high.”Questions:a. When did Jack start to draw?b. How were Jack’s pictures?c. Why were Jack’s pictures not the same as other people’s?d. Why did everyone appreciated（赞扬）Jack’s pictures?e. Why were the top half of his drawings usually empty?Answers:a. When he was only three.b. His pictures were so beautiful and interesting that people spent plenty of money on his pictures.c. Because half of every picture was empty.d. Because no one except Jack drew in that way.e. Because Jack wasn’t tall enough at that time.
Passage 62ChristmasChristmas Day---December 25---which celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ , the founder of the Christian religion , is the biggest and best-loved holiday in the United States.According to the Bible , the holy book of Christians, God decided to allow his only son, Jesus Christ, to be born to a human mother and live on earth so that people could understand God better and learn to love God and each other more. “Christmas”---meaning “celebration of Christ”---honors the time when Jesus was born to a young Jewish woman Mary .In the United States Christmas is the most popular holiday. Some people will attend church and observe Christmas as the birthday of Christ. For others, Christmas is just a day of fun and celebration, a time for family and friends to gather together. “Going home for Christmas” is a cherished custom and no distance seems too great if it enables one to join the family circle for the holiday. Schools and colleges close for two weeks, and business firms are lenient about giving leave to employees for the Christmas visit to their homes. Parents welcome home their children and grandchildren and often open their doors to friends and strangers.Some people say that Christmas is not religious enough, and that the holiday has become such big business that Americans forget it was created to honor the birth of Christ. It is true that people spend a lot of money during the holiday season. Store owners expect to get from 60 to 70 percent of their yearly earnings during the month before Christmas. However, Americans also do many special things to help each other at Christmas time. The Christmas spirit, hard to define, but apparent everywhere during the holiday season, is expressed in many charitable ways. Religious, civic and social organizations as well as philanthropic individuals , see to it that the poor, the unfortunate, the orphans, the sick, the lonely and elderly are remembered with gifts and festive food.All over America, churches, schools and other groups make their own efforts at Christmas to help the old, the poor, and those without homes or families. It is one of the traditional activities in which all Americans like to take part on Christmas.Questions:a. Can you describe the origin of Christmas Day? What does “Christmas” mean?b. How do American people celebrate their Christmas holiday?c. Why do some people say that Christmas is not religious enough?d. What is the Christmas spirit according to your opinion?Answers:a. Christmas Day is from the Bible. “Christmas” means “celebration of Christ.”b. Some people go church and observe Christmas as the birthday of Christ, others have a day of fun and celebration, a time for family and friends.c. Because the holiday has become such big business that Americans forget it was created to honor the birth of Christ.d. It is to help others who need help and give them love
Passage 63United Nations DayOctober 24---the UN birthday---is celebrated as United Nations Day. It is a day that belongs to everyone, and it is celebrated in most countries of the world. Some countries celebrate it for a week instead of a day.Every year the President of the United States, in a special announcement, asks Americans to remember United Nations Day.In many parts of the world, schools plan programs for this day. Boys and girls in some communities decorate a United Nations tree, or plant a garden, or conduct a model session of the General Assembly or Security Council . In other communities, young people put on plays about the United Nations. Some libraries exhibit children’s art from around the world. Schools celebrate with the songs and dances of other countries, or give parties where foods of other countries are served.Always the purpose of these celebrations is to help everyone understand the United Nations and why it is important.The United Nations encourages people to learn about other lands and their customs. In this way people can gain a better understanding and appreciation all over the world.Write T(true) or F(false) for each following statement:a. Some school children decorate a UN tree.b. Lectures on the organization of the United Nations are given in school libraries.c. A model session of the Security Council is held to show the UN works.d. A campaign to raise funds for the poor is launched.d. Plays about the United Nations are put on by young people.e. Schools exhibit children’s art from many countries.f. Foods of other countries are served at parties.g. Additional costumes of people from different nationalities are exhibited.
Answers: 【T F T F T T T F】 Passage 64 An old man went to the hospital. When the doctor came to see him, he said: “Well, Mr. Jackson, you are going to have some injections and you will feel better. A nurse will come and give you the first one this evening, and then you will get another one tomorrow morning.”In the evening a young nurse came to Mr. Jackson’s bed and said to him, “I am going to give your first injection now. Mr. Jackson, where do you want it?”The old man was surprised. He looked at the nurse for several seconds and then said: “Nobody has ever let me choose before. Are you really going to let me choose now?”“Yes, Mr. Jackson,” the nurse answered. She was in a hurry, “where do you want it?”“Well, then,” the old man answered with a smile, “I want it in your left arm, please.”Write T(true) or F(false) for each following statement:a. One day an old man was in hospital.b. The doctor said that a nurse was going to have some injections.c. In the evening a young nurse came to Mr. Jackson and gave him some medicine.d. The young nurse told the man to choose where he wanted the injection.e. The old man had never been in hospital before.f. The old man wanted his injection in his left arm.
Answers: 【T F F T F F】Passage 65Mr. White was a chicken farmer. He had hundreds of chickens, and sold the eggs and the meat and got quite a lot of money from them, but he lived in a very hot part of the country, and he found that his hens could hardly lay any eggs in the summer. He decided to put air-conditioning into his chicken-house so that the hens would lay well all through the year and he could get more eggs and in that way get more money.The owner of the air-conditioning company came to see him, and when he saw Mr. White’s house, he thought that he might be able to persuade him to buy some air-conditioning for that too.“Your wife would be much happier and have a nicer house to live in then,” he said to Mr. White. But Mr. White was not interested.“My wife doesn’t lay eggs,”Write T(true) or F(false) for each following statement:a. Mr. White hens could lay few eggs when the weather was too hot.b. Mr. White decided to buy air-conditioning for his house because he wanted to make his wifemuch happier.c. The owner of the company hoped to put air-conditioning into both Mr. White’s house and his chicken-house.d. Air-conditioning in Mr. White’s house would not bring him more money.e. Neither Mr. White nor the owner of the company wanted to get more money.
Answers: 【T F T T F】Passage 66Mary stopped outside a shoe-shop and looked in the window. For some time, she gazed at a pair of high boots on display. “They are exactly what I’ve been looking for,” she thought.“I’d like to buy a pair of boots like the ones you have in the window,” she said to the shop-assistant. “Could you tell me how much they are, please?”As the price was reasonable , Mary decided to try a pair on. The shop-assistant asked her to sit down and brought a pair. While she was helping Mary to put them on, she kept looking at Mary’s stockings . Mary was wearing a pair of stockings made of fine white lace . “Excuse me for asking,” the shop-assistant said at last, “but where did you get these stockings? We’ve been trying to obtain these stockings for some time. They’re the very latest fashion .”“They’re pretty, aren’t they?” Mary said. “They were given to me by my grandmother.”Questions:a. Why did Mary stop outside a shoe-shop?b. What did Mary find in the window?c. What did the shop-assistant do when Mary was trying on the new boots?d. What was the shop-assistant interested in?e. What is the main idea of the story?Answers:a. Because she wanted to look at the boots on display in the window.b. She found a pair of boots that she wanted in the window.c. She stared at Mary’s stockings.d. The shop-assistant was interested in the style of Mary’s stockings.e. Styles in the old days may come back to fashion again.
Passage 67There was a businessman who always tried to pay as little as possible for what he needed. One day he fell ill. He decided to go to a doctor and asked a friend to recommend one. “Dr. David is a good one,” the friend told him.“Is he expensive?” the businessman asked.“Yes and no. He charges five hundred dollars for the first visit, but only twenty-five dollars for each visit after that.”“That seems reasonable,” the businessman said, and went to visit Dr. David.As he walked into the consulting-room , he said, “Well, here I am AGAIN,” and put twenty-five dollars on the table.The doctor looked at him carefully for a moment, then smiled and put the money into the drawer of his desk. “Thank you,” he said. “And what can I do for you today?”“Examine me, of course,” the businessman said, “and tell me what’s wrong with me.”“Oh, there is no need for me to examine you AGAIN,” the doctor said. “Just continue taking the medicine I prescribed for you when you came to me last time.”Questions:a. What happened to the businessman one day?b. Was Dr. David expensive?c. What did the businessman decide to do?d. What do you think of Dr. David?e. Which lesson does the story try to teach us?Answers:a. He got sick and had to go and see a doctor.b. Yes and no. He charged a lot only for a patient’s first visit.c. He decided to play a trick on Dr. David.d. He was clever at dealing with dishonest people.e. The story tries to teach us clever people may be victims of their own cleverness（聪明反被聪明误）.
Passage 68It was winter, and Mrs. Smith wanted to do a lot of shopping. So she waited until it was Saturday when her husband was free. And she took him to the shops with her to pay for everything and to carry her parcels . They went to a lot of shops, and Mrs. Smith bought a lot of things. She often stopped and said, “Look, John! Isn’t that beautiful!”Mr. Smith then answered, “All right, dear. How much is it?” and took his money out to pay for it.It was dark when they came out of the last shop, and Mr. Smith was tired and thinking about other things. Suddenly his wife looked up at the sky and said, “Look at the beautiful moon, John!”Without hesitation , Mr. Smith answered, “All right, dear. How much is it?”Write T (true) or F(false) for the each following statement:a. Mr. Smith did not go to work on Saturdays.b. Mrs. Smith bought the things and paid for them and Mr. Smith carried them home.c. After Mr. Smith came out of the last shop, he had a nice drink.d. Then Mrs. Smith saw a beautiful picture of the moon in a shop.e. Mr. Smith was not really interested in shopping.f. The story tells us that Mr. Smith was always ready to please his wife.
Answers: 【T F F F T T】Passage 69It was Christmas, and there was a big party in the house. Guests came and went but the party continued. Then the bell rang. Several people shouted, “Come in!” and a small man opened the front door and came in. Nobody knew him, but the host went to meet him and took him to the bar for a drink.The man sat there happily for an hour and drank. Then suddenly he stopped and looked at his host. “Do you know,” he said, “nobody invited me to this party. I don’t know you, I don’t know your wife, and I don’t know any of your guests. My wife and I wanted to go out in our car, but one of your guests has parked his car in front of our house. So I came here to find him ---- and my wife is waiting in our car for me to come back.”Questions:a. Who was the small man?b. Why did the small man come to the party?c. Where was the small man’s wife while he was at the party?d. How do you think of the small man?Answers:a. The small man was a stranger who lived nearby.b. Because he came in to look for someone.c. His wife was in her car while he was at the party.d. I think the small man was a forgetful man.
Passage 70A man got into a train and found himself sitting opposite a woman who seemed to be about thirty-five years old. Soon they began talking to each other, and the man said to her, “Do you have a family?”“Yes, I have one son,” the woman answered.“Oh, really?” said the man. “Does he smoke?”“No, he’s never touched a cigarette ,” the woman replied.“That’s good,” the man continued. “I don’t smoke, either. Tobacco is very bad to one’s health. And does your son drink wine?”“Oh, no,” the woman answered at once. “He’s never drunk a drop of it.”“Then I congratulate you, ma’am,” the man said. “And does he ever come home late at night?”“No, never,” the woman answered. “He goes to bed immediately after dinner every night.”“Well,” the man said, “he’s a wise young man. How old is he?”“He’s six months old today. But he’ll grow up to be a gentleman,” the woman replied proudly.Questions:a. Where does the story take place?b. What are the man and the woman talking about?c. How old is the woman’s son?d. How does the woman feel about her son?Answers:a. The story takes place on a train.b. They are talking about the woman’s son.c. Her son is six months old.d. She feels about her son will grow up to be a wise young man.
Passage 71Mrs. Jones’ telephone number was 3463, and the number of the cinema in her town was 3464, so people often made a mistake when they wanted the cinema.One evening the telephone bell rang and Mrs. Jones answered it. A tired man said, “At what time does your last film begin?”“I’m sorry,” said Mrs. Jones, “but you have the wrong number. This is not the cinema.” “Oh, it began twenty minutes ago,” said the man. “I’m sorry about that. Goodbye.”Mrs. Jones was very surprised, so she told her husband. Mr. Jones laughed and said, “The man’s wife wanted to go to the cinema, but he was feeling tired, so he telephoned the cinema. His wife heard HIM, but she didn’t hear YOU . Now they will stay at home this evening, and the husband will be happy!”Questions:a. Why do people often telephone Mrs. Jones when they want the cinema?b. Why was Mrs. Jones so surprised at a phone call one evening?c. According to Mr. Jones, why didn’t the man on the phone want to go to the cinema?d. What do you think the man’s wife wanted to do that evening?Answers:a. Because her telephone number is similar to that of the cinema.b. Because the man on the phone asked a question and then answered it himself.c. Because he was feeling very tired that evening.d. She wanted to go to the cinema with her husband.
Passage 72Mr. Jones had a quarrel with Mrs. Jones the other day. So they were very angry with each other. For several days they did not speak to each other at all. One evening Mr. Jones was very tired when he came back from work, so he went to bed immediately after dinner. Of course he did not say anything to Mrs. Jones before he went upstairs. Mrs. Jones washed the dishes and then did some sewing . When she went up to bed much later than her husband she found a piece of paper on the small table near her bed. On it were the words, ‘Mother---Wake me up at 7 a.m.---Father.’When Mr. Jones woke up the next morning , it was nearly 8 a. m. ---and on the small table near his bed he saw another piece of paper . He took it and read these words: ‘Father---Wake up. It’s 7 a.m. ---Mother.’Questions:a. What happened between Mr. and Mrs. Jones the other day?b. Why did Mr. Jones go to bed immediately after dinner?c. What did Mrs. Jones find when she went to bed?d. When did Mr. Jones wake up the next day?e. According to your guess, what would happen to Mr. Jones the next day?Answers:a. They had a quarrel and didn’t speak to each other for several days.b. Because he was very tired when he came back from work.c. She found a piece of paper on a small table near her bed.d. He woke up at 8 a.m. the next day.e. He would be late for work the next day.Passage 73There was once a large, fat woman who had a small, thin husband. He had a job in a big company and was given his weekly wages every Friday evening. As soon as he got home on Fridays, his wife used to make him give her all his money, and then she used to give him back only enough to buy his lunch in the office every day.One day the small man came home very excited. He hurried into the living-room. His wife was listening to the radio and eating chocolates there.“You’ll never guess what happened to me today, dear,” he said.He waited for a second and then added: “I won ten thousand pounds on the lottery !”“That’s wonderful!” said his wife delightedly . But then she thought for a few seconds and added angrily, “But wait a moment! How could you afford to buy the lottery ticket ?”Questions:a. When did the small man get his wages?b. How much money was the small man allowed to keep every day?c. What happened to the man one day? d. What was the small man’s wife doing when he told her his news?e. How did the woman respond to her husband’s news?Answers:a. The small man got his wages every Friday evening.b. He was allowed to keep just enough to buy his lunch in the office every day.c. He won a lottery.d. His wife was listening to the radio and eating chocolates.e. She was pleased yet suspicious（怀疑）.
Passage 74Baseball is America’s favorite sport and pastime . Little boys play baseball in parks and in streets. Picnics all through the hot summer months include at least a few baseball matches with boys and girls, young and old.Officially, the baseball season goes from April to September, and the really important professional players are the members of the 24 teams in America’s two major baseball leagues. Each summer these are America’s national heroes. At the end of the season when the two top teams play against each other to find the winner of the “World Series”, excitement and tension rise in cities all over the country. Fans make long trips to watch the games and to shout from their seats. Millions of others turn on radio and television, sometimes topic of conversation. And long after it is all over, baseball fans talk over the scores and the plays.The president of the United States is invited to start the season each year by tossing the ball into the first game in Washington, D. C. --- and he rarely fails to come.Questions:a. When does the baseball season start in America?b. Who are America’s national heroes each summer?c. Who is invited to start the season each year by tossing the ball into the first game?d. Where is the first game held every year?Answers:a. The baseball season goes from April to September.b. Professional baseball players are America’s national heroes each summer.c. The President of the United States.d. In Washington, D. C.Passage 75This is a story about two drivers who wanted to park their cars in the same parking space.The man who arrived at the parking space first was rather old with gray hair. He was driving a large Rolls Royce . The beautiful car stopped just in front of the parking space. Then the driver turned his head and very slowly began to reverse his car into the space.Just as he was doing this, a young man in a Mini came up from behind. He noticed the space and drove straight in, nose first. The older driver in the Rolls Royce stopped his car suddenly. He was very angry and red in the face. He wound down his window and looked at the young man. But the young man didn’t even say sorry. He had got out of his car now and he was laughing. “You have to be young to do that!” he said to the older driver and pointed at the Mini and at the space he had just taken.The older man said nothing. He just began to reverse his Rolls Royce again and crashed into the Mini very hard. There wasn’t much of the Mini left when the older driver had finished. The young man watched what was happening and couldn’t believe his eyes. He was angry and very red in the face. The older driver looked out of the window and smiled. “You have to be rich to do that,” he said.Questions:a. What is the story about?b. What do you know about the two drivers?c. Why was the older man very angry and red in the face?d. What did the older driver mean when he said: “You have to be rich to do that”?Answers:a. The story is about two cars crashed into each other due to the drivers’ dispute over a parking space.b. The younger driver was quicker than the older driver, but the older driver was richer than the younger driver.c. Because it was he who noticed the parking space first.d. It means “only rich people can have the daring to do that.”
Passage 76A smartly dressed man entered a famous jewelry shop one day. He explained that he wished to buy a pearl for his wife’s birthday. The price didn’t matter, since business had been particularly good for him that year. After examining a number of beautiful and expensive pearls, he chose an excellent black one that cost 5,000. He paid for the pearl in cash and left.A few days later the man returned and said that his wife had liked the pearl so much that she wanted another one just like it. It had to be exactly the same. “Can you possibly give me any advice on how to get such a pearl?” asked the man. The jeweler regretfully replied, “I would say it’s almost impossible to find one like that pearl.”The millionaire insisted that jeweler advertise in the newspaper, and offered $25,000 for the matching pearl. Many people answered the ad, but nobody had a pearl that was just right. Just when the jeweler had given up hope, a little old lady came into the store. To his amazement , she pulled the perfect pearl from her handbag. “I don’t like to wear it,” she said sadly. “I inherited it from my mother, and my mother inherited it from hers. But I really need the money.”The jeweler was quick to pay the old woman before she changed her mind. Then he called the millionaire’s hotel to tell him the good news. The millionaire, however, was nowhere to be found.Questions:a. Why did the smartly dressed man come to the jewelry shop one day?b. How much did the excellent black pearl which he chose cost?c. Why did the jeweler advertise in the newspaper for the matching pearl?d. What did the old lady take to the jewelry shop?e. How much did the shop lose in the deal?Answers:a. Because he wanted to buy his wife a birthday present.b .It cost $5,000.c. Because the millionaire insisted that he wanted the exactly same pearl, but the jeweler couldn’t find it in his shop.d. She took the very pearl that the man had bought from the jewelry shop.e. The shop lost $20,000 in the deal.
Passage 77About 700 years ago, the first Europeans traveled to China. They were two brothers, businessmen from Venice in Italy . When they reached China they were welcomed by the emperor, and they stayed there for some time before returning home.Eleven years later they made a second journey to China. One of them took his son along, a young man called Marco Polo. Marco kept a diary, in which he recorded his experiences on the journey and in China.The Polo family spent many years in China. Marco’s father and uncle became rich businessmen. Marco himself worked for the emperor, becoming one of his advisers, and travelling to various other countries in South-East Asia on official business . Later the emperor made him governor of the city of Yangchow, and a member of his council .Questions:a. When did the first Europeans travel to China?b. Where did the first Europeans who traveled to China come from?c. With whom did Marco Polo come to China?d. What did he do in China?Answers:a. About 700 years ago.b. From Venice in Italy.c. Marco Polo came to China with his father.d. He worked for the emperor as one of advisers.Passage 78A little grey-haired woman armed with a knife robbed an Oxfordshire shop after threatening the assistant.The untidily dressed woman walked into the Scandwich Man shop in Parsons Street, Banbury at 9: 30 at night and pulled out the bread knife from beneath her coat. She threatened the young assistant and forced her to open the money-drawer before robbing the entire day’s income.The robbery happened on Saturday night, and police at Banbury are appealing for witnesses . The shop owner, Mr. Ken Woodd said: “ It is unbelievable. It has never happened before in the 38 years I have been in business.”Police took the assistant around pubs in the town after robbery to try to find the robber, but with no luck. Mr. Woodd said the day’s income was snatched . He said it might have been as much as 180 pounds.Questions:a. When and where did the robbery happen?b. What did the police do after the robbery?c. How much money was robbed?d. Had the police found the robber?Answers:a. The robbery happened in Parsons Street, Banbury at 9: 30 at night on Saturday.b. They took the assistant around pubs to try to find the robber.c. As much as 180 pounds.d. No. They had no luck to find the robber.
Passage 79 Once a clever man was crossing a turbulent river. He wished to amuse himself by talking to the boatman."Do you know mathematics?" he asked."No sir." answered the boatman."Then you have lost one quarter of your life," said the wise man. "Do you know history?""No sir." answered the boatman."Then you have lost three quarters of your life." Just then a sudden gust of wind overturned the boat. "Do you know how to swim?" asked the boatman."No," answered the wise man."Well then," replied the boatman, "you have lost your whole life."Questions:a. One day a clever man was _____ a river.A. swimming in B. boating in C. going across D. looking intob. The clever man knew a lot of knowledge except _______.A. mathematics B. philosophy C. history D. swimmingc. The clever man thought the boatman had lost ______ of his life.A. one-fourth B. half C. three fourths D. wholed. When a gust of wind overturned the boat, ______ lost his life.A. the boatman B. the boatman and the clever man C. the clever man D. None of theme. The story told us ______ .A. not to be proud B. to learn to swim C. to be a boatman D. not to learn knowledge
Answers:【 C D C C A 】
Passage 80A farmer was put into jail just at the time when he should dig the ground for planting the new potatoes. He knew that his wife would not be strong enough to do the digging by herself, but she would try to do the planting. He also knew that he did not have any friends or neighbors who would be willing to do the digging for him. So he wrote a letter to his wife. He said in his letter: "Please do not dig the field. I hid the money and the gold there."Three days later he got a letter from his wife. It said: "I thought somebody read your letter before they went out of the prison. Some policemen arrived here two days ago and dug up the whole potato field. What shall I do now?"The prisoner wrote back at once, "Plant the potatoes, of course."注释：用智慧让别人为自己服务是本文的幽默所在.Questions:a. The best title for the passage is:A. Helping hands B. A farmer prisoner C. A letter to the wife D. The policemen and the prisonerb. The farmer was sent to prison _________.A. after digging the potato field B. before planting the potatoesC. when the farmer was planting potatoes D. when he was digging the landc. the farmer knew ________.A. his wife was not able to do the digging B. his wife was not able to do the plantingC. his friends would help him D. his friends would help him with the diggingd. This story told us when the farmer was writing the letter, he knew that _______ .A. only his wife would read the letter B. his wife wouldn't be able to read the letterC. the policemen would read the letter D. other prisoner would read the lettere. The farmer wrote the letter because ________.A. he wanted to tell his wife where the money wasB. he wanted to tell the position of the gold and the moneyC. he wanted to make the policemen dig the fieldD. he wanted to tell his wife how to plant potatoes
Answers:【 A B A C C 】