1、课下能力提升(九)阅读理解AWhat do literary greats Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Robert Burns have in common? They both lived and wrote in Edinburgh, along with many other big names in the field of literature. This fact helped UNESCO (联合国教科文组织) award the city the title of Worlds First City of Literature on October
2、14.Edinburgh left a lasting impression on Arthur Conan Doyle (18591930)Although he was born there he went to school in England but returned home for medical school. After graduating he moved to London and began writing his Sherlock Holmes stories. His inspiration for the character came from one of h
3、is professors at university. Holmes methods were so clever that they actually furthered the advance of the study of criminology (犯罪学)Robert Burns (17591796) is still regarded as Scotlands national poet, more than 200 years after his death. He is celebrated all over the world through translations of
4、his work and the annual Burns Night supper on his birthday. One of his songs, My Love is Like a Red Red Rose ranks among the finest love songs ever written and Auld Lang Syne (友谊地久天长) is sung all around the world.As one of the first literate societies in Europe, the Scottish Parliament passed the wo
5、rlds first compulsory (义务) education law in 1496. By the 1790s, almost all Scots could read. Visitors to Scotland often observed that even the lowest members of society had copies of Burns poems and other books.语篇解读：本文简单介绍了苏格兰的文坛巨匠亚瑟科南道尔和罗伯特伯恩斯以及苏格兰产生众多文学巨匠的历史渊源。1Edinburgh was awarded the title of W
6、orlds First City of Literature because _.Athe first award ceremony of literature was held thereBmany literary greats like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Robert Burns were born thereCit left a deep impression on many literary greats like Sir Arthur Conan DoyleDmany literary greats like Sir Arthur Conan D
7、oyle and Robert Burns often wrote about it解析：选B推理判断题。根据第一段所表述的：文坛巨匠亚瑟科南道尔和罗伯特伯恩斯与文学界的其他一些名人一样，他们两人都出生在爱丁堡，笔耕于爱丁堡。在这座城市里诞生了许许多多的作家，正因为这浓郁的书香，联合国教科文组织于10月14日把“世界首座文学之城”的荣誉授予了爱丁堡。2Arthur Conan Doyle was remembered mainly for his _.Adetective storiesBlove poems and songsCcontribution to the study of cri
8、minologyDclever writing skills解析：选A推理判断题。根据第二段中的内容：亚瑟科南道尔创作了福尔摩斯故事系列，其探案方法被描绘得非常奇妙，这让犯罪学研究也获益匪浅，得到了进一步的发展。由此推理他是以“侦探小说”而出名。3In honour of Robert Burns, _.AMy Love is like a Red Red Rose and Auld Lang Syne are sung all around the worldBhis works are translated into many languages every yearCa celebrat
9、ion is held more than 200 years after his deathDa celebration is held every year on his birthday解析：选D细节理解题。根据第三段中的“He is celebrated all over the world through translations of his work and the annual Burns Night supper on his birthday.”一句可知：每年，人们在他的诞辰日举行“伯恩斯之夜”晚宴，以示纪念。4In the last paragraph, the writ
10、er mainly discussed _.Athe impression of visitors to ScotlandBhow Burns poems are popular in ScotlandCthe possible history reasons for many literary greats in ScotlandDhow the worlds first compulsory education law was made解析：选C段落大意题。根据最后一段所表述的意义：苏格兰之所以产生这么多的文学巨匠有其历史渊源。短文中列举了三个细节，苏格兰议会于1496年通过了世界上第一个
11、义务教育法案。到18世纪90年代的时候，几乎所有的苏格兰人都能识字了。许多去苏格兰游览的人发现，就连苏格兰的市井小民也在读着伯恩斯的诗以及其他一些书。BShakespeare, more perhaps than any other writer, made full use of the greatest resources of the English Language. Most of us use about five thousand words in our normal employment of English; Shakespeare in his works used ab
12、out twentyfive thousand! There is probably no better way for a foreigner to appreciate the richness and variety of the English language than by studying the various ways in which Shakespeare uses it. Such a study is well worth the effort, even though some aspects of English usage, and the meaning of
13、 many words, have changed since Shakespeares day.However, it is surprising that we should know comparatively (相对地) little about the life of the greatest English author. We know that Shakespeare was born in 1564 in StratfordonAvon, and that he died there in 1616. He almost certainly attended the gram
14、mar school in the town, but of this we cannot be sure. We know that he was married there in 1582 to Anne Hathaway and that he had three children. We know that he spent much of his life in London writing his masterpieces. But this is almost all that we do know. However, what is important about Shakes
15、peares life is not its details but its products, the plays and the poems. For many years scholars have been trying to add a few facts about Shakespeares life to the small number we already possess and for an equally long time critics (批评) have been theorizing (理论化) about the plays. Sometimes, indeed
16、, it seems that the poetry of Shakespeare will disappear under the great mass of comment that has been written upon it.Fortunately, this is not likely to happen. Shakespeares people have long delighted not just the English but lovers of literature everywhere, and will continue to do so after the sch
17、olars and critics and all their works have been forgotten.5Whats Paragraph 1 mainly about?AThe great varieties in writing styles.BThe great length of Shakespeares works.CThe richness of the content in Shakespeares works.DThe rich English language used by Shakespeare in his works.解析：选D段落大意题。本段开头点出莎士比
18、亚较其他作家而言，对英语使用的最为充分，接着对其进行了例证，即其作品中的词汇是常人使用的词汇的5倍。由此可知D项正确。6According to the passage，which of the following remains uncertain about Shakespeare?AHis date of birth.BHis marriage.CHis life in the grammar school.DHis date of death.解析：选C细节理解题。根据第二段第三句可知，莎士比亚有没有上过文法学校不确定。所以选C项。7What does the last sentenc
19、e in Paragraph 3 mean?APeople dont think the poetry of Shakespeare good any more.BPeople pay more attention to the comment than the poetry of Shakespeare.CPeople cant read the poetry of Shakespeare any more.DThe comment is printed on the poetry of Shakespeare.解析：选B推理判断题。在大量的评论之下，莎士比亚的诗歌看起来会消失，由此可以看出
20、人们过多地注意了评论而忽略了诗歌。8“Shakespeares people” in Paragraph 4 refers to _.Athe characters in Shakespeares worksBthe people living in Shakespeares dayCthe readers of Shakespeares worksDthe people whose native language is English解析：选A推理判断题。该段从侧面肯定了莎士比亚的作品，是“莎士比亚作品中的人物”为英语增加了光彩，也使热爱文学的人们感到愉悦。CHave you ever he
21、ard of an old saying? Intelligence is a born ability while goodness is a choice. Gifts are easy theyre given after all. Choices can be hard.I got the idea to start Amazon 16 years ago. I came across the fact that the Internet usage was growing at 2,300 percent per year. Id never seen or heard of any
22、thing that grew that fast, and the idea of building an online bookstore with millions of titles was very exciting to me. I had just turned 30 years old, and Id been married for a year. I told my wife MacKenzie that I wanted to quit my job and go to do this crazy thing that probably wouldnt work sinc
23、e most startups dont and I wasnt sure what to expect. MacKenzie told me I should go for it. As a young boy, Id been a garage inventor. Id always wanted to be an inventor, and she wanted me to follow my passion.I was working at a financial firm in New York City with a bunch of very smart people and I
24、 had a brilliant boss that I much admired. I went to my boss and told him I wanted to start a company selling books on the Internet. He took me for a long walk in Central Park, listened carefully to me, and finally said, “That sounds like a really good idea, but it would be an even better idea for s
25、omeone who didnt already have a good job.” That logic made some sense to me, and he convinced me to think about it for 48 hours before making a final decision. Seen in that light, it really was a difficult choice, but finally, I decided I had to give it a shot. I didnt think Id regret trying and fai
26、ling. And I suspected I_would_always_be_haunted_by_a_decision_not_to_try_at_all.After much consideration, I took the less safe path to follow my passion, and Im proud of that choice. For all of us, in the end, we are our choice.9What inspired the author with the idea of building an online bookstore?
27、AHis dream of being an inventor.BThe support of his wife.CThe greatly increasing usage of the Internet.DMillions of exciting titles.解析：选C细节理解题。根据第二段的“I got the idea . the Internet usage was growing at 2,300 percent per year. Id never seen or heard of anything that grew that fast”可知，因特网使用率的迅速增长激发了作者创
28、建网上书店的想法。故选C。10Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined sentence?AThe idea of not trying would keep coming to his mind and disturb him.BHe would be very excited if he tried it out.CHe would be always having a doubt if he didnt try.DThe decision not to try the online bookstore w
29、ould terrify him.解析：选A句意理解题。根据第三段的倒数第二句“I didnt think Id regret trying and failing”可知，作者不会后悔去尝试或者失败，但是有了想法却从未尝试过会让他不能释怀。haunt意为“萦绕于脑际，长期不断地缠扰(某人)”。故选A。11Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?ACleverness and KindnessBThe Starting of AmazonCFollowing My PassionDWe Are What We
30、Choose解析：选D标题归纳题。根据第一段的最后一句“Choices can be hard”以及最后一段的末句“For all of us, in the end, we are our choice”可知，作者以自己的亲身经历强调了坚持自己的选择对人生的意义。12We can know from the passage that _.Athe boss thought the idea was suitable for the authorBthe author wanted someone else to try the ideaCthe author might not regret if he failed the idea Dthe author might go back to his boss if he failed解析：选C推理判断题。根据第三段的“Seen in that light .I didnt think Id regret trying and failing”并结合文章主旨可知，作者即使失败也不后悔自己的选择。
