故事类阅读理解模拟训练(60690)-高三英语阅读(394)-21英语网

本文作者： 21ST

A

An 80-year-old woman died Tuesday afternoon in a fire. The blaze (火焰) was reported about 2:30 p.m. at a home on Sunnyside Avenue. The victim was identified as Mary Cass. Her husband, Roy Cass, 80, was not at home at the time of the fire. Investigators from the local fire department were trying to determine the exact cause of the fire. They said it looked like the woman had fallen asleep on the sofa with a cigarette in her hand.

The value of the home was estimated at $700,000. The Casses were married in 1945. Both of them had been smokers throughout most of their lives.

Mr. Cass said, “Six months ago, we decided to quit smoking, because we wanted to live to be 100. So we went to a smoking cessation clinic (戒烟诊所). The clinic worked! We both managed to quit a month ago. At least I thought we both did. I can't believe she was smoking behind my back.”

Mr. Cass started sobbing (哭泣) after his remarks. He repeatedly cried out his wife’s name. Authorities took him to a nursing home where he could be kept under surveillance (监视).

“We’ve had too many instances of long-time married couples who, if they discover their spouse is dead, commit suicide within 48 hours,” said a nursing home spokesperson. “Mr. Cass’s behavior has been erratic (古怪的), from talking nonstop to crying to staring vacantly. We are going to have to watch him closely.”

1. What might have caused the fire that killed Mary Cass?

A. Mary forgetting to switch off the gas.

B. Mary falling asleep while smoking a cigarette.

C. Mary’s husband not putting out the cigarette before leaving the house.

D. There is no clue as to the cause of the fire.

2. Why did the old couple decide to give up smoking?

A. They had ran out of money.

B. They were both suffering from lung cancer.

C. They wanted to live longer.

D. They were tired of smoking

3. Which of the following statements about Mary’s death is FALSE?

A. She died when she was alone at home.

B. Her husband was shocked and heartbroken at the news of the accident.

C. Her husband committed suicide when he heard of the death of his wife.

D. A nursing home is going to pay close attention to Mr Cass.

4. The article probably comes from ______?

A. A novel

B. A local newspaper

C. A fashion magazine

D. A research paper

B

I always used to laugh when I heard of people lining up outside stores in order to get a video games console (电子游戏机).

So I couldn’t quite believe that I found myself outside a Best Buy on a recent Saturday night preparing to spend 13 hours sleeping on concrete.

I was a younger member of the crowd hoping to be one of the lucky customers to get the privilege of paying $250 for a “Nintendo Wii” (任天堂家用游戏机).

The pursuit (寻求) of this game system began about one month earlier when my brother said that the only thing he wanted for Christmas was a Wii. Every store and website I checked had plenty of Playstations and Game Boys. However, no Wiis.

Yes, the one overpriced piece of plastic that I wanted was nowhere to be found. Still, I pressed on.

All this led to me camping on the street, while my peers either partied or slept.

Upon calling Best Buy at 8 pm, I discovered that they would have several (the salesman said at least 18) Wiis available when they opened the store the next morning at 10 am. My feeling of excitement quickly turned to panic when I learned that “there were already four people in line”.

After packing enough tents (帐篷), sleeping bags and blankets, my mom and I left at 9:04 pm. At 9:25, I arrived at Best Buy. There were already four people in the queue even more desperate to buy a Wii than me.

Finally, the doors were opened at 9:52 am. Nearly 13 hours of chilly dedication was about to pay off. After parading us to the back of the store, we saw a mountain of 68, not 18, Wiis stood end to end. We were finally able to complete the mission, buying a Wii.

Even though I still can’t feel my toes and fingers, my 13 hours of chilly dedication has been well worth the trouble. I’d say my brother owes me a few favors.

By Mitch Smith

5. Why did the author spend 13 hours sleeping on concrete outside a Best Buy?

A. He wanted to get a cheap video games console and sell it later.

B. He wanted to buy a Wii for his brother as Christmas gift.

C. The salesman at Best Buy promised him a lower price.

D. Camping on the street was a new experience for him.

6. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the article?

A. Both the author and his brother were big fans of online games.

B. The author was the first one camping outside Best Buy to buy a Wii.

C. The author didn’t know that there were some Wiis for sale on the Internet.

D. The author felt freezing cold after a whole night’s waiting.

7. What can we know about the author?

A. He loved playing Wii as much as his brother did.

B. His mother didn’t support him when he decided to line up to buy a Wii.

C. He did what he could to get a perfect Christmas gift to his brother.

D. He felt disappointed at the experience of dedicating 13 hours to buying a Wii.

8. What’s the best title for the passage?

A. My brother owes me a lot.

B. A crazy street-camping experience.

C. A wonderful Game Boy.

D. One overpriced piece of plastic.

C

As a cardiac patient at Charlotte’s Levine Children’s Hospital, Jacob Jackson often stared blankly out the window, counting cars. It took his mind off the pain from surgeries (外科手术) to repair congenital heart defects (先天性心脏缺陷). At 16, he’s already had seven major operations.

Now, Jacob is counting the days until he goes to Hawaii to mentor kids at a summer camp for heart patients.

He leaves Thursday for Camp Mokuleia on Oahu’s North Shore, where he’ll spend four days with a low-income family whose young son has had five operations. Simply by being there, he hopes to offer encouragement. “I’ll tell them it’ll be all right,” said Jacob, who lives in western Lincoln County, “I can explain things. Talking helps.”

Kim Jackson is proud that her son is developing into a spokesman for a new generation of heart survivors. In May, he mentored two young brothers at Camp Taylor, a free medically supervised heart camp near Modesto, Calif., where she also worked as a volunteer counselor (辅导员).

The scars on Jacob’s body map his personal battle with a life-threatening disease.

About 10 days after his birth he had trouble eating, and doctors found a heart murmur (连续而低沉的声音).

At 7 weeks, Jacob had the first of his operations, which would include two open-heart surgeries.

Things would be OK for years. But Jackson and her husband, Wade, never knew what to expect when they took their son to the doctor for a six-month checkup.

Meanwhile, Jacob knew his limits and pushed himself within the boundaries. He was smaller than other children his age and couldn’t play competitive sports. But he could still play and he played hard.

“He’s an amazing young man,” said Camp Taylor founder Kimberlie Gamino, who named the camp after her son, Taylor, who was born with half a heart, and is now 15. “He’s someone who can reach beyond his own limitations. He finds how you can achieve within those limitations and give back. It’s his special gift to children.”

In Hawaii, where Camp Taylor also runs a camp, Jacob will mentor not only a Hawaiian child, but the parents, too.

“This is a huge step,” Gamino said. “It empowers (赋予) a new-found self-esteem (自尊). It’s an opportunity to develop independence.”

Jacob’s family will foot the bill to get to California, and then Camp Taylor pays for the flight to Hawaii.

Jacob also organized a fundraiser (资金募集活动) and came up with $2,300 to help pay camp expenses for the family he’s mentoring in Hawaii.

9. What kept Jacob so long in hospital?

A. He was volunteering in the hospital for cardiac (心脏的) patients.

B. He was preparing for another heart surgery.

C. He was waiting for a chance to work in Hawaii.

D. He was recovering from a heart operation.

10. Which statement about Camp Taylor is FALSE?

A. It’s a free, medically supervised heart camp.

B. Jacob Jackson was one of the founders of the camp.

C. Kimberlie Gamino named the camp after her son.

D. Kim Jackson used to work as a volunteer counselor in the camp.

11. What will Jacob do in Hawaii?

A. He will mentor two young brothers there.

B. He will encourage a couple of poor parents to fight on for their son.

C. He will mentor both a child and parents from a Hawaiian family.

D. He will help Camp Taylor to run another camp.

12. What is the main point of the article?

A. Jacob makes an effort to help people.

B. Cardiac patients need mentoring.

C. Camp Taylor organizes fundraisers.

D. Volunteers offer support to heart patients.

D

I used to be really frustrated when I got “trapped” in the train station in New York. When this happened, I spent time “observing” people and found that the New York City trains formed “an underground NYC”.

I met all kinds of people there. Sitting in trains coming from suburban boroughs (区) like Queens and Brooklyn, I saw babysitters and house keepers, in white or pink uniforms, carrying a shopping bag with lunch and another prettier bag for their makeup. Some gentlemen in suits get squeezed (挤) in between ladies, reading the New York Times, holding Starbucks coffees and a piece of napkin.

The passengers’ skin color would get lighter as the train went from suburban areas to uptown NYC. Clothes brands changed from “Nike” and “Babyphat” to “Armani” and “Prada”.

Getting lost is not embarrassing at all. Even New Yorkers who have lived in the city for 20 years need to check out the map before going to a new place by train. People from other states are just as confused as foreigners when they are “thrown” underground.

It was funny when people carrying big backpacks and holding maps, asked me where they could transfer while I was trying to find an exit. “I’m sorry, I am trying to find my way out too.” I felt really bad about not helping them. To my surprise, the two guys with blue eyes didn’t look disappointed at all. They laughed and told me, “Oh, we are wondering if there’s really an exit because we have been walking around here for 10 minutes and we still don’t know where to transfer to the uptown train!”

NYC trains are just like doors rotating (旋转) on and on. If I hadn’t got lost several times, I might not have had the chance to stop and see what was happening outside my block.

13. According to the article, what kind of people has the author seen in the subway?

a. babysitters and housekeepers in uniforms

b. people wearing “Armani” and “Prada”

c. gentlemen with newspapers and coffee

d. tourists with big backpacks and maps

e. foreign women carrying a shopping bag with lunch and their makeup

A. abcdB. abceC. bcdeD. acde

14. What can we infer from the third paragraph?

A. People of lighter skin color mostly live in the uptown NYC.

B. People in the suburban areas never wear “Armani” and “Prada”.

C. People of different backgrounds travel by subway in NYC.

D. People of a better financial status usually don’t take the subway.

15. Which of the following statement is TRUE about the author according to the article?

A. She found observing people in NYC trains quite frustrating.

B. She came to be grateful for the time when she lost her way in the subway.

C. She realized that only foreigners like her got trapped in the subway.

D. She was embarrassed when getting lost in the station.

16. What is the main idea of the article?

A. One of the author’s exciting experiences of taking the subway in NYC.

B. The author’s observation of various people in the subway.

C. The author’s feelings about the busy life in uptown NYC.

D. The author’s complaint of the subway service in NYC.

E

It was a hot summer day. My dad and I were getting ready to go out for a ride on the boat with my friend Katie and the dog. That’s when the phone call came, the call that made that bright, beautiful day a cold, dark, gloomy (阴暗的) one.

I had just put on my suit, shorts, and tank top, and packed my bag with sunscreen and everything else I would need for the day. I ran into my parents’ room to find Dad. When I saw him on the phone, he was crying. I’d never seen my dad cry before. My heart sank. What possibly could have happened?

“Max, I’m so sorry,” I heard him say. That’s when it hit me. I knew that Suzie had died.

Max has been my dad’s best friend for years. Suzie, his daughter, had a rare disease that mainly affected her body. Her brain was OK. She knew what was going on; she knew that she had problems and was different than other kids. Once she told her dad that she wished she could die and be born in a different body. Yet although she couldn’t live a normal life, she was still happy.

When Suzie and I were little, we spent quite a bit of time together. As we grew up, we grew apart. She lived in New York, and I lived in the Midwest. When Suzie was ten she had to live in a hospital in Virginia. About eight months before she died, Max gave us her number at the hospital and we talked at least twice a week until the end. Suzie was always so excited to talk to us and wanted to know every detail about my life. She wanted to know everything I did and everything I ate. In a way, she lived through me.

After we found out about her death, we made our plans to go to New York for the funeral. When she was alive, I sent her a Beanie Baby and she sent one back to me. I had bought her another one but never had the chance to send it to her, so I took it to put in her casket (棺材).

Her funeral was very different than any funeral I’d ever been to. After they lowered her casket, each one of us put a shovelful of dirt over her. I remember crying so hard, I felt weak. My cheeks burned from the tears. My whole body was shaking as I picked up the shovel, but I’m glad I did it.

When Suzie and I first started calling one another, I thought it would be more of a burden on me, but I was completely wrong. I learned so much from her. She gave me more than I could ever give to her. I will never forget her or the talks we had. I now know that I must never take anything for granted, especially my health and the gift of life.

17. The author’s family cancelled their ride because ________.

A. the author’s friend Katie couldn’t join them for the ride

B. the weather was too terrible for a ride

C. Max’s daughter passed away

D. they couldn’t find their dog

18. What does the underlined part “In a way, she lived through me.” mean?

A. Suzie got to know what life outside hospital is like by sharing my experience.

B. Suzie was financially dependent of me.

C. Suzie was too weak to live her own life.

D. Suzie managed to pull through her illness with the sympathy from the author.

19. Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?

A. Suzie was the only person helping the author with difficulties.

B. The author feared that she might also get the same disease as Suzie.

C. The author didn’t understand Suzie was her true friend until Suzie’s death.

D. The author enjoyed talking on the phone with Suzie.

20. What is the most important lesson the author learned from Suzie’s death?

A. Never let go of a friend even if you are apart.

B. Talking with a friend can cure your illness.

C. Be thankful for what we have in our life.

D. We can learn more from our friends than they do from us.