Question

【题目】I was driving from Harrisburg to Lewisburg last night, a distance of about eighty miles. It was late. Several times I got stuck behind a slow-moving truck on a narrow road with a solid white line on my left, and I was clinching (紧握）my fists with impatience.

At one point along an open highway, I came to a crossroads with the traffic light. I was alone on the road by now, but as I approached the light, it turned red and I braked to stop. I looked left, right and behind me. Nothing. Not a car, no suggestion of headlights, but there I sat, waiting for the light to change, the only human being for at least a mile in any direction.

I started wondering why I refused to run the light. I was not afraid of being arrested，because there were obviously no police around, and there certainly would have been no danger in going through it.

Much later that night, the question of why I'd stopped for that light came back to me. I think I stopped because it's part of an agreement we all have with each other. It's not only the law, but it's an agreement we have, and we trust each other to honor it: we don't go through red lights.

It's amazing that we ever trust each other to do the right thing, isn't it? And we do, too. Trust is our first tendency. We have to make a deliberate decision to mistrust someone or to be suspicious or skeptical. Those attitudes don't come naturally to us.

It's a very good thing too，because the whole structure of our society depends on mutual trust, not distrust. This whole thing around us would fall apart if we didn't trust each other most of the time. We do what we say we'll do; we show up when we say we'11 show up;we deliver when we say we'll deliver;and we pay when we say we'11 pay. We trust each other in these matters, and when we don't do what we've promised, it's far from the normal. It happens often that we don't act in good faith and in a trustworthy manner, but we still consider it unusual, and we're angry or disappointed with those badly-behaved people. Anyway I was so proud of myself for stopping for the red light that night.

【1】Why did the author feel impatient while driving?

A. Because he had already driven for a long time.

B. Because it was too far away from his destination.

C. Because he could not overpass a truck on a narrow road.

D. Because something urgent happened in his family.

【2】The author stopped at the traffic light because ________.

A. there were passers-by crossing the road

B. some policemen were on duty just at that point

C. there was potential danger

D. the trust between people influenced the author

【3】What would happen if people didn't trust each other in most cases?

A. The social system would be thrown into disorder.

B. All the things would run normally.

C. The social traditions would be abandoned.

D. Strict rules and laws would be made.

【4】What is the theme of the passage?

A. A bird in hand is worth two in the bush.

B. Mutual Trust is the best policy.

C. Actions speak louder than words.

D. Among the blind the one-eyed is the king.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】C

【2】D

【3】A

【4】B

【解析】

试题分析：这篇文章讲述了作者晚上开车回家，在遇到红灯时停下来了，尽管当时路上只有他一个人，没有任何车辆和其他人。后来他一直在思考为什么自己会在那样的情况下选择停车而没有闯红灯。后来作者体会到这其实是遵守了每个人之间的约定，他为自己的行为感到自豪。

【1】C 细节理解题。根据第一段的Several times I got stuck behind a slow-moving truck on a narrow road with a solid white line on my left, and I became increasingly impatient.可知，在一条狭窄的路上我几次被困在一辆开得很慢的卡车后面，左边是白线，无法超车。所以我变得越来越没耐心。故选C。

【2】D 推理判断题。根据文章中的第四段I think I stopped because it's part of an agreement we all have with each other. It's not only the law, but it's an agreement we have, and we trust each other to honor it: we don't go through red lights.及后面最后一段第一句It's a very good thing too，because the whole structure of our society depends on mutual trust, not distrust.可知，作者没闯红灯是因为受人们之间的信任及由此养成的社会公德的影响。故选D。

【3】A 细节理解题。根据最后一段中This whole thing around us would fall apart if we didn't trust each other most of the time.可知，如果人们互不信任，整个社会就没有规则就会混乱。故选A。

【4】B 主旨大意题。根据文章的最后一段第一句It's a very good thing too，because the whole structure of our society depends on mutual trust, not distrust.可知，本文的主题是相互信任是最好的政策，社会结构依赖相互信任。故选B。

【学法指导】

高考英语主旨大意题答题技巧

弄清文章的大意，关键是找到主题句。

主题句的位置：主题句通常在文首、文末或首尾呼应，有时也在文中，或没有主题句，需根据文章所述内容进行归纳。各段的主题句也常在该段的首句或尾句。议论文和说明文一般有主题句，但记叙文通常没有主题句，需要归纳。

找主题句的四个小窍门：

1.段落中出现表转折的词语(如however, but, in fact, actually, while, on the contrary, in contrast等)时，其后的句子很可能是主题句。

2.首段出现疑问句时，对该问题的回答很可能就是主题句。

3.作者有意识地反复强调的观点，通常是主旨;反复出现的词语，一般为体现文章主旨的关键词。

4.表示总结或结论的话常有therefore，thus， in short，conclude， conclusion等。

【4】B主旨大意题。根据文章的最后一段 第一句It's a very good thing too，because the whole structure of our society depends on mutual trust, not distrust.可知本文的主题是社会上共同的信任是最好的政策。故选B。