题目内容
An African farmer had heard tales about other farmers who had made millions of dollars by discovering diamond mines. These tales so excited the farmer that he could hardly wait to sell his farm and go prospecting for diamonds himself.
So he sold the farm and spent the rest of his life wandering the African continent, searching unsuccessfully for the shining stone that brought such high prices on the markets of the world.
Finally, broke and worn out, he threw himself into a river and drowned.
Meanwhile, back at the farm, the man who had bought his farm happened to be crossing a small river on the property one day when he saw something shining at the bottom of the river. He picked it up. It was a sparkling stone - a good size stone - and, admiring it, he later put it on his fireplace mantel(壁炉架) as an interesting curiosity.
Several weeks later, a visitor admired the stone, looked closely at it, lifted it in his hand and nearly fainted. He asked the farmer if he knew what he'd found. When the farmer said no, that he thought it was just a piece of crystal, the visitor told him he had found one of the largest diamonds ever discovered.
The farmer was astonished. He told the man that his small river was full of these brilliant stones, and his farmland was covered with them. Not all were as large, perhaps, as the one on his mantel, but they were sprinkled generously throughout his property.
Needless to say, the farm the first farmer had sold, so that he could search for a diamond mine, turned out to be the most productive diamond mine on the entire African continent.
【小题1】Why did the first farmer sell his farm?
A. He had made a fortune by selling diamonds.
B. He was tired of his life as a farmer.
C. He wanted to make more money elsewhere.
D. He was told that there was no diamonds on his farm.
【小题2】What happened to him after he sold his property?
A. He found a river full of diamonds on his farm.
B. He lost everything including his own life.
C. He discovered a mine filled with brilliant stones.
D. He finally got his property back with diamonds.
【小题3】When the second farmer first found a shining stone, he ______.
A. felt sorry for what he had done to the first farmer
B. was excited to see he would soon be very rich
C. found it special and brought it home
D. couldn’t wait to share his joy with his friends
【小题4】The visitor nearly passed out after a close look at the stone because _______.
A. he was shocked by the misfortune of the first farmer
B. the discovery was too good to be true
C. it was not discovered on his own farm
D. he was blinded by the light from the stone
【小题5】What do we learn from the story?
A. Treasure a farm with a river running across it.
B. Show your belongings to others to find their real value.
C. Dig deep into what we have instead of wandering elsewhere.
D. Ask for professional advice before selling anything to others.
【小题1】C
【小题2】B
【小题3】C
【小题4】B
【小题5】C
【解析】
We have been providing performing arts information for over 14 years. Here you can search for plays, musicals, concerts and operas across the UK.
Bob the Builder—Spud’s Big Mess at Apollo Theatre Children will be happy to see and sing along with their favorite characters. Bob, with his hard-working team, builds a new eco-centered wind farm in Sunflower Valley. This show is full of fun, and provides an educational message to help children learn about caring about the environment, recycling and, of course, teamwork. [Kids show] Dates: From 1st November, 2009 to 8th May, 2010, at 19:00. Price information:£20.00 to £40.00 |
The Lion King at Sunny Theatre It is taken from an African story. A young lion grows up and learns that taking over the pride requires wisdom. [Musical] Dates: From 24th September, 1999 to now. Tuesday to Saturday at 14:00. Sunday at 15:00. Not on show on Monday. Price information: £22.5 to£65.00 |
Mother Courage and Her Children at National Theatre Mother Courage sells food and clothing to soldiers and tries to keep her business and children alive at all costs during the war. Her encouraging story is told through humor and song. [Play] Dates: From 9th September, 2009 to 8th December, 2009 Price information: £10.00 |
Duke Bluebeard’s Castleat Coliseum Theatre Full of curiosity, Judith persuades her husband to give her the keys only to discover a glowing jewel house, a garden of flowers, a kingdom, and a lake of tears. But what is behind them? [Opera] Dates: From 6th November, 2009 to 28th November, 2009 Nov 6, 10, 12, 20, 25 at19:30. Nov 14, 28 at 18:30 Price information: £22.00 to £50.00 |
A.film posters |
B.performance information |
C.the theatre’s advice |
D.picture exhibitions |
A.Bob the Builder—Spud’s Big Mess |
B.The Lion King |
C.Mother Courage and Her Children |
D.Duke Bluebeard’s Castle |
A.The first three shows are inspiring. |
B.The shows are intended for children. |
C.All of them have won many awards. |
D.The characters in the shows are brave. |
In 1886 explorer Robert Peary traveled to Greenland for the U.S. Navy. Before his journey, no one knew Greenland’s size or shape. On Peary’s first trips, he explored Greenland, mapping parts of it.
When Peary returned to the United States, he went to a businessman to sell some furs. There he met Matthew Henson, an African American mechanic, builder and navigator. When Peary went to Nicaragua on a Navy mission(任务),Henson went with him. When that job was over, the two headed to the Arctic.
Henson and Peary set sail for Greenland. When they landed, Henson built a house for their base camp. Peary and his men set out to explore the land by dog sledge(雪橇). Henson was injured and had to stay at the base. While there, he made friends with the Inuit, the native people.
In 1895 Henson, Peary and Hugh Lee went out on another dog sledge journey. This time, they found Greenland’s northernmost point. They now knew that the North Pole lay under the frozen Arctic Ocean. Peary had hoped to cross the ice. but the group ran out of food and returned to base camp. In the years that followed, Peary and Henson tried several times to reach the North Pole, but each time they failed. On one trip, Peary’s feet froze, and he lost his toes(脚趾).
Peary and Henson planned last trip when Peary was 53 years old. They started across the sea ice from Ellesmere Island, which is located(位于) north of Canada. The temperature dropped as low as—51 degrees Celsius. The explores’ cheeks froze , and they suffered snow blindness from the sun’s glare. They experienced high winds and storms, and they also faced a hidden danger. Under the frozen ocean were powerful currents(潮流). The ice moved and broke apart leaving open water, called leads. Twice Peary fell into leads. But eventually he and Henson became the first persons to reach the North Pole.
1. What did Peary and Henson find in 1895?
A.Greenland is near the Artic Ocean. |
B.Ellesmere Island is located north of Canada. |
C.The North Pole is located in the Artic Ocean. |
D.Greenland’s northernmost point is the North Pole. |
2. Which of the following words can be used to describe Peary?
A.Determined. |
B.Modest. |
C.Generous. |
D.Honest. |
3.What was the potential danger that Peary and Henson faced on their last trip?
A.Snow blindness. |
B.High winds. |
C.Storms. |
D.Leads. |
4.The best title for the passage might be “____”.
A.The mapping of the Arctic Ocean. |
B.Peary and Henson: Arctic explorers |
C.Early explorers’ trips to the South Pole |
D.Henson and Peary: discoverers of Greenland |