Question

In 1880, fourteen-year-old Matthew Henson loved to hear sailors tell tales of their exciting lives at sea. The travel, the adventure, the danger, and the steady pay were all attracting young Henson. One day, he found a job as a cabin boy on a beautiful ship called the Katie Hinds. For the next five years, Henson sailed around the world. With the help of the ship’s captain and other members of the crew, Henson learned mathematics, navigation, history, geography, and many other subjects. By the time he left the Katie Hinds in 1885, Henson was well educated and had become an excellent seaman.

Unable to find work anywhere else, Henson took a job in a hat shop in Washington, D.C. One day in 1887, a man came in to buy a hat. The man, Robert Peary, asked the owner if he knew anyone with experience at sea. Peary would soon travel to South America for the U.S. government. He needed experienced men to accompany him. The shop owner knew about his young employee’s skills and experience on ocean journeys, so he introduced Peary to Henson.

Using his map-reading and sailing skills, Henson proved himself to be a worthy and smart seaman. Peary soon made Henson his assistant, and they became close friends. One day Peary told Henson about his real dream: to be the first man to stand on “the top of the world” at the North Pole. He asked Henson to help him make his dream come true. Over the next five years, the two explorers made two trips together to the Arctic. However, they were not able to reach the pole either time. The cold, wind, and ice were worse than either of them had ever imagined.

In 1908, Peary and Henson were ready to make their final attempt at reaching the North Pole. Both men were over forty years old. The years of hardship in the arctic cold had made them suffer a lot. This would be their last chance. With four Inuit guides, they made a mad rush straight across the ice toward the pole. Peary’s feet were injured and he had to be pulled on a dogsled. In April 1909, Henson’s instruments showed they were standing at the North Pole. Together Henson and Peary planted the American flag in the snow.

In later years, Robert Peary and Henson were greatly honored for their achievements. Today, the two friends and fellow explorers lie in heroes’ graves not far apart in the Arlington National Cemetery.

1.In paragraph1, the author shows how Henson became ________.

A. a skilled seaman

B. a highly educated captain

C. employed in a restaurant

D. interested in helping others

2.Paragraph 2 mainly tells us ________.

A. how Matthew Henson met Robert Peary

B. why Matthew Henson went to the hat shop

C. why Matthew Henson stopped working on the Katie Hinds

D. how Robert Peary knew that Matthew Henson had sea experience

3.On their trip to the North Pole, Henson and Peary could best be compared to ________.

A. treasure hunters seeking big fortunes

B. generals seeking power over another country

C. soldiers going to war to fight for their freedom

D. fighters performing a task in an unknown land

4.The information presented in this passage is mainly organized ________.

A. by cause and effect

B. by comparing and contrasting

C. in the order that the events happened

D. with main ideas and supporting examples

Answer 1

1.A

2.A

3.D

4.C

【解析】

试题分析:本文是一篇介绍人物的短文，讲述了Henson从年轻时候对航海的热爱一直到他遇到Peary，最后一起经历艰难困苦到达北极的故事。由此可以看出Henson顽强的意志和不畏艰难的精神。

1. Henson was well educated and had become an excellent seaman.可知选A。

2. Peary故选A。

3.

4.

考点：考查故事类短文阅读