阅读下面短文,掌握其大意,从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

When I entered Berkeley, I hoped to earn a scholarship. Having been a Straight-A student, I believed I could __36__ tough subjects and really learn something. One such course was World Literature given by Professor Jayne. I was extremely interested in the ideas he 37 in class.

When I took the first exam, I was 38 to find a 77, C-plus, on my test paper,   39   English was my best subject. I went to Professor Jayne, who listened to my arguments but remained_ 40   .

I decided to try harder, although I didn’t know what that  41  because school had always been easy for me. I read the books more carefully, but got another 77. Again, I   42  with Professor Jayne. Again, he listened patiently but wouldn’t change his 43     .

One more test before the final exam. One more  44  to improve my grade. So I redoubled my efforts and, for the first time.   45   The meaning of the word “thorough”. But my  46__    did no good and everything  47   as before.

The last hurdle(障碍) was the final. No matter what   48   I got, it wouldn’t cancel three C-pluses. I might as well kiss the   49   goodbye.

I stopped working head. I felt I knew the course material as well as I ever would. The night before the final, I even  50  myself to a movie. The next day I decided for once I’d have  51__with a test.

A week later, I was surprised to find I got an A. I hurried into professor Jayne’s office. He  52__ to be expecting me. “If I gave you the As you  53  , you wouldn’t continue to work as hard.”

I stared at him.  54  That his analysis and strategy(策略) were correct. I had worked my head   55  , as I had never done before.

I was speechless when my course grade arrived: A-plus. It was the only A-plus given. The next year I received my scholarship. I’ve always remembered Professor Jayne’s lesson: you alone must set your own standard of excellence.

36.   A. take        B. discuss      C. cover         D. get

37.   A. sought      B. presented    C. exchanged     D. obtained

38.   A. shocked     B. worried      C. scared        D. anxious

39.   A. but         B. so          C. for           D. or

40.   A. unchanged   B. unpleasant   C. unfriendly     D. unmoved

41.   A. reflected     B. meant       C. improved     D. affected

42.   A. quarreled    B. reasoned     C. bargained     D. chatted

43.   A. attitude      B. mind        C. plan         D. view

44.   A. choice       B. step         C. chance       D. measure

45.   A. memorized    B. considered   C. accepted      D. learned

46.   A. ambition      B. confidence   C. effort         D. method

47.   A. stayed        B. went        C. worked       D. changed

48.   A. grade         B. answer      C. lesson        D. comment

49.   A. scholarship     B. course      C. degree       D. subject

50.   A. helped         B. favored     C. treated       D. relaxed

51.   A. fun            B. luck       C. problems      D. tricks.

52.   A. happened       B. proved     C. pretended     D. seemed

53.   A. valued         B. imagined    C. expected     D. welcomed

54.   A. remembering    B. guessing    C. supposing    D. realizing

55.   A. out            B. over       C. on           D. off

One of the greatest contributors to the first Oxford English Dictionary was also one of its most unusual. In 1879, Oxford University in England asked Prof. James Murray to serve as editor for what was to be the most ambitious dictionary in the history of the English language. It would include every English word possible and would give not only the definition but also the history of the word and quotations(引文) showing how it was used.

This was a huge task, so Murray had to find volunteers from Britain, the United States, and the British colonies to search every newspaper, magazine, and book ever written in English. Hundreds of volunteers responded, including William Chester Minor. Dr. Minor was an American surgeon who had served in the Civil War and was now living in England. He gave his address as “Broadmoor, Crowthorne, Berkshire,” 50 miles from Oxford.

Minor joined the army of volunteers sending words and quotations to Murray. Over the next 17 years, he became one of the staff’s most valued contributors.

But he was also a mystery. In spite of many invitations, he would always decline to visit Oxford. So in 1897, Murray finally decided to travel to Crowthorne himself. When he arrived, he found Minor locked in a book-lined cell at the Broadmoor Asylum(精神病院) for the Criminally Insane.

Murray and Minor became friends, sharing their love of words. Minor continued contributing to the dictionary, sending in more than 10,000 submissions in 20 years. Murray continued to visit Minor regularly, sometimes taking walks with him around the asylum grounds.

In 1910, Minor left Broadmoor for an asylum in his native America. Murray was at the port to wave goodbye to his remarkable friend.

Minor died in 1920, seven years before the first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary was completed. The 12 volunteers defined 414,825 words, and thousands of them were contributions from a very scholarly and devoted asylum patient.

1.According to the text, the first Oxford English Dictionary ____.

   A. came out before Minor died

   B. was edited by an American volunteer

   C. included the English words invented by Murray

   D. was intended to be the most ambitious English dictionary

2.How did Dr. Minor contribute to the dictionary?

   A. He helped Murray to find hundreds of volunteers.

   B. He sent newspapers, magazines and books to Murray.

   C. He provided a great number of words and quotations.

   D. He went to England to work with Murray.

3.Which of the following best describes Dr. Minor?

   A. Brave and determined.            B. Cautious and friendly.

   C. Considerate and optimistic.        D. Unusual and scholarly.

4.What does the text mainly talk about?

   A. The history of the English language.

   B. The friendship between Murray and Minor.

   C. Minor and the first Oxford English Dictionary.

   D. Broadmoor Asylum and its patients.

 

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