Question

14．One of the greatest contributions 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 Murrary 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 volumes defined 414，825 words，and thousands of them were contributions from a very scholarly and devoted asylum patient．

61．According to the text，the first Oxford English DictionaryD．
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
62．How did Dr．Minor contributed to the dictionary？C
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．
63．Why did Dr．Minor refuse to visit Oxford？A
A．He was shut in an asylum                 
B．He lived far from Oxford
C．He was busy writing a book              
D．He disliked traveling
64．Prof．Murray and Dr．Minor became friends mainly becauseB．
A．they both served in the Civil War．
B．They had a common interest in words
C．Minor recovered with the help of Murray
D．Murray went to America regularly to visit Minor
65．Which of the following best describe Dr．Minor？D
A．Brave and determined                     
B．Cautious and friendly
C．Considerate and optimistic                
D．Unusual and scholarly
66．What does the text mainly talk about？C
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 is patients．

Answer 1

分析 文章主要讲述了一位不平凡的精神病患者对《牛津英语字典》的贡献，这部字典将囊括英语语言中可能出现的每一个单词，不但会定义每个单词，而且会给出这个单词的历史，同时也会引用一些能够展示这个单词用法的句子．

解答 61．D．细节理解题．根据第一段中的…serve as editor for what was to be the most ambitious dictionary in the history of the English language可知，作者为英语语言史上最雄心勃勃的词典的编辑．则这本词典也是野心勃勃．故选D．
62．C．细节理解题．根据第三段的第一句话Minor joined the army of volunteers sending words and quotations to Murray可知，他加入志愿队，提供了文字，和市场报价．故选C．
63．A．细节理解题．由第四段中的…he found Minor locked in a book-lined cell at the Broadmoor Asylum可知，Minor被关在一家精神病院里，这是他不能去牛津的原因．故选A．
64．B．细节理解题．根据第五段的Murray and Minor became good friends，sharing their love of words可知，他们成为好朋友的主要原因在于他们都对词汇很热爱．故选B．
65．D．推理判断题．从文章的最后一句话可以推断Minor很博学，对做学问很投入，但他同时又是一个精神病人．因此用devoted，scholarship，unusual等描述他最贴切．故选D
66．C．主旨大意题．文章的关键词有两个：Minor和Oxford Dictionary，主要讲述的Mr．Minor的特别之处和他对Oxford Dictionary的贡献，因此文章的大意应该把这两个词都包括进去．故选C．

点评 本文考察学生人文地理阅读．本类题型常用的方式是夹叙夹议．叙述的目的是为了议，所以要把握其议才是主要方面．阅读这类文章，先弄清其引入的话题，再弄清里面人物对其不同的看法，然后理解作者本身对话题的观点看法或思考．