题目内容
Before one man walked upon a muddy New Jersey riverbank,baseball was a deadly game.
In 1938,Phillies third-base coach Lena Blackbume happened to step into a stream in the Delaware River,and realized he found a solution for one of baseball's biggest problems.
Back then balls fresh from the box were slippery and hard to control. Players tried to improve their grips(紧握力) with tobacco juice or shoe polish,but as the balls got dirtier,they just got harder to see. Batting helmets hadn't been invented yet,and players were having trouble keeping their eyes on the errant (无定向的) balls. One batter was even killed.
So when Blackbume came across the slippery mud near his hometown fishing hole,his mind went straight to the field. The mud was gritty(含砂的) ,with the look and feel of chocolate pudding. He brought some home and found that,sure enough,it coated the ball perfectly,improving the grip without damaging the leather. When Blackbume showed the result to American League umpires(裁判员) ，they gave his mud a thumbs-up. By the 1950s,every major-league team was using it.
Now,before every major- and minor- league game (as well as many college games) , an umpire or clubhouse attendant wipes a light coat of Blackbume's magic mud on each ball used. The mud hole's location remains a closely guarded secret to this day. Only one person,Jim Bintliff,the mud's farmer,knows where to find it.
1. Before 1938,baseball was .
A. boring B. world-famous
C. unpopular D. dangerous
2. The magic mud makes baseballs.
A. easier to control B. easier to make
C. look prettier D. look bigger
3. What did American League umpires think of Blackbume's method?
A. It was great.
B. It might work.
C. It didn’t work.
D. It could be improved.
4. Which can be the best title for the text?
A. Baseball stars B. Baseball rules
C. Baseball's secret D. Baseball's origin
(体育)
本文是记叙文。文章讲述了棒 球泥的故事。
1. D.细节理解题。由第一段末的 a deadly game及第三段开头的 Back then ... hard to control 和末句的 One batter was even killed 可 知，在1938年前棒球是危险的运动。
2. A. 推理判断题。由第四段中的 improving the grip without damaging the leather 可推断，这种
泥使棒球更容易控制。
3. A.推理判断题。由第四段末的 they gave his mud a thumbs-up. By the 1950s,every major-league team was using it可推断，裁判们认为 Blackbume的方法很好。
4. C.标题归纳题。文章主要讲了棒 球泥被发现和使用的历史，这种泥 的位置目前仍是秘密，故C项最适 合作本文的标题。
