题目内容
I played a racquetball game against my cousin Ed last week. It was one of the most __ 1 __ and tiring games I've ever had. When Ed first phoned and __ 2 __ we play, I laughed quietly, figuring on an __ 3 __ victory. After all, Ed's idea of __ 4 __ has always been nothing more __ 5 __ than lifting a fork to his mouth. __ 6 __ I can remember, Ed's been the least physically fit member in the family, and __ 7 __ proud of himself. His big stomach has always ballooned' out between his T-shirt and trousers. Although the family often __ 8 __ about that, Ed refused to buy a __ 9 __ T-shirt or to lose weight. So when Ed __ 10 __ for our game not only with the bottom of his shirt gathered inside his trousers but also with a stomach you could hardly __ 11 __ , I was so surprised that I was __ 12 __ . My cousin must have made an effort to get himself into shape. __ 13 __ , at the point in our game when I'd have predicted (预计) the score to be about 9 to 1 in my favor, it was __ 14 __ 7 to 9 - and Ed was __ 15 __ . The sudden realization was painful. We __ 16 __ to play like two mad men. When the score was 16 up, I was having serious __ 17 __ about staying alive until 21 years old, let alone __ 18 __ that many points. When the game finally ended, both of us were lying flat on our backs, too tired to __ 19 __ . In a way, I think we both won: I the game, but cousin Ed my __ 20 __.
1. A. encouraging B. hopeless C. surprising D. regular
2. A. declared B. mentioned C. persuaded D. suggested
3. A. unforgettable B. unexpected C. easy D. early
4. A. exercise B. preparation C. joy D. fitness
5. A. time-saving B. comfortable C. suitable D. effort-making
6. A. As soon as B. As long as C. When D. Since
7. A. strangely B. personally C. reasonably D. eagerly
8. A. cared B. forgot C. quarreled D. joked
9. A. clean B. larger C. straight D. darker
10. A. set out B. got ready C. arrived D. returned
11. A. notice B. admire C. believe D. measure
12. A. nervous B. curious C. careless D. speechless
13. A. After all B. As a result C. Above all D. At last
14. A. mistakenly B. then C. instead D. naturally
15. A. leading B. coming C. waiting D. counting
16. A. pretended B. stopped C. continued D. decided
17. A. thoughts B. doubts C. situations D. problems
18. A. scoring B. completing C. receiving D. keeping
19. A. play B. start C. sleep D. move
20. A. friendship B. respect C. support D. favor
1-5CDCAD 6-10BADBC 11-15ADBCA 16-20CBADB |
A few days ago I asked my sons’ governess Julia to come into my study.
“Be seated, Julia,” I said. “Let’s settle our accounts. I guess you most likely need some money, but maybe you’re too polite to mention it. Now then, we agreed on thirty dollars a month...”
“Forty.”
“No, thirty. I made a note of it. I always pay our governess thirty. Well, hmm, you’ve been here two months, so...”
“Two months and five days.”
“Exactly two months. I made a special note of it. That means you have sixty dollars coming to you. Take off nine Sundays... You know you didn’t work with Tom on Sundays. You only took walks. And three holidays...”
Julia was biting her finger nail nervously, her face red, but—not a word.
“Three holidays, therefore take off twelve dollars. Four days Tom was sick and there were no lessons, as you were occupied only with Dick. Three days you had a toothache and my wife gave you permission not to work after lunch. Twelve and seven—nineteen. Take nineteen off...that leaves...hmm...forty one dollars. Correct?”
Julia’s left eye reddened with tears welling up. Her chin trembled;she coughed nervously and blew her nose, but—still not a word.
“Around New Year’s Day you broke a teacup and a saucer: take off two dollars. The cup cost more, it was a treasure of the family, but—forget it. When didn’t I take a loss?! Then, due to your carelessness the maid stole Dick’s shoes. You ought to watch everything! You get paid for it. So, that means five more dollars off. The tenth of January I gave you ten dollars.”
“You didn’t,” sobbed Julia.
“But I made a note of it.”
“Well...if you say so.”
“Take twenty seven from forty one—that leaves fourteen. ”
Both her eyes were filled with tears. Beads of sweat stood on the thin pretty little nose. Poor girl!
“Only once was I given any money,” she whispered, her voice trembling, “and that was by your wife. Three dollars, nothing more.”
“Really? You see now, and I didn’t know that! Take three from fourteen...leaves eleven. Here’s your money, my dear. Three, three, three, one and one. Here it is!”
I handed her eleven dollars. She took them and pocketed them.
“Merci(法语,谢谢),” she whispered.
I jumped to my feet and started pacing the room. I was overcome with anger.
“For what, this ‘merci’?”I asked.
“For the money.”
“But you know I’ve cheated you—robbed you! I have actually stolen from you! Why this ‘Merci’?”
“In my other places they didn’t give me anything at all. ”
“They didn’t give you anything? No wonder! I played a little joke on you, a cruel lesson, just to teach you...I’m going to give you all the eighty dollars! Here they are in the envelope all ready for you...Is it really possible to be so spineless(懦弱)? Why didn’t you protest? Why were you silent? Is it possible in this world to be without teeth and claws(爪)—to be such a fool?”
Embarrassed, she smiled. And I could read her expression: “It is possible.”
I asked her pardon for the cruel lesson and, to her great surprise, gave her the eighty dollars. She murmured her little “merci” several times and went out. I looked after her and thought: “How easy it is to crush the weak in this world!”
【小题1】While talking to Julia, the writer expected ____________ from her.
A.protest | B.gratitude | C.obedience | D.an explanation |
A.nervousness in front of her boss | B.acceptance of injustice |
C.shyness when talking about money | D.unwillingness to express herself |
A.to be more aggressive | B.to be more careful in her work |
C.to protect her own right | D.to live independently |
A.his understanding of Julia’s anxiety |
B.his worry about Julia’s future |
C.his concern on the living conditions of working-class people |
D.his sympathy for the mental state of those exploited(被剥削的) |
A.greedy but honest | B.ill-tempered but warm-hearted |
C.strict but forgiving | D.honest, kind and worried |