Question

【题目】One day, a train was approaching the small town of Cheekyville. On the train was a young man with a big suitcase. He was called William Warbler, and he looked very common indeed. What made him most unusual, though, was the fact that whenever he needed to communicate he did it by singing opera (歌剧). It didn’t matter to William whether it was simply a matter of answering a brief greeting, like “good day”. He would clear his voice and respond, “Gooood dayyy to youuuuuuuu... toooooo!”

No one could get a normal spoken word out of him and no one knew how he made his living. As he lived quite simply, always wearing his same old second-hand suit, people often looked down on him.

William had been in Cheekyville for some years, when, one day, word spread round town like wildfire: William had played a role in a very important opera in the nation’s capital. Everyone in the capital went to see it, and it was a great success. Everyone in Cheekyville felt it was a surprise. But something more surprising was, when William was being interviewed by reporters, he answered their questions by speaking rather than singing. And he did it with great manners, and with a clear and pleasant voice.

From that day, William gave up singing at all hours. Now he did it only during his stage appearances and world tours. Some people suspected why he had changed, but others continued believing him to be somewhat mad. They wouldn’t have thought so if they had seen what William kept in his big suitcase. It was a large stone, with a hand-carved (手工雕刻的) message on it. The message said: “Practice, my boy. Practice every second, for you never know when your chance will come.”

Little did people realize that he only got the role in the opera because the director had heard William singing while out buying a newspaper.

【1】Why did people in Cheekyville consider William strange?

A. He always carried a big suitcase.

B. He always spoke by singing opera.

C. He always greeted people gladly.

D. He always wore an old suit.

【2】Hearing the news about William, people in Cheekyville felt it was _____.

A. unbelievable B. satisfying

C. disappointing D. interesting

【3】According to the text, William _____.

A. had no idea whether he should continue doing something mad

B. was nervous and didn’t know how to sing when he was interviewed

C. was selling newspapers when the opera director heard him singing

D. practiced singing whenever possible before he became famous

【4】What can we learn from the story?

A. Live and learn.

B. Better late than never.

C. Practice makes the master.

D. Experience is the best teacher.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】B

【2】A

【3】D

【4】C

【解析】

试题分析：William无论他什么时候需要交流，他都是通过唱歌剧。后来他成名了。启迪人们“熟能生巧”，熟练能使人成为专家。

【1】B推理判断题。根据第一段中的whenever he needed to communicate he did it by singing opera (歌剧).无论他什么时候需要交流，他都是通过唱歌剧。故选B。

【2】A推理判断题。根据第三段中的Everyone in Cheekyville felt it was a surprise.在Cheekyville的每个人都感到这是一个惊讶。故选A。

【3】D推理判断题。根据第一段中的whenever he needed to communicate he did it by singing opera (歌剧).无论他什么时候需要交流，他都是通过唱歌剧。根据第四段第一句From that day, William gave up singing at all hours.从那天，威廉在所有时间放弃唱歌。即成名以后，故选D。

【4】C主旨大意题。根据倒数第二段最后一句The message said: “Practice, my boy. Practice every second, for you never know when your chance will come.”练习，我的孩子。每秒都练习，因为你从来不知道机会什么时候将会来。故选C。