题目内容
Being able to experience a different environment and custom will give us a new perspective on everything we thought we knew and understood. Maybe, going abroad is an opportunity to look again at not only the country and the people who live there but also ourselves.
I had never expected to visit Paris. The French culture didn' t interest me that much, and Paris seemed too big, too touristy, too much. But when I found myself standing next to the Opera National de Paris, completely alone and totally lost, I knew I was in for an interesting ride. I had decided to take a summer history class abroad, and Paris just happened to be where it was set. My teacher eventually found me and other jet-lagged students and walked us down to where we would be staying. Even then, tired, hungry, and feeling displaced, I was unable to keep myself from marveling at the beauty of the city.
The next day in the grocery store, trying to decide if the box I was holding contained butter or cream cheese, I suddenly realized I was a foreigner that didn’t speak the language.The cashier and I had a conversation completely with gestures. For the most part, it didn't seem to bother the French that I was utterly incompetent in speaking their language. In fact, from my first unclear "bonjour" , many of them would directly switch over to English.
Time Hew by. In the mornings we had class, and in the afternoons we were given a lot of freedom to do what we pleased. We explored everywhere in the city, becoming experts at using the Metro, and walking so much that our legs were sore every night.
Living in Paris was a huge change in my lifestyle. Everything I did was more relaxed. I stopped worrying about the future and instead focused on living in the present. I stopped wearing a watch because time didn’t matter.We ate when we were hungry, went to bed when we were tired and explored in between.I no longer mind that Paris is so big; it' s an old, beautiful metropolis full of culture and history.On one of my last days there, standing on top of the Arc du Triumph with a 360 degree view of Paris, I finally admitted something to myself.The city that I had never wanted to visit had turned into the city that I never wanted to leave.
1.The writer came to Paris because ______.
A.he wanted to have an interesting ride
B.he attended a course in summer
C.he admired its beautiful scenery
D.he was alone and lost his way
2.On the first day in Paris, the writer felt _____.
A.lonely in the big city B.bored with his visit
C.surprised at its beauty D.interested in its culture
3.The example of the grocery store is used to illustrate _____.
A.the little influence of language barrier
B.the big difficulty of living abroad
C.the great importance of gestures
D.the intelligence of French people
4.By mentioning the uselessness of the watch, the author probably wants to prove ______
A.time in Paris is not worth counting
B.he enjoys the time in Paris very much
C.life seems meaningful without time
D.he has to spend a long time to visit the big city
1.B
2.C
3.A
4.B
【解析】
试题分析:文章大意:文章介绍作者本来不想去巴黎,但一个暑假课程让他来到巴黎,第一眼就被巴黎的美景吸引,而且语言交流并没有成为问题,作者在巴黎尽情欣赏美景,以至于忽略了时间。
1.细节题:从第二段的句子:I had decided to take a summer history class abroad, and Paris just happened to be where it was set.可知作者去巴黎是为了上一个暑期课程,选B
2.细节题:从第二段的句子:Even then, tired, hungry, and feeling displaced, I was unable to keep myself from marveling at the beauty of the city.可知作者虽然很累也不能不对巴黎这个城市的美丽感到惊讶。选C
3.推理题:从第三段的句子:For the most part, it didn't seem to bother the French that I was utterly incompetent in speaking their language. In fact, from my first unclear "bonjour" , many of them would directly switch over to English.可知在商店作者和店主用手势和简单的语言,并不影响交流,选A
4.推理题:从最后一段的句子:Everything I did was more relaxed. I stopped worrying about the future and instead focused on living in the present. I stopped wearing a watch because time didn’t matter.We ate when we were hungry, went to bed when we were tired and explored in between.可知作者不带手表了,因为时间不重要,作者很喜欢在巴黎的时间,选B
考点:考查故事类短文
While reading a story on 20-somethings complaining about how the economy was ruiningg their life plans, I couldn’t help but think the 20-somethings sounded like a bunch of spoiled who grew up expecting everything to be easy for them. As a 20-something myself, certainly share their disappointment : my husband and I probably won’t be able to buy a house until we’re in our 40s, and we two are burdened by student loans(贷款). But why should it be any different? Being young persons in America, shouldn’t they take up all of the challenges and opportunities that this country offers?
Consider some of these views shared in the story: Jennifer, 29, owner of a two-bedroom apartment with her husband, worries that she won’t be able to have children for at least a decade because they can’t afford to buy a house yet.
I read that, and I thought what planet she is living on where you need to own a house in order to have kids? Has she ever visited a developing country, or even downtown areas in this one? Home ownership is a luxury(奢华), not a fertility requirement.
A 26-year-old in the story is disappointed that he can’t afford to get a Ph. D in literature. Well, that sounds a bit like expressing disappointment that no one will pay you to write poetry on the beach in Thailand for five years.
Yes, it’s sad that these young people feel so lost. But I think the problem is their extremely high expectations, not economic reality. Beth Kobliner, author of Personal Finance in Your Twenties and Thirties, says that she thinks people’s expectations grew up at a time when everyone’s wealth appeared to be increasing, Their parents probably saw their home values rise along with their investments. “So you have people who have grown up in an environment where people had great expectations of what living well means,” says Kobliner.
This recession(经济衰退) will certainly play a role in forcing those expectations into more realistic group. In the meantime, it seems a lot better for our mental health to focus on being grateful---for our one-bedroom apartments, for living in modern cities, or perhaps just for being able to eat three meals a day---than on longing for some kind of luxury life.
【小题1】. What makes the author think the 20-somethings sound like a bunch of spoiled children?
A.They expect everything to be easy for them. |
B.They complain that the economy is spoiling their life plans. |
C.They are unwilling to face all of the challenges. |
D.They are burdened by student loans. |
A.baby production | B.pleasant | C.baby comfort | D.comfortable |
A.They can’t have children for at least a decade a decade to buy a house. |
B.They have only a one-bedroom apartment to live in. |
C.They can’t buy a house until 40 and are burdened by student loans. |
D.They despair at not being able to afford a PH. D in literature. |
A.Unbearable | B.Opposite | C.Doubtful | D.Understanding |
A.Young people afford to continue their study |
B.Young people can’t afford to buy a house |
C.Young people’s high hopes create despair |
D.The 20-somethings’ high expectations |
Computer people talk a lot about the need for other people to become “computer-literate.” But not all experts (专家) agree that this is a good idea.
One pioneer, in particular, who disagrees is David Tebbutt, the founder of Computertown UK. Although many people see this as a successful attempt to bring people closer to the computer. David does not see it that way. He says that Computertown UK was formed for just the opposite reason, to bring computers to people and make them “people-literate.” David Tebbutt thinks Computertowns are most successful when tied to a computer club but he insists there is an important difference between the two. The clubs are for people who have some computer knowledge already. This frightens away non-experts, who are happier going to Computertowns where there are computers for them to experiment on, with experts to encourage them and answer any questions they have. They are not told what to do, they find out.The computer experts have to learn not to tell people about computers, but have to be able to answer all questions people ask. People don’t have to learn computer terms(术语), but the experts have to explain in plain language. The computers are becoming “people-literate.”
1.Which of the following is David Tebbutt’s ides on the relationship between people and computers?
A.Computer learning should be made easier. |
B.There should be more computer clubs for experts. |
C.People should work harder to master computer use. |
D.Computers should be made cheaper so that people can afford them. |
2.We can infer from the text that “computer-lilerate” means_______.
A.being able to afford a computer |
B.being able to write computer programs |
C.working with the computer and finding out its value |
D.understanding the computer and knowing how to use it |
3.The underlined word “it” in the second paragraph refers to the idea that Computertowns ___.
A.help to set up more computer clubs |
B.bring people to learn to use computers |
C.bring more experts to work together |
D.help to sell computers to the public |
4.David Tebbutt started Computertown UK with the purpose of______.
A.making better use of computer expert |
B.improving computer programs |
C.increasing omputersales |
D.popularising computers |