Question

My name is Clara. I still remember that chilly December day, sitting in science class. I’d finished a worksheet early and picked up a TIME for Kids magazine. A piece of news caught my eyes: NASA was holding an essay contest to name its Mars rover (火星探测器). Before I even knew anything else about it, a single word flooded my 11-year-old mind: Curiosity.

I couldn’t wait for the bell to ring so I could get started in my essay. That afternoon, I raced home, sat down at the computer, and typed until my fingers ached. “Curiosity is an everlasting flame that burns in everyone’s mind…”

Five months later, my mom received a phone call, and immediately, a wide smile spread across her face.

On August 5, 2012, at 10:31 p.m., the rover named Curiosity touched down safely on the surface of Mars, and I was honored to have a front-row seat in NASA.

Curiosity is such an important part of who I am. I have always been fascinated by the stars, the planets, the sky and universe. I remember as a little girl, my grandmother and I would sit together in the backyard for hours. She’d tell me stories and point out the stars. Grandma lived in China, thousands of miles away from my home in Kansas, but the stars kept us together even when we were apart. They were always there, yet there was so much. I didn’t know about them. That’s what I love so much about space.

People often ask me why we go to faraway places like Mars. My answer is simple: because we’re curious. We human beings do not just hole up in one place. We are constantly wondering and trying to find out what’s over the hill and beyond the horizon.

56. How did Clara get the news about the essay contest? (no more than 10 words)

57. Why did Clara have a front-row seat in NASA? (no more than 10 words)

58. What does Clara remember about the time spent with Grandma? (no more than 15 words)

59. What does the underlined phrase “hole up” mean? (1 word)

60. In your opinion, why is curiosity important? (no more than 20 words)

Answer 1

【语篇解读】本文是一篇夹叙夹议的文章。通过亲身经历讲述了好奇心的重要性。第1段写了故事的背景，段尾点题：Curiosity；第2-4段作者写了以好奇心为题的文章，大获成功；第5段提出了中心论点：好奇心相当重要。因为好奇才充满了对太空的爱。第6段总结，呼应全文。

【解题技巧】

1．重首尾：主旨大意题需要注意短文的首段和尾段，因为通常首段是对主题的概述，尾段是对全文的总结。

2．巧定位：短文转述填空题需要巧妙地利用句中的关键词定位短文中相关的语句。

3．抓细节：封闭性问题需要根据疑问词和关键词抓住短文中的相关事实或细节。

4．明结构：句子填空题需要弄明白短文的篇章结构和上下文的逻辑关系。

【解题思路】

56.直接信息题。封闭性问题，考查对文中具体信息细节的理解。根据解题技巧，定位在第一段picked up a TIME for Kids magazine. A piece of news caught my eyes…问题问的是Clara 怎样得到作文比赛信息的？因此可以填：By reading a TIME for Kids magazine. Or: From a TIME for Kids magazine.。

57. 概括归纳题。要求考生抓住关键词“Curiosity”概括归纳，两个原则：一、必须体现关键词；二、控制不超过10词数。定位在文章的第2-4段。根据解题技巧，我们可以概括出：She won the essay contest held by NASA. Or: She named the Mars rover “Curiosity”. Or: “Curiosity” was chosen as the name of the Mars rover.。

58. 信息转换题。封闭性问题，考查对文中具体信息细节的理解与转化。根据解题技巧，定位在第五段I remember as a little girl, my grandmother and I would sit together in the backyard for hours. She’d tell me stories and point out the stars. Grandma lived in China, thousands of miles away from my home in Kansas, but the stars kept us together even when we were apart. 题干Clara记得和祖母在一起度过的是什么？不超过15个词，所以我们转化为：She sat together with Grandma listening to her stories about the stars. Or: Her grandma told her stories about the stars. Or: They sat together talking about the stars.。

59. 英文释义题。要求考生理解文中具体语境，根据上下文文推断新生词的词义或是熟词僻义。文章最后一段We human beings do not just hole up in one place. 前面强调了好奇心，紧接着后面有We are constantly wondering and trying to find out what’s over the hill and beyond the horizon.说明hole up可以理解为：Stay/ Remain /Live /Hide。

60.这是一道开放性问题。要求考生既要概括本文主旨，又要结合实际有自己的对于好奇心的理解。题目要求不超过20个词，所以精炼地总结为： Curiosity is important because it leads to discover or invention. Or: With curiosity, we keep asking questions and exploring the world unknown. Or: Curiosity drives us through our lives so that we never stop wondering about the things beyond our knowledge.。

【长难句学习】

1. That afternoon, I raced home, sat down at the computer, and typed until my fingers ached. “Curiosity is an everlasting flame that burns in everyone’s mind…”

【翻译】那天下午，我飞奔回家，坐在电脑旁，写啊写，指导我的手指疼了为止。“好奇心是一簇燃烧在每个人心中的永恒的火焰……”

【分析】第一句话一连三个动词：raced, sat, and typed…表明作者写文章的那种迫不及待。作文题目“Curiosity is an everlasting flame that burns in everyone’s mind…”中出现了everlasting永久的, 永恒的，that burns in everyone’s mind定语从句修饰前面的an everlasting flame。

2. Grandma lived in China, thousands of miles away from my home in Kansas, but the stars kept us together even when we were apart.

【翻译】祖母住在中国，我家在美国堪萨斯州，相隔数千英里，但即便我们分开，星星也会让我们保持在一起。

【分析】本句出现了两个逗号，两个逗号中间的部分是对China的补充说明，Kansas是美国堪萨斯州。转折连词but 突出重点：即便我们分开，星星也会让我们保持在一起。

3. We are constantly wondering and trying to find out what’s over the hill and beyond the horizon.

【翻译】我们不断地想要探索、试图找出山顶上空有什么，海平面下方有什么。

【分析】constantly持续不断地，修饰wondering and trying to find out。后面的what’s over the hill and beyond the horizon是宾语从句。