When I was 14, I was hitchhiking(搭便车)from Houston, through EI Paso on my way to California, following my dream.I was a high school drop-out with learning disabilities and was set on surfing the biggest waves in the world, first in California and then in Hawaii.
Upon reaching downtown EI Paso, I met an old man, a bum, on the street corner.He stopped me and questioned me as I passed by.He asked if I was running away from home.I suppose because I looked so young.I told him, “Not exactly, sir.” since my father had given me a ride to the freeway in Houston and given me his blessings.
The friendly bum then invited me to have a cup of soda with him.After talking for a while, he told me he had something great to show me and share with me.I followed him into the EI Paso Public Library.I was asked to sit down and wait while he looked for something special among the shelves.A few moments later, he returned with some old books in his hand.He said, “There are two things that I want to teach you, young man.” “Number one is:never judge a book by its cover, for a cover can fool you.” He followed with, “I'll bet you think I'm a bum, don't you?” I admitted.“Well, young man, I've got a little surprise for you.I am one of the wealthiest men in the world.I have probably everything any man could ever want.But a year ago, my wife passed away, and since then I have been deeply doubted about life.I realized there were certain things I had not yet experienced in life, one of which was what it would be like to live like a bum asking people for money on the streets.For the past year, I have been going from city to city doing just that.So, you see, don't ever judge a book by its cover.” “Number two is to learn how to read.” For, there is only one thing that people can't take away from you, and that is your wisdom.” At that moment, he put my right hand upon the old books-the writings of Plato Aristotle.
His parting request was for me to never forget what he taught me.I haven't.
(1)
According to the passage, the boy left school because ________.
[ ]
A.
his father wanted him to experience something new
B.
he had some difficulty in learning at school.
C.
he was going to realize his dream
D.
he wanted to go surfing
(2)
The underlined word “bum” in the second paragraph can be replaced by “________.”
[ ]
A.
begger
B.
robber
C.
librarian
D.
story-teller
(3)
Which of the following is the boy's planned route?
[ ]
A.
Houston-EI Paso-California-Hawaii
B.
Houston-EI Paso-Hawaii-California
C.
EI Paso-Houston-California-Hawaii
D.
California-Hawaii-Houston-EI Paso
(4)
The old man told the boy something about his own experience in order to ________.
[ ]
A.
tell him he was not a bum
B.
persuade him to go back to school
C.
prove that he must read some classical books
D.
teach him not to judge a person by his clothes
阅读理解
There are two ways to save money traveling.The first way is to get the best deals on the specific things you want.There is a limitation to this type of approach(途径,方法)though.If you find the lowest price on the best hotel in Honolulu at the height of the season, you will save money, but still have a very expensive vacation.Trying to get exactly what you want will generally be an expensive proposition, in travel and in life.
The other approach is to be a true opportunist.This will be difficult for some of you, and entirely unacceptable to others.Nonetheless(尽管如此),the travelers who get to travel the most, go to the widest variety of places, learn the most and do the most, are the opportunists.This will be true until you are so wealthy that you have no monetary(货币的;钱的)limits.
The first time I went to Ecuador, I went there because it was cheap.If it wasn't, I would have had a great time-somewhere else.The trip lasted a month, and cost $1045, which included airfare and even the $130 fee for a guide to take me to the top or glacier(冰川)covered Mount Chimborazo.
I cut the cost by taking a bus from my home in Michigan to Miami, and back again when I returned from Ecuador.The round-trip ticket cost $158.The round-trip flight to Quito from Miami was only $256, because it was a courier(信使,通讯员)flight, which meant I signed for some luggage(car parts), and could only take carry-on luggage.
Never did I feel deprived, or bored.I had a great time, eating wherever it was cheap and clean, doing all sorts of inexpensive, but interesting things, and traveling across the country to climb Chimborazo.I also met and fell in love with my wife Ana.
Being an opportunist means you'll have just as much variety, and probably almost everything you want-eventually.You just have to stop trying to get exactly what you want exactly when you want it.If the guide that took me up Chimborazo hadn't dropped his price from $200 to $130, I would have spent $2 for a bus and gone hiking on EI Altar, another great Andean mountain.That would have left me with enough money for several other minor adventures.
(1)
The underlined phrase “the best deals” in the first paragraph probably refers to ________.
[ ]
A.
the best service
B.
the lowest price
C.
the cheapest goods
D.
the best approaches
(2)
The return tickets from his hometown to Quito cost the author ________.
[ ]
A.
$128
B.
$256
C.
$207
D.
$414
(3)
The last paragraph was to tell us how to ________.
[ ]
A.
save money for minor adventures
B.
cut down traveling costs.
C.
deal with different situations
D.
become opportunist travelers
(4)
It's suggested that the author ________.
[ ]
A.
went hiking on El Altar
B.
traveled with his wife in Ecuador
C.
is an opportunist traveler
D.
likes traveling around the world
(5)
Which of the following can serve as the best title of the passage?