C
Napoleon, as a character in Tolstoy’s War and Peace, is more than once described as having “fat little hands.’’ Nor does he “sit well or firmly on the horse.’’ He is said to be “undersized.’’ with“short legs’’ and a “round stomach”. The issue here is not the accuracy of Tolstoy’s description--it seems not that far off from historical accounts but his choice of facts:other things that could be said of the man are not said. We are meant to understand the difference of a warring commander in the body of a fat little Frenchman. Tolstoy’s Napoleon could be any man wandering in the streets and putting a little of powdered tobacco up his nose—and that is the point.
It is a way the novelist uses to show the moral nature of a character. And it turns out that, as Tolstoy has it, Napoleon is a crazy man. In a scene in Book Three of War and Peace, the wars having reached the critical year of 1812,Napoleon receives a representative from the Tsar(沙皇), who has come with peace terms. Napoleon is very angry:doesn’t he have more army? He, not the Tsar, is the one to make the terms. He will destroy all of Europe if his army is stopped. “That is what you will have gained by engaging me in the war!” he shouts. And then, Tolstoy writes, Napoleon “walked silently several times up and down the room, his fat shoulders moving quickly.’’
Still later, after reviewing his army amid cheering crowds, Napoleon invites the shaken Russian to dinner. “He raised his hand to the Russian’s…face,” Tolstoy writes, and “taking him by the ear pulled it gently….” To have one’s ear pulled by the Emperor was considered the greatest honor and mark of favor at the French court. “Well, well, why don’t you say anything?’’ said he, as if it was ridiculous in his presence to respect any one but himself, Napoleon.
Tolstoy did his research, but the composition is his own.
【小题1】Tolstoy’s description of Napoleon in War and Peace is _________.
| A.far from the historical facts | B.based on the Russian history |
| C.based on his selection of facts | D.not related to historical details |
| A.he thought he should be the one to make the peace terms |
| B.the Tsar's peace terms were hard to accept |
| C.the Russians stopped his military movement |
| D.he didn’t have any more army to fight with |
| A.To walk out of the room in anger. | B.To show agreement with him. |
| C.To say something about the Tsar. | D.To express his admiration. |
| A.ill-mannered in dealing with foreign guests | B.fond of showing off his iron will |
| C.determined in destroying all of Europe | D.crazy for power and respect |
| A.A writer doesn’t have to be faithful to his findings. |
| B.A writer may write about a hero in his own way. |
| C.A writer may not be responsible for what he writes. |
| D.A writer has hardly any freedom to show his feelings. |
There was a story many years ago of a school teacher--- Mrs. Thompson. She told the children on the first day that she loved them all the same. But that was a lie. There in the front row was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard. He didn’t play well with the other children and he always needed a bath. She did not like him.
Then Mrs. Thompson got to know that Teddy was actually a very good boy before the death of his mother. Mrs. Thompson was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when, like all her other students, Teddy brought her a Christmas present too. It was his mother’s perfume(香水)。
Teddy said, “Mrs. Thompson, today you smell just like my Mom used to.” After the children left she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she stopped teaching reading, writing and math. Instead, she began to teach children.
Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. The boy’s mind seemed to come alive. The more she encourage him, the faster he improved. By the end of the sixth grade, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class.
Six years went by before she got a note from Teddy. He wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole lift. He went to college. Mrs. Thompson got two more letters from him with the last one signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, M. D.(医学博士).
The story doesn’t end there. On his wedding day, Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson’s ear, “Thank you, Mrs. Thompson, for believing in me. You made me feel important and showed me that I could make a difference.”
Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back, “Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn’t know how to teach until I met you.”
【小题1】What did Mrs. Thompson do on the first day of school?
| A.She made Teddy feel ashamed. | B.She asked the children to play with Teddy. |
| C.She changed Teddy’s seat to the front row. | |
| D.She told the class something untrue about herself. |
| A.He often told lies. | B.He was good at math. |
| C.He needed motherly care. | D.He enjoyed playing with others. |
| A.She taught fewer school subjects. | B.She became stricter with her students. |
| C.She no longer liked her job as a teacher. | D.She cared more about educating students. |
| A.She had kept in touch with him. | B.She had given him encouragement. |
| C.She had sent him Christmas presents. | D.She had taught him how to judge people. |
It was the first mow of winter -- an exciting day for every, child but not for most tether. Up until now, l had been able to dress myself for recess(课间休息), but today I would need some help. Miss Finlayson, my kindergarten teacher at Princess Elizabeth School near Hamilton, Ontario, had been through first snow days ,tony times in her long career, but I think struggled still remember this one.
I managed to get into my wool snow pants. But I straggled with my jacket because it didn’t fit well. It was a hand-me-down from my brother, and it made me wonder why I had to wear his ugly clothes. At least my hat and matching scarf were mine, and they were quite pretty. Finally it was time to have Miss Finlayson help me with my boots. In her calm, motherly voice she said, "By the end of winter, you will be able to put on own boots. “ I didn’t realize at the time that this was more a statement of hope than of confidence.
I handed her my boots and stuck out my foot. Like most children, I expected the adult to do an the work. After mush wiggling and pushing, she managed to get first one into place and then, with a sigh, worked the second one on too.
I announced,“They’re on the wrong feet.”With the grace that only experience can bring,she struggled to get the boots off and went through the joyless task of putting them on again.Then I said,“These aren’t my boots.you know.”As she pulled the offending boots from my feet,she still managed to look both helpful and interested.Once they were off.I said,“They are my brother’s boots.My mother makes me wear them,and I hate them!” Somehow,from long years of practice,she managed to act as though I wasn’t an annoying little girl.She pushed and shoved.less gently this time,and the boots were returned to their proper place on my feet.With a great sigh of relief,seeing the end of her struggle with me,she asked,“Now,where are your gloves?’’
I looked into her eyes and said.“I didn’t want to lose them.so I put them into the toes of my boots.”
【小题1】According to the passage,the little girl got from her brother.
| A.the wool snow pants and the jacket | B.the jacket and the boots |
| C.the jacket and the hat | D.the boots and the gloves |
| A.The gloves in the toes of the boots. |
| B.The slowness of the teacher. |
| C.The wrong size of the boots. |
| D.The unwillingness of the girl. |
| A.once | B.twice | C.three times | D.four times |
| A.In her calm,motherly voice she said,“By the end of winter,…”(Paragraph 2) |
| B.With the grace that only experience can bring,she struggled to…(Paragraph 4) |
| C.….she still managed to look both helpful and interested.(Paragraph 4) |
| D.…,she managed to act as though I wasn’t an annoying little girl.(Paragraph 4) |
Outside her shabby cottage, old Mrs. Tailor was hanging out laundry on a wire line, unaware that some children lay hidden in the leaves of a nearby tree watching her every move. They were determined to find out if she really was a witch.
They watched as she took a broomstick to clean the dirt from her stone steps. But, much to their disappointment, she did not mount the broomstick and take flight. Suddenly, the old lady’s work was interrupted by the cackling of her hen—a signal that an egg had been laid in the warm nest on top of the haystack.
The old broomstick was put aside as she hobbled off towards the haystack followed by Sooty, a black cat she had rescued from a fox trap some time back. With only three legs, it was hard for Sooty to keep up with the old lady. The cat provided proof—the children were sure that only a witch could own a black cat with three legs.
There, standing on a wooden box, was Mrs. Tailor, stretching out to gather her precious egg. Taking the egg in one of her hands, she began to climb down when, without warning, the box broke and the old lady fell.
“We have to got and help her,” whispered Amy.
“What if it is a trick?” replied Ben.
“Don’t be silly, Ben. If she were a witch, she would have turned us into frogs already,” reasoned Meg. “Come on Amy, let’s go.” The girls climbed down the tree and ran all the way to the haystack.
Approaching carefully, they could see a wound on the old lady’s face. She had knocked her head on a stone and her ankle was definitely broken. “Go and get Dad,” Amy yelled to her brother. “Tell him about the accident.”
The boys did not need another excuse to leave. They ran as fast as they could for help, hoping that Mrs. Tailor would not wake and turn the girls into frogs.
【小题1】. Why were the children hiding in the tree?
| A.They wanted to watch Mrs. Tailor do her housework closely. |
| B.They were playing a hide-and-seek game |
| C.They wanted to find out if the rumors about Mrs. Tailor were true |
| D.They were pretending to be spies |
| A.her front steps were clean | B.she noticed the children in the tree |
| C.she was ready to take a flight | D.she heard the hen cackling |
| A.he thought that she could be tricking them |
| B.he knew that they could not have been in the tree |
| C.he did not see the old lady fall down |
| D.he was afraid of the three-legged cat |
| A.Make hay while the sun shines. |
| B.Never judge a book by its cover. |
| C.People in glasshouses should not throw stones. |
| D.A bird in the hands worth two in the bush. |
I first went to hear a live rock concert when I was eight years old. My brother
and his friends were all 36 of a heavy metal group called Black Wednesday. When they 37 that Black Wednesday were going to perform at our local theatre, they all bought 38 for performance. However, at the last minute, one of the friends couldn’t go, so my brother 39 me the ticket. I was really 40 !
I remember the buzz (嘈杂声) of excitement inside the theatre as we all found our 41 . After a few minutes, the lights went down and everybody became 42 . I could barely make out the stage in the 43 . We waited. Then there was a roar from the crowd, like an explosion, as the first members of the band 44 the stage. My brother leaned over and shouted something in my ear, but I couldn’t 45 what he was saying. The first song was already starting and the music was as 46 as a jet engine. I could 47 the drum beats and bass notes in my stomach.
I can’t recall any of the songs that the band played. I just 48 that I really enjoyed the show and didn’t want it to 49 . But in the end, after three encores (加演), the show finished. We left the 50 and walked unsteadily out onto the pavement. I felt a little dizzy, as if I had just 51 from a long sleep. My ears were still 52 with the beat of the last song.
After the 53 , I became a Black Wednesday fan too for a few years before getting into other kinds of music. Once in a while, 54 , I listen to one of their songs and 55 I’m back at that first show.
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Two men, both seriously ill, were in the same hospital room. One man was allowed to 46 in his bed for an hour each afternoon for treatment. His 47 was next to the room's only window. The other man 48 spend all his time flat on his back. Every 49 when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he 50 pass the time by describing(描述) to his 51 all the things he could see outside the window. The window overlooked(远眺) a 52 with a lovely lake. Ducks played on the water while children 53 their model boats. Young lovers walked 54 among flowers. As the man by the window described all this beautifully, the other man would close his eyes and 55 the scene.
One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the 56 body of the man by the window, who had died 57 in his sleep. She was sad and 58 the hospital attendants (服务员) to take the body away. 59 it seemed appropriate (合适的), the other man asked if he could 60 next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch(调换), and after 61 he was comfortable, she left him alone. Slowly and painfully, he sat up to take his 62 look at the world outside. Finally, he would have the 63 of seeing it for himself. He strained (紧张地) to slowly turn to 64 the window beside the bed. It faced a blank wall.
The man asked the nurse what could have forced his dead roommate to 65 those wonderful things outside this window. The nurse answered that the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said, “Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.”
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An old woman walked around as she pushed her shopping cart full of many things. She was
36 . Her hair was untidy. Her clothes were torn. And some of her teeth were missing.
She 37 and asked me for change. Instead of giving her change, I 38 her to eat out and she 39 . We went across the street to an outdoor café so she could 40 her cart while we had lunch. The 41 was surprised when this woman appeared and did not want to serve us, 42 she forced herself. We ate our lunch. She was very 43 and the food disappeared almost as soon as it arrived.
When we were ready to 44 , I was feeling very good about myself and then she asked for a 45 . It was then that I had to 46 myself and all the hidden bias (偏见) that I had towards this 47.
She wasn’t wrong, but my reluctance(不愿)must have 48 . I held her in my arms carelessly and 49 I felt shame. She thanked me for lunch and then left.
I 50 there for a moment and realized that I had 51 to give this woman the one thing that cost 52 —love. I ran after the woman and caught up with her and asked her if I could give her a 53 hug and she agreed. I gave the woman the best one I’ve ever given anyone. “That’s getting it right,” she said and her big 54 lit my path as we parted.
The 55 I learned was that if you’re going to give, then give it your all and get it right the first time.
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