Unit 4 Earthquakes
李仕才
***阅读理解
My mother grew up in a small coal mining town in southwest Iowa.My grandfather once told me that she knew no stranger and considered everyone in that community her friend.That attitude continued wherever she lived for the rest of her life.
As a young girl, I felt embarrassed and cringed(畏缩) every time my mother addressed strangers in the grocery store or on the city bus.She talked to everyone and offered a smile.
What really sold me on Mom’s approach to life was her experience on the senior bus, a story I’ve repeated to others many times.The weeks I could not be there, she used this lowcost transportation to the grocery store.After her first trip, I asked her how it went.
“Ha！”she said, “I got on that bus and what did I see？Thirteen little old ladies and one old man, and not one word was spoken.”
I wondered how long it would be until the somberness(忧郁的氛围) on that bus would change.On my next visit, Mom mentioned the ladies on the bus and something one of them had told her.
“Oh, are you talking with them now？” I asked.
“Of course, ”she said.“One day I climbed up the steps of the bus and before I looked for a seat, I gave them a big smile and I said, ‘Isn’t it a wonderful day？’ I noticed a few shy smiles.”
Mom didn’t give up.She greeted them all each time she got on the bus and before long, the whole group was laughing and talking to one another.The bus became more than just transportation.
She’s been gone for ten years but I’ve carried on her recipe for life.I smile at people as I walk by and often begin a conversation in the checkout line.Silent, solemn(严肃的) people respond with smiles of their own and a bit of chatter.All it takes is for one person to initiate(发起) the smile or greeting.It was I who had
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done the smiling first and all those people had responded.My mother didn’t lecture but taught me by example.She’d given me a recipe for life.
【解题导语】 本文主要讲述了作者的母亲积极乐观的人生态度对作者的影响。 1．How did the writer’s mother break the silence on that senior bus? A．By telling the passengers some jokes. B．By giving each one of the passengers a gift. C．By greeting and smiling at all the passengers. D．By asking the passengers some difficult questions.
C 解析：细节理解题。根据第七段中的“I gave them a big smile”可知，母亲在老年巴士上是通过对车上所有的乘客微笑来打破沉默的，故选C。
2．What does the underlined phrase “sold me on” in Paragraph 3 probably mean? A．Helped me find. B．Persuaded me to accept. C．Forced me to be against. D．Encouraged me to give up.
B 解析：词义猜测题。根据文中第二段可知，作者刚开始是感到尴尬和畏缩的，根据最后一段的前两句可推知，作者接受了母亲的人生态度并开始向他人展示这种人生态度，故此处sold me on是指作者“被劝服并接受”。
3．What can we infer from the passage? A．The writer’s mother liked going shopping. B．The writer’s mother used to be a good teacher. C．The writer didn’t like her mother when she was young. D．The writer once doubted her mother’s approach to life.
D 解析：推理判断题。根据第二段中作者和母亲态度的对比以及第五段的第一句可推知，作者之前对母亲的生活态度是有所质疑的，故选D项。
4．The writer wrote this passage in order to ．
A．change the behavior and the thinking of its readers towards making friends B．analyze why people don’t like communicating with each other in public places C．convince people that it is important to know how to communicate with strangers D．encourage people to break the barrier to communication and start conversations
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bravely
D 解析：写作意图题。根据文章的整体内容可知，母亲通过经常对他人微笑从而实现与他人的沟通，创造了一种和谐的交流氛围，作者由此受益。由此可推知，本文的目的在于呼吁人们打破沟通的障碍，像作者的母亲一样勇敢地和他人交流，故选D。
***语法填空
The wives who lived within the walls of the Weinsberg Castle in Germany were well aware of the riches it held: gold, silver, jewels, and wealth beyond belief. Then the day came in 1140 AD when all their __1__ (value) treasure was threatened. Welf, the Duke of Bavaria, sat __2__ (trap) inside his Weinsberg Castle. Outside the castle walls lay the army of Frederick, the Duke of Swabia, __3__ his brother, the Emperor Konrad, __4__ army had surrounded the castle and demanded the fortunes and the lives of the men within.
Although the conquering commander had set a condition for the safe release of all the women and children, the wives in Weinsberg refused __5__ (leave) without having their own condition met. They demanded that they be allowed to fill their arms __6__ as many possessions as they could carry out. Thinking that the women couldn't __7__ (possible) take much, they met their request.
When the castle gates opened, the army outside was brought to __8__ (tear): every woman was carrying her husband! Konrad assured the women of their husbands' complete __9__ (safe) and freedom. He invited them all to a banquet and __10__ (make) peace with the Duke of Bavaria on terms much more favorable than expected.
Afterwards, the castle was known for women's loyalty.
1．________ 2.________ 3.________ 4.________ 5.________ 6.________ 7.________ 8.________ 9.________ 10.________
篇章导读：本文是一篇记叙文。文章介绍了德国Weinsberg城堡，该城堡以妇女的忠诚闻名于世。
1．valuable/invaluable 考查词性转换。空处修饰名词treasure且表示“(极)宝贵的”，故用value的形容词形式valuable或invaluable。
2．trapped 考查非谓语动词。动词trap和主语之间是逻辑上的动宾关系，表示“(已经)被困城堡之内”，故用过去分词trapped作主语补足语，表明主语的状态。
3．and 考查连词。根据语境可知，该句中的“Frederick, the Duke of Swabia”和“his brother, the Emperor Konrad”之间是并列关系，故用and。
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4．whose 考查定语从句的引导词。分析该句结构可知，该句为非限制性定语从句，army和先行词之间是所属关系，故用whose引导该定语从句。
5．to leave 考查非谓语动词。refuse to do sth.为固定短语，表示“拒绝做某事”，此处表示，城堡里的妇女要求满足她们的条件，否则就拒绝离开。
6．with 考查介词。fill (sth.) with sth. 为固定用法，意为“用……填满……”，故填with。
7．possibly 考查词性转换。空处修饰动词take，故用副词形式。
8．tears 考查名词的复数。tear为可数名词，此处构成固定搭配bring sb.to tears，意为“使某人流泪”，故用tear的复数形式tears。
9．safety 考查词性转换。根据该句中的“complete ... and freedom”可知，形容词complete修饰空处所填词，空处与名词freedom为并列关系，故用名词形式safety。
10．made 考查动词的时态。根据该句中的“He invited them”及全文时态可知，此处陈述的是过去发生的事情，故用一般过去时。
***完形填空
One day when I was 13，my family was working in the fields to clear away old brush when somehow the electric fence sparked(冒火花)and __1__ a fire.We didn't see the fire __2__ it had blocked the way to the only gate.I __3__ to jump over the fence to safety but the fire was all around us.I could only watch in __4__ as the flames continued to rise.Little did I know that my father had once been a(n)__5__ and knew what to do. __6__ with only a pump sprayer，buckets, and his boots，he __7__ down to the nearby pond，filled the buckets and the sprayer，and began spraying the __8__ while my older brother threw water with the buckets.Soon the wind __9__，however，and with the Fire Department too far away to arrive in time，my father began to stamp(踩灭) out the flames as he moved to the __10__，so that my family was able to move inch by inch toward the gate.__11__ he arrived at the gate，he jumped into the truck，rolled up the windows，and drove __12__ the fire.Then the fire was put out，and my mother was looking at my father with her __13__ eyes.
After that，my father began telling us about his days as a firefighter，and my brother and I became __14__，asking him what other jobs he had done before he __15__.Well，it turned out that he had done just about __16__ except brain surgery!
He had been in the military as a carpenter，carpet layer，and an electrician，and had built B2 bombers before being poisoned in an accident that had __17__ him to retire.My father has a blood disorder as a result of that __18__，but that hasn't
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stopped him from being a fulltime electrician.
To all those people whose fathers have worked in the military and in other dangerous jobs, be __19__ of them，and remember that some day their __20__ might save your life.
1．A.prevented B．permitted C．witnessed D．started 2．A.because B．unless C．after D3．A.wanted BC．promised D4．A.anger BC．excitement D5．A.carpenter BC．firefighter D6．A.Armed BC．Shared D7．A.slid BC．dashed D8．A.trees BC．flames D9．A.died off BC．turned out D10．A.fence BC．furniture D11．A.If BC．Since D12．A.through BC．over D13．A.high BC．fast D14．A.curious BC．concerned D15．A.moved BC．retired D金戈铁骑
．until ．managed ．happened ．horror ．embarrassment ．electrician ．educator ．Satisfied ．Identified ．fell ．walked ．grass ．flowers ．took on ．picked up ．truck
．bucket ．Once
．While ．along
．across ．wide
．far ．suspicious
．anxious ．resigned
．suffered
16．A.everything B．nothing
C．something D．anything 17．A.allowed B．encouraged
C．invited D．forced 18．A.fire B．accident
C．attempt D．explanation 19．A.afraid B．proud
C．careful D．ashamed 20．A.culture B．learning
C．skills D．languages
【解题导语】本文作者通过讲述火灾中父亲扑灭大火的故事，告诉我们曾经在部队和做过其他危险工作的父亲将来某一天可能会用他们的技能拯救我们的生命，我们应为他们感到骄傲。
【核心词汇】as a result of由于，因为(其后跟宾语) be proud of为……感到骄傲
1．D 根据该句中的“the electric fence sparked(冒火花)and __1__ a fire”可知，此处表示一场火灾开始了。D项意为“开始，使开始发生”，符合语境。prevent“阻止”；permit“允许”；witness“目击”。
2．D 直到大火堵住了通往唯一的门的路，我们才发现大火。此处考查“not...until...”结构。
3．A 根据语境可知，“我”想(wanted)跳过篱笆，到达安全地带，可是大火包围了我们。manage“设法做成”；promise“许诺”；happen“发生”。
4．B 由上文可知，大火包围了我们，“我”只能惊恐地看着火焰继续上升。in horror“惊恐地”；in anger“生气地”；in excitement“兴奋地”；in embarrassment“尴尬地”。
5．C 根据第二段第一句中的“my father began telling us about his days as a firefighter”可知，父亲曾经是一名消防员。carpenter“木匠，木工”；electrician“电工”；educator“教育工作者”。
6．A 本题考查be armed with的省略结构作状语，意为“用……装备或武装”，故选A项。satisfied“满意的，满足的”；shared“共有的”；identified“可辨认的”。
7．C 根据语境可知，父亲应该是冲(dashed)向最近的池塘。slide“滑行”。 8．C 根据上下文可知，此处指开始用水喷向火焰(flames)。
9．D 根据语境可知，此处表示然而很快，风又变强了。pick up“变大，变强”，符合语境。die off“相继死去，先后死去”；take on“呈现，开始具有(某种特征、面貌等)”；
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turn out“结果是，证明是”。
10．B 根据下文中的“he jumped into the truck”可知，父亲走向卡车。 11．B 考查连词。A项意为“如果”，引导条件状语从句；B项意为“一……就……，一旦”，引导时间状语从句；C项“自……以来，因为，既然”；D项“当……时候，尽管”。由上下文可知，此处指父亲一到达大门，就跳进了卡车里。故选B项。
12．A 根据语境可知，父亲开着卡车从火中穿过。through“通过，穿过”，表示运动发生在某物的空间内；along“沿着”；over“在……上面”；across“从一边到另一边，横过”，表示动作发生在物体的表面。
13．B 根据语境可知，父亲开着卡车从火中穿过，火最终被扑灭了，所以母亲睁大(wide)眼睛看着父亲。
14．A 根据下文中的“asking him what other jobs he had done”可知，我们是很好奇的(curious)。suspicious“怀疑的，猜疑的”；concerned“(与某事)有关的，有牵连的”； anxious“焦虑的，不安的，担心的”。
15．C 根据语境可知，我们问父亲在退休(retired)之前还做过其他什么工作。下文中的“to retire”也是提示。
16．A 根据第三段对父亲退休前工作的描述可知，父亲做过很多事情，所以此处指除了做脑外科手术之外，父亲几乎什么都做过。everything except“除了……之外什么都……”符合语境。
17．D 由上下文可知，那场事故迫使(forced)父亲退休。
18．B 根据上下文可知，此处指那场事故(accident)。attempt“尝试”； explanation“解释”。
19．B be proud of “为……感到骄傲”符合语境。ashamed“(因自己所做的事而)羞耻的，内疚的，惭愧的”。
20．C 根据上文可知，此处指他们的技能(skills)有朝一日可能拯救你的生命。
***短文改错
I'm writing this email to ask you for help. As an English song lover, I have a strong desire to taking part in the English song contest to be held in next month. The song I've decided to sing was Skyfall. To sing this song better, I am wondering if you could tell me anything about the background informations of the song. What's more, could you spend some time listening to the song and giving myself some advice? Since you're native English speaker and expert in singing, I sincere hope you can give me a hand.
I would appreciate it whether you could send me a reply at your earliest
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convenient. Thank you in advance.
答案：
I'm writing this email to ask you for help. As an English song lover, I have a strong desire to taking part in the English song contest to be held in＼ next month.
①take
②
The song I've decided to sing was Skyfall. To sing this song better, I am wondering
③is
if you could tell me anything about the background informations of the song. What's
④something
⑤information
more, could you spend some time listening to the song and giving myself some advice?
⑥me
Since you're ∧ native English speaker and expert in singing, I sincere hope you
⑦a
⑧sincerely
can give me a hand.
I would appreciate it whether you could send me a reply at your earliest
⑨if
convenient. Thank you in advance.
⑩convenience
难项分析：
第二处：去掉next前的in 考查介词。表示时间的名词前面有last, next等修饰时，前面不用介词。故将in去掉。
第四处：anything→something 考查代词。根据句意可知，应该是告诉“我”“一些事情(something)”，而不是“任何事情(anything)”。故将anything改为something。
第九处：whether→if 考查连词。whether和if作“是否”讲，有时可以互换，但是此处应表示的是条件，意为“如果”，这时只能用if。故将whether改为if。 ***
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