高考英語閱讀理解（故事類）

　　第一篇

　　Even before my father left us, my mother had to go back to work to support our family. Once I came out of the kitchen, complaining, “Mom, I can’t peel potatoes. I have only one hand.”

　　Mom never looked up from sewing. “You get yourself into that kitchen and peel those potatoes,” she told me. “And don’t ever use that as an excuse for anything again!”

　　In the second grade, our teacher lined up my class on the playground and had each of us race across the monkey bars, swinging from one high steel rod to the next. When it was my turn, I shook my head. Some kids behind me laughed, and I went home crying.

　　That night I told Mom about it. She hugged me, and I saw her “we’ll see about that” look. The next afternoon, she took me back to school. At the deserted playground, Mom looked carefully at the bars.

　　“Now, pull up with your right arm,” she advised. She stood by as I struggled to lift myself with my right hand until I could hook the bar with my other elbow. Day after day we practiced, and she praised me for every rung I reached. I’ll never forget the next time, crossing the rungs, I looked down at the kids who were standing with their mouths open.

　　One night, after a dance at my new junior high, I lay in bed sobbing. I could hear Mom come into my room. “Mom,” I said, weeping, “none of the boys would dance with me.”

　　For a long time, I didn’t hear anything. Then she said, “Oh, honey, someday you’ll be beating those boys off with a bat.” Her voice was faint and cracking. I peeked out from my covers to see tears running down her cheeks. Then I knew how much she suffered on my behalf. She had never let me see her tears.

　　1. Which of the following expressions can be used most suitably to describe Mom’s           attitude when she made the child to peel potatoes?

　　A. Cruel.             B. Serious.             C. Strict.                   D. Cold.

　　2. From the passage, we know monkey bars can help a child train ______.

　　A. the skill to throw and catch things

　　B. the speed of one’s hand movement

　　C. the strength and skill to hang and sway

　　D. the bodily skill to rotate round a bar

　　3. What does the sentence “I saw her ‘we’ll see about that’ look” imply?

　　A. Mom believed every aim could be achieved if you stuck to it.

　　B. The race across monkey bars was not difficult enough for a child to give up.

　　C. Mom was determined to prove she herself was better than the teacher.

　　D. What the child had said brought Mom great attraction and curiosity.

　　4. When the child looked down at the kids, they were standing with their mouths open    because ______.

　　A. they felt sorry for what they had done before

　　B. they were afraid the author might fall off and get hurt

　　C. they wanted to see what the author would do on the bars

　　D. they were astonished to find the author’s progress

　　5. The most probable conclusion we can draw after reading the passage is ______.

　　A. the last incident was sad enough to make Mom weep

　　B. the child’s experience reminded Mom of that of her own

　　C. Mom could solve any problem except the one in the last paragraph

　　D. in fact Mom suffered more in the process of the child’s growth

　　【答案與解析】文章講的是一位母親是如何幫助自己缺一只手的兒子解決成長中的問題。

　　1. C。推理判斷題。從他媽媽的話And don’t ever use that as an excuse for anything again可知他媽媽對他要求很嚴，即答案選C。

　　2. C。推理判斷題。從had each of us race across the monkey bars, swinging from one high steel rod to the next可知答案C正確。

　　3. A。推理判斷題。第二天媽媽帶我去學校幫助我練習monkey bars，可推知媽媽是個很有恒心的人，故答案選A。

　　4. D。推理判斷題。從I’ll never forget the next time, crossing the rungs, I looked down at the kids who were standing with their mouths open可知同學們對我的表現都很吃驚，即答案選D。

　　5. D。推理判斷題。從Then I knew how much she suffered on my behalf. She had never let me see her tears可知對于我的成長中的痛苦媽媽比我承受得還要多，即答案選D。

　　第二篇

　　Maggie was very glad that James was not a frequent visitor to the house. So far as the children were concerned, they had a mystery about him that stirred their imagination. He stirred Maggie’s anger, however, so that she often said to her husband, “It’s mercy that brother of yours doesn’t come oftener.”

　　In fact James came once a year, unexpectedly, around eight o’clock in the evening, and he stayed for six hours of close discussion with his brother. His arrival was a signal to the children that their bedtime would be delayed. Not that he ever spoke to them or played with them. He took no notice of them, as if he was unable to see children, at least until the time came for him to go. Instead, after his first greeting and a careless kiss, James took no notice of Maggie either, except to add, “You’ll be getting on with the supper, Maggie.” Such was his regard for her.

　　Maggie paid him back in her own way. She kept the children up, the four of them, to keep her company, she said, but of course they sang and made a noise and broke the endless sound of James’s voice. Very late, they dropped off to sleep in their chairs. Then, when James was about to go, Maggie woke them up and so more or less forced him to part with four shillings before he left. That gave her some satisfaction, for James, though rich, was mean. He always went home by the last train, just after two o’clock.

　　Maggie’s children secretly stared at their uncle. They could not forget that he had, in their mother’s words, “lost two wives and taken a third, ” They wondered about those two unfortunate lost ladies. They asked each other what their fate had been, and if neither could ever be found again. James never brought his third wife with him nor ever mentioned her. The children decided that he must be so frightened of losing her that he never allowed her outside the door.

　　1. The underlined word “mercy” in the text most probably means _______.

　　A. loss                                B. wonder

　　C. lucky thing                      D. terrible thing

　　2. Maggie never prepared anything special for James because _______.

　　A. he was a man difficult to please

　　B. she never knew when he was coming

　　C. she was too busy looking after her children

　　D. he never stayed long enough for a meal

　　3. What do we know about James’ behavior?

　　A. He was a kind man, with love for the family.

　　B. He was generous, especially towards his brother.

　　C. He was anxious to please the family, especially the kids.

　　D. He was rude to his sister-in-law.

　　4. Maggie felt pleased when _______.

　　A. she paid James the money that she owed him

　　B. James gave some money to the children

　　C. she had to wake James up to catch his train

　　D. James thanked her for the nice supper

　　5. The children did not realize that two of James’ wives _______.

　　A. had been dead                        B. suffered from loss of memory

　　C. had run away from him           D. might appear again one day

　　【答案與解析】本文講Maggie和她的孩子們對他們的叔叔James來訪的不歡迎。

　　1. C。詞義猜測題。Maggie不喜歡James的來訪, 由此可以說他不常來是一件幸運的事，所以答案為C。

　　2. B。事實細節題。根據 In fact James came once a year, unexpectedly可知答案為B。

　　3. D。推理判斷題。根據 except to add, “You’ll be getting on with the supper, Maggie.” Such was his regard for her可知他對Maggie的態度不是很友好，故答案為D。

　　4. B。推理判斷題。根據 Maggie woke them up and so more or less forced him to part with four shillings before he left. That gave her some satisfaction可知答案為B。

　　5. A。推理判斷題。根據 They wondered about those two unfortunate lost ladies可知答案為A。