名著阅读(一) 《小公主》《最后一片叶子》
A [2019·镇江二模]
When Sara entered the schoolroom the next morning, everybody looked at her with wide, interested eyes. By that time every pupil—from Lavinia Herbert, who was nearly thirteen and felt quite grown up, to Lottie Legh, who was just four and the baby of the school—had heard a great deal about her. They knew very certainly that she was Miss Minchin's show pupil and was considered a credit to the school(为校争光的人). One or two of them had even caught a glimpse(瞥) of her French maid(女仆), Mariette, who had arrived the evening before. Lavinia had managed to pass Sara's room when the door was open, and had seen Mariette opening a box which had arrived late from some shop.
“It was full of beautiful dresses,” she whispered to her friend Jessie. “I saw her shaking them out. I heard Miss Minchin say to Miss Amelia that her clothes were too good for a child. My mamma says that children should be dressed simply. She has got one of those dresses on now. I saw it when she sat down.”
“She isn't pretty as other pretty people are,” said Jessie, stealing a glance across the room, “but she makes you want to look at her again. She has very long eyelashes, b ut her eyes are almost green.”
Sara was sitting quietly in her seat, waiting to be told what to do. She had been placed near Miss Minchin's desk. She was not shy or nervous at all by the many pairs of eyes watching her. She was interested and looked back quietly at the children who looked at her. She wondered what they were thinking of, and if they liked Miss Minchin, and if they cared for their lessons, and if any of them had a papa at all like her own. She had had a long talk with Emily about her papa that morning. “He is on the sea now, Emily,” she had said. “We must be very great friends to each other and tell each other things. Emily, look at me. You have the nicest eyes I ever saw—but I wish you could speak.” She was a child full of imagination, and on e of her thoughts was that making herself believe that Emily was alive and really heard and understood.
(Adapted from A Little Princess)
1.From the story, we know . ( )
A.Sara has a papa and a mama
B.Sara has a shared room with Lavinia
C.Sara has a French maid called Mariette
D.Sara has many friends in the schoolroom
2.Which of the following is NOT the purpose of the first three paragraphs(前三段)? ( )
A.To describe the personalities of Sara.
B.To show the students' curiosity about Sara.
C.To introduce several characters of the story.
D.To draw a simple picture of Sara's appearance.
3.Which is TRUE according to the story? ( )
A.Lottie Legh was a child aged nearly 13.
B.Sara's father is taking a ship to some place.
C.Emily is able to communicate with Sara.
D.Miss Minchin is satisfied with Sara's clothes.
4.What can be inferred(推断) from the story? ( )
A.Sara's eyes are almost green.
B.Sara loves and misses her father.
C.Sara had no interest in anybody else.
D.Sara's maid helps her with nothing.
B
The Last Leaf is a short story written by the USA author O. Henry, one of the most famous short story writers in history. His stories are known for their surprising endings, now called “O. Henry endings”.
In the story of The Last Leaf, Sue and Joanna are two artists living in New York City. Unfortunately, Joanna is ill and will probably die. In the hospital, something touching and unexpected happens. Let's find out more in the following excerpt(节选).
Sue looked out of the window. All she saw was an old yellow and green ivy(常春藤) plant. The half-dead plant had few leaves on it because of the autumn winds.
“There are only five, now,” said Joanna.
“Five what, dear?What are you counting?”
“The ivy leaves,” replied Joanna. “When the last one goes, I'll die. I've known that for two days. Didn't the doctor tell you about it?”
“Joanna, don't say that. Now, eat some soup and I'll finish my picture.”
“I don't want any soup,” said Joanna, looking out of the window. “Now there are only four.”
“Joanna dear, try to sleep. I must ask Mr Berman to come up. I want to draw a picture of him as a poor old farmer.”
Mr Berman, who was over 60 years old, lived downstairs. He was a painter, too, but he never sold anything, and he drank a lot. Sue told him all about what Joanna was saying.
“She can't really think that this will happen!The poor woman!” he cried.
…
Finally there was only one last leaf on the ivy plant. After a few windy days, the leaf was still there.
“Susie,” said Joanna, “I've been a bad girl. That last leaf is telling me that it was very wrong of me to want to die. Bring me some soup, dear.”
The next day, the doctor said, “She's out of danger. But poor Mr Berman downstairs is dying. There's no hope for him, I'm afraid.”
That afternoon Sue went into Joanna's bedroom.
“Joanna dea r, Mr Berman died today. And do you know why? One terrible, cold wet night he took a ladder and some green and yellow paint and he climbed up, and—oh, look at the last ivy leaf on the wall! Why didn't it ever move in the wind? Can't you see? It was Mr Berman's last great picture. He painted it there the night that the last leaf fell.”
1.In this sentence “She can't really think that this will happen!”, “this” refers to.
( )
A.Joanna didn't eat any soup
B.The doctor said she would die
C.Joanna counted the leaves of the ivy plant
D.Joanna thought when the last ivy leaf went, she would die
2.Why didn't the last ivy leaf fall after a few windy days? ( )
A.Because it was painted on the wall.
B.Because the leaf was green.
C.Because the wind wasn't strong.
D.Because it was tied to the tree.
3.Why did Mr Berman paint an ivy leaf on that wall on a terrible, cold wet night? ( )
A.Because Susie asked him to do so.
B.Because he drank a lot and nobody could stop him.
C.Because he liked the ivy plant and wanted to paint it before he died.
D.Because that night the last ivy leaf fell, he didn't want Joanna to lose hope.
4.From the passage we know that . ( )
A.Joanna was a bad girl without hope in her life
B.Mr Berman was a very kind, great artist
C.Susie never let Mr Berman know what Joanna said
D.Mr Berman's pictures were so terrible that he couldn't sell them out
【参考答案】
A
1—4 CCBA
B
[主旨大意]本文是一篇记叙文。文章主要介绍了欧·亨利的作品《最后一片叶子》,描写了苏茜和乔安娜同贝尔曼之间发生的故事。乔安娜生病了,她将生命的希望寄托在窗外最后一片藤叶上,以为藤叶落下之时,就是她生命结束之时。苏茜很伤心,便告诉了贝尔曼。然而令人惊奇的事情发生了:尽管屋外的风刮得多么厉害,最后一片叶子仍然挂在树上,于是乔安娜又重拾生的信念,顽强地活了下来。可是故事并不是到此就结束了,真相才刚刚打开:原来贝尔曼在一个风雨交加的夜晚,为了画上最后一片藤叶,因着凉,染上了肺炎。在他生命的最后时刻,他终于完成了令人震撼的杰作。
1.D 词义猜测题。根据第六段中“When the last one goes, I'll die.”及第十段最后一句“Sue told him all about what Joanna was saying.”可知,this代指乔安娜认为藤叶落尽之际就是她死亡之时。故选D。
2.A 细节理解题。根据最后一段最后两句“It was Mr Berman's last great picture. He painted it there the night that the last leaf fell.”可知,最后一片藤叶是贝尔曼画在墙上的。故选A。
3.D 推理判断题。贝尔曼先生在墙上画藤叶是为了让乔安娜树立生活的信心。故选D。
4.B 综合理解题。根据最后一段最后两句“It was Mr Berman's last great picture. He painted it there the night that the last leaf fell.”可知,贝尔曼先生是一个和蔼、伟大的画家。故选B。