书城外语青春阅读——新鲜阅读空气(上)(英语版)
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第2章 Making a difference(2)

She used to invite some friends in for tea and then she would ask her husband to come downstairs and join them. “No!” Einstein would say with anger. He simply couldnt stand those “interruptions (打扰)”.

But Mrs. Einstein persuaded her husband with great patience and had him drink tea with them and take a good rest.

Mrs. Einstein said that her husband liked order in his thinking, but he didnt like it in his life. He did whatever he wanted to②.

Einstein had only two rules of conduct (行为准则): one was “Dont be restrained (限制) by any rule”, and the other was “Be independent from the opinions of others”.

Einstein led a very simple life. When he went out, he was always in old clothes, and seldom did he wear a hat. He liked to whistle and sing in the bathroom.

He shaved with the same soap as he used for his bath. It seems strange that the great scientist trying to solve the mysteries of the universe should consider that using two pieces of soap made life too complicated.

Einstein said he was happy because he didnt want money or titles or foolish praises. He made his own happiness out of such simple things as playing the violin and sailing his boat③.

Einsteins violin brought him more joy than anything else in his life. He said he often thought in music and made his daydreams in music.

译注

① Mrs. Einstein admitted that even she did not understand the Theory of Relativity; but she understood something far more important for a wife.

爱因斯坦夫人承认即使她也不明白相对论,但对于一个妻子来说,她懂得的事情远远比这重要。

② He did whatever he wanted to.

他自己想做什么就做什么。

③ He made his own happiness out of such simple things as playing the violin and sailing his boat.

他从拉小提琴、在船上航行等简单的事情中找到了快乐。

根据文章内容,选择正确答案:

1.Albert Einstein was taken off the ship secretly by his friends because .

A.he dared not see anyone

B.he didnt want to meet visitors and reporters

C.he wanted to save time

D.he was afraid of being stopped by someone

2.Usually Einstein would refuse to join some friends, for .

A.he couldnt bear being disturbed

B.he was ashamed to meet friends

C.he disliked making friends

D.he was angry with his friends

3.Why did he shave with the same soap as he used for his bath?

A.It was his special habit of shaving.

B.He was lazy.

C.He wanted to be an independent man.

D.He didnt want to be kept under control by any rule.

4.What do you think of Einstein?

A.He was a strange scientist.

B.He liked order in his life.

C.He was a simple man with great achievements.

D.He didnt like order in his work.

完形填空

Passage D

The famous British inventor George Stephenson① was born in 1781 and died in 1848. One of his

1important inventions was the train. He2 his first train when he was fortyfour years old. When he was experimenting② with the3 engine on the train, he met with4 from the government, the newspaper and the gentlemen in the country. They said that the noise and the smoke would5 cows, horses and sheep,6 the engine would burst or that the hot coals from it would7 their houses. At that time8 people believed what they said.

George Stephenson9 the people that the train could go on small10, could pull carriages11 goods and passengers and there was12 to them. It was a very13 matter for him to14 them believe. However, after15 , he was able to do it; and the first train that16 by Stephenson himself17 what he had said.

The first day18 the people along the way19 the noises of the train20 and saw it running quickly to them, they ran back home as quickly as they could and closed their doors tightly, for they thought it a genius (妖怪). They did not dare to come out until it had passed.③

译注

① George Stephenson乔治·史蒂芬逊(1781—1848),英国铁路的先驱,制造了第一辆实用蒸汽机车(1814年)并修建了第一条客运铁路(1825年)。

② experiment 动词,意为“做实验”

③ They did not dare to come out until it had passed.

直到火车开过去了他们才敢出来。

根据文章内容,选择正确答案:

1.A. veryB. a lot

C. mostD. much

2. A. made B. bought

C. introduced D. did

3. A. electrical

B. atomic

C. steam D. oil

4. A. success B. troubles

C. people

D. pleasure

5. A. kill

B. buy

C. interest

D. take away

6. A. /

B. that

C. What

D. which

7. A. pull down

B. blow away

C. set fire to

D. pass

8. A. most

B. few

C. only a few

D. the rich

9. A. said B. spoke

C. told

D. warned

10.A. roads

B. rivers

C. streets

D. rails

11.A. short of

B. full of

C. empty of

D.without

12.A. no great danger

B. dangerous

C. a lot of danger D. few danger

13.A. easy

B. difficult

C. pleasant

D. light

14.A. get

B. cause

C. make

D. force

15.A. sometimes

B. some time

C. a few times

D. sometime

16.A. was sold

B. was driven

C. was pulled

D. helped

17.A. believed

B. seemed

C. sensed

D. proved

18.A. of

B. when

C. while

D. for

19.A. caught sight of

B. listened

C. heard

D. thought

20.A. nearby

B. in the distance

C. on the far

D. from the distance

答案

Passage A

本文主要介绍了英国哲学家、散文家培根,让读者了解培根的一些生平及他对人类的贡献。

1.B. 本题为推断题。根据第一段第一句可知,培根是在剑桥大学接受的教育,可知他受过良好的教育。本题也可用排除法选出正确答案,由短文的“one of the most important philosophers”可把A排除;由“he went to France to work for the English ambassador”可把C排除;由“Two years later, he went back to England to study law”可知,培根17岁就回到了英国学习法律,因此D是错误的。正确答案为B。