When Charles Stratton was five, he stopped growing. His mother took him to see the famous showman, P. T. Barnum. Mr. Barnum thought a small person would be the perfect addition to his show. He hired Charles’ parents along with him, and they traveled the world together.
He gave the two-foot-tall Charles a name, General Tom Thumb. He taught Tom how to sing, dance, act and tell jokes. When he felt Tom was ready to perform on stage, he made up ads. To stir up great interest, he said that Tom was eleven years old and had come from England.
During the show, Tom fought battles pretendedly with tall people. He also danced upon a wooden plate held by a person who was eight feet tall. Tom’s act was very popular and brought in a lot of money. By the time Tom was an adult, he had grown very rich. He had become a billionaire at the age of twenty five.
Fortunately for Tom, Mr. Barnum added more little people to his show, and Tom became lucky in love as well. One of the little people was Lavinia Warren, a schoolteacher. Tom was able to win her love, and they married.
The ceremony and reception were the talk of the town. They were attended by many rich and famous people and by about 2000 guests. Crowds filled the streets of New York to have a look at their tiny wedding marriage. The couple even met with President Abraham Lincoln on their honeymoon just before going to live in Tom’s house in Connecticut.
Their wedding, which took place during the Civil War, provided a welcome escape from the sad problems of war. Not willing to let this bit of sunshine fade, communities throughout the country sponsored(发起) “Tom Thumb” weddings. In these weddings, small boys and girls, all dressed up, went through marriage ceremony for fun.
1.“Talk of the town” means .
A. it was in the newspaper
B. people spread bad rumors about it
C. it was the most popular happenings
D. it was discussed in a city meeting
2.What does the author think about Tom’s wedding?
A. It helped people cheer up in a dark time.
B. People gave it too much of their attention.
C. It was funny and ridiculous.
D. Tom and Lavinia were stupid.
3.Tom would dance on a wooden plate held by a person who was eight feet tall because .
A. the wooden plate would make it sound as if Tom was dancing
B. it made Tom look taller
C. the eight–foot–tall man was the only tall person Tom trusted
D. the difference between them would make Tom look even smaller
4.What is the main idea of the last paragraph?
A. Weddings always make people feel full of sunshine.
B. People are always disappointed during war time.
C. Entertainment can serve an important purpose.
D. People should be married when they are small children.
Having said good-bye to his parents, Alvin, with his wife and one-year-old son, set off back home. Still ____36__, Alvin and Clare talked and laughed happily. And even little Alax ___37__ from time to time. The family were ___38__ their trip.
But about three hours later things began to ___39__. It was starting to snow. Alvin ___40__ up the car, hoping to arrive home before dark. But it was too dangerous to drive fast now. Because it was snowing more and more heavily. So Alvin had to __41___down. The snow on the __42___ was getting deeper and deeper until it was hard to __43___on it. Their car slipped of the way and got ___44__in the deep snow and the engine refused to start again. “The snow doesn’t seem to __45___. Shall we stay in the car waiting to be frozen to death or walk ahead through the snow?” Alvin asked. Clare said she __46___to walk. So they got out of the car with their son and began walking. But __47__was to come. Soon they lost their way and had to walk ___48__on and on.
Night came. They were not afraid of the dark. But they __49___that poor Alax would die of cold. However, their faith to keep Alax __50___ filled them with courage, warmth and strength. They ___51__ and rested in turn and then continued their walk. They had ___52__falls but each time true love encouraged them to rise to their feet again.
One, two, three, … seven days passed. On the eighth day, help at last came from Alvin’s __53___, the police and local people. But the young __54___had to have their feet cut off because of the bad frostbites（冻伤）___55__, there was nothing serious wrong with little Alax!
|
1. |
A. excited |
B. sorry |
C. worried |
D. anxious |
|
2. |
A. cried |
B. shouted |
C. smiled |
D. coughed |
|
3. |
A. taking |
B. having |
C. enjoying |
D. starting |
|
4. |
A. take place |
B. change |
C. come |
D. finish |
|
5. |
A. climbed |
B. turned |
C. took |
D. sped |
|
6. |
A. get |
B. slow |
C. go |
D. look |
|
7. |
A. land |
B. highway |
C. fields |
D. car |
|
8. |
A. walk |
B. depend |
C. stay |
D. wait |
|
9. |
A. stuck |
B. moved |
C. prepared |
D. covered |
|
10. |
A. fall |
B. end |
C. continue |
D. melt |
|
11. |
A. liked |
B. preferred |
C. decided |
D. wished |
|
12. |
A. better |
B. something |
C. nothing |
D. worse |
|
13. |
A. hopelessly |
B. alone |
C. aimlessly |
D. pleasantly |
|
14. |
A. thought |
B. feared |
C. expected |
D. were sure |
|
15. |
A. happy |
B. silent |
C. alive |
D. dead |
|
16. |
A. slept |
B. walked |
C. watched |
D. ate |
|
17. |
A. a few |
B. several |
C. terrible |
D. countless |
|
18. |
A. friends |
B. parents |
C. neighbors |
D. brothers |
|
19. |
A. husband |
B. wife |
C. couple |
D. baby |
|
20. |
A. Therefore |
B. Finally |
C. Then |
D. Fortunately |
---Mary may not like the idea , you know .
--- _____? I don’t care what she minds .
|
A. How come |
B. What if |
|
C. So how |
D. So what |
_____in convenient locations, chain stores are usually next door to people’s homes and close to the bus stops or underground stations.
|
A. Opened |
B. Having opened |
|
C. Being opened |
D. Opening |
---Do you think the Chinese football team will win this time?
---There is little hope of winning, _____.
|
A. if some |
B. if has |
|
C. if any |
D. if have |
Nobody knows how people first came to these islands. They _____ from South America on rafts.
|
A .must have sailed |
B. can sail |
|
C. might have sailed |
D. should have sailed |
