Question

Here’s an unusual story: a diamond ring was recently found in an egg. The magician（魔术师）, Liu Qian, discovered it, in front of an audience of millions at CCTV’s Spring Festival Gala. Liu’s magic tricks have made the centuries old art of magic fashionable once again, and made him the hottest magician in China.

As a seasoned young magician from Taiwan, Liu is popular worldwide for his magic shows. Countries he has performed in include the United States, Japan, South Korea and the UK.

Witnessing something impossible happen right before your eyes is the root of people’s love for magic.

Liu is known for his interaction(互动) with his audiences. He has a unique understanding of showmanship (演出技巧).

“It is actually thinking, rather than one’s manipulation(操作)skills, that is more important to achieving a successful magic show. We think carefully about how to design the shows creatively, to make them appear more intriguing(吸引人的),”Liu said.

Liu Qian’s success dates back to his childhood. Born in 1976 in Taiwan, he found himself attracted to a magic toy in a shop when he was seven years old. At the age of 12, he won Taiwan’s Youth Magic Contest, which was judged by the great American magician, David Copperfield.

Yet, Liu never planned on becoming a professional magician. He studied Japanese literature at university and only hoped to be an amateur（业余的） magician in his spare time. However, his failure to find a decent(体面的)job after graduation pushed him towards magic as a career.

To refine（升华） his performing skills, he has performed on streets, roads and fields, for pedestrians(路人), policemen and farmers.

“Street shows are the biggest challenge for us magicians. We have to deal with unexpected situations and tough crowds,” Liu said.

1.Why do people love to watch magic?

A．Because Liu Qian is known for his interaction with his audiences.

B．Because people love watching magicians make the impossible happen.

C．Because people want to know the secret of the magic.

D．Because people are curious about everything.

2.Which word in the following is close to the underlined word “seasoned”?

A．Handsome.

B．Growing.

C．Fruitful.

D．Experienced.

3.What is the key reason that Liu Qian decided to make magic his career?

A．He was good at magic when he was young.

B．He had won Taiwan’s Youth Magic Contest.

C．He couldn’t find a decent job after graduation.

D．He became an amateur magician in his spare time.

4.The passage is mainly about         .

A．why Liu Qian plays magic well

B．what magic tricks are

C．why people love magic

D．how Liu Qian became China’s hottest magician

Answer

1.B

2.D

3.C

4.D   

 【解析】文章主要讲述了在春节晚会上表演近距离魔术让观众及主持人目瞪口呆的刘谦的情况。

1.B 细节理解题。根据第三段可知人们爱看魔术的主要原因是目睹不可能发生的事情就在眼前发生了。

2.D词义猜测题。season可以用作动词，意为：给……调味；使得到锻炼；使合用等。此处seasoned应意为“经受过锻炼的；老练的；饱经风霜的”。

3.C细节理解题。根据倒数第三段中的最后一句However, his failure to find a proper job after graduation pushed him towards magic as a career. 可知。

4.D 主旨大意题。这是一个新闻故事，所以主题就在第一段中，根据第一段可知刘谦是本文的中心人物，下文也是围绕刘谦展开的。