Question

O. Henry was a pen name used by an American writer of short stories. His real name was William Sydney Porter. He was born in North Carolina in 1862. As a young boy he lived an exciting life. He did not go to school for very long, but he managed to teach himself everything he needed to know. When he was about 20 years old, O. Henry went to Texas, where he tried different jobs. He first worked on a newspaper, and then had a job in a bank, when some money went missing from the bank O. Henry was believed to have stolen it. Because of that, he was sent to prison. During the three years in prison, he learned to write short stories. After he got out of prison, he went to New York and continued writing. He wrote mostly about New York and the life of the poor there. People liked his stories, because simple as the tales were, they would finish with a sudden change at the end, to the reader’s surprise.

1.In which order did O. Henry do the following things?

a. Lived in New York.   b. Worked in a bank.      c. Traveled to Texas.

d. Was put in prison.    e. Had a newspaper Job.      f. Learned to write stories.

A．c. e. b. d. f. a                           B．e. c. f. b. d. a

C．e. b. d. c. a. f.                           D．c. b. e. d. a f

2.People enjoyed reading O. Henry’s stories because __________.

A．they had surprise endings

B．they were easy to understand

C．they showed his love for the poor

D．they were about New York City

3.O. Henry went to prison because_____________.

A．people thought he had stolen money that was not his

B．he broke the law by not using his own name

C．he wanted to write stories about prisoners

D．people thought he had taken money from the newspaper

4.What do we know about O. Henry before he began writing?

A．He was well-educated.                   B．He was not serious about his work.

C．He was devoted to the poor.               D．He was very good at learning.

Answer

1.A

2.A

3.A

4.D

【解析】

试题分析：本文介绍了美国著名的短篇小说家欧亨利的的人生之路以及作品的主要特色。

1.A 细节题。根据文章4-9行内容When he was about 20 years old, O. Henry went to Texas, where he tried different jobs. He first worked on a newspaper, and then had a job in a bank, when some money went missing from the bank O. Henry was believed to have stolen it. Because of that, he was sent to prison. During the three years in prison, he learned to write short stories. After he got out of prison, he went to New York and continued writing.可知A项的顺序是正确的。

2.A 细节题。根据文章最后一句because simple as the tales were, they would finish with a sudden change at the end, to the reader’s surprise.说明他的小说又一个出人意料的结尾。故A正确。

3.A 细节题。根据文章7，8行Henry was believed to have stolen it. Because of that, he was sent to prison. During the three years in prison说明A项是他入狱的原因。

4.D 推理题。根据文章3,4行He did not go to school for very long, but he managed to teach himself everything he needed to know.说明他受到的教育不多，但是他的学习能力很强，自学了自己想要知道的所有知识。故D正确。

考点：考查人物传记类短文阅读