Question

B

People aren’t walking any more--- if they can figure out a way to avoid it.

I felt superior about this matter until the other day I took my car to mail a small parcel. The journey is a matter of 281 steps. But I used the car. And I wasn’t in any hurry, either, I had merely become one more victim of a national sickness: motorosis.

It is an illness to which I had thought myself immune(免疫的), for I was bred in the tradition of going to places on my own two legs. At that time, we regarded 25 miles as good day’s walk and the ability to cover such a distance in ten hours as a sign of strength and skill. It did not occur to us that walking was a hardship. And the effect was lasting. When I was 45 years old I raced –and beat—a teenage football player the 168 steps up the Stature of Liberty.

Such enterprises today are regarded by many middle-aged persons as bad for the heart. But a well-known British physician, Sir Adolphe Abrhams, pointed out recently that hearts and bodies need proper exercise. A person who avoids exercise is more likely to have illnesses than one who exercises regularly. And walking is an ideal form of exercise--- the most familiar and natural of all.

It was Henry Thoreau who showed mankind the richness of going on foot. The man walking can learn the trees, flower, insects, birds and animals, the significance of seasons, the very feel of himself as a living creature in a living world. He cannot learn in a car.

The car is a convenient means of transport, but we have made it our way of life. Many people don’t dare to approach Nature any more; to them the world they were born to enjoy is all threat. To them security is a steel river thundering on a concrete road. And much of their thinking takes place while waiting for the traffic light to turn green.

I say that the green of forests is the mind’s best light. And none but the man on foot can evaluate what is basic and everlasting.

1.What was life like when the author was young?

A. People usually went around on foot.

B. people often walked 25 miles a day

C. People used to climb the Statue of Liberty.

D. people considered a ten-hour walk as a hardship.

2.The author mentions Henry Thoreau to prove that

A. middle-aged people like getting back to nature

B. walking in nature helps enrich one’s mind

C. people need regular exercise to keep fit

D. going on foot prevents heart disease

3.What is compared to “a steel river” in Paragraph6?

A. A queue of cars

B. A ray of traffic light

C. A flash of lightning

D. A stream of people

4.What is the author’s intention of writing this passage?

A. To tell people to reflect more on life.

B. To recommend people to give up driving

C. To advise people to do outdoor activities

D. To encourage people to return to walking

Answer

1.A

2.B

3.A

4.D

【解析】

1.细节理解题 作者年轻的时候生活是什么样子？根据第三段for I was bored in the tradition of going to places on my own two legs. At that time, we regarded 25 miles as good day’s walk and the ability to cover such a distance in ten hours as a sign of strength and skill. It did not occur to us that walking was a hardship.可知作者年轻时人们通常步行，

2.判断推理题 根据文章第五段第一句It was Henry Thoreau who showed mankind the richness of going on foot.可知正是他向我们展示了步行的好处，如The man walking can learn the trees, flower, insects, birds and animals, the significance of seasons, the very feel of himself as a living creature in a living world可以了解到树，花昆虫等等自然的知识。也就是说可以丰富我们的生活。

3.词义猜测题 根据本段to them the world they were born to enjoy is all threat. To them security is a steel river thundering on a concrete road.对他们来说他们生来的世界都是威胁，对他们来说，安全就是混凝土路上的汽车。本题的关键是on a concrete road可知路上的是车流。

4.写作意图题 作者写这段的意图是什么？根据短文的最后一段可知作者提倡大家要用以前的交通方式----步行。作者回忆了以前人们经常步行的情况，也说明了步行的很多好处。可知本文的目的是鼓励人们重新用双脚走路，少开车。选项B短文里没有提到要人们放弃驾驶自己的汽车，而是尽可能做到采用步行的交通方式。