Question

阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。

A

It is quite unusual to know who contributes most to the first Oxford English Dictionary. In 1879, Oxford University in England asked Prof. James Murray to serve as editor for what was to be the most ambitious dictionary in the history of the English language. It would include every English word possible and would give not only the definition but also the history of the word and quotations (引文)showing how it was used.

This was a huge task. So Murray had to find volunteers from Britain, the United States, and the British colonies to search every newspaper, magazine, and book ever written in English. Hundreds of volunteers responded, including William Chester Minor. Dr. Minor was an American Surgeon who had served in the Civil War and was now living in England. He gave his address as “Broadmoor, Crowthorne, Berkshire,” 50 miles from Oxford.

Minor joined the army of volunteers sending words and quotations to Murray. Over the next years, he became one of the staff’s most valued contributors.

But he was also a mystery. In spite of many invitations, he would always decline to visit Oxford. So in 1897， Murray finally decided to travel to Crowthorne himself. When he arrived, he found Minor locked in a book-lined cell at the Broadmoor Asylum for the criminally insane.

Murray and Minor became friends, sharing their love of words. Minor continued contributing to the dictionary, sending in more than 10,000 submissions in 20 years. Murray continued to visit Minor regularly, sometimes taking walks with him around the asylum grounds.

In 1910, Minor left Broadmoor for an asylum in his native America. Murray was at the port to wave goodbye to his remarkable friend.

Minor died in 1920, seven years before the first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary was completed. The 12 volumes defined 414,825 words, and thousands of them were contributions from a very scholarly and devoted asylum patient.

1. According to the text, the first Oxford English Dictionary _________.

A. came out before Minor died

B. was intended to be the most ambitious English dictionary

C. included the English words invented by Murray

D. was edited by an American volunteer

2. Which of the following best describe Dr. Minor?

A. Brave and determined            B. Cautious and friendly

C. Considerate and optimistic      D. Unusual and scholarly

3.What does the text mainly talk about?

A. The history of the English language.

B. The friendship between Murray and Minor.

C. Minor and the first Oxford English Dictionary.

D. Broadmoor Asylum and its patients.

Answer

1.B

2.D

3.C

【解析】

试题分析：本文属于人们传记类阅读，介绍了牛津字典第一版的一位著名的志愿者编辑Minor以及他为牛津字典做出了巨大的贡献。

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【名师点睛】

主旨大意类题是阅读理解中最常见的题型之一，主要考察考生分辨和提纲挈领的能力。解答这类题可以运用如下方法：

1、把握文章逻辑结构：把握文章逻辑结构对于做主旨题很有帮助，因为文章主题出现的位置对应于文章逻辑结构中的一个部分。高考阅读理解文章的主要逻辑结构有：

1).时间顺序。按时间先后说明某一理论的发展，或某一研究成果由过去至现在的情况。属于这种结构的主题通常在首段或末段。

2).文章按照“总括，一般”的逻辑结构布局。首段做总的说明，其他段落分别说明或具体论述首段的观点。属于这种结构的文章主题在首段。

3).文章按照“一般，总括”的逻辑结构布局。前面几段分别说明，末段总结。主题在末段。

4).文章按照“对比”的逻辑结构布局。进行对比的各事物之间的基本共同点或差异为主题。

5).文章按照“分类”的逻辑结构布局。分类说明的各层次，各层次相加为主题。

2、抓主题句:  主题句表达文章的中心思想，其它句子均围绕它进行说明或议论。它在文章中的通常位置为第一段首句、第一段末句和全文末句等地方。所以阅读时对这些地方要特别关注。

3、概括段落大意： 往往段落大意的合并就是文章的主题句。

4、根据论述详略确定：通常与主题有关的部分有较详尽的论述，而与主题关系不够密切的部分论述较简略。

5、寻找关键词：有些段落大意就散落在关键词上。 阅读理解的问题也以如下形式出现：

1.What is the best title for/of the passage?

2.What can be inferred from the passage?

3.What does the author mainly tell us about in the text？

4.What is mainly discussed in the article/passage/text?

做答这类问题时，将阅读重点放在首尾部分，抓首段和其余各段的第一句话，把其意思连接成一个整体。要注意总结性的提示词和转折词，特别要注意中心句。（自然段少的文章中心句不很明显。自然段多的文章，主旨大意类题比较好联系中心句，找一个和中心句最贴近的选项），文章段落的中间部分则可采用略读或扫读的方式，一则省时间，二则目标明确，正确率自然也相应提高了。掌握了找主题句或中心句的方法，就可以依据主题句或中心句归纳主题。

考点：考查人物传记类阅读