Question

Matthew Henson—Arctic Explorer

In 1880，fourteen-year-old Matthew Henson loved to hear sailors tell tales of their exciting lives at sea．The travel，the adventure，the danger，and the steady pay were all attracting young Henson．One day，he found a job as a cabin boy on a beautiful ship called the Katie Hinds．For the next five years，Henson sailed around the world．With the help of the ship’s captain and other members of the crew，Henson learned mathematics，navigation，history，geography，and many other subjects．By the time he left the Katie Hinds in 1885，Henson was well educated and had become an excellent seaman．

Unable to find work anywhere else，Henson took a job in a hat shop in Washington，D．C．One day in 1887，a man came in to buy a hat．The man，Robert Peary，asked the owner if he knew anyone with experience at sea．Peary would soon travel to South America for the U．S．government．He needed experienced men to accompany him．The shop owner knew about his young employee’s skills and experience on ocean journeys，so he introduced Peary to Henson．

Using his map-reading and sailing skills，Henson proved himself to be a worthy and smart seaman．Peary soon made Henson his assistant，and they became close friends．One day Peary told Henson about his real dream：to be the first man to stand on“the top of the world”at the North Pole．He asked Henson to help him make his dream come true．Over the next five years，the two explorers made two trips together to the Arctic．However，they were not able to reach the pole either time．The cold，wind，and ice were worse than either of them had ever imagined．

In 1908，Peary and Henson were ready to make their final attempt at reaching the North Pole．Both men were over forty years old．The years of hardship in the arctic cold had made them suffer a lot．This would be their last chance．With four Inuit guides，they made a mad rush straight across the ice toward the pole．Peary’s feet were injured and he had to be pulled on a dogsled．In April 1909，Henson’s instruments showed they were standing at the North Pole．Together Henson and Peary planted the American flag in the snow．

In later years，Robert Peary and Henson were greatly honored for their achievements．Today，the two friends and fellow explorers lie in heroes’graves not far apart in the Arlington National Cemetery．

1.What happened to Henson according to Paragraph 1?

A．He became a skilled seaman．

B．He became a highly educated captain．

C．He was employed in a restaurant．

D．He was interested in helping others．

2.What does Paragraph 2 mainly tell us?

A．How Matthew Henson met Robert Peary．

B．Why Matthew Henson went to the hat shop．

C．Why Matthew Henson stopped working on the Katie Hinds．

D．How Robert Peary knew that Matthew Henson had sea experience．

3.What could Henson and Peary best be compared to，on their trip to the North Pole?

A．Hunters running after wolves．

B．Generals seeking power over another country．

C．Soldiers going to war to fight for their freedom．

D．Fighters performing a task in an unknown land．

4.How is the information presented in this passage mainly organized?

A．By cause and effect．

B．By comparing and contrasting．

C．In the order that the events happened．

D．With main ideas and supporting examples．

Answer

1.A

2.A

3.D

4.C

【解析】

试题分析: 文中讲述了Matthew Henson少年的时候就喜欢听冒险的故事，在航海的过程中学到了很多知识，成为了一名出现的航海家，与Robert Peary偶然相遇，两人开始了攀登北极的旅程。

1.A考察细节额理解题。根据文意By the time he left the Katie Hinds in 1885，Henson was well educated and had become an excellent seaman可知他成为一名出色的航海手，所以答案是A。

2.A考察细节额理解题。根据文意Robert Peary在Matthew Henson工作的帽子店买帽子时向店主打听熟悉航海的人，自此二人结识的事情，所以答案是A。

3.D考察细节额理解题。根据文意One day Peary told Henson about his real dream：to be the first man to stand on“the top of the world”at the North Pole可知他们的梦想是登上北极，所以这是挑战者在探索未知领域，所以答案是D。

4.Matthew Henson少年的时候就喜欢听冒险的故事，在航海的过程中学到了很多知识，成为了一名出现的航海家，与Robert Peary偶然相遇，两人开始了攀登北极的旅程，可知文章是根据事件发生的前后顺序来展开的，所以答案是C。

考点：探险类阅读。