Question

For over a century, the Nashua River in Massachusetts provided power for factories, which gave jobs to thousands of people. Over the years, these paper, cotton, wood, and woolen factories had poured their waste into its waters.

By the 1960s,the Nashua River was about as polluted as any river could get. Its waters became red or green or blue with dye(染料) from paper factories lying on its banks. The smokes from this dye blackened the paint on the buildings near the river.

Then along came Marion Stoddart with a simple but overwhelming（压倒性的）idea-clean up the Nashua River. This was no one-woman campaign. Stoddart encouraged the paper factories and the business community to form partnerships to reclaim the river. She carried jars of dirty river water to local officials to demonstrate the seriousness of the problem. Stoddart talked with business leaders about economic problems. She talked with environmentalists about the long-term problems of pollution.

Stoddart knew that the State Water Pollution Control Board would have the final say on forcing the clean-up. When she spoke to the board, she insisted that the Nashua River should be made safe for swimming. They thought her goals were unrealistic.

However, the partnerships Stoddart had helped form and the volunteers who were drawn to her cause never gave up. They all realized that cleaning up the river was in everyone's best interests. By 1993, several water treatment plants had been built, and a conservation area called a "green way" had been created along the banks of the river.

Today factories are still operating along the river, but there are also fish in the river. The Nashua River welcomes boaters, naturalists, and even swimmers. None of this would have been possible without a woman of vision and a community working together.

1.What does the underlined word “reclaim” refer to?

A. enlarge    B. rescue    C. monitor    D. explore

2.What's the attitude of the board to Stoddart's goal of improving the river?

A. Supportive.    B. Neutral.    C. Doubtful.    D. Cautious.

3.What kind of person is Marison Stoddart?

A. Intelligent and creative.    B. Stubborn and proud.

C. Independent and broad-minded.    D. Determined and far-sighted.

4.What message is conveyed through the no one-woman campaign?

A. It’ll be all right on the night.    B. Many hands make light work.

C. Prevention is better than cure.    D. Failure is the mother of success.

Answer

1.B

2.C

3.D

4.B

【解析】本文是一篇记叙文。文章讲述了Stoddart带领很多社会团体和志愿者共同清理一条严重受污染的河，最终使这条河恢复生机。文末赞扬了这位女性的远见和决心。

1.B 词义猜测题。根据第三段划线词后面的句子She carried jars of dirty river water to local officials to demonstrate the seriousness of the problem. Stoddart talked with business leaders about economic problems. She talked with environmentalists about the long-term problems of pollution.可知，Stoddart是鼓励大家营救这条河，解决水污染问题。故reclaim的意思接近B项。

2.C 推理判断题。根据第四段中的句子When she spoke to the board, she insisted that the Nashua River should be made safe for swimming. They thought her goals were unrealistic.可知，委员会认为“Stoddart”的目标不现实，也就是对此事持怀疑的态度，故选C。

3.D 推理判断题。根据文章最后一段最后一句None of this would have been possible without a woman of vision and a community working together.可知，Marison Stoddart是个有远见、有决心的人。故选D。

4.B 推理判断题。根据第三段中的句子Stoddart encouraged the paper factories and the business community to form partnerships to reclaim the river.和第五段的第一句话：However, the partnerships Stoddart had helped form and the volunteers可知

人多力量大，众多人和组织的参与治理让这条河变干净了。故选B。

【名师点睛】猜测词义题解题技巧

在阅读中我们经常会遇到许多生词。这时许多同学立即翻阅词典，查找词义。这样做不但费时费力，而且影响阅读速度、影响对语篇的整体把握。事实上，阅读材料中的每个词与它前后的词语或句子甚至段落都有联系。我们可以利用语境（各种已知信息）推测、判断某些生词的词义。近年来全国统一高考中加大了对考生猜词义能力的考查，因此，掌握一定的猜词技巧，对突破高考阅读理解、提高我们的英语语言能力都有非常重要的意义。做这种类型的题，要根据词、词组、句子所在的语境来判断其意义。比如第1小题，根据第三段划线词后面的句子She carried jars of dirty river water to local officials to demonstrate the seriousness of the problem. Stoddart talked with business leaders about economic problems. She talked with environmentalists about the long-term problems of pollution. （她携带了一罐肮脏的河水给当地官员，以证明问题的严重性。Stoddart与商界领袖谈经济问题。她与环保主义者讨论污染的长期问题。）可知，Stoddart应该是鼓励造纸厂和商业界建立伙伴关系营救这条河。故选B。