Question

Most teens can't wait to learn to drive. Not so with me. Driving made me nervous. I didn't get a license until I turned 24 years old. As a result, when I first married, we only had one car and car pooled to work. My husband's hours were different from mine by one hour. I worked earlier. So he dropped me off and went to the diner to drink coffee until work time.

Then, in the afternoons, I leisurely walked the three miles to his work place where I waited in his car, reading a book.

One day while waiting for him, I noticed the most beautiful Cadillac pull in the lot. It was powder blue and sleek looking. The kind of car you dream about. I was busily admiring the car, when I noticed the driver. Honestly, she was probably the prettiest woman I had ever seen off the movie screen.

She pulled into the spot beside our car and it was all I could do not to stare. There was a striking resemblance to Liz Taylor. Jet black hair and alabaster skin. Our eyes made contact and she smiled at me. Her eyes were as blue as the sea, and teeth like an even row of pearls. She was wearing a light blue shirt that just matched her car. Peeking through her long, softly curled hair I could see gold hoop earrings. They had to be gold to shine like that. A couple of minutes later, a nice looking man came out of the building, entered her car, leaned over and kissed her and she drove away.

Sitting there in my jeans, shirt and hair in a pony tail, I wanted to cry. How could some people have it all?

Maybe I would have forgotten about her, but the following week, I saw her again. Then it became almost routine to see her about once a week. She seemed friendly and always waved, flashing a big smile. My envy lingered long after she drove away.

Many nights when sleep evaded me, I would think about the beautiful lady. I wondered if she and her husband ate out, and where they dined, and what she was wearing. I wanted her to get out of the car and let me see her full length. Did she wear really high heeled shoes and pants, or a skirt.

I would get my answers in a couple of weeks.

Sitting in our usual parking lot, I was holding my book, watching her over the top of it. She was waiting and when her husband came to the car, she called to him. They spoke a few words and he opened the car door for her to step out. He took her arm and helped her out of the car. I could see very well as she moved to get out. She was wearing a skirt.

She haltingly walked around to the passenger side very slowly, leaning on a walking cane. Sitting sideways in the car, she lifted one leg with her hands and then the other one. The beautiful lady had a prosthesis on the left leg and a brace on the right leg. I couldn't watch them drive away as the tears were blinding me. For weeks I had envied this woman and her way of life, while I had been able to walk three miles to our car!

When my husband arrived and found me crying, he immediately asked what was wrong. Through my tears, I told him about the beautiful lady. He said he knew her husband and also knew the story. The beautiful lady and her parents were in a car that either stalled or got caught on the railroad tracks and was hit by a train. Both parents were killed and she was severely injured. She was only 12 years old. The railroad made a large settlement with her because the crossing had no signals. He explained her car was specially built for her needs as well as the home.

I prayed for forgiveness all the way home. The lady I thought had everything I didn't. I realized how lucky I was to have my parents, the ability to walk, run or dance through life and many wonderful things money can't buy. I would not have traded places with the beautiful lady for anything.

When you meet a person who seems to be much better off than you, don't be fooled.

1.After seeing the beautiful lady, the woman concluded_______.

A. the beautiful lady led a rich and happy life

B. the beautiful lady liked to show off herself

C. she and her husband must make more money

D. she shouldn't have married her husband

2.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. The woman learned that health and family are more important.

B. The woman was poor and couldn't afford another car and fancy clothes.

C. The woman envied the beautiful lady of her capable husband.

D. The woman regretted marrying her husband.

3.The underlined word “haltingly”(paragraph 10) probably means ________.

A. proudly    B. excitedly    C. difficultly    D. steadily

4.Which of the following do you think can be the best title of the passage?

A. Seeing is believing    B. Trust her heart instead of her look

C. Looks can be deceiving    D. Fooled by her look

Answer

1.A

2.A

3.C

4.C

【解析】作者在每天去等丈夫的时候总会碰到一个美丽优雅，穿着讲究，开着豪车的女士。相比之下，作者感到生活对自己的不公平，但是在知道了这位女士的残疾和经历后，作者顿时为自己曾经产生过的想法而感到惭愧。从这件事作者得到的人生感悟是：凡事不要被表象所蒙蔽。

1.A

推理判断题。当作者一次次看到漂亮优雅的女士后总是不由自主地去想象她的生活，而且根据文中My envy lingered long after she drove away.和For weeks I had envied this woman and her way of life, while I had been able to walk three miles to our car!可知，作者对她充满了嫉妒，由此判断作者认为这个漂亮的女士过着幸福富裕的生活，答案选A。

2.A

细节理解题。在文章倒数第二段作者意识到了自己和那位女士相比是多么的幸运，不仅有家人的陪伴，而且拥有健康的身体，还有好多金钱买不到的东西，这些都是自己不会和那位女士交换的，由此可知她意识到了家人和健康的重要性，故答案选A。

3.C

词义猜测题。A骄傲地；B兴奋地；C困难地；D稳定地。根据文章倒数第四段内容The beautiful lady had a prosthesis on the left leg and a brace on the right leg.可知，这位女士左腿安装着假肢而且右腿还有支架，由此判断她走路是费劲的，故答案选C。

4.C

主旨大意题。在故事中作者因一位女士的优雅美丽和拥有的豪车而暗自嫉妒，但是后来知道了她的残疾和经历后，作者为自己曾经产生过的想法而感到惭愧，对人生也有了更深的感悟，最后在文章末段提出When you meet a person who seems to be much better off than you, don't be fooled.，由此可知C选项内容能反应文章中心，可以做标题使用，故答案选C。

【名师点睛】

弄清文章的大意，关键是找到主题句。主题句的位置：主题句通常在文首、文末或首尾呼应，有时也在文中，或没有主题句，需根据文章所述内容进行归纳。各段的主题句也常在该段的首句或尾句。议论文和说明文一般有主题句，但记叙文通常没有主题句，需要归纳。本题是主旨大意题，在故事中作者因一位女士的优雅美丽和拥有的豪车而暗自嫉妒，但是后来知道了她的残疾和经历后，作者为自己曾经产生过的想法而感到惭愧，对人生也有了更深的感悟，最后在文章末段提出When you meet a person who seems to be much better off than you, don't be fooled.，由此可知C选项内容能反应文章中心，可以做标题使用，故答案选C。