Question

    As a little girl growing up in the early 1960s in a suburb of Pittsburgh, it was not always easy to find role models, But I was lucky. In my childhood, I knew smart, strong women who had accomplished much, one of whom invented the world’s first computer compiler (编译器).

Recently, though, I learned about a role model who was right under my nose—my own mother.

Growing up, I knew she had worked as a secretary before I was born. I knew that she had joined the WAVES—the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service branch of the U.S. Naval Reserve (海军预备队)—during World War Ⅱ. And I knew she’d worked in an office that was involved with codes (编码). But when she talked about it—rare, because she had been sworn to secrecy—she described her duties as ordinary, routine. I never questioned it. After all, the woman I knew was a reserved suburban mom.

Not long ago, a chance conversation with a colleague led me to the book, Code Girls. It tells the story of the WAVES, who decrypted (解码) and encrypted secret messages during the war. They worked around the clock, knowing that the lives of tens of thousands of soldiers—their brothers, husbands, fathers—were on the line.

Inspired, I began a journey to explore the mystery of my mother’s service that continues to this day. I got some of her working records about her unit, OP19. In two years, she was promoted three times. She was no secretary, and her duties were hardly ordinary.

My mother always encouraged my interest in science and insisted to my father that I go to college. “You’re going to grow up to be another Madame Curie,” she told me. She was always pointing at other women. She did not see herself as someone to model on. Neither did I. Now I see her differently.

1.Why didn’t the author’s mother tell the truth about her job?

A. She was afraid of being fired by her company.

B. She thought her job was just unremarkable.

C. She thought secretary was better than her real job.

D. She knew well what to be expected of her career.

2.Which of the following words can best describe the authors mother?

A. Devoted and faithful. B. Ambitious and reserved.

C. Cooperative and sincere. D. Hardworking and skeptical.

3.What can we learn from the text?

A. The author doubted her mother’s job when she was a child.

B. The author’s mother saw herself as an example to follow.

C. Code Girls’ job is more important than that of the soldiers.

D. Code Girls inspired the author to learn more of her mother.

4.Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A. Code Girls, My Favourite Book.

B. Mom, My Real Role Model.

C. The OP19, A Buried Secret.

D. WAVES, A Mysterious Organization.

Answer

1.D

2.A

3.D

4.B

【解析】

本文是一篇记叙文，讲述了《密码女孩》让作者开始了一段探索妈妈的工作之旅，作者发现原来自己的妈妈就是眼皮子底下的榜样。

1.细节理解题。根据第二段中的“because she had been sworn to secrecy—she described her duties as ordinary, routine.”可知，妈妈曾发誓要保守秘密，所以她把工作描述为普通的例行公事，也就是说妈妈很清楚自己的工作性质，故D项正确。

2.推理判断题。第二段说妈妈一直遵守誓言，保守工作秘密，她把工作描述为普通的例行公事，可见她很忠诚，根据第三段中的“They worked around the clock”可知，她和其他密码工作者一样日以及日地工作，可见她很有献身精神，故A项正确。

3.细节理解题。根据倒数第二段中的“Inspired, I began a journey to explore the mystery of my mother’s service that continues to this day.”可知，受《密码女孩》的鼓舞，作者开始了一段探索妈妈神秘的工作之旅，也就是说《密码女孩》的鼓舞作者了解更多关于妈妈的事情，故D项正确。

4.主旨大意题。通读全文，特别是根据第二段中的“Recently, though, I learned about a role model who was right under my nose—my own mother.”可知，本文主要讲述了作者眼皮子底下的榜样——她的妈妈，故B项正确。