Question

    I'll never forget the day when Mary came into my office and said, I am too old to learn how to use a computer. I shook my head. Here was a woman who had raised 6 children and who had made great progress in her career telling me that she was too old to learn something new. I told her that I always believed people were never too old to learn.

Mary followed my advice and did learn how to use the computer. Now, she is retired and leading a very active life volunteering in her community(社区), using her computer skills and helping anyone that needs help.

When she was in her sixties, one day she called me and said she had played the piano for others all her life, and now she was going to plan to make a CD of her own. My mind flashed back to the day when she told me she was too old to learn. You can imagine my surprise and delight.

To produce the CD, she had a lot of things to learn. It was not just sitting at the piano and playing. She had to research the songs, learn about copyright(版权), and learn about marketing. It was pretty amazing for someone who once said she was too old to learn. And finally she made it. Now she has her own CD-Mixed Blessings.

Most of you probably have heard about some people who have gone back to university in their seventies and have also graduated. They are on their way again to charging themselves with a new skill and a new attitude towards life. The point is you are unable to learn anything at any age if you believe you are too old. On the contrary, you can achieve anything at any age if you believe you can.

1.When Mary said she was too old to learn, the author ________.

A. became disappointed with her B. felt sad and decided to help her

C. did not agree with her D. thought what she had said was true

2.Why did Mary call the author one day in her sixties?

A. To ask him to play the piano. B. To talk about her education.

C. To ask him to make a CD. D. To tell him about her plan.

3.The author thought it ________ for Mary to make a CD.

A. impossible B. difficult C. unnecessary D. interesting

4.What does the text mainly tell us?

A. We're never too old to learn. B. We should always learn new skills.

C. Interest is the best teacher. D. Some people succeed for a reason.

Answer

1.C

2.D

3.B

4.A

【解析】

这是一篇记叙文阅读。文章通过讲述玛丽最终学会电脑的故事，说明了如果你认为自己太老了，那么你在任何年龄都学不到任何东西。相反，如果你相信你能做到，你可以在任何年龄取得任何成就。

1.细节理解题。答案定位在第一段I shook my head. （我摇摇头。）和I told her that I always believed people were never too old to learn.（我告诉她，我一直相信人活到老学到老。）由此可知，当玛丽说她太老了不能学习时，作者不同意她的看法，故选C。

2.细节理解题。答案定位在第三段When she was in her sixties, one day she called me and said she had played the piano for others all her life, and now she was going to plan to make a CD of her own.（当她六十多岁的时候，有一天她打电话给我，说她一生都在为别人弹钢琴，现在她打算自己制作一张CD。）可知，玛丽在六十多岁的某一天给作者打电话，是为了告诉作者她的计划，故选D。

3.推理判断题。答案定位在第四段To produce the CD, she had a lot of things to learn. It was not just sitting at the piano and playing.（为了制作这张CD，她有很多东西要学。不仅仅是坐在钢琴前演奏。）由此推断出，作者认为对Mary来说制作一张CD很困难，故选B。

4.主旨大意题。答案定位在第一段I told her that I always believed people were never too old to learn.（我告诉她，我一直相信人活到老学到老。）以及最后一段The point is you are unable to learn anything at any age if you believe you are too old. On the contrary, you can achieve anything at any age if you believe you can.（关键是，如果你认为自己太老了，那么你在任何年龄都学不到任何东西。相反，如果你相信你能做到，你可以在任何年龄取得任何成就），结合全文内容可知，文章通过讲述玛丽最终学会电脑的故事，说明了如果你认为自己太老了，那么你在任何年龄都学不到任何东西。相反，如果你相信你能做到，你可以在任何年龄取得任何成就。即“活到老，学到老”，故选A。