Question

    In recent years I have had two very good roles on television: Florence, the wisecracking maid on the series The Jeffersons, and Mary, the mother who holds things together on 227. But 17 years ago, in 1972 when I was just getting started in theater work, I thought I’d never make it as an actress. For that matter, I couldn’t even hold my life together or afford a home of my own.

Back then I had about as much self-confidence as a chicken in a fox’s nest. I was recovering from surgery and had been off work for six months from my job as a United Airlines reservations agent. I’d had some bit parts in local theater groups, but those came and went, not leading to anything bigger.

Worse, as a single mother with three youngsters, I had no place to live. My children were staying with their father while I recovered in an aunt’s apartment. Lying in bed, staring hopelessly at the wall, I didn’t know what to do or where to turn.

Then one Sunday morning I aimlessly turned on the television set, and there were actor Robert Young and his wife talking about their faith. I sat right up in bed. They said, “ When one door closes, a better one opens,” Well, I wasn’t going to just sit staring at the closed one. So I got up and trudged(跋涉) on. Even if my shoes wore out, I decided, my faith wouldn’t.

Later, when I began filling small parts in television productions, that self-confidence showed. I’d always done my best to play the role as I thought the director wanted, but now I found myself freer to interpret it, I was more natural, more me.

1.What do the underlined words “ hold my life together” in paragraph 1 probably mean?

A. Enjoy my life B. Support myself

C. Abandon my life D. Fight against my life

2.How did the author feel when she worked in the local theater?

A. Confident B. Excited

C. Nervous D. Disappointed

3.What can we learn about the author from paragraph 3?

A. She lived in her own apartment B. She had to stay with her father

C. She was confused about her future D. She was looked after by her kids

4.What is the author’s purpose of writing this passage?

A. To share her understanding of faith with us B. To prove her success in the TV acting

C. To show thanks to her respected aunt D. To tell how hard she brought up her children.

Answer

1.B

2.D

3.C

4.A

【解析】

这是一篇记叙文，作者讲述了她如何成为演员的经历。

1.推理判断题。根据后文的afford a home of my own可知作者当时买不起属于自己的房子，说明她当时的生活很困难，B项（无法养活自己）放进原文符合语境，故选B项。

2.推理判断题。根据Back then I had about as much self-confidence as a chicken in a fox’s nest可知作者那时候很自信。根据I’d had some bit parts in local theater groups, but those came and went, not leading to anything bigger.可知作者在当地的剧院工作时，她的这些工作没有给她带来更大的收获。作者很有自信，但是她在当地剧院的工作却没有带来什么，由此可以推断当时作者是失望的，故选D项。

3.推理判断题。根据Lying in bed, staring hopelessly at the wall, I didn’t know what to do or where to turn.作者躺在床上，绝望地盯着 墙壁，不知道要做什么，也不知道要往哪里去。这说明作者当时对未来很迷茫，故选C项。根据I recovered in an aunt’s apartment.可知作者当时住在一个婶婶的公寓里，排除A项；根据My children were staying with their father可知是作者的孩子而不是作者自己要和父亲待在一起，这说明作者的孩子并没有和作者住在一起照顾作者，排除B，D项。

4.推理判断题。根据They said, “ When one door closes, a better one opens,” Well, I wasn’t going to just sit staring at the closed one. So I got up and trudged(跋涉) on. Even if my shoes wore out, I decided, my faith wouldn’t. 可知作者看到电视上的一对明星夫妇说，“当一扇门关闭时，一扇更好的门会打开，”作者就决定她不会只是坐着盯着那扇关上的门。 所以她起身跋涉。 即使她的鞋子磨损了，她的信仰也不会。作者通过这篇文章和读者分享了她对信仰的理解，故选A项。