Question

    When Joshua Coombes got off the bus in Washington, D.C., on this past February, he didn’t set off for the usual tourist attractions along the National Mall. Instead, the London-based hairdresser (理发师) headed for the marble fountain where homeless people gather outside. Most travellers walk by without a second glance. So what Coombes did next may well have surprised them: He chatted with them, pulled out his scissors and gave them haircuts, free of charge.

Whether in London, New York or Washington, D.C., homelessness can seem like a problem too huge and difficult to deal with. But Coombes realised that he didn’t have to solve all of everyone’s problems to make an impact. Sometimes, a small luxury such as a haircut can go a long way in boosting someone’s dignity, he told The Washington Post.

Two years ago, he founded the campaign Do Something For Nothing. His mission: to make a positive impact by giving haircuts to homeless people he meets on city streets, connecting with them on a human level and sharing their stories on social media. So far he has cut the hair of hundreds of homeless people, including a few women.

For Coombes, the campaign is about the importance of human connections. He wants to bring people together, regardless of what their relations are, and he sees the simple act of conversation as a step toward strengthening ties between people. In an age when virtual interactions can replace a real sense of community, Coombes finds haircuts to be a simple but important way to connect with people physically and emotionally.

Coombes’s world travels are partially funded through companies and NGOs that commission him to speak about his campaign. As he devotes more time to it, he has steadily decreased the hours he spends in the salon at home. His most recent trip to the US was sponsored by Leesa Sleeps, a Virginia-based mattress company. He will leave for Barcelona soon and plans to return to the US in the next few months.

1.What does the underlined word “them” in Paragraph 1 refer to?

A.The homeless people. B.The tour guides.

C.The travelers. D.The hairdressers.

2.What is the purpose of Coombes’s founding the campaign?

A.To make the homeless people more beautiful.

B.To increase the connections with homeless people.

C.To bring the homeless people together to the shelters.

D.To help the homeless people change the real sense of community.

3.What do we know about Coombes?

A.He dislikes usual tourist attractions.

B.He travels around the world with his own expenses.

C.He thinks people can take action to positively affect others’ life.

D.He goes away from home in order to travel around the country.

4.What is the main idea of the text?

A.A hairdresser travels with homeless people.

B.Homeless people are connecting together.

C.Companies work together to help homeless people.

D.A hairdresser helps homeless people through haircuts.

Answer

1.A

2.B

3.C

4.D

【解析】

这是一篇记叙文。文章主要介绍了理发师Joshua Coombes给那些无家可归的人们免费理发的事迹。他希望以这种方式来给人们积极的影响。

1.词义猜测题。由第一段中的“Instead, the London-based hairdresser (理发师) headed for the marble fountain where homeless people gather outside…He chatted with them, pulled out his scissors and gave them haircuts, free of charge”可知，理发师去给那些无家可归的人们去免费理发。them指“无家可归的人”。A选项正确。

2.细节理解题。由第三段中的“His mission: to make a positive impact by giving haircuts to homeless people he meets on city streets, connecting with them on a human level and sharing their stories on social media”可知，他开展这项运动的目的是给无家可归的人积极的影响，和他们在人的水平上进行联系，在社交媒体上分享他们的故事。故B选项正确。

3.推理判断题。结合倒数第三段中Coombes为无家可归的人理发的行为，以及倒数第二段中的“For Coombes, the campaign is about the importance of human connections. He wants to bring people together, regardless of what their relations are…Coombes finds haircuts to be a simple but important way to connect with people physically and emotionally.”可知，Coombes认为理发是一个简单却非常重要的方式，这种方式可以在身体和情感上和别人进行沟通。由此可以推知，C选项（他认为人们可以采取行动来积极地影响别人的生活）正确。

4.主旨大意题。文章主要介绍了理发师Joshua Coombes给那些无家可归的人们免费理发的事迹。他希望以这种方式来给人们积极的影响。故D选项正确。