Question

    When I was thirteen, my family moved from Boston to Tucson, Arizona. Before the move, my father gathered us in the living-room on a freezing January night. My sisters and I sat around the fire, not realizing that the universe would suddenly change its course. “In May, we’re moving to Arizona.”

The words, so small, didn’t seem big enough to hold my new life. But the world changed and I awoke on a tram moving across the country. I watched the scene change from green trees to flat dusty plains to high mountains as I saw strange new plants that suggested mysteries yet to come. Finally, we arrived and settled into our new home.

While my older sisters were sad at the loss of friends, I eagerly explored our new surroundings.

One afternoon, I was out exploring as usual and saw a new kind of cactus(仙人掌). I crouched (蹲) down for a closer look. “You’d better not touch that.”

I turned around to see an old woman.

“Are you new to this neighborhood?” I explained that I was, in fact, new to the entire state.

“My name is Ina Thorne. Have you got used to life in the desert? It must be quite a shock after living in Boston.”

How could I explain how I found the desert? I couldn’t seem to find the right words.

“It’s vastness,” she offered. “That vastness when you stand on the mountains overlooking the desert- you can sense how little you are in comparison with the world. Meanwhile, you feel that the possibilities are limitless.”

That was it. That was the feeling I’d had ever since I’d first seen the mountains of my new home. Again, my life would change with just a few simple words.

“Would you like to come to my home tomorrow? Someone should teach you which plant you should and shouldn’t touch.

1.Hearing Father’s words, the writer ______.

A.was eager to explore the new place

B.was unaware that his life was to be changed

C.felt sad because he would lose his friends

D.thought it was a good idea to move to Arizona

2.We can learn from the passage that the writer ______.

A.didn’t get used to his new surroundings

B.explored a lot the new neighborhood after arriving there

C.knew some knowledge about the desert animals from the old woman

D.didn’t like the desert because of its vastness and limitless possibilities

3.What would the writer most probably do when he was invited to the old woman’s home?

A.Refuse her invitation politely.

B.Go back to ask his father for advice.

C.Hesitate whether to accept her invitation.

D.Visit her to learn something about plants in the desert.

Answer

1.B

2.B

3.D

【解析】

这是一篇记叙文。作者十三岁的时候家人从波士顿搬到亚利桑那州的图森，周围的环境发生了变化，作者急切地想探索新的生活环境。而在一个午后，作者遇见了一位老人，她的话改变了作者的生活。

1.细节理解题。根据第一段中My sisters and I sat around the fire, not realizing that the universe would suddenly change its course.可知我和姐妹们围坐在火炉旁，没有意识到宇宙会突然改变轨道。由此可知，听到父亲的话，作者并没有意识到他的生活将会改变。故选B。

2.细节理解题。根据第三段While my older sisters were sad at the loss of friends, I eagerly explored our new surroundings.可知当我的姐姐们为失去朋友而难过时，我却热切地探索我们的新环境。由此可知，作者到达那里后对新社区进行了很多探索。故选B。

3.细节理解题。根据最后一段“Would you like to come to my home tomorrow? Someone should teach you which plant you should and shouldn’t touch.”可知“你明天愿意来我家吗？应该有人教你该碰哪一种植物，不该碰哪一种。”由此可知，当作家被邀请到老妇人的家中时，他最有可能拜访她，学习一些有关沙漠植物的知识。故选D。