Question

    One day, the sewer line（污水管道）under my house burst. My first response was to call the plumber, but when he heard what had happened, he said he couldn’t help. “We don’t do that,” he said, as if to suggest that even plumbers have their dignity. He did, however, recommend someone. I made the call, expecting the man to complain at such a miserable job. Instead, he simply asked, “The address?”

2And that was it. An hour later, Steve arrived in his truck. I watched as he walked down into the damp depths. A few moments later he appeared, saying, “Yes. It’s broken.”

“Can you fix it?” I asked with a strange mixture of doubt and hope.

3Steve looked at me strangely as if rebuking my lack of faith, and then said, “Sure.” Then he told me that he had to get a backhoe（反铲挖土机）and dig up the street to the main sewer line.

I showed appropriate panic. “How long will all this take?”

“I should have it done by evening.”

4I didn’t want to watch the excavation（挖掘） of my property unfold. All I wanted was to leave, go somewhere, and, upon my return, have everything the way it was before the damage.

5I felt somewhat guilty upon driving off in my clean car, leaving Steve to such a disagreeable task. I went into town and visited a few friends. Eventually, around 6 p.m., my curiosity got the better of me. I went home, and a sweeter sight I never saw: a patch of newly-paved street and a covered-up excavation across my front garden. I opened the basement door and—all was tidy and relatively dry.

6I sat down on the back garden, lost in thought. I was taken by the very idea that, whatever crisis might happen to an unlucky homeowner, there is somebody, somewhere, who is practiced in its resolution. If that’s not reason for thankfulness, I’m not sure what is.

1.Why did the first plumber reject the author’s request?

A.He wanted to protect his dignity. B.He was inexperienced in the job.

C.He had another urgent task to do. D.He thought the job was unpleasant.

2.What does the underlined word “rebuking” in paragraph 4 mean?

A.Admiring. B.Blaming.

C.Accepting. D.Neglecting.

3.What caused the author to feel upset?

A.The fear of Stevens refusal. B.The pressure of having to go out.

C.The difficulty of the repair work. D.The effects of the broken sewer line.

4.What was the author’s purpose of going into town?

A.To remove his negative emotions. B.To avoid doing the excavation work.

C.To visit a couple of friends. D.To satisfy his own curiosity.

Answer

1.D

2.B

3.C

4.A

【解析】

本文是记叙文。作者家的污水管道裂了，请Steve来帮助维修。修理污水管道是又脏又麻烦的活，作者感到心烦，自己去镇上，让Steve一个人维修。等他傍晚回来的时候，作者看到一切都收拾得干干净净。作者感激帮助他解决危机的人。

1.

推理判断题。文章第一段中提到“the sewer line（污水管道）under my house burst.”作者家里的污水管道破了，请水管工维修，但是水管工拒绝了。根据下文中“ as if to suggest that even plumbers have their dignity.”以及“such a miserable job”可知，水管工不愿意修理污水管道，是因为不愿意做这样的又脏又辛苦的活。故选D项。

2.

词句猜测题。划线词上一句提到““Can you fix it?” I asked with a strange mixture of doubt and hope.”作者问Steve的时候，带着一种既怀疑他能否修好，同时又希望他能修好的奇怪心情。根据划线词前后的句子“Steve looked at me strangely”和“my lack of faith”，Steve奇怪地看着作者，应该是怪作者对他没有信心。由此可以推测，rebuke意思为“责怪，指责”。故选B项。

3.

细节理解题。根据第三段中“Then he told me that he had to get a backhoe（反铲挖土机）and dig up the street to the main sewer line.”作者请Steve来维修污水管道，维修工作得要反铲挖土机，用来挖开街上主要的污水管线。因此修理工作的困难让作者感到烦心。故选C项。

4.

推理判断题。根据第四段中“I didn’t want to watch the excavation（挖掘） of my property unfold. All I wanted was to leave, go somewhere, and, upon my return, have everything the way it was before the damage.”作者不想看到很脏的污水管道被挖开，于是只想离开，希望等他回来的时候，一切恢复到损坏前的样子。由此可以推断，作者觉得烦心，离开去镇上是想消除他的负面情绪。故选A项。