Question

    For a single woman, yards are a strange thing. You don’t know whether to buy a lawn mower(割草机)or hire someone to mow it. I did the latter, over many years.

There was one exception. In my early 30s，I lived in a cottage near my father, who had a tractor. He lived around the corner on an old country lane, now fully developed. But at the time, it was with sweet relief, having just returned from city life, that I drove his borrowed tractor down the lane in the late afternoon, mowed my land, and then drove it back in the evening light, gazing(注视)up at the stars as they came out.

Soon the routine became impossible with traffic in the developing area. I needed someone to do my yard work.

Vardman was a devoted young boy. He sang at the top of his lungs as he mowed. His work was a joy. But Vardman grew up. After his graduation from high school, which I attended, and his leaving for college, I was without.

So here I was with two African men who brought not only knowledge but a deep love of working the land. There was a peace about the work they did. The perfection was noticeable everywhere, with every border in place, the unnecessary brush cleared out. The rhythm in their work, the rhythm of their work—it was poetry to watch.

Later I moved to North Carolina. I found myself in another small house with a beautiful but wasted yard. A strange mountain man gave me a wonderful price and began what has become an exercise in grace, gratitude and being simple.

Over the few years I have lived here, he has slowly, patiently, lovingly turned a long-neglected place into a quiet beauty. Quiet, modest, sincere, he uses only natural products on the lawn and flower beds. After the growing season ends, he collects his final paycheck and disappears into the mountains. A quiet man is teaching me patience and how it brings beauty back.

1.What is the second paragraph mainly about?

A.The development of traffic in the city.

B.The tiredness of mowing down the lanes.

C.The poor living areas in the countryside.

D.The joy of returning home after mowing.

2.How did the writer find Vardman?

A.He devoted himself to the job.

B.He was glad to be a mower forever.

C.He wasted the working time by singing.

D.He earned money for his college education.

3.Why did the writer mention the poetry in the fifth paragraph?

A.To prove the good job of African mowers,

B.To show her love for African poems,

C.To praise the mowers through writing poems.

D.To describe the images of mowers in poems.

4.What did the quiet man teach the writer?

A.Gratitude is a reward for kindness.

B.Money is endless for people to earn.

C.Simple life is worth more paycheck.

D.Beauty comes from working patiently.

Answer

1.D

2.A

3.A

4.D

【解析】

这是一篇记叙文。文章主要讲述了作者从城市回归农村，体验到了割草的快乐。可是随地区的发展，她自己觉得这项工作很难，所以请了两个非洲人帮忙。这两个非洲人的工作做得很出色。后来作者搬到了North Carolina，遇到了一个话很少的村夫帮她整理荒废的院子，在这个身上，作者学到了美丽来自于耐心的工作。

1.

推理判断题。根据第二段的But at the time, it was with sweet relief, having just returned from city life, that I drove his borrowed tractor down the lane in the late afternoon, mowed my land, and then drove it back in the evening light, gazing(注视)up at the stars as they came out.(但在那个时候，带着刚刚离开城市生活的甜蜜、放松心情，傍晚开着从爸爸那里借来的拖拉机去小路割草，然后晚上在月光下开车回家，在路上可以看见刚刚出来的星星)可推测，本段主要描述了作者开拖拉机剪草后回家的愉快心情。D. The joy of returning home after mowing.(剪草后回家的快乐)复合以上说法，故选D项。

2.

细节理解题。根据第四段的Vardman was a devoted young boy. He sang at the top of his lungs as he mowed. His work was a joy. (Vardman是一个尽职尽责的年轻男孩。割草的时候他会大声地唱歌。他工作时乐在其中。)可知，作者认为Vardman工作时尽心尽责。A. He devoted himself to the job.(他工作时尽心尽责)复合以上说法，故选A项。

3.

推理判断题。根据第五段的So here I was with two African men who brought not only knowledge but a deep love of working the land. There was a peace about the work they did. The perfection was noticeable everywhere, with every border in place, the unnecessary brush cleared out. There was a peace about the work they did. The perfection was noticeable everywhere, with every border in place, the unnecessary brush cleared out.(我和两个非洲人在一起，他们不仅带来了知识，还带来了对种地的热爱。他们的工作中带着宁静，这种完美随处可见，每一个边界到位，把不必要的都清除)可推测，作者在本段末提到诗歌是为了证明两个非洲割草工人的工作做得很好，就像诗歌一样美。A. To prove the good job of African mowers,(为了证明非洲割草工人的工作做得好)复合以上说法，故选A项。

4.

细节理解题。根据最后一段的A quiet man is teaching me patience and how it brings beauty back.(一个安静的男人教会了我耐心，以及如何让美丽回来)可知，一个安静的男人教会了作者美丽来自于耐心的工作。D. Beauty comes from working patiently.(美丽来自于耐心地工作)复合以上说法，故选D项。