Question

    In 2003, Mary Marggraff was a 47-year-old California mother, devoted to school committees and car pool schedules. But after losing her trusty notebook and buying a new one, she had an inspiration. “It was blank,” says Marggraff, now 64. “What else could I fill it with?” Soon she was thinking about her childhood love of flying, and next thing she knew, she determined to register in flight school. “In my first class, all the students were single men half my age. I felt like a housemother attending a fraternity (兄弟会), but I loved it too much to walk away.” she says.

Marggraff earned her first pilot’s license in 2005. Six years and four additional licenses later, her addiction to being in the air changed into something grander: a desire to go to space. To move closer to her starry dreams, Marggraff got a part-time job as a mission support representative at Virgin Galactic, Richard Branson’s commercial space line. In that role, she attended space-related gatherings where she educated people about the future of universe voyages. Though space tourism isn’t quite a reality yet, Marggraff has already begun space training in expectation of being on one of Virgin’s early flights. “I’ve completed acceleration force exercises,” she says, “which require getting inside a machine, spinning around at 2,500 miles per hour, and trying not to black out. ”

Marggraff’s training has meant more than getting her wings — it’s expanded her sense of what the future may hold. “It turns out I’m capable of much more than I imagined,” she says. “I used to think it’d be a miracle if I got my first license. Now I’ve completed nearly 1,000 hours of flight! I'm rotten in the kitchen and I burn anything I iron, but if you need someone to land a plane, call me.”

1.Why did Marggraff register in flight school?

A.To break away from car pool schedules. B.To fill her new blank notebook.

C.To pursue her childhood dream of flying. D.To prove women are equal to men in flying.

2.What did Marggraff do after earning 5 licenses?

A.She got into space on one of Virgin’s early flights.

B.She instructed people in how to make universe voyages.

C.She tried in vain to overcome faintness from high speed.

D.She received space training in preparation for space tourism.

3.What does Marggraff benefit from her space training besides getting a license?

A.It proves her a miracle. B.It increases her self-confidence.

C.It wins her a qualification. D.It improves her imagination.

4.Which of the following words can best describe Marggraff?

A.Aggressive and hopeful. B.Creative and fragile.

C.Energetic and sensitive. D.Considerate and persistent.

Answer

1.C

2.D

3.B

4.A

【解析】

这是一篇记叙文。文章讲述了47岁的Mary Marggraff注册飞行学校，并完成了一系列训练，取得了5个证书的故事。

1.

细节理解题。由第一段中的“Soon she was thinking about her childhood love of flying, and next thing she knew, she determined to register in flight school.”（很快，她就想起了自己儿时对飞行的热爱，接下来她就决定报考飞行学校。）可知Marggraff在飞行学校注册是为了去追求她儿时的飞行梦想。故选C项。

2.

细节理解题。由第二段中的“To move closer to her starry dreams, Marggraff got a part-time job as a mission support representative at Virgin Galactic, Richard Branson’s commercial space line. In that role, she attended space-related gatherings where she educated people about the future of universe voyages. Though space tourism isn’t quite a reality yet, Marggraff has already begun space training in expectation of being on one of Virgin’s early flights.”（为了更接近她的星空梦想，Marggraff找到了一份兼职工作，在Virgin Galactic商业航天公司担任任务辅助代表。在这个角色中，她参加了与空间有关的聚会，在那里，她传授人们关于宇宙航行的未来。虽然太空旅游还不太现实，但Marggraff已经开始了太空训练，希望能参加Virgin Galactic航空的早期飞行之一。）可知为了去太空，Marggraff接受了太空训练，为太空旅游做准备。故选D项。

3.

推理判断题。由最后一段中的“Marggraff’s training has meant more than getting her wings — it’s expanded her sense of what the future may hold. “It turns out I’m capable of much more than I imagined,” she says.”（Marggraff的训练不仅仅是给她插上翅膀，它还扩展了她对未来的认识。她说:“事实证明，我的能力远远超出了自己的想象。）可推断出太空训练增加了Marggraff的自信。故选B项。

4.

推理判断题。由第二段中的“Marggraff earned her first pilot’s license in 2005. Six years and four additional licenses later, her addiction to being in the air changed into something grander: a desire to go to space.”（Marggraff在2005年获得了她的第一张飞行员执照。六年后，四个额外的许可证，她对天空的沉迷变成了一个更伟大的东西：去太空的愿望。）可推断出她是一个有进取心的（Aggressive）人；由第二段中的“Though space tourism isn’t quite a reality yet, Marggraff has already begun space training in expectation of being on one of Virgin’s early flights.”（虽然太空旅游还不太现实，但Marggraff已经开始了太空训练，希望能参加Virgin Galactic航空的早期飞行之一。）可推断出Marggraff是一个充满希望的（hopeful）人。故选A项。