Question

    Once an old man used to go out to jog every morning. One day he was running around a track that circled the high school football field while the football team was conducting their practice. When the players began running their races up and down the field, the man said to himself determinedly, “I'll just keep running if they don't stop.” So they ran and he ran. They kept on running and he kept on running.

Finally, totally exhausted, the old man had to stop. When he stopped, an equally exhausted football player walked over to him and said, “Sir, I'm glad you finally stopped. Our coach has told us that we have to keep running as long as you are jogging!

It seems to me that we can sometimes find ourselves in a similar kind of situation when it comes to conflicts—that is when we have different opinions about something with someone and get into an argument with him or her, our voices get raised. Neither side wants to be the first to give in, to stop speaking in anger. Everyone has the attitude, “I'll just keep on till he gives in.” So the other party stays mad. So we stay mad. And on we go, finally finding ourselves emotionally and even physically exhausted by the continuing animosity(敌意).

Let me challenge you to do something very difficult. The next time you get into an argument, be the first to give in. Be the first to stop the shouting and the name-calling. Be the first to say, “I'm sorry.” It's the quickest way to stop that. As a saying goes, “A soft answer turns away extreme anger, but a harsh(严厉的）word stirs up anger.”

1.What happened to the old man that day?

A.He guided the students to practice running.

B.He joined the football team to play a game.

C.He asked the players to take care of the football field.

D.He decided to compete with the football players.

2.Why did the football player come to the old man?

A.To show respect for his great courage.

B.To praise him for his good performance.

C.To express satisfaction with his stopping running.

D.To complain to him about his keeping running.

3.What does the underlined word “conflicts” in Paragraph 3 mean?

A.Misunderstandings. B.Disagreements.

C.Misfortunes. D.Disappointments.

4.What's the purpose of the last paragraph?

A.To provide the effective way to make an apology.

B.To show it is hard for us to take up the challenge.

C.To warn us to control our bad emotion properly.

D.To advise us to take active action when we disagree with others.

Answer

1.D

2.C

3.B

4.D

【解析】

这是一篇夹叙夹议类文章。文章讲述了一位慢跑的老人与足球队队员们比赛，都想坚持到对方停止为止。作者劝诫我们，在现实生活中，当我们与别人意见不一致时，要采取积极的行动。

1.

细节理解题。根据第一段中的“When the players began running their races up and down the field, the man said to himself determinedly, “I'll just keep running if they don't stop.” So they ran and he ran. They kept on running and he kept on running.”当队员们开始在场上跑来跑去时，这个人坚定地对自己说：“如果他们不停下来，我就继续跑下去。”他们跑，他也跑。他们继续跑，他也继续跑。可知老人暗下决心与那些正在训练的足球队队员们比赛。故选D项。

2.

细节理解题。根据第二段中的“When he stopped, an equally exhausted football player walked over to him and said, “Sir, I'm glad you finally stopped. Our coach has told us that we have to keep running as long as you are jogging!”当他停下来时，一个同样疲惫的足球运动员走到他跟前说：“先生，我很高兴你终于停下来了。”我们的教练告诉我们，只要你还在慢跑，就必须坚持跑步！可推知，这个足球队队员上前是想表达他对老人停止跑步感到开心。故选C项。

3.

词句猜测题。根据破折号后面的解释说明“that is when we have different opinions about something with someone and get into an argument with him or her, our voices get raised.”也就是说，当我们与某人对某件事有不同的看法，并与他或者她发生争执时，我们的声音就会提高。可知，划线词应该与“have different opinions about something with someone”（在某个事情上和某人有不同的看法）意思相似。分析选项：A. Misunderstandings误区；B. Disagreements不一致；C. Misfortunes不幸；D. Disappointments失望，可知“conflicts”与B选项所要表达的意思一致。故选B项。

4.

推理判断题。根据最后一段的语气以及“The next time you get into an argument, be the first to give in. Be the first to stop the shouting and the name-calling. Be the first to say, “I'm sorry.””下一次你陷入争论时，要第一个让步。第一个停止叫喊和谩骂。第一个说“对不起”。可知，最后一段的目的是告诉我们，当我们与别人意见不一致时，要采取积极的行动。故选D项。