2015届高考英语考前专题提升训练：人物传记故事类阅读

1.(2014届江西省九所重点中学高三下学期3月联合考试英语试卷）

My father was a foreman of a sugar-cane plantation in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. My first job was to drive the oxen that ploughed the cane fields. I would walk behind an ox, guiding him with a broomstick. For $1 a day, I worked eight hours straight, with no food breaks.

It was very tedious work, but it prepared me for life and taught me many lasting lessons. Because the plantation owners were always watching us, I had to be on time every day and work as hard as I could. I’ve never been late for any job since. I also learned about being respectful and faithful to the people you work for. More importantly, I earned my pay, it never entered my mind to say I was sick just because I didn’t want to work.

I was only six years old, but I was doing a man’s job. Our family needed every dollar we could make because my father never earned more than $18 a week. Our home was a three-room wood shack with a dirty floor and no toilet. Nothing made me prouder than bringing home money to help my mother, father, two brothers and three sisters. This gave me self-esteem(自尊心), one of the most important things a person could have.

When I was seven, I got work at a golf course near our house. My job was to stand down the fairway and spot the balls as they landed, so the golfers could find them. Losing a ball meant you were fired, so I never missed one. Some nights I would lie in bed and dream of making thousands of dollars by playing golf and being able to buy a bicycle.

The more I dreamed, the more I thought. Why not? I made my first golf club out of guava limb (番石榴树枝) and a piece of pipe. Then I hammered an empty tin can into the shape of a ball. And finally I dug two small holes in the ground and hit the ball back and forth. I practiced with the same devotion and intensity. I learned working in the field--- except now I was driving golf balls with club, not oxen with a broomstick.

43．The writer’s first job was ___________.

A. to stand down the fairway at the golf course

B. to watch over the sugar-cane plantation

C. to drive the oxen that ploughed the cane fields

D. to spot the balls as they landed so the golfers could find them

44．The underlined word “tedious” in Paragraph 2 most probably means ___________.

A. difficult

B. boring

C. interesting

D. unusual

45．The writer learned that ________ from his first job.

A. he should work for those who he liked most

B. he should work longer than what he was expected

C. he should never fail to say hello to his owner

D. he should show respect and faith to the people he worked for

46．________ gave the writer self-esteem.

A. Having a family of eight people

B. Owning his own golf course

C. Bringing money back home to help the family

D. Helping his father with the work on the plantation

47．Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A. He wanted to be a successful golfer.

B. He wanted to run a golf course near his house.

C. He was satisfied with the job he got on a plantation.

D. He wanted to make money by guiding oxen with a broomstick.

2. (2014届广东省揭阳市高三3月第一次模拟英语试卷）

One year our family decided to have a special celebration of Mother’s Day, as a token of appreciations for all the sacrifices that Mother had made for us. After breakfast we had arranged, as a surprise, to hire a car and take her for a beautiful drive in the country. Mother was rarely able to have a treat like that, because she was busy in the house nearly all the time.

But on the very morning of the day, we changed the plan a little, because it occurred to Father that it would be even better to take Mother fishing. As the car was hired and paid for, we might as well use it to drive up into the hills where the streams are. As Father said, if you just go driving without object, you have a sense of aimlessness, but if you are going to fish there is a definite purpose that heightens the enjoyment.

So we all felt it would be nicer for Mother to have a definite purpose . Father had just got a fishing rod the day before, which he said mother could use if she wanted to. Only Mother said she

would much rather watch him fish than try to fish herself.

So we got her to make up a sandwich lunch in case we got hungry, though we were to come home again to a big festive dinner.

Well, when the car came to the door, it turned out that there was not as much space in it as we had supposed. It was plain that we couldn’t all get in.

Father said that he could just stay home and put in the time working in the garden. He said that there was a lot of rough dirty work that he could do, like digging a trench for the garbage, which would save hiring a man, and so he said that he’d stay home; he said that we were not to let the fact that he had not had a real holiday for three years stand in our way. He wanted us to go right ahead and not to mind him.

But of course we all felt that it would never do to let Father stay home, especially as we knew he would make trouble if he did. The two girls, Anne and Mary, would have stayed and helped the maid get dinner, only it seemed such a pity,for the two girls were eager to show their new hats on a lovely day like this. But they said that Mother had only to say the word and they’d gladly stay home and work. Will and I would have dropped out, but unfortunately we wouldn’t have been any use in preparing the dinner.

48．The author’s family decided to celebrate Mother’s Day specially to _______.

A. show love for their mother

B. show gratitude to their mother

C. show respect for their mother

D. to make up for a previous appointment

49．According to Paragraph 2, we know that the plan was changed because________.

A. Father proposed to go fishing out

B. we thought that driving out is boring

C. we failed to hire a car to go out

D. the car was not big enough

50．What problem did we find when the car arrived?

A. The car was too old to drive on mountain roads.

B. The car was larger than we expected.

C. The car was too small to accommodate us all.

D. The car was too plain looking.

51．Why didn’t the author drop out of the activity?

A. Because his sisters didn’t join in.

B. Because he needed to have dinner.

C. Because he couldn’t cook the dinner.

D. Because he hadn’t had a real holiday for three years.

52．Which of the following proverbs describes the text best?

A. Everything comes to him who waits.

B. Changes always go beyond plans.

C. Better late than never.

D. Once on shore, one prays no more.

3.(2014届福建省龙岩市高三毕业班教学质量检查英语试卷）

It was the last day of July and the long hot summer was drawing to a close As for me．1 was out of spirits，and，if the truth must be told, out of money as well，During the past year I had not managed my finances as carefully as usual；and 1 was now limited to spending the autumn economically between my mother’s cottage at Hampstead and my own in town.

My father had been dead for some years，and my sister and 1 were the sole survivors of a family of five children. My father was a drawing-master before me He had been highly successful in his profession and my mother and sister were left economically independent after his death.

The view of London below me had sunk into the black shadow of the cloudy night, when I stood before the gate of my mother’s cottage I had hardly rung the bell．When the house door was opened violently．My worthy Italian friend，Professor Pesca，appeared in the servant’s place，and rushed out joyously to receive me．

I had first become acquainted(熟悉)with my Italian friend at certain great houses，where he taught Italian and I taught drawing What I then knew of the history of his life was that he had left Italy for political reasons and that he had been respectably established for many years in London as a teacher of languages It once happened that I saved him from certain death by drowning while we

were swimming in the sea at Brighton Afterwards he overwhelmed(淹没)me with the wildest expressions of affection and exclaimed passionately, that he would hold his life at my disposal from

then on, and declared that he should never be happy again until he had had the opportunity of proving his gratitude．Little did I think that the occasion to serve me was soon to come．Pesca dragged me in by both hands into the parlor, where my mother sat by the open window, laughing and fanning herself．Pesca was one of her especial favorites，and his wildest strange acts were always pardonable in her eyes．

“Now, my good dears．”began Pesca．“listen to me The time has come I recite my good news．I speak at last…'Hear, hear!”said my mother, humoring the joke“I go back into my life，and I address myself to the noblest of men，who found me dead at the bottom of the sea，and who pulled me up to the top. What did I say when l got into my own life and my own clothes again? I said that my life belonged to my dear friend，Walter, for the rest of my days Now,”cried the enthusiastic little mall at the top of his voice．“happiness bursts out of me at every pore of my skin．For I have found a job for you”

53．The first two paragraphs of the passage serve as an introduction to——

A. the financial situation the writer then faced

B. the season that the story was set in

C. the family members of the writer

D. the successful profession of the writer’s father

54．The underlined word‘‘sole’’in the second paragraph probably means‘‘”

A．main B. only C. lucky D. possible

55．It can be learned from the passage that Pesca

A. used to be a politician

B. was a successful drawing-master

C. was quite close to the mother

D. wanted to give the writer some money in return

56．According to the last paragraph，Pesca was more than happy because

A. he went back into his life

B . he met his dear friend again

C. his friend ever saved his life

D. he had done something good for his friend

4.(2014届浙江省“六市六校”联盟高考模拟考试英语试卷）

On a sunny day last August, Tim heard some shouting. Looking out to the sea carefully, he saw a couple of kids in a rowboat were being pulled out to sea.

Two 12-year-old boys, Christian and Jack, rowed out a boat to search for a football. Once they'd rowed beyond the calm waters, a beach umbrella tied to the boat caught the wind and pulled the boat into open water. The pair panicked and tried to row back to shore. But they were no match for it and the boat was out of control.

Tim knew it would soon be swallowed by the waves.

"Everything went quiet in my head," Tim recalls (回忆). "I was trying to figure out how to swim to the boys in a straight line."

Tim took off his clothes and jumped into the water. Every 500 yards or so, he raised his head to judge his progress. "At one point, I considered turning back," he says. "I wondered if I was putting my life at risk." After 30 minutes of struggling, he was close enough to yell to the boys, "Take down the umbrella!"

Christian made much effort to take down the umbrella. Then Tim was able to catch up and climb aboard the boat. He took over rowing, but the waves were almost too strong for him.

"Let's aim for the pier (码头)," Jack said. Tim turned the boat toward it. Soon afterward, waves crashed over the boat, and it began to sink. "Can you guys swim?" he cried. "A little bit," the boys said.

Once they were in the water, Tim decided it would be safer and faster for him to pull the boys toward the pier. Christian and Jack were wearing life jackets and floated on their backs. Tim swam toward land as water washed over the boys' faces.

“Are we almost there?" they asked again and again. "Yes," Tim told them each time.

After 30minutes, they reached the pier.

57．Why did the two boys go to the sea?

A. To go boat rowing.

B. To swim in the open water.

C. To get back their football.

D. To test the umbrella as a sail.

58．What does "it" in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A. The beach.

B. The wind.

C. The boat.

D. The water.

59．Why did Tim raise his head regularly?

A.To check his distance from the boys.

B.To consider turning back or not.

C.To take in enough fresh air.

D.To ask the boys to take down the umbrella.

60．How did the two boys finally reach the pier?

A. They were carried to the pier by Tim on his back.

B. They swam to the pier all by themselves.

C. They were washed to the pier by the waves.

D. They were dragged to the pier by Tim.

5.(2014届宁夏银川一中高三第一次模拟考试英语试卷）

John Blanchard stood up from the bench, straightened his Army uniform, and studied the crowd of people making their way through Grand Central Station. He looked for the girl whose heart he knew, but whose face he didn’t, the girl with the rose.

His interest in her had begun thirteen months before in a Florida library. Taking a book off the shelf he found himself intrigued, not with the words of the book, but with the notes penciled in the margin. The soft handwriting reflected a thoughtful soul and insightful mind. In the front of the boo k, he discovered the previous owner’s name, Miss Hollis Maynell. With time and effort he located her address. She lived in New York City. He wrote her a letter introducing himself and inviting her to correspond. The next day he was shipped overseas for service in World War II.

During the next year and one month the two grew to know each other through the mail. Each letter was a seed falling on a fertile heart. A romance was starting Blanchard requested a photograph, but she refused. She felt that if he rea lly cared, it wouldn’t matter what she looked like.

When the day finally came for him to return from Europe, they scheduled their first meeting —7:00 PM at the Grand Central Station in New York. “You’ll recognize me,” she wrote, “by the red rose I’ll be wearing on my lapel.” So at 7:00 he was in the station looking for a girl whose heart he loved, but whose face he’d never seen.

I’ll let Mr. Blanchard tell you what happened: A young woman was coming toward me, her figure long and slim. Her blonde hair lay back in curls from her delicate ears; her eyes were blue as

flowers. Her lips and chin had a gentle firmness, and in her pale green suit she was like springtime come alive. I stared at her, entirely forgetting to notice that she was not wearing a rose. As I moved, a small, attractive smile curved her lips. “Going my way , sailor?” she murmured.

Almost uncontrollably I made one step closer to her, and then I saw Hollis Maynell. She was standing almost directly behind the girl. A woman well past 40, she had graying hair tucked under a worn hat. She was more than plump, her thick-ankled feet thrust into low-heeled shoes. The girl in the green suit was walking quickly away. I felt as though I was split in two, so keen was my desire to follow her, and yet so deep was my longing for the woman whose spirit had truly companioned me and upheld my own.

And there she stood. Her pale, plump face was gentle and sensible, her gray eyes had a warm and kindly twinkle. I did not hesitate. My fingers gripped the small worn blue leather copy of the book that was to identify me to her.

This would not be love, but it would be something precious, something perhaps even better than love, a friendship for which I had been and must ever be grateful. I squared my shoulders and saluted and held out the book to the woman, even though while I spoke I felt choked by the bitterness of my disappointment."I'm Lieutenant John Blanchard, and you must be Miss Maynell. I am so glad you could meet me; may I take you to dinner?"

The woman's face broadened into a tolerant smile. "I don't know what this is about, son," she answered, "but the young lady in the green suit who just went by, she begged me to wear this rose on my coat. And she said if you were to ask me out to dinner, I should go and tell you that she is waiting for you in the big restaurant across the street. She said it was some kind of test!"

It's not difficult to understand and admire Miss Maynell's wisdom. The true nature of a heart is seen in its response to the unattractive. "Tell me whom you love," Houssaye wrote, "And I will tell you who you are．"

61．How did John Blanchard get to know Miss Hollis Maynell?

A. They lived in the same city．

B. They were both interested in literature．

C. John knew Hollis's name from a library book．

D. John came across Hollis in a Florida library．

62．Hollis refused to send Blanchard a photo because .

A. she was only a middle - aged woman

B. she wasn't confident about her appearance

C. she thought true love is beyond appearance

D. she had never taken any photo before they knew

63．How could Blanchard recognize Hollis?

A. She would be wearing a rose on her coat．

B. She would be holding a book in her hand．

C. She would be standing behind a young girl．

D. She would be wearing a scarf around her neck．

64．What was the real Miss Hollis Maynell like?

A. She was a plump woman with graying hair．

B. She was a slightly fat girl, with blonde hair．

C. She was a middle - aged woman in her forties．

D. She was a young, pretty girl wearing a green suit．

65．When Blanchard went over to greet the woman, he was ．

A. satisfied and confident

B. disappointed but well - behaved

C. annoyed and bad - mannered

D. shocked but inspired

66．Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?

A. A Test of Love

B. The Symbol of Rose

C. Love is blind

D. Don't Judge a Book by its Cover

6.(2014届江西省六校高三下学期联考英语试卷）

A few days ago I asked my sons’ governess（女家庭教师）Julia to come into my study. “Be seated, Julia, ” I said, “Let’s settle our accounts. I guess you most likely need some money, but maybe you’re too polite to mention it. Now then, we agreed on thirty dollars a month...”

“Forty.”

“No, thirty. I made a note of it. I always pay our governess thirty. Well, um, you’ve been here two months, so...”

“Two months and five days.”

“Exactly two months. I made a special note of it. That means you have sixty dollars coming to you. Take off nine Sundays... you know you didn’t work with Tom on Sundays, you only took walks. And three holidays... ”Julia was biting her finger nail nervously, her face red, but - not a word.

“Three holidays, therefore take off twelve dollars. Four days Tom was sick and there were no lessons, as you were occupied only with Dick. Three days you had a toothache and my wife gave you permission not to work after lunch. Twelve and seven - nineteen. Take nineteen off ... that leaves. hmm.... forty one dollars. Correct?”

Julia’s left eye reddened with tears welling up. Her chin trembled; she coughed nervously and blew her nose, but-still not a word.

“Around New Year’s Day you broke a teacup and a sa ucer; take off two dollars. The cup cost more, it was a treasure of the family, but- forget it. When didn’t I take a loss! Then, due to your neglect（疏忽）, Tom climbed a tree and tore his jacket; take away ten. Also due to your carelessness the maid stole Di ck’s shoes. You ought to watch everything! You get paid for it. So, that means five more dollars off. The tenth of January I gave ten dollars.”

“You didn’t. ”sobbed Julia.

“But I made a note of it.”

“Well... if you say so.”

“Take twenty seven from forty one -that leaves fourteen.”

Both her eyes were filled with tears. Beads of sweat stood on the thin pretty little nose. Poor girl!

“Only once was I given any money,” she whispered, her voice trembling, “and that was by your wife. Three dollars, no thing more.”

“Really? You see now, and I didn’t know that! Take three from fourteen.. leaves eleven. Here’s your money, my dear. Three, three, three, one and one. Here it is!”

I handed her eleven dollars. She took them and pocketed them.

“Merci（法语: 谢谢）,” she whispered.

I jumped to my feet and started pacing the room. I was overcome with anger. “For what, this - ‘merci’?” I asked.

“For the money.”

“But you know I’ve cheated you - robbed you! I have actually stolen from you! Why this‘merci’?”

“In my other places they didn’t give me anything at all.”

“They didn’t give you anything? No wonder! I played a little joke on you, a cruel lesson, just to teach you... I m going to give you all the eighty dollars! Here they are in the envelope all ready for you... Is it really possible to be so spineless（懦弱）? Why didn’t you protest? Why were you silent? Is it possible in this world to be without teeth and claws（爪）-to be such a fool?”

Embarrassed, she smiled. And I could read her expression,“It is possible.”

I asked her pardon for the cruel lesson and, to her great surprise, gave her the eighty dollars. She murmured her little“merci”several times and went out. I looked after her and thought,“How easy it is to crush the weak in this world!”

67．While talking to Julia, the writer expected from her________.

A. a protest

B. gratitude

C. obedience

D. an explanation

68．What shocked the writer was Julia’s ________.

A. nervousness in front of her boss

B. acceptance of injustice

C. shyness when talking about money

D. unwillingness to express herself

69．The writer said, “Is it possible in this world to be without teeth and claws?” He was actually telling the governess ________.

A. to be more aggressive

B. to be more careful in her work

C. to protect her right

D. to live independently

70．At the end of the story, the writer said,“ How easy it is to crush the weak in this world!” to show ________.

A. his understanding of Julia’s anxiety

B. his worry about Julia’s future

C. his concern on the living condition of working-class people

D. his sympathy for the mental state of those exploited

71．From the story, we can tell that Julia’s employer was________.

A. greedy but honest

B. ill-tempered but warm-hearted

C. strict but forgiving

D. none of the above 【答案及其解析】

【答案】

43．C

44．B

45．D

46．C

47．A

【解析】

【答案】

48．B

49．A

50．C

51．C

52．B

【解析】

文章讲述作者和家人决定用特殊的方式庆祝母亲节，为了向母亲表示感激，在活动准备过程中一些事情总是预想不到的改变这计划，但最终得到合理的安排。

【答案】

53．A

54．B

55．C

56．D

【解析】

高兴。故选D。

【答案】

57．C

58．B

59．A

60．D

【解析】

【答案】

61．C

62．C 63．A 64．D 65．B 66．A 【解析】

【答案】67．A 68．B 69．C 70．D 71．D

【解析】