"When I look back on my childhood I wonder how I survived at all. It was, of course, a miserable childhood. The happy childhood is hardly worth your while. "Worse than the ordinary miserable childhood is the miserable Irish childhood. And worse yet is the miserable Irish Catholic childhood." That was Frank McCourt reading the opening lines of his book Angela's Ashes, released in nineteen ninety-six.
This Irish American author best known for the Pulitzer Prize-winning autobiography Angela's Ashes that recorded his poor upbringing, died of cancer on Sunday, The New York Times reported. He was 78.
Born in New York City, he was the eldest of seven children born to Irish immigrant parents. Angela's Ashes was a memoir that captured an irresponsible, drunkard father with a gift for story-telling. When not drunk, his father was absent, turning his back on a family so poor, McCourt wrote, that they were reduced to burning the furniture in their rented hut to keep warm. His mother struggled to raise her many children after his father left the family.
Already struggling when the Great Depression hit, the family moved back to Limerick, where they slipped ever deeper into poverty in the  1930s.
Three of McCourt's siblings died of diseases worsened by hunger and the wretchedness of their surroundings. McCourt himself almost died of typhoid(傷寒的) fever as  a child.
In Angela's Ashes, he wrote of hunger, a home flooded with rainwater and the unbearable humiliation of seeking handouts from charities in the Irish city. But he told the story in a way that is expressive, warm and light-hearted.
Frank McCourt left Ireland at the age of nineteen to return to New York City where he was born. He earned a degree in- English education and taught creative writing for nearly thirty years. After retiring in nineteen eighty-seven, he decided to write about his childhood. "Angela's Ashes" became a huge success and brought McCourt a 1997 Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Critics Circle Award and other honors. Millions of copies of the book were sold worldwide and it was adapted into a 1999 movie starring Emily Watson and Robert Carlyle.
小題1:What's the text mainly about?
A.A brief introduction to Frank McCourt and one of his works.
B.A literary review on Frank McCourt's book Angela's Ashes.
C.An account of Frank McCourt's miserable childhood.
D.A comment on Frank McCourt's life experience.
小題2:By saying "The happy childhood is hardly worth your while", the writer really means that      .
A.a(chǎn) lot of readers don't deserve happy childhood
B.his childhood is not worth of others' sympathy
C.his childhood is mixed with happiness and misery
D.smooth childhood surely will not draw readers' attention
小題3:From the passage, we know Frank McCourt's father is        .
A.humorous and trustworthyB.a(chǎn)lcohol-addicted but loves his family
C.poor but warm-heartedD.irresponsible but gifted in telling stories
小題4:What does the underlined word "handouts" mean in the 6th paragraph?
A.Reliefs.B.Compensations.
C.Leaflets.D.Teaching materials.

小題1:A
小題2:D
小題3:D
小題4:A

試題分析:
小題1:主旨題:文章簡要介紹了弗蘭克·麥考特和他的一個作品。選A
小題2:句意理解題:這句話的意思是:快樂的童年是不值得讀者看的。選D
小題3:細節(jié)題:從第三段的句子:Angela's Ashes was a memoir that captured an irresponsible, drunkard father with a gift for story-telling.可知他爸爸是個不負責任的人但很擅長講故事。選D
小題4:猜詞題:從第六段的句子:from charities in the Irish city,可知這個單詞是救濟。選A
點評:這種閱讀理解考查了細節(jié)題,猜詞題,要求考生仔細閱讀全文,做好相應的標志,以提高閱讀的效率和速度
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A.refusedB.a(chǎn)ccepted C.respondedD.a(chǎn)dmitted
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A.topicB.themeC.titleD.idea
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A.dryingB.repairingC.washingD.decorating
小題2:
A.quietB.hotC.differentD.dirty
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A.suggestB.a(chǎn)voidC.continueD.practice
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A.a(chǎn)lsoB.thereforeC.a(chǎn)lreadyD.hardly
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A.chooseB.enjoyC.buyD.serve
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A.worriedB.popularC.puzzledD.difficult
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A.showB.leaveC.makeD.order
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A.come up withB.put up with
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A.boardB.pictureC.ideaD.car
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A.purposeB.troubleC.secretD.theme
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A.needB.dutyC.imaginationD.sense
小題14:
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A.matterB.meanC.belongD.refer
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A.foodB.clothsC.moneyD.fruit
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A.interestedB.a(chǎn)mazedC.boredD.frightened
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A.refusedB.reviewedC.a(chǎn)cceptedD.understood
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小題1:
A.heavilyB.immediatelyC.directlyD.hopelessly
小題2:
A.coverB.freeC.resistD.stop
小題3:
A.gave in B.gave offC.gave outD.gave up
小題4:
A.carriedB.pickedC.heldD.sent
小題5:
A.Mother’sB.Children’sC.ChristmasD.National
小題6:
A.downB.upC.overD.out
小題7:
A.ifB.unlessC.untilD.while
小題8:
A.praiseB.believeC.loveD.help
小題9:
A.openedB.closedC.narrowedD.shone
小題10:
A.won’tB.daren’tC.mustn’tD.can’t
小題11:
A.lieB.riskC.screamD.steal
小題12:
A.lineB.streetC.rowD.passage
小題13:
A.neverB.everC.laterD.then
小題14:
A.managersB.sellersC.familiesD.shoppers
小題15:
A.noiseB.countC.voiceD.word
小題16:
A.a(chǎn)gainB.evenC.stillD.more
小題17:
A.benchB.matC.counterD.floor
小題18:
A.FrightenedB.SatisfiedC.EmbarrassedD.Amused
小題19:
A.beggedB.resignedC.explainedD.promised
小題20:
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I took a deep breath and said, “I’m Chelsea Chowderhead.”
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小題1:Why did the writer want to change his name?
A.People made fun of it.
B.He wanted to make more friends.
C.It was hard to remember.
D.He wanted to be cool in the new school.
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A.move to a new classB.say hello to others
C.share his interestsD.a(chǎn)sk good questions
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A.sameB.beautifulC.bigD.full
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A.surprisedB.a(chǎn)ngryC.nervousD.proud
小題5:Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.One can order a chowder in some restaurants.
B.The twins said hello to the writer first.
C.The twins also didn’t like the writer’s name.
D.At last the writer changed his name.

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小題1:
A.secondB.firstC.thirdD.other
小題2:
A.oursB.oneC.the oneD.it
小題3:
A.policeB.manager’sC.salesD.garage
小題4:
A.triedB.foundC.pickedD.sold
小題5:
A.livingB.runningC.drivingD.staying
小題6:
A.togetherB.outC.on footD.slowly
小題7:
A.wroteB.boughtC.signedD.showed
小題8:
A.timeB.waterC.powerD.petrol
小題9:
A.stationB.officeC.bulidingD.house
小題10:
A.on timeB.safelyC.in timeD.quickly
小題11:
A.carsB.peopleC.busesD.horses
小題12:
A.fastB.soonC.slowlyD.hurriedly
小題13:
A.smiledB.shoutedC.laughedD.looked
小題14:
A.problemB.troubleC.ruleD.way
小題15:
A.taught B.learnedC.foundD.heard
小題16:
A.homeB.to the garageC.to workD.up
小題17:
A.luckyB.gladC.sorryD.clever
小題18:
A.forB.onC.inD.during
小題19:
A.climbedB.stoleC.jumpedD.got
小題20:
A.soB.orC.thereforeD.but

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