15.For many people,particularly immigrants,the American Dream is that talent and hard work can take youfrom log cabin to the White House.Tony Trivisonno did not rise as high as the White House,yet he managed tomake his own dream come true.
He came from a farm in Italy.One evening I found him standing behind my garage.
"I mow (割草) your lawn,"he said.It was hard to comprehend his broken English.
I asked him his name."Tony Trivisonno,"he replied."I mow your lawn."I told Tony that I couldn't afforda gardener.
"I mow your lawn,"he said again,then walked away.Yes,these Depression days were difficult,but how could I refuse a person who had come to me for help?
When I got home from work the next evening,the lawn had been mowed and the walks swept.I asked mywife what had happened.
"A man had worked on the yard,"she answered."I thought you had hired him."
I told her of my experience the night before.We thought it strange that Tony had not asked for pay.
The next Friday,I saw Tony again,behind the garage.I praised him for the work he had done.
"I mow your lawn,"he said.
I managed to give him some kind of small weekly pay,and each day Tony cleaned up the yard and took care of any little tasks.My wife said he was very helpful whenever there were anything heavy to lift or things to fix.
Summer passed into fall,and winds blew cold."Mr.Craw,snow pretty soon,"Tony told me one evening."When winter comes,you give me job clearing snow at the factory."
Well,how do you deal with such determination and hope?Of course,Tony got his job at the factory.
One day I found Tony at our meeting place behind the garage."I want to be apprentice (學徒)"he said.
We had a pretty good apprentice school that trained workers.But I doubted whether Tony were able to read blueprints or do precision work.Still,how could I turn him down?
Tony took a cut in pay to become an apprentice.Months later,I got a report that he had graduated as a skilled grinder (磨工).My wife and I were delighted with what Tony had achieved.
A year or two passed,and again I found Tony in his usual waiting place."Mr.Craw,"he said,"I like to buy a house."In the town,he had found a completely old house for sale.
I called on a banker friend."Do you ever loan money on character?"I asked."No,"he said.
"Now,wait a minute,"I replied."Here is a hard-working man,a man of character,I can promise you that.He's got a good job.And he will pay your interest."
Unwillingly,the banker loaned Tony 2,000 and helped him buy the house.Tony was delighted.From the non,it was interesting to see that any abandoned odds and ends around our place were gathered and taken home by Tony.
After about two years,I found Tony in our familiar meeting spot.He seemed to stand a little straighter and looked confident.
"Mr.Craw,I sell the house and buy a farm."
We sat down and talked.He told me that he had persuaded his childhood friend to move to America.With asatisfied look in his eye,he told me that when they came to his little farm,his friend stood in amazement and said,"Tony,you are a millionaire!"
Then,during the World WarⅡ,news came from my company that Tony had passed away.
When my people came to visit his family,they found the farm green with vegetables,the little house comfortable and homey.The children were educated and working,and Tony didn't owe a cent.
Tony,as well as all the greatest American businessmen,had reached their success in the same way and by the same values:vision,determination,optimism,self-respect and,above all,honesty.
Tony Trivisonno came to America seeking the American Dream.But he didn't find it-he created it for himself.All he had were 24 precious hours a day,and he wasted none of them.
55.Why did Tony repeat"I mow your lawn"?A
A.He was determined to get a chance to work.
B.He asked for pay for his excellent garden work.
C.He thought he was good at garden work.
D.He was ready to help others out.
56.Which of the following sentences brought out Tony's character of honesty?D
A.Tony was very helpful whenever there were anything heavy to lift or things to fix.
B.Tony persuaded his childhood friend to move to America.
C.Any abandoned odds and ends around our place were gathered and taken home by Tony.
D.The children were educated and working,and Tony didn't owe a cent.
57.What did the author mean by saying"Do you ever loan money on character"?B
A.He was asking the banker the way the banks loan money to people.
B.He thought a determined and diligent man should get a loan despite poverty.
C.He was begging the banker to help Tony for the sake of their personal relation.
D.He supposed a loan should be given to people according to their characters.
58.The fact that Tony sold his house and bought a farm indicated that Tony is a man ofA.
A.vision
B.optimism
C.self-respect
D.honesty
59.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?C
A.The author refused Tony's offer of mowing the lawn when they first met.
B.The author didn't pay Tony for his cleaning up the yard.
C.The author doubted Tony's being a good apprentice due to his poor education.
D.The banker loaned Tony $ 2,000 because he believed Tony was honest.
60.Which of the following is probably the best title for the passage?C
A.How to achieve the American Dream
B.Italian immigrants'life in America
C.Tony Trivisonno's American Dream
D.Honesty and determination make success.
分析 本文是一篇社會文化類閱讀,對于許多人,特別是移民來說,美國夢是天才和辛勤的工作,可以讓你從木屋到白宮.Tony Trivisonno并沒有像白宮那樣高漲,然而他自己的夢想成真了.本文以此展開,主要講述了Tony Trivisonno的美國夢成真.
解答 55.A.細節(jié)理解題.根據(jù)"I mow your lawn,"he said again,then walked away.Yes,these Depression days were difficult,but how could I refuse a person who had come to me for help?可知,他重復說我修剪你的草坪,是他決心要獲得一份工作.故選A.
56.D.推理判斷題.根據(jù)When my people came to visit his family,they found the farm green with vegetables,the little house comfortable and homey.The children were educated and working,and Tony didn't owe a cent.可以推測出,孩子們受過教育和工作,托尼不欠一分錢顯示出了托尼的真誠.故選D.
57.B.推理判斷題.根據(jù)上下文I called on a banker friend."Do you ever loan money on character?"I asked."No,"he said."Now,wait a minute,"I replied."Here is a hard-working man,a man of character,I can promise you that.He's got a good job.And he will pay your interest."可以推測出,作者說這句話的意思是他認為一個堅定和勤奮的男人應該得到貸款,盡管貧困.
58.A.細節(jié)理解題.根據(jù)"Mr.Craw,I sell the house and buy a farm."We sat down and talked.He told me that he had persuaded his childhood friend to move to America.With asatisfied look in his eye,he told me that when they came to his little farm,his friend stood in amazement and said,"Tony,you are a millionaire!"可以看出,賣了房子買農(nóng)場是一個智慧的決定.故選A.
59.C.細節(jié)理解題.根據(jù)We had a pretty good apprentice school that trained workers.But I doubted whether Tony were able to read blueprints or do precision work.Still,how could I turn him down?可知,由于托尼受到的教育低,作者懷疑他能否成為一名好的學徒.故選C.
60.C.主旨大意題.閱讀全文,根據(jù)文章內(nèi)容可知,對于許多人,特別是移民來說,美國夢是天才和辛勤的工作,可以讓你從木屋到白宮.Tony Trivisonno并沒有像白宮那樣高漲,然而他自己的夢想成真了.本文以此展開,主要講述了Tony Trivisonno的美國夢成真.故選C.
點評 .本文是一篇社會文化類閱讀,題目涉及多道主旨大意題,細節(jié)理解題,推理判斷題.做題時學生應仔細閱讀原文,把握文章主要內(nèi)容,聯(lián)系文章上下文內(nèi)容并結合所給選項含義,從中選出正確答案,一定要做到有理有據(jù),切忌胡亂猜測.