Question

In the 1950s, a family that owned a farm near Beulah, Michigan kept a bull chained to an elm (榆樹). The bull paced around the tree, dragging the heavy iron chain, which led to a groove (槽) in the bark . The groove deepened over the years. Though for whatever reason, it did not kill the tree.

   After some years, the family took their bull away. They cut the chain, leaving the loop around the tree and one link hanging down.

   Then one year, agricultural disaster struck Michigan in the form of Dutch Elm Disease. All of the elms lining the road leading to the farm became infected and died. Everyone thought that the old elm would be the next.

The farm owners considered doing the safe thing: pulling it out and cutting it up into firewood before it died. But they simply could not bring themselves to do it. It was as if the old tree had become a family friend. So they decided to let nature take its course.

   Amazingly, the tree did not die. Nobody could understand why it was the only elm still standing in the county!

Plant experts from Michigan State University came out to observe the tree. They observed the scar left by the iron chain, now almost completely covered by bark. The experts decided that it was the chain that saved the elm’s life. They reasoned that the tree must have absorbed so much iron from the chain that it became immune to the virus.

　It’s said that what doesn’t kill you will make you stronger. Or, as Earnest Hemingway put it, "Life breaks us all, but afterwards, many of us are strongest at the broken places."

1.What did the family do with the elm when the agricultural disaster hit Michigan one year?

A. They invited plant experts to observe it.

B. They pulled it out and chopped it up into firewood.

C. They prevented it from being infected by the disease.

D. They did nothing and just let it be.

2.Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A. A groove formed because of natural forces.

B. The family decided to keep the tree because they had become attached to it.

C. All of the elms in Beulah, Michigan died of the disease.

D. The plant experts advised the family to chop it down.

3.What actually saved the elm?

A. The bull.   B. The groove.    C. The iron chain.  D. The experts.

4.What would be the best title for the passage?

A. Let nature take its course

B. Strengthened by our wounds

C. Constant dripping wears away a stone

D. Bend, but don’t break

 

Answer 1

【答案】

 

1.D

2.B

3.C

4.B

【解析】

試題分析：在一個(gè)農(nóng)場了，一顆榆樹上用鐵鏈子拴住一頭牛，牛整天圍著樹轉(zhuǎn)，形成了深深的疤痕，后來牛被牽走了，留下了鐵鏈。一年榆樹遭災(zāi)，許多樹感染死亡，而這顆榆樹卻活了下來。專家說是鐵鏈子使榆樹有了免疫力。通過講述一棵榆樹的命運(yùn)向讀者講述這樣一個(gè)道理：傷疤困難會使我們更堅(jiān)強(qiáng)地戰(zhàn)勝困難，取得勝利。

1.細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)文中的So they decided to let nature take its course.可知，他們決定順其自然和D項(xiàng)意思一致。

2.推理判斷題。A。第一段介紹：槽不是自然的力量，而是主人把一頭牛用一個(gè)鏈子拴在樹上形成的；根據(jù)第三段的描述，這家人把樹看作是一個(gè)朋友；所有通往農(nóng)場的道路兩邊的榆樹都死了；文中沒有提到植物專家的事。所以其他都不對，只有B正確。

3.細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)文中的The experts decided that it was the chain that saved the elm’s life.可知，是鐵鏈子救了榆樹的命。所以選C。

4.主題歸納題。根據(jù)最后一段的意思可知：傷痛使人更堅(jiān)強(qiáng)。所以選B。

考點(diǎn)：故事類閱讀。