Question

Hilary Smith belonged to a good family. But by the age of twenty, he had spent all the money the good old family had. He then had some trouble with the bank and was put in prison. He escaped from the prison and ran to Australia without delay.

Hilary did not like Australia and Australia did not like Hilary. What he could do seemed to be one of two things: die or work. Then he remembered that he was not alone in the world. He had an aunt.

She was his father's only sister, but his father used to say she brought no glory to the family. Hilary, of course, tried to discover what she had done. It seemed that she had failed to marry a nobleman. Instead, she had chosen a husband who was connected with "trade". Of course as soon as she became "Mrs. Parks", her brother considered her dead. Later on, Mr. Parks died and left her a lot of money; but that did not bring her back to life in her brother's opinion.

Hilary discovered his aunt's address. Fortunately she remained faithful and honest to him even after she fell ill. So Hilary's star shone again, and soon he moved into her house and lived as comfortably as a sailor who had just reached harbor. He had only about a sixpence in his pocket.

One thing was soon clear: his aunt was seriously ill, and nothing could cure her illness. Hilary was very worried. Fate had found a home for him, and was now going to throw him out of it. There was only one thing that could save him: her will.

"Will?" she said, "yes, I have made one. That was when I was a girl and had not much money. I left all my money to some religious people."

"Didn't you make another will when you were married?" Hilary asked.

His aunt shook her head. "No," she said in a low voice, "There was no need. When I finally had a lot of money I found 1 had no relations."

On the next day he went to the public library and examined a book of law. It told him what he already believed. When a woman is married, an earlier will loses its value. A new will must be made. If no new will is made, the money goes to the nearest relation. Hilary knew that he was his aunt's only relation. His future was safe.

After a few months had passed, Hilary's problems became serious. He badly needed money. He had expensive tastes, and owed a lot of money to shopkeepers. They trusted him because his aunt was rich; but the debt was terrible.

Unfortunately his aunt did not want to discuss money matters at all. In the end they had a quarrel about the small amount of ten pounds. Hilary was not very angry. He began to wonder about a new problem. Was it kind to want his aunt to live any longer? Was it not better for her to die now? While he was considering what to do, his aunt told him that she was going to send for her lawyer. So she was going to make a new will, Hilary thought. She might leave all her money to someone else. Soon he reached a clear decision. He must do a great kindness to the poor old woman.

One night when the old servant who had been nursing his aunt went off, he doubled the amount of some medicine. The total amount was too great and it could just put her to sleep forever.

"Thank you," his aunt took the glass from his hand with a grateful look." I want, more than anything, to sleep, and never to wake up again. Is that what you wish, Hilary? Don't blame me if I have some doubts about what you intended to do. Sick people get these ideas, you know. One thing I ought to explain to you. Mr. Parks never married me. He already had a wife and couldn't marry again. That made your foolish father very angry with me...Well, if I am alive tomorrow I shall make another will in your favor. If I die tonight, you'll get nothing...No, Hilary, don't try to take the glass away. If you do that, I shall know; and I don't want to know. Good night, Hilary."

Then, very carefully, she raised the glass to her mouth and drank.

1.From the story ,we learn that Hilary's aunt was ______.

A. bad-tempered and lonely B. kind-hearted and wise

C. careless about money D. cruel to her niece

2.Why did Hilary's father consider his aunt dead?

A. Because they lost contact with each other after her marriage.

B. Because she married a businessman with a wife against his will.

C. Because she broke away from the family for a better life.

D. Because he thought she was a shame to the family

3.The underlined sentence "He must do a great kindness to the poor old woman" in paragraph 11 suggests that Hilary Smith ______.

A. was determined to put his aunt's life to an end

B. decided to do his aunt a favor to call in a lawyer

C. made up his mind to take good care of his aunt

D. would help his aunt to donate all her money to religious people

4.Which of the following is the focus of the story?

A. Hilary's aunt's money. B. Hilary Smith's debts.

C. The intended murder. D. Hilary's aunt's marriage.

5.According to the law book,_____.

A. Hilary's aunt is not allowed to make a new will.

B. the money will go to Hilary after his aunt dies without a new will.

C. Hilary's aunt must leave the money to the religious people after she dies.

D. Hilary must look after his aunt till her death because he is the only relation.

6.Which detail from the story is the climax of the story?

A. Hilary escaped from the prison.

B. Hilary quarreled with is aunt about ten pounds.

C. Hilary's aunt drank the medicine her nephew prepared for her.

D. Hilary's aunt made a will to leave all her money to someone else.

Answer 1

1.B

2.D

3.A

4.A

5.B

6.C

【解析】

試題分析：本文講的是希拉里和他姑媽的遺囑的故事。希拉里出生在一個(gè)好的家庭，二十歲時(shí)花光了家里所有錢，和銀行有些麻煩，被關(guān)進(jìn)了監(jiān)獄。然后從監(jiān)獄逃到了澳大利亞，投奔了他的姑媽。有一件事很快就明了了：他的姑媽病重，沒有什么能治好她的病。于是他想到姑媽的遺囑，于是想加害于她，姑媽知道了，不過還是喝下了那杯超劑量的藥。

1.題。需要整體把握全文，用排除法。文中第四段“Fortunately she remained faithful and honest to him even after she fell ill. ”句意：幸運(yùn)的是，她在生病之后依然對(duì)他坦誠相待�？梢钥闯鏊�姑媽是一個(gè)仁慈的人，排除A和D；從最后她對(duì)遺囑的態(tài)度可看出，她對(duì)錢并不馬虎，排除C；反而通過立遺囑，可以看出她是一個(gè)聰明人，故選B。

2. father used to say she brought no glory to the family. ”、“ It seemed that she had failed to marry a nobleman. Instead, she had chosen a husband who was connected with "trade". ”句意：他的父親認(rèn)為她沒有給家族帶來任何榮耀；她沒有嫁給貴族，卻嫁給了商人。在那個(gè)時(shí)期，商人地位很低，所以對(duì)他哥哥而言，是個(gè)恥辱。故選D。

3. it kind to want his aunt to live any longer? Was it not better for her to die now? While he was considering what to do, his aunt told him that she was going to send for her lawyer. So she was going to make a new will, Hilary thought. She might leave all her money to someone else. Soon he reached a clear decision. ”句意：讓姑媽活久一點(diǎn)？是不是她死了更好嗎？當(dāng)他還在考慮要做什么，他的姑媽告訴他，她聯(lián)系她的律師。所以她要做一個(gè)新的遺囑，希拉里想。她會(huì)將所有的錢都給別人了。他馬上做出決定�？梢钥闯鏊�起了歹心，想結(jié)束姑媽的生命，故選A。

4. aunt's will，即姑媽的遺囑。根據(jù)常識(shí)可以知道，遺囑是跟錢有關(guān)，而希拉里想得到這筆遺囑。Hilary Smith's debts.希拉里的債務(wù)有提及；The intended murder這場(chǎng)預(yù)定的謀殺出現(xiàn)在文章后面；Hilary's aunt's marriage.姑媽的婚姻有提及；B、C、D文中都有提到，不過都是文章故事發(fā)展的情節(jié)之一，文章的重點(diǎn)是姑媽的遺囑，即希拉里姑媽的錢，故選A。

5. no new will is made, the money goes to the nearest relation. Hilary knew that he was his aunt's only relation. ”句意：如果沒有新的遺囑，錢將回到最親的親戚手上，希拉里知道他是她姑媽在世上的唯一的親人。可以得出，希拉里作為她姑媽血緣關(guān)系最近的人，假如沒有新的遺囑，她姑媽的錢會(huì)到他手里，故選B。

6. escaped from the prison.”希拉里逃出了監(jiān)獄，是故事的開端；B選項(xiàng)“Hilary quarreled with is aunt about ten pounds.”希拉里因?yàn)槭�英鎊和姑媽吵了起來，是故事的小情節(jié)之一；D選項(xiàng)“Hilary's aunt made a will to leave all her money to someone else.”希拉里的姑媽想立一份遺囑把她所有錢給別人，文章只是在后面她姑媽說她今晚如果死了的話，就把錢給別人，只是一種假設(shè)；而C選項(xiàng)“Hilary's aunt drank the medicine her nephew prepared for her.”希拉里的姑媽喝了她外甥為她準(zhǔn)備的藥，由前面可知，她姑媽的遺囑是文章的主線，希拉里想得到它，然后想謀殺姑媽，故事的關(guān)注點(diǎn)落在那杯放了很多劑量的藥里，而他姑媽喝了她外甥為她準(zhǔn)備的藥，將故事推上高潮，故選C.。

考點(diǎn)：考查記敘類閱讀。