"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 1996.
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 the seven children born to Irish immigrant parents. Angela's Ashes was a memoir(回憶錄)that captured an irresponsible, drunkard(酒鬼)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.
In Angela's Ashes, he wrote of hunger, a home flooded with rainwater and the unbearable humiliation(恥辱)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 19 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 1987, 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】In the first paragraph, 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2】From the passage, we know Frank McCourt's father is ________.
A.humorous and trustworthy 
B.a(chǎn)lcohol-addicted but loves his family 
C.poor but warm-hearted 
D.irresponsible but gifted in telling stories 
【小題3】Which of the statements about the book “Angela’s Ashes” is right?
A.This book is intended to show respect to McCourt’s father. 
B.The author wrote the book in a sad and serious tone(語調(diào)). 
C.The book enjoyed great popularity after it came out. 
D.The author got two awards because of the book. 
【小題4】 What's the text mainly about?
A.A brief introduction to Frank McCourt and one of his works. 
B.A literary review(評論) on Frank McCourt's book. 
C.An account of Frank McCourt's miserable childhood. 
D.A comment on Frank McCourt's life experience. 


【小題1】D
【小題2】D
【小題3】C
【小題4】A

解析試題分析:這篇文章主要介紹了著名作家的家庭和不幸的童年生活以及他的文學創(chuàng)造和文學成就,中間穿插介紹了他的暢銷書"Angela's Ashes"。
【小題1】句意理解題:從第一段的內(nèi)容:The happy childhood is hardly worth your while. 可知這句話是寫在他的自傳體小說的開頭的,意味著順利的童年不會吸引讀者的注意力的,選D。
【小題2】細節(jié)題:從第三段的句子:Angela's Ashes was a memoir(回憶錄)that captured an irresponsible, drunkard(酒鬼)father with a gift for story-telling. 可知Frank McCourt'的爸爸是不負責任的,但是擅長講故事,選D。
【小題3】推理題:從最后一段的句子:"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. 可知"Angela's Ashes"一出版就大受歡迎,選C。
【小題4】主旨題:縱觀全文可知這篇文章主要介紹了著名作家的不幸的童年生活和他的文學創(chuàng)造和文學成就,中間穿插介紹了他的暢銷書"Angela's Ashes" ,選A
考點:考查人物傳記類短文

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A.e, c, f, b, d, a B.c, e, b, d, f, a
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【小題3】How old was Philo Farnsworth when he invented the first American television?
A.11. B.13.C.19.D.22.
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Looking out of the window, my son saw a tree whose branches were strongly swaying back and forth. “How does the tree move its branches like that?” He asked.
Without rising from my chair, nor looking up from my book, I started to answer, “The tree is not moving the branches, son. The wind is…” But before the words were out, I caught myself. Instead I rose from my chair and moved to the window to join my son. I looked at the tree. From inside our room, from behind the window, I could neither feel nor hear the wind. I saw instead a tree with its branches silently moving and thought to myself, from inside this room, how could I possibly be sure that the branches were moving because of the wind rather than from the tree’s own willing?
As I stood there with my son watching the tree, I became struck by the movement of the branches, the shimmer of the leaves. My mind quieted and I became less sure myself of what was causing the branches to move. Was it the wind, or was it some expressive, independent movement of the tree? “I see what you mean,” I said to my son. “The movement of the tree is very beautiful.”
“Do you think the tree is dancing?” asked my son. “Why would it be dancing?” I asked. “Maybe it is happy because the sun is shining,” he said. “Perhaps,” I said. “Or because it’s spring,” he added, “and it’s not cold any more.” “Perhaps,” I said.
As we continued to watch the tree together, I, too, began to appreciate the dance of the tree. I enjoyed the movement and sway of the branches, seeing little nuances(微妙之處) that I hadn’t noticed before. There seemed to be a rhythm to the movement, first strong and forceful, then light and gentle, then more vigorous, sometimes nearly violent.
“Are trees alive?” my son asked. “Yes, they are alive. Why do you ask?” “Because this tree looks happy,” he answered. “Can a tree be happy or sad?” “What do you mean?” I asked.
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【小題1】What is the meaning of the underlined word “caught” in Para 2?

A.stopped B.grasped C.seized D.held
【小題2】What on earth caused the tree to move?
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C.It was the warm spring.
D.The wind did so.
【小題3】 What do you think of the boy?
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