2. 职称英语
  3. Passage One (1) When Mr. March lost his property in trying to help an u

Passage One (1) When Mr. March lost his property in trying to help an u

游客2023-11-24  17
问题     Passage One
    (1)  When Mr. March lost his property in trying to help an unfortunate friend, the two oldest girls begged to be allowed to do something toward their own support, at least. Believing that they could not begin too early to cultivate energy, industry, and independence, their parents consented, and both fell to work with the hearty good will which in spite of all obstacles is sure to succeed at last.
    (2)  Margaret found a place as nursery governess and felt rich with her small salary. As she said, she was "fond of luxury", and her chief trouble was poverty. She found it harder to bear than the others because she could remember a time when home was beautiful, life full of ease and pleasure, and want of any kind unknown. She tried not to be envious or discontented, but it was very natural that the young girl should long for pretty things, gay friends, accomplishments, and a happy life. At the Kings’ she daily saw all she wanted, for the children’s older sisters were just out, and Meg caught frequent glimpses of dainty ball dresses and bouquets (花 束), heard lively gossip about theaters, concerts, sleighing parties, and merrymakings (狂欢) of all kinds, and saw money lavished on trifles which would have been so precious to her. Poor Meg seldom complained, but a sense of injustice made her feel bitter toward everyone sometimes, for she had not yet learned to know how rich she was in the blessings which alone can make life happy.
    (3)  Jo happened to suit Aunt March, who was lame and needed an active person to wait upon (侍候) her. The childless old lady had offered to adopt one of the girls when the troubles came, and was much offended because her offer was declined. Other friends told the Marches that they had lost all chance of being remembered in the rich old lady’s will, but the unworldly Marches only said...
    (4)   "We can’t give up our girls for a dozen fortunes. Rich or poor, we will keep together and be happy in one another. "
    (5)  The old lady wouldn’t speak to them for a time, but happening to meet Jo at a friend’s, something in her comical face and blunt manners struck the old lady’s fancy, and she proposed to take her for a companion. This did not suit Jo at all, but she accepted the place since nothing better appeared and, to everyone’s surprise, got on remarkably well with her irascible relative. There was an occasional tempest (风波), and once Jo marched home, declaring she couldn’t bear it longer, but Aunt March always cleared up quickly, and sent for her to come back again with such urgency that she could not refuse, for in her heart she rather liked the peppery old lady.
    (6)  I suspect that the real attraction was a large library of fine books, which was left to dust and spiders since Uncle March died. Jo remembered the kind old gentleman, who used to let her build railroads and bridges with his big dictionaries, tell her stories about queer pictures in his Latin books, and buy her cards of gingerbread (华而不实的东西) whenever he met her in the street. The dim, dusty room, with the busts (半身像) staring down from the tall bookcases, the cozy chairs, the globes, and best of all, the wilderness of books in which she could wander where she liked, made the library a region of bliss to her.
    (7)  The moment Aunt March took her nap, or was busy with company, Jo hurried to this quiet place, and curling herself up in the easy chair (安乐椅) , devoured poetry, romance, history, travels, and pictures like a regular bookworm. But, like all happiness, it did not last long, for as sure as she had just reached the heart of the story, the sweetest verse of a song, or the most perilous adventure of her traveler, a shrill voice called, " Josy-phine! Josy-phine!" and she had to leave her paradise to wind yam (纱线) , wash the poodle (贵宾犬) , or read Belsham’s Essays by the hour together.
    (8)  Jo’s ambition was to do something very splendid. What it was, she had no idea as yet, but left it for time to tell her, and meanwhile, found her greatest affliction in the fact that she couldn’t read, run, and ride as much as she liked. A quick temper, sharp tongue, and restless spirit were always getting her into scrapes, and her life was a series of ups and downs, which were both comic and pathetic. But the training she received at Aunt March’s was just what she needed, and the thought that she was doing something to support herself made her happy in spite of the perpetual "Josy-phine!"
    (9)  Beth was too bashful to go to school. It had been tried, but she suffered so much that it was given up, and she did her lessons at home with her father. Even when he went away, and her mother was called to devote her skill and energy to Soldiers’ Aid Societies, Beth went faithfully on by herself and did the best she could. She was a housewifely little creature, and helped Hannah keep home neat and comfortable for the workers, never thinking of any reward but to be loved. Long, quiet days she spent, not lonely nor idle, for her little world was peopled with imaginary friends, and she was by nature a busy bee. There were six dolls to be taken up and dressed every morning, for Beth was a child still and loved her pets as well as ever. Not one whole or handsome one among them, all were outcasts till Beth took them in, for when her sisters outgrew these idols, they passed to her because Amy would have nothing old or ugly. Beth cherished them all the more tenderly for that very reason, and set up a hospital for infirm dolls. No pins were ever stuck into their cotton vitals, no harsh words or blows were ever given them, no neglect ever saddened the heart of the most repulsive, but all were fed and clothed, nursed and caressed with an affection which never failed. One forlorn fragment of dollanity had belonged to Jo and, having led a tempestuous life, was left a wreck in the ragbag, from which dreary poorhouse (救济院) it was rescued by Beth and taken to her refuge. Having no top to its head, she tied on a neat little cap, and as both arms and legs were gone, she hid these deficiencies by folding it in a blanket and devoting her best bed to this chronic invalid. If anyone had known the care lavished on that dolly, I think it would have touched their hearts, even while they laughed. She brought it bits of bouquets, she read to it, took it out to breathe fresh air, hidden under her coat, she sang it lullabies and never went to bed without kissing its dirty face and whispering tenderly, "I hope you’ll have a goodnight, my poor dear. " [br] The Marches turned down the proposal of Aunt March because they________.
选项 A、were not reduced to a difficult life
B、thought it was not a position right for Jo
C、felt desperate to inherit the old lady’s wealth
D、put more weight on family than money
答案 D
解析 推断题。文章第三段第二句提到，马奇婶婶曾提议收养马奇夫妇的一个女儿，但他们婉言拒绝了，第四段通过马奇夫妇的回话表明他们拒绝的原因：“给再多的财富，我们也不会放弃女儿。不论贫富，我们都要在一起，共享天伦之乐。”由此可以推断马奇夫妇拒绝的原因是他们看重家庭胜过金钱，故[D]为答案。第三段第二句提到当马奇一家陷入困境时，马奇婶婶才提出收养建议的，[A]“他们的生活没有陷入困境”与原文表述相反，故排除；该句表明马奇婶婶被马奇夫妇拒绝的提议是收养他们的一个女儿，并未专门指出要收养乔，故排除[B]；第三段第三句提到其他朋友告诉马奇夫妇他们已无望被列入这位老富婆的遗嘱时，淡泊名利的马奇夫妇的回话表明他们并没有迫切想要继承马奇婶婶的遗产，故排除[C]。
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