Question

All things change except barbers, the ways of barbers, and the surroundings of barbers. These never change. What one experiences in a barber’s shop the first time he enters one is what he always experiences in barbers’ shops afterward till the end of his days.

I got shaved this morning as usual. A man approached the door from Jones Street as I approached it from Main--a thing that always happens. I hurried up, but it was of no use; he entered the door one little step ahead of me, and I followed in and saw him take the only empty chair, the one headed by the best barber. It always happens so. I sat down, hoping that I might sit in the chair belonging to the better of the remaining two barbers, for he was a bit ahead. I watched the probabilities with strong interest. When I saw that No. 2 was gaining on No. 1, my interest grew to solicitude (担心). When No. 1 was gradually losing the race, my solicitude rose to anxiety. When No. 1 caught up again, and both were about to finish and say “Next!” first, my very breath stood still with the suspense. But when I saw that he had lost the race by a single instant, I rose angrily and quitted the shop, to keep from falling into the hands of No. 2; for I have none of that firmness that enables a man to look calmly into the eyes of a waiting barber and tell him he will wait for his fellow-barber’s chair.

I stayed out fifteen minutes, and then went back, hoping for better luck. Unfortunately, all the chairs were occupied now, and four men sat waiting, silent, and looking bored, as men always do who are waiting their turn in a barber’s shop. I sat down and waited.

At last my turn came. A voice said “Next!” and I give in to No. 2, of course. It always happens so. I smiled and said that I was in a hurry, and it affected him as strongly as if he had never heard it.  

He explored my hair with his claws and suggested that it needed trimming(修剪). I said I did not want it trimmed. He explored again and said it was pretty long for the present style. I said I had had it cut only a week before. He stopped for a moment, and then asked “who cut it?” I stared at him from the mirror and replied “You did!”. Then a dog-fight attracted his attention, and he ran to the window and stayed and watched it…

1.The author left the barber’s shop mainly because ___________.

A. he would like to wait for “No. 1” outside

B. he would rather be served by the best barber

C. he lacked the courage to tell “No. 2” his intention

D. he was angry at the slow speed of “No. 1”

2.What is the change of the author’s attitude from the moment he went into the barber’s to the moment he left it?

A. Disappointed---Anxious---Hopeful---Angry.

B. Disappointed --Hopeful---Anxious---Angry.

C. Hopeful--- Sad --- Anxious ---Angry.       

D. Hopeful--- Anxious --- Angry --- Sad.

3.The underlined word “suspense” in the 2nd paragraph probably means ________.

A. loneliness                                             B. excitement

C. anxiety                                                D. hope

4.What is likely to happen next?

A. The author lost his temper.         

B. “No. 2” ran out of his patience.

C. The author was well-served by “No. 2”.

D. The author also went to see the dog-fight.

Answer

1.C

2.B

3.C

4.A

【解析】

试题分析: 本文是一篇记叙文，在本文中作者讲述了自己去理发店的一次经历。当作者匆匆走进理发店时，却因一步之差而错过了最好的理发师。而当他在等待的时候，他又满怀希望的盼着能够等到比较好的理发师，然而事与愿违，他的希望却再次落空……

1.细节理解题。根据文章第二段末句for I have none of that firmness that enables a man to look calmly into the eyes of a waiting barber and tell him he will wait for his fellow-barber’s chair.可知作者离开理发店的原因是他没有勇气告诉二号理发师他自己的真实想法，故答案选C。

2.根据文章第二段的描述可知作者到理发店时恰好比别人慢了一步，而错过了最好的理发师，于是他只好满怀希望地盼着能让剩下的两名理发师中较好的理发师理发，因此心情非常担心焦虑，而最后却又错过了，因此作者愤然离去，由此判断答案选B。

3.细节理解题。根据上文When No. 1 was gradually losing the race, my solicitude rose to anxiety.可知作者在等待时非常焦虑，选C。

4.推理判断题。从上文内容可知作者在等待理发的过程中已经非常恼火，由此推断理发师的言行会让作者生气，从而会大发脾气，故选A。

考点：考查故事类短文阅读。