Question

Walking along a lake in the cold winter, Birbal and the king made a bet（打赌）that a man would do anything for money.

The king said, “I don’t think a man would spend an entire night in the cold water of this lake for money.”

Birbal replied, “ I’m sure I can find such a person.”

The king asked Birbal to find such a person and said that he would reward the person with a thousand gold coins.

Birbal searched far and wide and finally found a poor man. When he entered the lake, the king had guards around him to make sure that he really did as promised.

The poor man made it. He told the king that there had been a street lamp nearby and that he had kept his attention on the lamp and managed to avoid the cold. The king then said that there would be no reward as he relied on the warmth of the street lamp.

The poor man went to Birbal for help.

The next day, Birbal did not go to court（上朝）. The king went to Birbal’s house and see what he was up to.

He found Birbal sitting on the floor near some burning branches and a bowl filled with rice hanging five feet above the fire. The king and his followers couldn’t help but laugh.

The king then said to Birbal, “How can the rice be cooked if it is so far away from the fire?”

Birbal answered, “The same way the poor man received heat from a street lamp that was more than two thousand meters away.”

Finally, the king gave the poor man his reward.

1.The poor man used the lamp to _____________.

A. keep him warm in the cold water

B. light his way around the lake

C. stop him from being afraid in the darkness

D. keep his attention away from the cold

2.Why did Birbal not go to court the next day?

A. He was angry with the king.

B. He had not had breakfast.

C. He wanted to help the poor man.

D. He didn’t feel comfortable.

3.What can we infer from the passage?

A. The poor man did not get his reward in the end.

B. Birbal was wise and kind.

C. The story happened during a warm spring.

D. Birbal was not liked by the king.

4.What does the writer want to tell us?

A. Always be ready to help others.

B. Kind actions will receive more in return.

C. Honesty is the best policy.

D. We should understand things better.

Answer

1.D

2.C

3.B

4.D

【解析】

试题分析：本文属于记叙文阅读，讲述了Birbal和国王打赌，国王输了却想赖账，最终Birbal通过自己的才智说服国王兑现了诺言。

1.D 细节理解题。根据文章第六段第二句He told the king that there had been a street lamp nearby and that he had kept his attention on the lamp and managed to avoid the cold.可知这个穷人把自己的注意力集中在灯光，而不关注水中的寒冷。故D正确。

2.C 推理判断题。他第二天早上没有上朝，是因为他想吸引国王来到他家里，看他所的事情。以此说服皇帝要言而有信，以此来帮助那个可怜的穷人。故C正确。

3.B 推理判断题。根据文章最后三段可知Birbal利用some burning branches and a bowl filled 来说服国王要言而有信，说明他很聪明。他这样做是为了帮助那个穷人，这说明他很善良。故B项正确。

4.

【名师点睛】

在英语的阅读中，我们经常会遇见较长较难的句子，如何处理长难句也是提高英语阅读能力的关键。我们可以分为以下三种情况对待：

1.如果待处理的长难句为一个复杂的单句，可这样处理：跳读修饰成分，迅速找出主谓结构。这样一来，我们便可以将长句化为短句，将难句化为易句。具体步骤是：先跳读修饰成分或附加成分，找出句子的主干并理解其意义；然后再分段理解修饰成分或附加成分。

2.如果待处理的长难句为一个复杂的并列句，可这样处理：先找出其中的并列连词，然后再根据并列连词的意思理清句子前后是顺连关系还是反连关系，是因果关系还是转折关系等，最后再根据不同的语境关系正确理解句意。

3.如果待处理的长难句为一个复杂的主从复合句，可这样处理：先分清主句与从句，然后弄清名词性从句，还是状语从句，或是定语从句。注意，弄清从句性质对于理解复合句的意思至关重要。

【第六段第二句】

He told the king that there had been a street lamp nearby and that he had kept his attention on the lamp and managed to avoid the cold.

本句是一个主从复合句，句中动词tell后面含有两个that所引导的宾语从句，第二个宾语从句中的谓语动词是两个并列结构had kept his attention on the lamp and managed to avoid the cold。

考点：考查记叙文阅读