Question

Hetty Robinson learnt all about money when very young. As a child, she read the financial (金融的) pages of the newspaper to her rich father. Her father died when Hetty was 30, and she inherited $1 million. When she herself died in 1916, she left almost $100 million to her two children.

Hetty made her money on the New York stock (股票) exchange. She was a financial genius. She made money so easily that people called her the Witch of Wall Street. But although she was one of the richest women in the world, she counted every cent and spent as little as possible. She didn’t own a house, because she didn’t want to pay taxes. So she and her children lived in cheap hotels. She spent almost nothing on clothes, and always wore the same long black dress. She washed it herself, but to save soap she only washed the bottom of the dress, where it touched the ground. Other people had their own offices, but Hetty used a desk in the bank where she kept her money, because it didn’t cost anything. She sat in the bank and ate her sandwiches while she bought and sold stocks and shares. If the bank complained, she just moved all her money to another bank.

Hetty’s family paid the price for her meanness. When she was 33 she married a millionaire, Edward Green, and they had two children. But Green lost all his money, so she left him. When her son, Ned, injured his knee, Hetty didn’t want to pay for a doctor, so she took him to a free hospital for poor people. Unfortunately the doctor knew Hetty was rich and he asked for money. Hetty refused and took the boy away. His leg got worse and two years later doctors removed it.

But eventually Ned got his revenge (报应). At the age of 81, Hetty had an argument with a shop assistant about the price of a bottle of milk. She became so angry that she had a heart attack and died. So Hetty’s meanness finally killed her. Ned inherited half his mother’s fortune, and he spent it all on parties, holidays and expensive jewellery.

1.What fact can be learned about Hetty Robinson from the passage?

A. She was nice to her son.

C. She died from extreme anger.

B. She worked for a bank.

D. She came from a poor family.

2.Why was Hetty Robinson called the Witch of Wall Street?

A. She turned out to be the richest woman in New York.

B. She liked wearing the same long black dress every day.

C. She was fond of reading financial pages of the newspaper.

D. She made a large amount of money easily through stocks and shares.

3.Which of the following best describes Hetty Robinson?

A. Gifted but not generous.B. Wealthy and selfless.

C. Easy-going but selfish.D. Curious and lucky.

4.Which is the best title of this passage?

A. A Mean Genius

B. A Financial Success

C. A Lifelong Bad Luck

D. A Good Way to Earn Money

Answer

1.C

2.D

3.A

4.A

【解析】

试题分析：本文介绍了美国一位吝啬的金融天才Hetty Robinson，她最后死于极度的生气。

1. 细节理解题。根据最后一段第三、四句She became so angry that she had a heart attack and died. So Hetty’s meanness finally killed her.可知，她死于极度的生气。故选C。

2. 细节理解题。根据第二段第一、二句Hetty made her money on the New York stock (股票) exchange. She was a financial genius. She made money so easily that people called her the Witch of Wall Street.可知，她通过股票和股票轻易赚了一大笔钱，故被称为“华尔街女巫”。故选D。

3. 推理判断题。根据第二段中She was a financial genius. But although she was one of the richest women in the world, she counted every cent and spent as little as possible.可知，她是金融天才但不慷慨。故选A。

4. 主旨大意题。根据第二段前半部分Hetty made her money on the New York stock (股票) exchange. She was a financial genius. She made money so easily that people called her the Witch of Wall Street. But although she was one of the richest women in the world, she counted every cent and spent as little as possible.可知，她是一个吝啬的天才。故选A。

【名师点睛】

抓住文章主线和关键词语，归纳文章中心

要注意不是所有的段落都有主题句，有时主题句暗含在句中。阅读这样的文章，就需要自己根据文章的细节来分析，概括出段落的主题，从而推导出文章的主旨。分析的方法是：先弄清该段落主要讲了哪几方面的内容，这些内容在逻辑上有什么联系，然后加以归纳形成主题。5.Hetty made her money on the New York stock (股票) exchange. She was a financial genius. She made money so easily that people called her the Witch of Wall Street. But although she was one of the richest women in the world, she counted every cent and spent as little as possible.可知她是一个吝啬的天才。故选A。

考点：考查人物传记类阅读