Question

    In 2010，my mother-in-law gave me her rather simple but graceful, antique “secretary desk.” The desk easily fit into the tiny room at the top of the stairs. I felt so secure, and confident when I sat down and began each writing session. Despite the desk’s appeal, its limited storage capacity meant that I often put file folders and books on the small floor space around me. After each writing session, I painstakingly gathered the tools of the trade and placed them on a nearby shelf until the next session.

A few years into my writing journey, we moved into a bigger home and I acquired my own office. My husband, Bill offered on more than one occasion to buy me a new desk for my office, but I ignored his offer.

One day, we stopped at the local office supply store. Bill found what he thought  was the perfect desk for me. “ I want to buy this for you, sweetie. My writer needs a bigger desk.” He hugged me.

“Thanks, but I don’t want a bigger desk!” I said.

“Why don’t you want a bigger desk?” he said. “You must be afraid of something.”

“I’m not afraid of anything,” I said. “ Like I said, I really like my little desk. So don’t ask me again”.

He didn’t.

A few weeks later, while working in my new office, I looked around at the folders , books and papers lying all over my office floor but couldn’t find what needed to meet a contest deadline. My heart raced. I looked around my office. The room basically swallowed the tiny desk, making it look slightly out of place. Maybe I did need a bigger desk. Was Bill right? Was I afraid of something?

Unable to write, I pulled C.JoyBell C.’s book of poetry, All Things Dance Like Dragonflies, from the bookshelf. I flipped through its pages, and her words about faith jumped off the page into my heart. She talked about how she had trained herself to love the feeling of not knowing where she was going, and just trusting that as she opened up her wings and flew off in an unknown direction, things would work out.

At that moment, I recognized that a bigger desk symbolized bigger possibilities, stepping out in faith, and leaving my comfort zone.

1.What was the limitation of the “secretary desk”?

A.It was a bit small in size. B.It was too old to be functional

C.It competed with the shelf for room D.It prevented the author focusing on writing.

2.What happened to the author at the local office supply store?

A.She talked her husband into buying a desk. B.She had a quarrel with the salesperson.

C.She managed to overcome her fear. D.She declined her husband’s offer.

3.When did the author want to buy a new desk?

A.After she was stuck in a mess B.When she finished writing a book.

C.When she moved into a bigger house. D.After she missed an important contest.

4.What was the author afraid of before?

A.Unemployment B.Uncertainty

C.Loss of friendship D.Lack of trust

5.What would be the best title of the passage?

A.My writing journey. B.On the wings of change.

C.Why I love writing. D.A quarrel between my husband and I.

Answer

1.A

2.D

3.A

4.B

5.B

【解析】

这是一篇记叙文。文章讲述了作者是一名作家，作者一直用一张小桌子办公。之后作者有了自己的办公室，但是由于作者不想改变，害怕未知的事情，作者拒绝换张大桌子。有一天当作者陷入杂乱的办公环境，读到一本书时，深有感悟。作者明白了，要爱上未知的感觉，怀揣信仰，走出舒适区。

1.细节理解题。根据第一段中的“...its limited storage capacity...”可知这张桌子容量有限，体积不大。故选A项。

2.细节理解题。根据第四段的“Thanks, but I don’t want a bigger desk!”及第六段“Like I said, I really like my little desk. So don’t ask me again.”可知, 在丈夫提出要给作者买张大桌子的时候我拒绝了。故选D项。

3.细节理解题。根据倒数第三段中的“I looked around at the folders, books and papers lying all over my office floor but couldn’t find what needed to meet a contest deadline.”及“The room basically swallowed the tiny desk, making it look slightly out of place. Maybe I did need a bigger desk.”可知作者环顾办公室地板上的文件夹、书籍和文件，但找不到要找的文件的时候，作者想着或许作者确实需要一张大点的桌子。可知这个时候作者被受限于这个混乱的办公环境。故选A项。

4.推理判断题。根据倒数第二段中的“I flipped through its pages, and her words about faith jumped off the page into my heart.”可知作者读到一本书里作者的一些话让作者深有感触。“She talked about how she had trained herself to love the feeling of not knowing where she was going, and just trusting that as she opened up her wings and flew off in an unknown direction, things would work out.”可知书的作者训练自己去爱上不确定的感觉。由此可推理出作者之前是因为害怕不确定性所以才拒绝换大桌子。故选B项。

5.主旨大意题。根据倒数第二段中的“She talked about how she had trained herself to love the feeling of not knowing where she was going, and just trusting that as she opened up her wings and flew off in an unknown direction, things would work out.”可知, 作者明白了要爱上未知的感觉，并且相信当她张开翅膀朝着一个未知的方向飞去时，一切都会好起来的。结合选项可知B项（搭乘改变之翼）为短文最佳标题。故选B项。