Question

It was a cold winter day. A woman drove up to the Rainbow Bridge tollbooth (收费站). “I’m paying for myself, and for the six cars behind me,” she said with a smile, handing over seven tickets. One after another, the next six drivers arriving at the tollbooth were informed, “Some lady up ahead already paid your fare.”

It turned out that the woman, Natalie Smith, had read something on a friend’s refrigerator: “Practice random(随意的，随机的) kindness and aimless acts of beauty.” The phrase impressed her so much that she copied it down.

Judy Foreman spotted the same phrase on a warehouse wall far away from home. When it stayed on her mind for days, she gave up and drove all the way back to copy it down. “I thought it was beautiful,” she said, explaining why she’d taken to writing it at the bottom of all her letters, “like a message from above.” Her husband, Frank, liked the phrase so much that he put it up on the classroom wall for his students, one of whom was the daughter of Alice Johnson, a local news reporter. Alice put it in the newspaper, admitting that though she liked it, she didn’t know where it came from or what it really meant.

Two days later, Alice got a call from Anne Herbert, a woman living in Marin. It was in a restaurant that Anne wrote the phrase down on a piece of paper, after turning it around in her mind for days.

“Here’s the idea,” Anne says. “Anything you think there should be more of, do it randomly.” Her fantasies (imagination) include painting the classrooms of poor schools, leaving hot meals on kitchen tables in the poor part of town, and giving money secretly to a proud old lady. Anne says, “Kindness can build on itself as much as violence can.”

The acts of random kindness spread. If you were one of those drivers who found your fare paid, who knows what you might have been inspired to do for someone else later. Like all great events, kindness begins slowly, with every single act. Let it be yours!

1.Why did Natalie Smith pay for the six cars behind her?

A. She knew the car drivers well.

B. She wanted to show kindness.

C. She hoped to please others.

D. She had seven tickets.

2.Who came up with the phrase according to the passage?

A. Judy Foreman.    B. Natalie Smith.

C. Alice Johnson.    D. Anne Herbert.

3.Which of the following statements is closest in the meaning to the underlined sentence above?

A. Kindness and violence can change the world.

B. Kindness and violence can affect one’s behavior.

C. Kindness and violence can reproduce themselves.

D. Kindness and violence can shape one’s character.

4.What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A. People should practice random kindness to those in need.

B. People who receive kindness are likely to offer it to others.

C. People should practice random kindness to strangers they meet.

D. People who receive kindness are likely to pay it back to the giver.

Answer

1.B

2.D

3.C

4.B

【解析】

本文是一篇记叙文。叙述了一个名叫Natalie Smith受“经常做些好事和愚蠢的善意行为”这句话的影响，要做好事，所以为她身后的六辆车付钱。原来这句话是住在马林的Anne Herbert想出来的。她经常会做一些随意的好事，她认为善意的事情会和暴力行为一样自己会不断的壮大。

1.考查推理判断。为什么Natalie Smith为她身后的六辆汽车付钱？根据It turned out that the woman, Natalie Smith, had read something on a friend’s refrigerator: “Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty.” The phrase impressed her so much that she copied it down.可知她受“经常做些好事和愚蠢的善意行为”这句话的影响，要做好事，所以为她身后的六辆车付钱。故选B。

2.考查细节理解。根据短文，谁想出的这个短语？根据It was in a restaurant that Anne wrote the phrase down on a piece of paper, after turning it around in her mind for days.可知正是Anne Herbert想出的这个短语，写在了一张纸上。故选D。

3.考查词义猜测。下面那个表达与文中画线句子的意思更接近？根据The acts of random kindness spread.可知不经意的善良行为会不断传播，壮大。故选C。

4.考查推理判断。从最后一段我们可以推断出什么？根据If you were one of those drivers who found your fare paid, who knows what you might have been inspired to do for someone else later. 可知你得到别人善意的帮助，你以后也可能做一些善意的事帮助别人。故选B。