阅读理解2

Passage 11

It had been said that Lincoln was always ready to join in a laugh at himself. There is one particular story that he always told with great delight.

In his early days as a lawyer, Lincoln went from town to town to hear and judge legal cases. During one of these trips, he was sitting in a train when a strange man came up to him. The stranger looked at the tall clumsy lawyer and said that he had something he believed belonged (属于) to Lincoln. Lincoln was a bit puzzled. He had never seen the man before. He didn’t see how a total stranger could have something of his. Lincoln asked him how this could be such a case. The stranger pulled out a pencil knife and began to explain. Many years before, he had been given the pencil knife. He had been told to keep it until he was able to find a man uglier (更加丑陋的) than himself.

Lincoln’s eyes always sparkled (闪烁) when he reached this part of the story. The story always brought smiles to the faces of those who heard it. The tale itself was funny. But even more delightful was the fact that a man as great as Lincoln could still laugh at himself.

1. What was Lincoln in his early days?

A. The president of the United States.

B. A lawyer.

C. A peasant.

D. A school teacher.

2. Why did Lincoln feel a bit puzzled when told by a stranger that he had something of Lincoln?

A. He had never met the stranger before.

B. He didn’t like to communicate with the stranger.

C. He didn’t remember how the stranger owned something of him.

D. The stranger wasn’t his relative or his friend.

3. What’s the reason for the stranger’s giving the statement?

A. He had known Lincoln for a long time.

B. He admired Lincoln so much.

C. Lincoln was uglier than him.

D. Lincoln gave him something in the past.

4. The word “clumsy” in the passage might mean“_________”.

A. awkward

B. handsome

C. skillful

D. attractive

5. What can be inferred from the last sentence?

A. Lincoln felt sad when the story brought smiles to others.

B. Lincoln also felt happy when the story brought smiles to others.

C. Lincoln had no motion when the story brought smiles to others.

D. Lincoln had no emotion when the story brought smiles to others.

Passage 12

Computer programmer David Jones earns ￡35,000 a year designing new computer games, yet he cannot find a bank prepared to let him have a cheque (支票) card. Instead, he has been told to wait another two years until he is 18.

The 16-year-old boy works for a small firm in Liverpool, where the problem of most young people of his age is finding a job. David’s firm releases two new games for the expanding home computer market each month.

But David’s biggest headache (头疼的事) is what to do with his money. Despite his salary, earned by inventing new programs, with bonus (奖金) payments and profit-sharing, he cannot drive