跟踪导练（三）（4）

2017-08-11

时代英语·高二 2017年4期

阅读理解

James Rumsey was a successful businessman in Bath， Virginia in 1784 when he met George Washington. When the hero of the Revolutionary War stopped in Bath， Rumsey showed Washington his invention. It was a model of a boat using the power of a rivers current to travel against the current. The boat had a set of wheels with two long poles fastened under the boat. Rumsey placed the boat in the Potomac River and the current turned the wheels round and round quickly， which in turn， forced the poles to push against the riverbed moving the boat against the current.

Washington wrote of the invention in his diary on September 6， 1784， “The model， and its operation upon the water， which had been made to run fast， not only made me believe what I before thought， but that it might be turned to the greatest possible means of transportation.” Washington even gave Rumsey a letter stating that he had seen the boat in operation.

The following year， Washington became president of the Patowmac Company. One of Washingtons first problems was he couldnt find anyone with experience of building canal. In July 1785， Washington remembered Rumseys walking boat and decided that Rumsey was the man to build the canal.

Rumsey had continued his work on the mechanical boat， but a full-scale model had not worked as well as the smaller version. The larger boats poles would stick or slip on the bottom of the river and when the boat moved， it lurched（蹣跚）and leaned dangerously.

As making this idea a success seemed to be slipping away， Rumsey turned his sights to a new way to allow a boat to move against the current-steam power. However， Washington employed Rumsey just as he was considering the solution. Washington hired him at an annual salary of 200 pounds.

1. What can we learn about Rumseys invention？

A. It turned out to be practical.

B. It was driven by water power.

C. It was a great means of transportation.

D. It had wheels to push against the riverbed.

2. Seeing the model boat， Washington ___ .

A. drew a picture of it in his diary

B. employed Rumsey at once

C. wrote Rumsey a letter

D. took an interest in it

3. What can we learn about Rumsey from the text？

A. He managed to build the mechanical boat.

B. He became rich owing to his invention.

C. He got great trust from Washington.

D. He gave up his first idea.

4. What can be the best title of this passage？

A. Rumseys Walking Boat

B. Rumsey and Washington

C. A Successful Business Man

D. The History of the Mechanical Boat

Lie in bed， by an open window， and listen. “No air conditioning， how can you sleep？” a friend asks， horrified. I tell her my family has decided to shut the air conditioner off and reduce our electric bill. On this first night of our cost-cutting plan， its only 85 degrees. Were going to suffer， but the three kids complain anyway.

Theyve grown up in 72-degree comfort， protected from the world outside. “Its too hot to sleep，” my 13-year-old daughter complains. “Im about to die from this heat，” her brother complains down the hall. “Just try it tonight，” I tell them. In truth Im too tired to turn for long. My face is sweaty， but I lie quietly listening to the cricket choirs（合唱）outside that remind me of my childhood.

The neighbors dog howls. Probably a passing squirrel （松鼠）. Its been years since I took the time to really listen to the night.

I think about grandma， who lived to 92 and still helped with my moms gardening until just a few weeks before she died. And then， Im back there at her house in the summer heat of my childhood. I moved my pillow to the foot of grandmas bed and turned my face towards the open window. I turned the pillow， hunting for the cooler side. Grandma saw me turn over and over. “If you just watch for the breeze，” she said， “youll cool off and fall asleep.”

I stare at the filmy white curtain， willing it to move. Lying still， waiting， I suddenly notice the life outside the window. The bug chorus. Neighbors， sitting late on the porch（門廊）， speak in unclear words that calm me.

“Mom， did you hear that？” my seven-year-old son cries. “I think it was an owl（猫头鹰）family.”

“Probably，” I tell him. “Just keep listening.”

Without the working air conditioner， the house is peaceful， and the natural night noises seem close enough to touch. I hope Im awake tonight when the first breeze comes in.

5. On the first night of the writers cost-cutting plan， her children ___ .

A. feel unhappy

B. suffer from great pain

C. are about to die from the heat

D. are protected from the world outside

6. The author talks about her grandmother and her childhood to say that ___ .

A. people used to live a hard life

B. people in the past were hard-working

C. its OK for people to live a simple life

D. she has learned a great deal from her grandma

7. In the writers eyes， her children are ___ .

A. lacking in real test of hardship in life