Question

【題目】 I once met a well-known botanist at a dinner party. I had never talked with a botanist before, and I found him very interesting. I sat there absorbed and listened while he spoke of unusual plants and his experiments (he even told me astonishing facts about the simple potato). I had a small indoor garden of my own—and he was good enough to tell me how to solve some of my problems.

As I said, we were at a dinner party. There must have been a dozen other guests, but I broke an important rule of politeness. I ignored everyone else and talked for hours to the botanist.

Midnight came. I said good night to everyone and departed. The botanist then turned to our host and said many nice things about me, including that I was a “most interesting conversationalist”.

An interesting conversationalist? I had said hardly anything at all. I couldn’t have said anything if I had wanted to without changing the subject, for I didn’t know any more about plants than I knew about sharks.

ButI had done this one thing; I had listened carefully. I listened because I was really interested. And he felt it. Naturally that pleased him. That kind of listening is one of the best ways to show respect to others, and it makes them feel great too. “Few human beings,” wrote Jack Woodford in Strangers in Love, “can resist the sweet effect of rapt attention.” I went even further than that. I was “sincere in my admiration and generous in my praise”. I told him that I had been hugely entertained and instructed. I told him I wished I had his knowledge. Itold him that I should love to wander the fields with him. What’s more, it was all true.

And so I had him thinking of me as a good conversationalist when, in reality, I had only been a good listener and had encouraged him to talk.

【1】From Paragraph 1, we can learn that the writer__________.

A.was deeply moved by the botanist’s talk

B.was amazed by what he was hearing

C.was not in a comfortable situation

D.behaved politely and properly

【2】Which of the following does the writer describe as a rule of politeness at dinner parties?

A.Avoiding discussions about politics and religion.

B.Listening carefully to what another guest says.

C.Arriving and leaving at the appropriate time.

D.Giving attention to all those in attendance.

【3】The underlined expression “rapt attention” in Paragraph 4 is closest in the meaning to__________.

A.full understandingB.strong interest

C.great uncertaintyD.little curiosity

【4】According to the writer, which of the following is an important characteristic of a good conversationalist?

A.Listening attentively and encouraging the other side to continue.

B.Encouraging the other side by sharing his/her own opinions.

C.Promising a future meeting for more communication.

D.Expressing respect by nodding his/her head.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】B

【2】D

【3】B

【4】A

【解析】

這是一篇記敘文。作者以自己偶遇一個植物學家并與其交談的例子說明，一個健談的人應具備的品質(zhì)包括：關注參會的人、注意傾聽他們的見解、表現(xiàn)出對別人話題感興趣等。

【1】

細節(jié)理解題。由第一段中的“and I found him very interesting. I sat there absorbed and listened while he spoke of unusual plants and his experiments (he even told me astonishing facts about the simple potato)”可知，我發(fā)現(xiàn)他很有趣，在他談及罕見植物和他的試驗時，我坐在那兒專注而認真地聽（他甚至告訴我關于土豆的驚人事實）。由此可見，作者對于植物學家所說的感到很驚奇。故選B。

【2】

推理判斷題。由第二段中的“but I broke an important rule of politeness. I ignored everyone else and talked for hours to the botanist”可知，但我違反了一條重要的禮貌規(guī)則，我忽視其他人，與植物學家聊了幾個小時。由此可知，作者認為，忽略其他人只和植物學家談話是不禮貌的。因此判斷出，關注參加的所有人是有禮貌的行為。故選D。

【3】

詞義猜測題。根據(jù)第四段中的“I listened because I was really interested. And he felt it. Naturally that pleased him. That kind of listening is one of the best ways to show respect to others, and it makes them feel great too. ”可知我聽是因為真的感興趣，而他感受到了。當然，那讓他高興。那種傾聽是對別人展現(xiàn)尊重的最好方式，這也讓他們覺得很棒。結合下文“Few human beings,” wrote Jack Woodford in Strangers in Love, “can resist the sweet effect of rapt attention.”可知，很少有人能拒絕強烈興趣的影響，因此rapt attention的意思與strong interest相近。故選B。

【4】

推理判斷題。根據(jù)最后一段“And so I had him thinking of me as a good conversationalist when, in reality, I had only been a good listener and had encouraged him to talk.”可知，當我在現(xiàn)實中，成為好的傾聽者，并鼓勵他繼續(xù)說時，我使他認為我是一個健談者。由此可知，健談的人會認真聽，并鼓勵說話者繼續(xù)。因此判斷出，A選項“認真聽，鼓勵對方繼續(xù)”是健談的人的特征。故選A。