单选题 The men who race the cars are generally small, with a tight, nervous look. They range from the early 20s to the middle 40s, and it is usually their nerves that go first.
Fear is the driver's constant companion, and tragedy can be just a step behind. Scarcely a man in the 500 does not cant the scars of ancient crashes. The mark of the plastic surgeon is every where, and burned skin is common. Sometimes a driver's scars are invisible, part of his heritage. Two young drivers, Billy Vukovich and Gary Bettenhausen, raced in their first 500 in 1968. Less than 20 years before, their fathers also competed against one another on the Indy track--and died there.
All this the drivers accept. Over the years, they have learned to trust their own techniques, reflexes, and courage. They depend, too, on a trusted servant--scientific engineering. Though they may not have had a great deal of schooling (an exception is New Zealand's Bruce McLaren, who has an engineering degree), many drivers are gifted mechanics, with a feeling for their engines that amount to kinship.
A few top drivers have become extremely wealthy, with six-figure incomes from prize money, endorsements, and jobs with auto-product manufacturers. Some have businesses of their own. McLaren designs racing chassis (底盘). Dan Gurney's California factory manufactured the chassis of three of the first four ears in the 1968 Indy 500, including his own second place car.
Yet money is not the only reason why men race cars. Perhaps it isn't even the major reason. Three-time Indy winner (1961, 1964, 1967) A. J. Foyt, for example, can frequently be found competing on dirty tracks in minor-league races, where money, crowds and safety features are limited, and only the danger is not. Why does he do it? Sometimes Foyt answers, "It's in my blood." Other times he says, "It is good practice." Now and then he replies, "Don't ask dumb questions."
单选题 The statement "it is usually their nerves that go first" means ______.
  • A. at first they all have a nervous look
  • B. they often find they can't bear the tension even if they are in good condition
  • C. someday they find they can't make responses to any risk
  • D. they can continue their career at most until the middle 40s
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】[解析] 此句为过渡句，有承上启下的作用。第二段段首讲“Feat is the driver's constant companion, and tragedy can be just a step behind.”说明无论状态多好，赛车总会给车手带来无形的紧张情绪。所以B项正确。
单选题 It can be inferred that a car accident is often coupled with ______.
  • A. a plastic surgeon
  • B. a companion
  • C. a risk
  • D. a fire
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】[解析] 根据第二段“burned skin is common”可以推断出车祸通常伴随着起火，plastic surgeon是result of the car accident。故选D。
单选题 The invisible scars of the drivers mentioned in the second paragraph refers to ______.
  • A. the regrets left by their fathers
  • B. the fears left by their fathers
  • C. the cars left by their fathers
  • D. the heritage left by their fathers
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】[解析] 本文讲的是赛车，第二段中讲到“Two young drivers...raced in their first 500 in 1968. Less than 20 years before, their fathers also competed against one another on the Indy track-and died there.”可知赛车手无形的伤疤指的是他们父亲留下的遗憾。所以A项正确。
单选题 Bruce McLaren is different from most of the drivers in that ______.
  • A. he himself designs chassis
  • B. he has an engineering degree
  • C. he manufactures chassis
  • D. he is a gifted mechanic
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】[解析] 由第三段括号里的内容“an exception is New Zealand's Bruce McLaren，who has an engineering degree”可知，different from所表达的意思与an exception相同，Bruce MeLaren与其他赛车手的不同之处在于他有工程师学位。故选B。
单选题 A. J. Foyt often takes part in minor-league races for ______.
  • A. prize money
  • B. blood test
  • C. cheers from the crowd
  • D. enjoyment
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】[解析] 此题定位在最后一段的结尾处，A．J．Foyt在三个不同时段给出了不同的答复“It's in my blood.”，“It is good practice.”，“Don't ask dumb questions.”三者表达出的共同意思为enjoyment，所以D项符合题意。