单选题 Onceacrosstheriverandintothewholesaledistrict,sheglancedaboutherforsomelikelydooratwhichtoapply.Asshecontemplatedthewidewindowsandimposingsigns,shebecameconsciousofbeinggazeduponandunderstoodforwhatshewas—awage-seeker.Shehadneverdonethisthingbeforeandlackedcourage.Toavoidconspicuityandacertainindefinableshameshefeltatbeingcaughtspyingaboutforsomeplacewhereshemightapplyforaposition,shequickenedherstepsandassumedanairofindifferencesupposedlycommontooneuponanerrand.Inthiswayshepassedmanymanufacturingandwholesalehouseswithoutonceglancingin.Atlast,afterseveralblocksofwalking,shefeltthatthiswouldnotdo,andbegantolookaboutagain,thoughwithoutrelaxingherpace.Alittlewayonshesawagreatdoorwhichforsomereasonattractedherattention.Itwasornamentedbyasmallbrasssign,andseemedtobetheentrancetoavasthiveofsixorsevenfloors."Perhaps,"shethought,"theymaywantsomeone"andcrossedovertoenter,screwinguphercourageasshewent.Whenshecamewithinascoreoffeetofthedesiredgoal,sheobservedayounggentlemaninagreyclerksuit,fumblinghiswatch-chainandlookingout.Thathehadanythingtodowiththeconcernshecouldnottell,butbecausehehappenedtobelookinginherdirection,herweakeningheartmisgaveherandshehurriedby,tooovercomewithshametoenterin.Afterseveralblocksofwalking,inwhichtheuproarofthestreetsandthenoveltyofthesituationhadtimetowearawaytheeffectofherfirstdefeat,sheagainlookedabout.Overthewaystoodagreatsix-storystructurelabeled"StormandKing,"whichsheviewedwithrisinghope.Itwasawholesaledrygoodsconcernandemployedwomen.Shecouldseethemmovingaboutnowandthenupontheupperfloors.Thisplaceshedecidedtoenter,nomatterwhat.Shecrossedoverandwalkeddirectlytowardtheentrance.Asshedidsotwomencameoutandpausedinthedoor.Atelegraphmessengerinbluedashedpastherandupthefewstepswhichgracedtheentranceanddisappeared.Severalpedestriansoutofthehurryingthrongwhichfilledthesidewalkspassedaboutherasshepaused,hesitating.Shelookedhelplesslyaroundandthen,seeingherselfobserved,retreated.Itwastoodifficultatask.Shecouldnotgopastthem.(2)Sosevereadefeattoldsadlyuponhernerves.Shecouldscarcelyunderstandherweaknessandyetshecouldnotthinkofgazinginquiringlyaboutuponthesurroundingscene.Herfeetcarriedhermechanicallyforward,everyfootofherprogressbeingasatisfactoryportionofaflightwhichshegladlymade.Blockafterblockpassedby.UponstreetlampsatthevariouscornersshereadnamessuchasMadison,Monroe,LaSalle,Clark,Dearborn:andstillshewent,herfeetbeginningtotireuponthebroadstoneflagging.Shewaspleasedinpartthatthestreetswerebrightandclean.Themorningsunshiningdownwithsteadilyincreasingwarmthmadetheshadysideofthestreetspleasantlycool.Shelookedattheblueskyoverheadwithmorerealizationofitscharmthanhadevercometoherbefore.(3)Hercowardicebegantotroubleherinaway.Sheturnedbackalongthestreetshehadcome,resolvingtohuntupStormandKingandenterin.Onthewaysheencounteredagreatwholesaleshoecompany,throughthebroadplatewindowsofwhichshesawanenclosedexecutivedepartment,hiddenbyfrostedglass.Withoutthisenclosure,butjustwithinthestreetentrance,satagrey-hairedgentlemanatasmalltable,withalargeopenledgerofsomekindbeforehim.Shewalkedbythisinstitutionseveraltimeshesitating,butfindingherselfunobservedsheeventuallygatheredsufficientcouragetofalterpastthescreendoorandstoodhumblywaiting.(4)"Well,younglady,"observedtheoldgentleman,lookingathersomewhatkindly—"whatisityouwish?"(5)"Iam,thatis,doyou—Imean,doyouneedanyhelp?"shestammered.(6)"Notjustatpresent,"heansweredsmiling."Notjustatpresent.Comeinsometimenextweek.Occasionallyweneedsomeone."(7)Shereceivedtheanswerinsilenceandbackedawkwardlyout.Thepleasantnatureofherreceptionratherastonishedher.Shehadexpectedthatitwouldbemoredifficult,thatsomethingcoldandharshwouldbesaid—sheknewnotwhat.Thatshehadnotbeenputtoshameandmadetofeelherunfortunatepositionseemedremarkable.Shedidnotrealizethatitwasjustthiswhichmadeherexperienceeasy,buttheresultwasthesame.Shefeltgreatlyrelieved.(8)Somewhatencouraged,sheventuredintoanotherlargestructure.Itwasaclothingcompany,andmorepeoplewereinevidence.(9)Anofficeboyapproachedher.(10)"Whoisityouwishtosee?"heasked.(11)"Iwanttoseethemanager,"shereturned.(12)Heranawayandspoketooneofagroupofthreemenwhowereconferringtogether.Onebrokeoffandcametowardsher.(13)"Well?"hesaid,coldly.Thegreetingdroveallcouragefromheratonce.(14)"Doyouneedanyhelp?"shestammered.(15)"No,"herepliedabruptlyandturneduponhisheel.(16)Shewentfoolishlyout,theofficeboydeferentiallyswingingthedoorforher,andgladlysankintotheobscuringcrowd.Itwasasevereset-backtoherrecentlypleasedmentalstate.问:Whydidn’tsheenterStormandKingthefirsttime?
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】推理判断题。根据题干关键词Storm and King定位至第一段倒数第十一句。该句之后的内容提到,她看到这家公司雇用女店员,本来觉得有希望,但看到门口有两个男人,还有个穿制服的邮差来送电报,门口熙熙攘攘,人流不断,又发现有人在打量她,于是就放弃了,感觉没法当着这些人的面走进这幢建筑。可见她是太过胆小而不敢走进去,这也可以从本段开头部分得到证实,故[A]为答案。[B]“两个男人在人口处拦住了她”是对第一段倒数第六句的误解,原文只说有两个男人在人口处站住了,并没有说拦住了她,故排除;倒数第四句说大街上行人穿梭,但并没有说这些行人是否觉得她奇怪,故排除[C];倒数第五句提到的邮差只是从她旁边经过,并没有关上门,故排除[D]。