单选题
"Time cannot be added to a person's life, but it can
be made more valuable by avoiding waste. " This was the philosophy of a man who
devoted most of his time to the creation of new plants: Luther Burbank, the
plant magician. Burbank has been called the plant magician
because he could do things with plants which were as amazing as the tricks of a
magician. He truly astonished the world with his achievements in the development
of many kinds of plants, such as giant fruits with new flavors and trees which
grew faster than their ancestors. These, and many more achievements, were of
great economic value and benefit to people all over the world.
In his lifetime of seventy-seven years Burbank became an American legend. He
began life in 1849 on a farm in the state of Massachusetts. It was the same year
that men across the continent in California discovered gold, that precious metal
so eagerly sought after in the earth. Eventually Burbank would follow them. But
he would spend his life drawing a different treasure from the same California
earth: a wealth of new plants and fruits. The Massachusetts
countryside may have provided young Burbank with a feeling for the mysteries of
nature, but his scientific training came during the visits of an uncle who was a
scientist. Through his uncle, Luther met the famous naturalist, Louis Agassiz.
Agassiz introduced him to the complicated process by which plants grow, such as
the steps in the making of seeds from pollen (花粉) carried by insects, by birds,
by the very winds of the field. Attracted by the ways of nature, Burbank took
his first steps into the work that was to occupy his whole life.
【答案解析】[解析] 本题问及Luther逝世的年份,原文中没有现成的答案,需要通过运算方能获得。
lifetime of seventy—seven years,说明他享年77岁;
He began life in 1849,说明他出生在1849年。故1849+77=1926就是他谢世之年了。
单选题
In his life, Luther Burbank ______.
A. created many kinds of new plants
B. discovered gold in California
C. planted fruit trees
D. made a lot of money
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】
单选题
Luther Burbank became interested in nature ______.
A. after meeting his uncle
B. under the influence of Louis Agassiz
C. because of the mysteries of the Massachusetts countryside
D. when he received training in school
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[解析] 原文中三个动词所表示的意义:
introduced(him to the complicated process…)(向他介绍了植物生长的复杂过程),说明了初步的接触;
attracted(by the ways of nature)(由于受到自然法则的吸引),过去分词短语作状语,表示了原因;
took his first steps into the work that…(开始了他将终身从事的工作),说明Luther从此便步入了他的植物科学生涯。
单选题
Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A. Burbank's work was of great economic value.
B. Burbank could play amazing tricks with plants.
C. Men discovered gold in California in 1849.
D. Burbank achieved great fame in America.
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[解析] 本题考对原文第2段“as amazing as the tricks of a magician”的理解。意为“像魔术师表演的魔术一样神奇”,而并非他会魔术。