A
I live on the West Coast of British Columbia with my husband and three children. Our day started like any other day. My husband left for work in the north of the town，which is an hour and a half’s drive. The younger children caught their bus to school ten minutes away. Our oldest attends high school and is a 40minute drive away. I work at home in the office，working on the computer.
It was November 2006 and the news had reported gusty winds. When the winds started to get strong I shut the computer down and tried to phone my husband. I left a message telling him the winds were blowing at 80 to 90 km/hr. As I hung up the phone，I heard a tree crack. I went outside and stood in the driveway. Another tree exploded and my heart was racing.
When the school bus carrying the youngsters arrived，I ran to get them. No sooner had we made it to the house than another tree exploded. The children were clearly scared，so I loaded them up into the car and we parked in the middle of the yard，where no trees could land on us. It was starting to get dark.
My oldest son didn’t come home on the bus and my husband was stranded at work. I called the high school and reached my son. He said he was stranded and didn’t know what to do. I called a friend in town for help. He managed to get my son home to me. Finally，my husband managed to get home.
We had been prepared for such events，as we had a generator，candles，a wood stove，fresh water，batteries and two freezers full of food. We were without power for five days. But we didn’t panic-we had all the emergency equipment we needed. Thankfully，none of our neighbours were injured，but the damage was extensive. We are witnessing climate change. We need to be prepared.
1. When did the mother hear a tree crack for the third time?
A. When she was on the phone.
B. After she hung up the phone.
C. Right before she and her kids went into the house.
D. Right after she and her kids got into the house.
2. Why did the mother park the car in the middle of the yard?
A. It was dark inside the house.
B. It was safer there than in the house.
C. She wanted to wait for her family there.
D. She wanted to receive help from others.
3. What does the underlined phrase “stranded at work” probably mean?
A. Busy completing his work.
B. Under the pressure of work.
C. Stuck at the workplace.
D. Worried while working.
【答案】1. D 2. B 3. C
【解析】
這是一篇記敘文。文章講述了作者一家人遭遇極端天氣，家庭成員幾經(jīng)周折才安全到家，家里雖然沒電，但因?yàn)樽隽顺浞值臏?zhǔn)備，所以并不慌張。
【1題詳解】
細(xì)節(jié)理解題。由第二段中的“As I hung up the phone，I heard a tree crack. I went outside and stood in the driveway. Another tree exploded and my heart was racing.”（當(dāng)我掛斷電話時(shí)，我聽到一棵樹劈啪作響。我走到外面，站在車道上。另一棵樹爆裂了，我的心跳加速。）和第三段中的“When the school bus carrying the youngsters arrived，I ran to get them. No sooner had we made it to the house than another tree exploded.”（當(dāng)載著孩子們的校車到達(dá)時(shí)，我跑去接他們。我們剛到家，另一棵樹就爆裂了。），可知作者把孩子們接回家時(shí)，就聽到第三棵樹斷裂的聲音。故選D項(xiàng)。
【2題詳解】
推理判斷題。由第三段中的“The children were clearly scared，so I loaded them up into the car and we parked in the middle of the yard，where no trees could land on us.”（孩子們顯然很害怕，所以我把他們裝進(jìn)車?yán)，我們把車停在院子中間，那里沒有樹可以落在我們身上。），可知作者把車停在院子中間，是因?yàn)闆]有樹木能夠砸到他們，得出作者認(rèn)為院子里更安全。故選B項(xiàng)。
【3題詳解】
短語猜測題。由第一段中的“My husband left for work in the north of the town，which is an hour and a half’s drive.”（我丈夫去城北上班，那里有一個(gè)半小時(shí)的車程。），畫線詞前一句“My oldest son didn’t come home on the bus”（我的大兒子沒有坐公共汽車回家）及畫線詞后的“I called the high school and reached my son. He said he was stranded and didn’t know what to do.”（我給高中打了個(gè)電話給我兒子。他說他被困了，不知道該怎么辦。）可知，作者的兒子被困在了學(xué)校，她的丈夫被困在了工作的地方，stranded at work在此處意為“被困在了工作的地方”。故選C項(xiàng)。
