Question

Elizabeth Freeman was born about 1742 to African American parents who were slaves. At the age of six months she was acquired, along with her sister, by John Ashley, a wealthy Massachusetts slaveholders. She became known as “Mumbet” or “Mum Bett.”

For nearly 30 years Mumbet served the Ashley family. One day, Ashley’s wife tried to strike Mumbet’s sister with a spade. Mumbet protected her sister and took the blow instead. Furious, she left the house and refused to come back. When the Ashleys tried to make her return, Mumbet consulted a lawyer, Theodore Sedgewick. With his help, Mumbet sued(起诉) for her freedom.

While serving the Ashleys, Mumbet had listened to many discussions of the new Massachusetts constitution. If the constitution said that all people were free and equal, then she thought it should apply to her. Eventually, Mumbet won her freedom---- the first slave in Massachusetts to do so under the new constitution.

Strangely enough, after the trial, the Ashleys asked Mumbet to come back and work for them as a paid employee. She declined and instead went to work for Segdewick. Mumbet died in 1829, but her legacy lived on in her many descendants(后裔). One of her great-grandchildren was W.E.B. Du Bois, one of the founder of the NAACP, and an important writer and spokesperson for African American civil rights.

Mumbet’s tombstone still stands in the Massachusetts cemetery where she was buried. It reads, in part: “She was born a slave and remained a slave and remained a slave for nearly thirty years. She could neither read nor write, yet in her own sphere she had no superior or equal.”

1. What do we know about Mumbet according to Paragraph 1?

A. She was born a slave

B. She was a slaveholder

C. She had a famous sister

D. She was born into a rich family

2. Why did Mumbet run away from the Ashleys?

A. She found an employer B. She wanted to be a lawyer

C. She was hit and got angry D. She had to take care of her sister

3. What did Mumbet learn from discussions about the new consititution?

A. She should always obey her owners’ orders

B. She should be as free and equal as whites

C. How to be a good servant

D. How to apply for a job

4. What did Mumbet do after the trial?

A. She chose to work for a lawyer

B. She found the NAACP

C. She continued to serve the Ashleys

D. She went to live with her grandchildren

 

Answer 1

1.A

2.C

3.B

4.A

【解析】

试题分析: 本文是一篇人物传记类文章，主要介绍了美国历史上一位勇于追求自由的女性黑奴Elizabeth Freeman为了获得自由而进行斗争，最后获得自由的故事，以及人们对她的评价。

1.判断题。根据文章首段Elizabeth Freeman was born about 1742 to African American parents who were slaves.可知她是一对奴隶父母亲生下的孩子，所以天生就是奴隶。选A。

2.判断题。根据第二段内容One day, Ashley’s wife tried to strike Mumbet’s sister with a spade. Mumbet protected her sister and took the blow instead. Furious, she left the house and refused to come back.可知Ashley的妻子要打她的妹妹，她为了保护妹妹而被打之后就离开了Ashley 的家。由此可知她的离开是因为被打了，非常生气，所以才离开。选C。

3.判断题。根据文章第三段While serving the Ashleys, Mumbet had listened to many discussions of the new Massachusetts constitution. If the constitution said that all people were free and equal, then she thought it should apply to her.可知她一直在了解与宪法有关的内容，目的是为了获得和白人一样的平等权利。故B正确。

4.理解题。根据文章第二段和第四段When the Ashleys tried to make her return, Mumbet consulted a lawyer, Theodore Sedgewick. With his help, Mumbet sued(起诉) for her freedom. 和She declined and instead went to work for Segdewick.可知在她获得自由后，她选择了为律师工作。故A正确。

考点：考查人物传记类阅读