Question

It all began with a stop at a red light.

Kevin Salwen was driving his 14-year-old daughter, Hannah, back from a sleepover in 2006 . While waiting at a traffic light, they saw a black Mercedes Coupe on one side and a homeless man begging for food on the other.

“Dad, if that man had a less nice car, that man there could have a meal.”Hannah protested. The light changed and they drove on, but Hannah was too young to be reasonable. She pestered （纠缠）her parents about inequity, insisting that she wanted to do something.

“What do you want to do?” her mom responded. “Sell our house?”

Warning! Never suggest a grand gesture to an idealistic teenager. Hannah seized upon the idea of selling the luxurious family home and donating half the proceeds to charity, while using the other half to buy a more modest replacement home.

Eventually, that’s what the family did. The project —crazy, impetuous （鲁莽的） and utterly inspiring — is written down in detail in a book by father and daughter scheduled to be published next month: “The Power of Half.” It’s a book that, frankly, I’d be nervous about leaving around where my own teenage kids might find it. An impressionable child reads this, and the next thing you know your whole family is out on the street.

At a time of enormous needs in Haiti and elsewhere, when so many Americans are trying to help Haitians by sending everything from text messages to shoes, the Salwens offer an example of a family that came together to make a difference — for themselves as much as the people they were trying to help. In a column a week ago, it described neurological evidence from brain scans that unselfishness lights up parts of the brain normally associated with more primary satisfaction. The Salwens’ experience confirms the selfish pleasures of selflessness.

Mr. Salwen and his wife, Joan, had always assumed that their kids would be better off in a bigger house. But after they downsized, there was much less space to retreat to, so the family members spent more time around each other. A smaller house unexpectedly turned out to be a more family-friendly house.

1.The best title for the passage should be “______”.

A. The Less, the Better B. An Expected Satisfaction

C. Something We Can Live Without D. Somewhat Crazy but Inspiring

2.What does the underlined word “inequity” most probably mean in Paragraph 3?

A. Unfairness. B. Satisfaction.C. Personal attitude. D. Reasonable statement.

3.What does the underlined sentence “Never suggest a grand gesture to an idealistic teenager.” means___?

A. Never give a quick answer to an idealistic teenager.

B. Unless a child is realistic, never give an answer immediately.

C. Give an answer if the child is reasonable.

D. Don’t respond to a child's demands firmly without consideration.

4.What can we learn from the last paragraph?

A. The Salwens regretted selling their house.

B. The relationship between the family members of the Salwens is much closer.

C. Small houses can bring happiness.

D. The Salwens intend to buy another big house.

5.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A. Mercedes Coupe is only an ordinary car which is quite cheap.

B. Unselfishness has nothing to do with people’s primary satisfaction.

C. Hannah asked her parents to do something charitable and they sold their house.

D. The writer’s children asked him to sell their house.

 

Answer 1

1.D

2.A

3.D

4.B

5.C

【解析】

试题分析：这篇文章讲的是Kevin Salwen 受到女儿的启发，卖了自己的房子，换了小的，剩下的钱，用来帮助有需要的人，而他们自己的家庭也更加亲密了。

1.标题确定题：这篇文章讲的是Kevin Salwen 受到女儿的启发，卖了自己的房子，换了小的，剩下的钱，用来帮助有需要的人，正如文章的句子：Eventually, that’s what the family did. The project —crazy, impetuous （鲁莽的） and utterly inspiring这个做法有点疯狂但是激励人心，选 D

2.猜词题：从第二段的句子：they saw a black Mercedes Coupe on one side and a homeless man begging for food on the other.可知女儿看见的是不平等的事情，选A。

3.句意理解题：这句话的意思是：提醒：不要给一个理想主义的孩子这么大方的提议！所以是：不要不加考虑就回答一个孩子的要求，选D

4.细节题：从最后一段的句子：But after they downsized, there was much less space to retreat to, so the family members spent more time around each other. A smaller house unexpectedly turned out to be a more family-friendly house.可知Salwen 家人的关系更加亲密了，选B

5.细节题：从文章第六段的句子：Eventually, that’s what the family did. The project —crazy, impetuous （鲁莽的） and utterly inspiring可知Hannah 让父母做慈善的事情，他们卖了房子。选C。

考点：故事类阅读。