Question

The wedding took place in a Birmingham hotel. The bride and her father arrived in a new black American sports car. Her father looked nervous and uncomfortable in front of the cameras. The bride wore a silk wedding dress. She smiled nervously at the waiting photographers and went to a room on the first floor where she met her future husband for the very first time.

Carla Germaine and Greg Cordell were the winners of a radio station’s competition. The aim of the competition was to find two strangers prepared to marry without having met each other. Miss Germaine, 23, is a model. Mr. Cordell, 27, is a TV salesman. They were among the two hundred people who entered for a peculiar “experiment” organized by BMRB radio in Birmingham, England. Greg and Carla were among eight finalists who were interviewed live on radio. They took a lie detector test and the station also spoke to their friends and family about their personalities. The competition judges included an astrologer (占星家) who declared that they were suited.

The couple celebrated their wedding with a wedding breakfast and a party for 100 guests in the evening, but not everyone shared their joy. Miss Germaine’s mother looked anxious throughout the wedding and Mr. Cordell’s parents are reported to be less than delighted.

Organizations, including the marriage guidance service relate, have criticized the marriage. As one person put it, “we have enough problems getting young people to take marriage seriously without this. Marriage should always be about love.”

The couples are now on a Caribbean honeymoon followed by journalists. Their other prizes include a year’s free use of a wonderful apartment in the centre of Birmingham, and a car. But will it last?

1.What can we know about the couple from the passage?

A. The couple know each other before the wedding.

B. The bridegroom is a model and the bride is a TV salesman.

C. The bride is 4 years older than the bridegroom.

D. The couple can use an apartment free for some time as one of the prizes.

2. Some experts believe that ______ .

A. marriage without the couple’s meeting each other first ends up in divorce.

B. young people nowadays are too careless about marriage

C. taking a lie detector test can not solve all the marriage problems

D. most young people take marriage seriously except this couple

3. The goal of the competition was_______.

A. to find two strangers prepared to marry without having met each other

B. to win a free honeymoon

C. to win a year’s free use of a wonderful apartment

D. to make the radio station famous

4. Which of the following is the best title of the passage?

A. Two Strangers and a Wedding B. A Wedding Based on Love

C. A Short-lived Marriage D. A Well-Matched Couple

Answer 1

1.D

2.B

3.A

4.A

【解析】

试题分析：这篇新闻报道报道了一对新婚夫妇在结婚前没有见过面，完全是陌生人，并报道了婚姻专家们对此作出的看法。

1.D细节理解题。根据最后一段倒数第二句Their other prizes include a year’s free use of a wonderful apartment in the centre of Birmingham, and a car.他们的其他价格包括一年免费使用在市中心的一套漂亮公寓和一辆轿车。故选D。

2.细节理解题。短文倒数第二段最后两句说明，现在的年轻人对婚姻的态度很草率。A选项文中并没提及，而且事前没见面的婚姻也不一定以离婚而结束。D选项太过绝对，而且第二段专家的观点是针对目前普遍存在的现象，这对夫妻只是一个例子而已。答案为B。

3.这是一道细节题。最后一段第二句话告诉我们，他们的奖品还包括免费使用一套公寓和一辆汽车一年。答案为B。

3.A细节理解题。根据第二段第二句The aim of the competition was to find two strangers prepared to marry without having met each other.竞争的目的是要找到两个没有互相见过面而准备结婚的陌生人。故选A。

4.主旨大意题。这篇新闻报道报道了一对新婚夫妇在结婚前没有见过面，完全是陌生人(strangers)，并报道了婚姻专家们对此作出的看法。所以，题目应是Two Strangers and a Wedding。答案为A。

考点：考查新闻报道类阅读