Question

Joker found one of the biggest diamonds in the world in his own back yard. He sold the stone to a diamond dealer for over three hundred thousand dollars. In New York, the diamond was resold. This time for almost eight hundred thousand dollars. The true value of a diamond is never known until it has been cut. Once cut successfully, its value can increase a thousand times. It’s easy to understand why the owner of the Joker diamond went to the best diamond cutter he knew, Kaplan. The cutter studied the diamond for twelve whole months.

When he felt he was ready to start work, he discovered a flaw (瑕疵). He had to begin with his calculations (计算) all over again, or he might have made the stone useless. Six more months passed, and Kaplan finally said to the owner, “I am ready to start my work. There will be one excellent diamond that will be comparable to any in the world, plus eleven small diamonds of first-class quality.” Kaplan waited a few more days until he felt he was in the best physical and mental (精神的) condition possible. He picked up his tools and held his breath as he made the first

blow. The diamond split (切开) exactly as he promised.

1.Joker found one of the biggest diamonds in the world _______.

A. in a minute B. at the foot of a big mountain

C. in his own backyard D. in a garage

2. A diamond dealer is a person _______,

A. in the diamond business B. who stores diamonds

C. who cuts diamonds D. who sells diamonds

3.When the diamond was resold, _______.

A. the dealer lost a lot of money

B. Joker made some more money

C. the dealer got 800,000 dollars

D. Kaplan got 800,000 dollars

4.The owner of the diamond thought that if the diamond was cut successfully it might be worth _______.

A. $300,000 B. $500, 000

C. $300, 000,000 D. $800, 000, 000

5.Kaplan studied the diamond for _______.

A. one and a half years B. more than half a year

C. over eighteen months D. more than nineteen months

Answer 1

1.C

2.A

3.C

4.D

5.C

【解析】

试题分析：文从Joker在后院发现世界上最大钻石之一这一事情说起，再转到钻石切割可以让钻石价值翻倍增长这一话题，描述了钻石切割的困难非比寻常及切割后钻石的珍贵。

1. found one of the biggest diamonds in the world in his own back yard.”中可以得出Joker从他的后院中找到世界上最大的钻石之一的钻石，故选C。

2. sold the stone to a diamond dealer for over three hundred thousand dollars. In New York, the diamond was resold.”中the diamond dealer钻石经销商是从事钻石商业的人，故选A。

3. New York, the diamond was resold. This time for almost eight hundred thousand dollars.”在纽约，这个钻石被重新出售，这一次卖了接近80万美元，故选C。

4. cut successfully, its value can increase a thousand times.”可以得出，切分成功可以得到8千万美元，故选D。

5. cutter studied the diamond for twelve whole months.切割者用整整12个月研究这个钻石。第二段第三句Six more months passed, and Kaplan finally said to the owner, “I am ready to start my work.”六个多月之后，Kaplan最后对拥有者说：“我已经准备好开始切割”可以得出切割者花了12个月加上6个多月的时间，即超过18个月的时间，故选C。

考点：考查社会纪实类阅读