4.The bicycling craze came in when we were just about at the right age to enjoy it.At first even"safety"bicycles were too dangerous and improper for ladies to ride,and they had to have tricycles.My mother had(I believe)the first female tricycle in Cambridge;and l had a little one,and we used to go out for family rides,all together;my father in front on a bicycle. and my poor brather Charles standing miserable on the bar behind lny mother.I found it very hard work.pounding(轰隆隆行进)away on my hard tyres;a glorious,but not a pleasurable pastinle.
Then,one day at lunch,my father said he had just seen a new kind of tyre,filled up,with air,and he thought it might be a success.And soon after that everyone had bicycles,ladies and all; and bicycling became the smart thing,and the lords and ladies had their pictures in the papers,riding along in the park,in straw hats.
My mother must have fallen off her bicycle ptetty often,for I remember seeing the most appalling cuts and bruises(青肿)on her legs.But she never complained,and always kept these accidents to herself.However,the great Mrs.Phillips,our cook,always knew all about them;as indeed she knew practically everything that ever happened.She used to draw us into the servants'hall to tell us privately:"Her Ladyship had a nasty fall yesterday;she cut both her knees and sprained her wrist.But don't Iet her know I told you."So we never dared say anything.Similar little accidents used to occur when,at the age of nearly Seventy,she insisted on learning to drive a car.She never mastered the art of reversing(倒车),and was in every way an unconventional and terrifying driver. Mrs.Phillips used then to tell us:"Her Ladyship ran into the back of a milk-cart yesterday;but it wasn't much hurt";or"A policeman stopped her Ladyship because she was on the wrong side of the road;but she said she didn't know what the white Line on the road meant,so he explained arld Let her go on."Mrs.Phillips must have had an excellent Intelligence Service at her command,for the stories were always true enough.
56.Women did not ride bicycles at first betauseB.
A.bicycling demanded too much hard work
B.bicycling was considered unsafe and unladylike
C.they preferred to ride tricycles
D.tricycles could carry young children as well
57.How did the writer feel about tricycles?A
A.They were very hard to ride.
B.Riding tricycles was an enjoyble arnusement.
C.They were not as fast as bicycles.
D.They were not proper for women to ride.
58.Cycling became popular whenB.
A.the writer's father popularized it B.air-filled tyres began to be used
C.noble people started enjoying it D.newspapers had pictures of cyclists
59.The writer admired Mrs.Phillips becauseD.
A.she was the best cook they had ever had
B.she was in command of all the setvants
C.she could keep secrets
D.she had an outstanding ability to gather information
60.The writer's mother often had car accidents becauseA.
A.she could not control the car well B.she was very old then
C.she ignored the traffic signs D.she behaved too proudly.
分析 本文作者通过自己的亲身经历讲述了自行车发展史,从刚开始流行到现在的人们都能接受骑自行车的大潮流,连作者的母亲也开始学骑自行车了.
解答 56.B.细节理解题.根据文章第一段"At first even"safety"bicycles were too dangerous and improper for ladies to ride"可知,起初人们认为自行车不安全.故选B.
57.A.细节理解题.根据文章第一段"I found it very hard work.pounding away on my hard tyres;a glorious,but not a pleasurable pastinle."可知,作者认为三轮车很难骑,骑它很不愉快.故选A.
58.B.细节理解题.根据文章第二段"my father said he had just seen a new kind of tyre,filled up,with air,and he thought it might be a success.And soon after that everyone had bicycles,ladies and all;"可知,正是充气的轮胎出现以后,自行车才真正受欢迎.故选B.
59.D.细节理解题.根据文章第三段"Mrs.Phillips,our cook,always knew all a hout them"可知,她知道很多小道消息,收集信息的能力很强.故选D.
60.A.细节理解题.根据文章最后一段"remember seeing the most appalling cuts and bruises(青肿)on her legs."和"She never mastered the art of reversing"可知,她经常摔下来,说明她并不能好好的控制自行车,而且她不能好好的控制倒车等开车技能.故选A.
点评 本文是考察学生历史文化类阅读理解文章.这类文章常涉及历史、文化、法制、宗教等方面的文学艺术、发明创造、文化遗产保护、宗教与文化、风俗与习惯、道德与法制、中外文学名著节选、等等.这类材料的命题点往往落在主旨大意题、事实细节题上.