A
I had been burning some leaves as part of my housework, unfortunately the fire grew, and grew...I wasn’t one to panic, but my fun had turned to fear and desperation, and I realized help was needed. So while I still beat at the flames with my shovel (铲), I gave up my pride, turned my face to the house, and began to shout for Mom.
By now, the flames behind me had crawled through the rocky area, ran through thick grass, and now were halfway to the big ditch (沟渠). Fire was everywhere.
“We’ll have to let the hill go,” Mom said when I reached her. “Have to. We can’t stop it there.” Her voice was lower than usual, and controlled. Mom was known as an enthusiastic person in everyday conversation. But in time of emergency, she was calm. I’d seen it once when I cut my foot and we had trouble getting the bleeding stopped; another time when Dad developed a serious illness and his face and throat started swelling up-as if dying! Mom was using that controlled voice right now.” Help me here, Jamie. Over here.”
She was already in action, stopping flames with each throw of her wet blanket. But it was like trying to stop a flood with a sponge (海绵)—it just wasn’t fast enough.
A flood! That was it! I was extremely clever! “Here, Mom. I've got it! I know what to do,” I shouted. Our garden channel could save us. My shovel made four or five quick digs into the bank, and in a moment the stream was rushing across the small field.
The effect was impressive. The fire immediately lost its power as its roots were killed. In one place fire had come within a few feet of the fence, but to our relief, nowhere had the wood or the brush been touched.
21. It is suggested in Paragraph 2 that the flames are______.
A. moving faster. B. growing higher. C. getting hotter. D. roaring louder.
22. The two examples in Paragraph 3 are given to .
A. support that Mom is a doctor with excellent skills.
B. prove that Mom is always active in daily conversation.
C. show that Mom is capable of dealing with difficulty calmly.
D. indicate that there are too many troubles in the author's family.
23. What kind of person is the writer?
A. wise but naughty. B. practical but incapable.
C. calm and caring. D. courageous and quick-minded.
【答案】21. A 22. C 23. D
【解析】这是一篇记叙文。文章主要讲了作者烧树叶的时候，不小心着火了，火势蔓延很快。妈妈很镇定地帮助作者阻止火势蔓延，最终作者想出用花园中的水渠来灭火。
21. 推理判断题。根据第二段“By now, the flames behind me had crawled through the rocky area, ran through thick grass, and now were halfway to the big ditch (沟渠). Fire was everywhere.” 现在，火焰在我身后爬过岩石区域， 穿过草丛， 现在一半到了沟渠。到处是火。可知火焰的移动速度非常快，故选A项。
22. 推理判断题。根据第三段“Mom was known as an enthusiastic person in everyday conversation. But in time of emergency, she was calm.” 在日常谈话中，妈妈被认为是一个热情的人。但在紧急情况下，她很镇静。后面说到我受伤妈妈帮我止血和爸爸生病的例子，都是对该句的解释，说明妈妈能够很镇定地解决困难。故选C项。
23. 推理判断题。根据第五段“A flood! That was it! I was extremely clever! “Here, Mom. I've got it! I know what to do,” I shouted. Our garden channel could save us.” “洪水！就是它！我太聪明了！在这里，妈妈。我懂了！我知道该怎么做。”我喊道。“我们的花园中的水渠可以拯救我们”，由这里可知，作者通过洪水想出了用花园水渠救火，所以作者思维很敏捷，面对大火不害怕，也体现了很勇敢，故选D 项。
