2022中考英语复习精品资料超值阅读练习33 InasmallvillageinEnglandabout150yearsago,amailcoach(邮车)wasstandingonthestreet.Aroundthecoachmanypeopleweretalkingtooneanotheraboutit. Mailcoachdidnotcometothatvillagesoofteninthosedays.Peoplehadtopayalotofmoneytogetaletter.Thepersonwhosenttheletterdidnothavetopay.Thepersonwhogottheletterhadtopaythepostage(邮资). “Here’saletterforMissAliceBrown,”saidthemailman.Everyoneturnedtoagirlofabouteighteenwhowasstandingbythecoach.“I’mAliceBrown,”shesaidinalowvoice.Themailmangavehertheletter. Alicelookedattheenvelopeforaminute,andthenhandeditbacktothemailman. “I’msorryIcan’ttakeit,”shesaid.“Idon’thaveenoughmoneytopaythepostage.” Thepeoplestandingaroundwereverysorryforthegirl.Theyweresilentforawhile.ThenagentlemancameuptothemailmanandpaidthepostageforAlice’sletter. Whenthegentlemangavehertheletter,shesaidwithasmile,“Oh,thankyouverymuch,sir.ThisletterisfromtheyoungmanI’mgoingtomarry.HisnameisTom.HewenttoLondontolookforwork.Hehastogetenoughmoneyforourmarriage(结婚).I’vewaitedalongtimeforthisletter,butnowdon’tneedit.Idon’thavetoopentheenvelopebecausethereisnothinginside.” “Really?”thegentlemansaidinsurprise.“Howdoyouknowthat?”“Hetoldmethathewouldputsomesignsontheenvelope.Look,sir,thiscrossinthecornermeansthatheiswell,andthiscirclemeanshehasfoundwork.That’sverygoodnews.” ThegentlemanwasSirRowlandHill.HedidnotforgetAliceandherletter. “Thepostagetobepaidbythereceiverhastobechanged,”hesaidtohimself.Hethoughtandthoughtformanyyears.Atlasthehadagoodplan.-3-\n “Thepostagehastobemuchlower,”hesaid.“Whataboutapenny(便士)foraletter?Andthepersonwhosendstheletterpaysthepostage.Hehastobuyastampandputitontheenvelope.” “Agoodidea!”peoplesaidwhentheyheardofhisplan. TheGovernmentdecidedtoadopt(采纳)theplan.Thefirstpostagestampwasputoutin1840.Itwascalledthe“PennyBlack”.IthadapictureoftheQueenonit. 1.Thefirstpostagestampwasmade________. A.inEnglandB.inAmericaC.byAliceD.in1910 2.Thegirlhandedtheletterbacktothemailmanbecause______. A.shedidnotknowwhoseletteritwas B.theletterhadalreadytoldherwhatshewantedtoknow C.shecouldnotpaythepostage D.thegentlemanpromisedtopaythepostageforher 3.Whenthegirlreturnedthelettertothemailman_____.A.thepeoplearoundherfeltsorryforher B.thepeoplethoughtthatthegirlwastoopoorC.noneofthemwantedtopaythepostageforher D.thepeoplewasangrywiththegirl 4.AliceknewhowTomwasgettingfromthesignsontheenvelopebecause______. A.TomhadtoldherwhatthesignsmeantbeforeleavingforLondon B.Alicewascleverandcouldguessthemeaningofthesigns C.Alicehadputthesignsontheenvelopeherself D.TomhadputthesignsasAlicehadtoldhimto 5.Theideaofusingstampswasfoundby______.A.thegovernmentB.SirRowlandHillC.AliceBrownD.Tom-3-\n【答案与解析】这是一篇关于付资邮票起源的历史小故事。故事发生在一百多年前的英国。当时的情况是，写信人不用付邮资，收信人在收到信件时才付邮资，且邮资十分昂贵。一位小姐收到男友的来信，看了看信封又交给了邮差。她说自己付不起钱。这时一位名叫SirRowlandHill的绅士替她付了钱。接下来，这位小姐便给大家讲了自己不拆开信的缘由和一个很感动人的故事。SirRowlandHill.从这件事上很受启发。他决定改变这种状况。后来政府采纳了SirRowlandHill.的建议，于是世界上第一枚付资邮票从些便产生了。 1.A。文末“Thefirstpostagestampwasputoutin1840.”一句只是讲了第一枚邮票是1840年发行的，并未说出发明人是谁。考虑到故事发生在150年前的英国，故唯有A才符合题意。 2.B。姑娘将信递给邮差发生在SirRowlandHill帮她付邮资之前，故选项D不对。根据姑娘所做的解释，答案显然非B莫属。 3.A。答案就在“Thepeoplestandingaroundwereverysorryforthegirl.”之中。 4.A。由“Hetoldmethathewouldputsomesignsontheenvelope.”一句及下面的说明，不难想象这是在小伙子离开伦敦时就告诉过姑娘的。5.B。SirRowlandHill从姑娘所讲的故事中受到启发，决定改变一下由收信人付费的方式。选项A有较大的迷惑性，但考虑到“TheGovernmentdecidedtoadopttheplan.”可予以排除。-3-
