Question

【題目】In the United States, when one becomes rich, he wants people to know it. And even if he does not become very rich, he wants people to think that he is. That is what “keeping up with the Joneses” is about. It is the story of someone who tried to look as rich as his neighbors.

The expression was first used in 1913 by a young American called Arthur Momand. He told this story about himself. He began earning $ 125 a week at the age of 23. That was a lot of money in those days. He got married and moved with his wife to a very wealthy neighborhood outside New York City. When he saw that rich people rode horses, Momand went horseback riding every day. When he saw that rich people had servants, Momand and his wife also hired a servant and gave big parties for their new neighbors.

It was like a race, but one could never finish his race because one was always trying to keep up. The race ended for Momand and his wife when they could no longer pay for their new way of life. They moved back to an apartment in New York City.

Momand looked around him and noticed that many people do things just to keep up with rich lifestyle of their neighbors. He saw the funny side of it and started to write a series of short stories. He called it “Keeping up with the Joneses” because “Jones” is a very common name in the United States. “Keeping up with the Joneses” came to mean keeping up with rich lifestyle of the people around you. Momand’s series appeared in different newspapers across the country for over 28 years.

People never seem to get tired of keeping up with the Joneses. And there are “Joneses” in every city of the world. But one must get tired of trying to keep up with the Joneses because no matter what one does, Mr. Jones always seems to be ahead.

【1】Some people want to keep up with the Joneses because they .

A. want to be as rich as their neighbours

B. want others to know or to think that they are rich

C. don’t want others to know they are rich

D. want to be happy

【2】It can be inferred from the story that rich people like to .

A. live outside New York City B. live in New York City

C. live in apartments D. have many neighbours

【3】Arthur used the name “Jones” in his series of short stories because it is .

A. an important name B. a popular name in the United States

C. his neighbour’s name D. not a good name

【4】According to the writer, it is to keep up with the Joneses.

A. correct B. interesting

C. impossible D. good

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】B

【2】A

【3】B

【4】C

【解析】試題分析：本文敘述了一個習語“Keeping up with the Joneses”的意思及來歷。在美國人們希望人們認為他是富有的，富人做什么，他們就做什么。這個習語是有美國人Arthur Momand.在1913年首次使用的。他當時就學富人一樣去生活，結(jié)果從繁華的富人區(qū)搬到了紐約市區(qū)一個公寓里。一個人一定會厭倦了試圖趕上別人,因為無論他做了什么，似乎總是領先，因此趕上富人是不可能的。

【1】推理判斷題。根據(jù)第一段的And even if he does not become very rich, he wants people to think that he is即使他沒有變得非常富有,他希望人們認為他是富有的。故選B。

【2】推理判斷題。根據(jù)第二段的He got married and moved with his wife to a very wealthy neighbourhood outside New York City他結(jié)婚了,和妻子搬到紐約以外有錢人住的區(qū)域。從中可知有錢人住在紐約市區(qū)外。故選A。

【3】細節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)第三段的 He called it “Keeping up with the Joneses” because “Jones” is a very common name in the United States. 故選B。

【4】推理判斷題。最后一段的But one must get tired of trying to keep up with the Joneses because no matter what one does, Mr. Jones always seems to be ahead.但是一個人一定會厭倦了試圖趕上別人,因為無論他做了什么,瓊斯先生（富人）似乎總是領先。從中可知趕上富人是不可能的。故選C。