2．In eighteen seventy-seven，the American government decided to move the Nez Perce Indians from their land．The government had set up a reservation for them in Idaho．Chief Joseph did not want to leave the land．It was holy ground．It contained the bones of his father and mother．
But，like his father in earlier times，Chief Joseph knew it would be hopeless to stay and defend the land．There were too few Indians to win a war against the white men．
And so in June of eighteen seventy-seven，the Nez Perce left their home in the Wallowa Valley．They left quickly．They were able to take only a small part of what they owned，and just a few cattle and Appaloosa horses．
When the Indians reached the Snake River，the water was very deep and ran very fast with melted snow from the mountains．Chief Joseph and his people made boats from sticks and dried animal skins to cross the river．While the Indians were busy，a group of white men came and stole some of the cattle waiting at the edge of the river．
The other chiefs demanded that Joseph call a meeting．Two of the chiefs，White Bird and Toohoolhoolzote，spoke for War，but Joseph held different opinion．
Some of the young men in White Bird's group were very angry．That night，they rode into the countryside and killed eleven white persons．
During all his years as chief，Joseph had tried to keep the peace．Now he saw there was no hope．Although he and his young men had taken no part in the killings，he knew that the white men would blame all of the Indians．Chief Joseph said，"I would have given my own life if I could have undone the killing of the white men．"
Many Nez Perce fled．Chief Joseph remained，because his wife was about to have a baby．After she gave birth，he and his family joined the others in White Bird Canyon to the south．
Joseph wanted to lead the people to safety in the flat lands of Montana．But the United States army quickly sent horse soldiers to follow them．
They were extremely tired when they reached White Bird Canyon．An Indian-carrying a white flag-walked forward to meet them．A soldier shot him．
With that shot，war between the Nez Perce and the United States began．
56．Why didn't Chief Joseph want to leave the land？C
A．He thought the reservation in Idaho wasn't satisfying．
B．He didn't want to be separated from his parents．
C．He had special feeling for the land where he was living．
D．He didn't want to live with the white men．
57．Which of the following is TRUE？C
A．Before they left their home，the Nez Perce had only a few cattle and Appaloosa horses．
B．Chief Joseph and his people were unwilling to cross the deep river．
C．When the Indians reached the Snake River，it was very hard for them to cross it．
D．While the Indians were waiting by the river，a group of white men stole some of the cattle．
58．From the passage we can infer thatD．
A．chief Joseph knew it would be hopeless to defend the land
B．white men often killed some Indians
C．chief Joseph was afraid of white men
D．conflicts often happened between the Indians and the white
59．After some of the young men in White Bird's group killed eleven white persons，D．
A．Chief Joseph blamed White Bird
B．Chief Joseph tried his best to keep peace
C．All the Nez Perce fled
D．The United States army wanted to revenge（報仇）
60．What might be the title of the passage？A
A．The story of Chief Joseph．
B．The American Civil War．
C．Chief Joseph and his children．
D．The Nez Perce Indians．
分析 本文屬于記敘文，圍繞Chief Joseph的故事展開，講述了美國當時遷徙的大概過程，以及印第安人與白人經(jīng)常發(fā)生沖突．
解答 56．C 細節(jié)理解題．由第一段最后兩句"Chief Joseph did not want to leave the land．It was holy ground．It contained the bones of his father and mother"可知，他們對這片生活過的土地有特殊的情感．故選C．
57．C 細節(jié)理解題．由第四段第一句"When the Indians reached the Snake River，the water was very deep and ran very fast with melted snow from the mountains．"可知當印第安人到達蛇河時卻發(fā)現(xiàn)很難穿過．故選C．
58．D 推理判斷題．通過全文可知印第安人與白人經(jīng)常發(fā)生沖突．故選D．A項第二段中"Chief Joseph knew it would be hopeless to stay and defend the land．"明確提到，并非判斷．B項文章中并未提到．由第七段"I would have given my own life if I could have undone the killing of the white men．"可知Chief Joseph并不懼怕白人，而是為族人的命運擔憂．故選D．
59．D 推理判斷題．根據(jù)倒數(shù)第四段，"I would have given my own life if I could have undone the killing of the white men．"美國軍隊想報仇．故選D．
60．A 主旨大意題．由文章大意可知，本文主要圍繞Chief Joseph的故事展開，因此A項最佳．故選A．
點評 做閱讀理解題時，首先快速瀏覽全文，掌握主旨大意，推理判斷題不可以自己的主觀判斷為做題依據(jù)，要以文章事實為主．
