13.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 1913by a young American called Arthur Momand.He told this story about himself.He began earning $ 125a 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 28years.
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.
24.Some people want to keep up with the Joneses because theyD.
A.want to be as rich as their neighbors
B.want to be happy
C.don't want others to know they are rich
D.want others to know or to think that they are rich
25.It can be inferred (推斷) from the story that rich people like toC.
A.live in apartments
B.live in New York city
C.live outside New York City
D.have many neighbors
26Arthur Momand used the name"Jones"in his series of short stories because"Jones"isB.
A.a(chǎn)n important name
B.a(chǎn) popular name in the United States
C.his neighbor's name
D.not a good name
27.According to the writer,it isA to keep up with the Joneses.
A.impossible
B.interesting
C.correct
D.good.
分析 在美國,當一個人變得富有,他想讓人們知道.即使他不會變得非常富有,他希望人們認為他是富有的.這就是"跟上鄰居".這是這個故事的人想看起來像他的鄰居一樣富有.人似乎從不厭倦跟上鄰居.還有在世界每一個城市的"鄰居".但人們必須厭倦試圖趕上別人,因為無論什么人,瓊斯先生似乎總是領先.
解答 24.D.細節(jié)理解題.根據(jù)原文: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.可知,當一個人變得富有,他想讓人們知道.即使他不會變得非常富有,他希望人們認為他是富有的.故選D.
25.C.細節(jié)理解題.根據(jù)原文:He got married and moved with his wife to a very wealthy neighborhood outside New York City.可知,他結婚,和他的妻子搬到紐約市外,那有一個非常富有的鄰居.同時結合現(xiàn)實富有的人都喜歡居住在別墅,故選C.
26.B.細節(jié)理解題.根據(jù)He called it"Keeping up with the Joneses"because"Jones"is a very common name in the United States可知,之所以使用Jones一名是因為在美國這是一個很普遍的名字.故選B.
27.A.細節(jié)理解題.結合全文的理解,對于追趕鄰居的活動是不可能的,從對亞瑟•蒙德的描述中就體現(xiàn)了這一點.故選A.
點評 本文是一篇人物故事類閱讀,題目涉及多道細節(jié)理解題.做題時學生應仔細閱讀原文,把握文章主要內(nèi)容,聯(lián)系文章上下文內(nèi)容并結合所給選項含義,從中選出正確答案,一定要做到有理有據(jù),切忌胡亂猜測.