.阅读理解
On Nov. 30, 1835, Samuel Langhorne Clemens was welcomed into the world as the sixth child of John Marshall and Jane Lampton Clemens. Little did John and Jane know, their son Samuel would one day be known as Mark Twain—America's most famous literary(文学) icon(偶像).
Samuel's father was a judge, and he built a twostory frame house at 206 Hill Street in 1844. As a child, Samuel was kept indoors because of poor health. However, at the age of nine, he seemed to recover from his ailments and then attended a private school in Hannibal.
When Samuel was 12，his father died of pneumonia(肺炎), and at 13，Samuel left school to become a printer's apprentice(学徒). After two short years, he joined his brother Orion's newspaper as a printer and an editorial assistant. It was there that young Samuel found he enjoyed writing.
At 17, he left Hannibal for a printer' s job in St. Louis. While in St. Louis，Samuel became a river pilot' s apprentice. He became a licensed river pilot in 1858. Samuel's pen name, Mark Twain，comes from his days as a river pilot. It is a river term which means, 12 feet when the depth of water for a boat is being measured. “Mark Twain” means that is safe to navigate(航行).
In 1861，Samuel began working as a newspaper reporter for several newspapers all over the United States. In 1870, he married Olivia Langdon.
Mark Twain began to gain fame when his story, The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County appeared in The New York Saturday Press on November 18, 1865. Mark Twain's first book, The Innocents Abroad, was published in 1869, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer in 1876, and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in 1885. He wrote 28 books and numerous short stories, letters and other articles.
Mark Twain passed away on April 21, 1910, but has a following still today. His childhood home is open to the public as a museum in Hannibal. Walking tours are given in New York City of places that Mark Twain visited near his birthday every year.
文章大意：本文主要介绍了马克·吐温的人生经历。
1.What does the underlined word “ailments” refer to?
A.Injury. B.Pressure.
C.Sadness. D.Illness.
答案：D 词义猜测题。从第二段第二、三句推测这里指他的疾病痊愈了，能去上学了，故选D。
2.Which of the following is the correct order according to the passage?
a.Samuel Clemens left school to become a printer' s apprentice.
b.Samuel Clemens became a licensed river pilot.
c.Samuel Clemens attended a private school in Hannibal.
d.Samuel Clemens' first book The Innocents Abroad was published.
e.Samuel Clemens began working as a newspaper reporter.
f.Samuel Clemens married Olivia Langdon.
A.a，b，c，d，e，f B.c，a，b，e，d，f
C.c，a，b，e，f，d D.a，c，b，e，f，d
答案：B 事件排序题。分析全文可知，马克·吐温先后经历了：读小学;辍学当印刷学徒工;当水手;当报社记者;第一本书出版;与Olivia Langdon结婚。
3.What can we know from the passage?
A. Samuel Clemens' parents had found his great talent for writing.
B.Samuel Clemens had good health in his childhood.
C.Before his first book，Mark Twain published his writing.
D.Mark Twain wrote 28 short stories in total.
答案：C 细节理解题。根据第一段第二句可知A项与原文内容不符;马克·吐温童年身体不健康，B项与原文内容不符;马克·吐温在第一本书出版前，就在《纽约周六报刊》发表了《卡城名蛙》，C项与原文内容相符;马克·吐温写了28本书和许多短篇小说以及其他作品等，D项与原文内容不符。
4.Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?
A. How “Mark Twain” came about.
B.Samuel Clemens' main works during his life.
C.What jobs Samuel Clemens ever did.
D.The person who encouraged Samuel Clemens to write.
答案：D 细节理解题。文章第四段第四、五、六句提到马克·吐温笔名的来历;第六段提到他的主要作品;第三、四、五段均提到他做过的工作，只有D项在文中没有提及。
