Unit 2
Passage One
Every object tells a story. Even the most ordinary objects can present us with powerful images. Sometimes it is the ordinary nature of these objects that actually makes them so extraordinary. Such is the case with an old leather shoe in a museum in Alaska. At first glance it does not look like much. It is a woman’s shoe of a style popular in the 1890s. But what is unique about this shoe is where it was found. It was discovered on the Chilkoot Pass, the famous trail used by the people seeking gold in Alaska. Who it belonged to or why it was left there is not known. Was it perhaps dropped by accident as the woman climbed up the 1,500 stairs carved out of ice? Or did she throw away goods that she didn’t need in order to travel lighter?
Over 100,000 people with “gold fever” made this trip hoping to become millionaires. Few of then understood that on their way they would have to cross a harsh wilderness. Unprepared for such a dangerous journey, many died of starvation and exposure to the cold weather. The Canadian government finally started requiring the gold seekers to bring one ton of supplies with them. This was thought to be enough for a person to survive for one year. They would carry their supplies in backpacks each weighing up to fifty pounds; it usually took at least 40 trips to get everything to the top and over the pass. Whoever dropped the shoe must have been a brave and determined woman. Perhaps she was successful and made it to Alaska. Perhaps she had to turn back in defeat. No one will ever know for sure, but what we do know is that she took part in one of the greatest adventures in the 19th century.
1. The ordinary woman’s leather shoe is considered unusual because __________.
A. it is an important clue to life in the past
B. it was found near a famous trail
C. it at one time belonged to a VIP
D. it was a fashionable shoe at that time
2. According to this passage, many people who went to Alaska _____________.
A. eventually became millionaires
B. brought with them many shoes
C. had conflicts with the Eskimos
D. were not properly equipped
3. The Canadian government made gold seekers bring one year’s supplies with them so that __________.
A. they would not die of hunger and cold
B. the army would have enough food for fighting a war
C. they could trade these goods with the Eskimos
D. the supplies would make Alaska prosperous
4. No matter what happened to the woman who owned the shoe, _________.
A. she must have lived a happy life
B. she certainly dropped the shoe on purpose
C. her adventurous spirit is definitely admirable
D. her other shoes were equally fashionable
5. The author of this passage would like us to remember that _________.
A. “gold fever” was not worth the lives of many people
B. simple objects can stimulate our imagination
C. lost shoes should be sent to museums for exhibition
D. Alaska was not a place suitable for making a living
Passage Two
Like many of my generation, I have a weakness for hero worship. At some point, however, we all begin to question our heroes and our need for them. This leads us to ask: What is a hero?
Despite immense differences in cultures, heroes around the world generally share a number of characteristics that instruct and inspire people.
A hero does something worth talking about. A hero has a story of adventure to tell and a community who will listen. But a hero goes beyond mere fame.
Heroes serve powers or principles larger than themselves. Like high-voltage transformers, heroes take the energy of higher powers and step it down so that it can be used by ordinary people.
The hero lives a life worthy of imitation. Those who imitate a genuine hero experience life with new depth, enthusiasm, and meaning. A sure test for would-be heroes is what or whom do they serve? What are they willing to live and die for? If the answer or evidence suggests they serve only their own fame, they may be famous persons but not heroes. Madonna and Michael Jackson are famous, but who would claim that their fans find life more abundant?
Heroes are catalysts (催化剂) for change. They have a vision from the mountaintop. They have the skill and the charm to move the masses. They create new possibilities. Without Gandhi, India might still be part of the British Empire. Without Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr., we might still have segregated (隔离的) buses, restaurants, and parks. It may be possible for large-scale change to occur without leaders with magnetic personalities, but the pace of change would be slow, the vision uncertain, and the committee meetings endless.
6. Although heroes may come from different cultures, they ________.
A. generally possess certain inspiring characteristics
B. probably share some weaknesses of ordinary people
C. are often influenced by previous generations
D. all unknowingly attract a large number of fans（A）
7. According to the passage, heroes are compared to high-voltage transformers in that ________.
A. they have a vision from the mountaintop
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