主标题：河南专升本，专升本英语阅读理解练习(12.13)

　　Benjamin West, the father of American painting, showed his talent for art when he was only six years of age. But he hadn't known about brushes before a visitor told him he needed one. In those days, a brush was made of camels' hair. There were no camels nearby. Benjamin decided that cat hair would work instead. He cut some fur from the family cat to make a brush.

　　The brush did not last long. Soon Benjamin needed more fur. Before long, the cat began to look ragged(参差不齐的). His father said that the cat must be sick. Benjamin was forced to admit what he had been doing.

　　The cat's life was about to improve. That year, one of Benjamin's cousins came to visit. He was impressed with Benjamin's drawings. When he went home, he sent Benjamin a box of paints and some brushes. He also sent six engravings(版画) by an artist. These were the first pictures and first real paints and brushes Benjamin had ever seen.

　　When Benjamin was nine years old, his cousin returned for another visit. He was amazed at what Benjamin had done with his gift. He asked Benjamin's parents if he could take the boy back to Philadelphia for a visit.

　　In the city, this cousin gave Benjamin materials for creating oil paintings. The boy began a landscape painting. William Williams, a well-known painter, came to see him work. Williams was impressed with Benjamin and gave him two classic books on painting to take home. The books were long and dull. Benjamin could read only a little, having been a poor student. But he later said, “Those two books were my companions by day, and under my pillow at night.” While it is likely that he understood very little of the books, they were his introduction to classical paintings. The nine-year-old boy decided then that he would be an artist.

　　问题：

　　1.What is the passage mainly about?

　　A.Benjamin's visit to Philadelphia.

　　B.Williams' influence on Benjamin.

　　C.The beginning of Benjamin's life as an artist.

　　D.The friendship between Benjamin and his cousin.

　　【参考答案】C

　　[考点]主旨大意题

　　【精析】C 通读全文可知，本文主要介绍了促使美国绘画之父Benjamin West决定成为画家的一些生活经历，即本文主要讲述了其画家生涯的开始。故选C。

　　2.Why did the cat look ugly?

　　A.Because it was sick.

　　B.Because its hair was cut.

　　C.Because it helped Benjamin make a brush.

　　D.Because its fur was made from camels' fur.

　　【参考答案】B

　　[考点]事实细节题

　　【精析】B 根据第一段最后一句“He cut some fur from the family cat to make a brush.”和第二段第三句“Before long, the cat began to look ragged.”可知，由于Benjamin从家猫身上剪毛做画笔，所以这只猫看起来毛发参差不齐、非常难看。故选B。

　　3.What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 3 suggest?

　　A.The cat would be closely watched.

　　B.The cat would get some medical care.

　　C.Benjamin would leave his home shortly.

　　D.Benjamin would have real brushes soon.

　　【参考答案】D

　　[考点]词语理解题

　　【精析】D 画线句位于第三段的段首，用于引出下文。根据下文内容可知，Benjamin的表亲之一来访，他对Benjamin的绘画有深刻的好印象，并且在回家后给Benjamin寄了绘画颜料、画笔和版画，这是Benjamin见过的第一批图画以及第一批真正的绘画颜料和画笔。由此可推知，“这只猫的生活即将改善了”暗示Benjamin很快就要有真正的画笔，他不必从家猫身上剪毛做画笔了。故选D。

　　4. What did the cousin do to help Benjamin develop his talent?

　　A.He took him to see painting exhibitions.

　　B.He provided him with painting materials.

　　C.He sent him to a school in Philadelphia.

　　D.He taught him how to make engravings.

　　【参考答案】B

　　[考点]事实细节题

　　【精析】B 根据第三段倒数第二、三句“When he went home, he sent Benjamin a box of paints and some brushes. He also sent six engravings by an artist.”和最后一段第一句“In the city, this cousin gave Benjamin materials for creating oil paintings.”可知，这位表亲给Benjamin寄了绘画颜料、画笔和版画，并且在费城时还给了Benjamin用来创作油画的材料，这些作画材料帮助Benjamin发展了自己的天赋。故选B。

　　5.Williams' two books helped Benjamin to ____.

　　A.master the use of paints

　　B.appreciate landscape paintings

　　C.get to know other painters

　　D.make up his mind to be a painter

　　【参考答案】D

　　[考点]事实细节题

　　【精析】D 根据最后一段最后两句“While it is likely that he understood very little of the books, they were his introduction to classical paintings. The nine-year-old boy decided then that he would be an artist.”可知，尽管Benjamin可能对这些书理解得很少，但它们是他古典绘画的入门读物，他当时决定自己将成为一名画家。故选D。