安徽省蚌埠市2012届高考英语专题总复习精选阅读理解强化集（39）阅读理解AInNovember1965,NewYorkwasblackedoutbyanelectricityfailure．Thegovernmentofficialspromisedthatitwouldnothappenagain．Pessimists（悲观者）werecertainthatitwouldoccuragainwithinfiveyearsatthelatest．InJuly1977,therewasarepeatperformancewhichproduceddifferentdegreesofdisorderthroughoutthecityof8,000,000people．In1965,thefailureoccurredinthecoolautumnandatatimeofpeaceandgoodsituation．In1977,thefailurewasmuchmoreseriousbecauseitcamewhenthenumberofpeopleoutofworkwaslargeandthecitywassufferingfromoneofitsworstheatwaves．In1965therewaslittlestealingduringthedarkness,andfewerthan100peoplewerecaughtbythepolice．In1977,hundredsofstoreswerebrokenintoandstolen．Theybrokeshopwindowsandhelpedthemselvestojewellery,clothesortelevisionsets,nearly400peopleweresenttothepolicebutfarmoredisappearedintothedarknessofthenight．Thenumberofpolicemenathandwasfarfromenoughandtheywerewiselystoppedfromusingtheirgunsagainstthemobs（暴徒）thatwerefarmorethanthemandthatincludedarmedmen．Hospitalshadtotreathundredsofpeoplecutbyglassfromshopwindows．Banksandmostbusinessesremainedclosedthenextday．Theblackoutstartedat9:33p．m．,whenlightninghitandknockedoutvitalcables（关键的电缆）．Manystoreswerethuscaughtbysurprise．ThevastmajorityofNewYorkers,however,triedtohelpstrangers,handedoutcandles,andtriedtogetthroughthedarkworldwithouttrafficlights,refrigerators,waterandelectricalpower．For24hours,NewYorkrealizedhowhelplessitwaswithoutelectricity．1．Lookatthefirstparagraph．Whowereright,thegovernmentofficialsorthepessimists?A．ThegovernmentofficialsB．ThepessimistsC．BothD．Neither．2．Inwhatwaywastheblackoutof1977differentfromthatof1965?A．TherewasmuchmoredisorderB．Thistimetheelectricitysupplyfailed．C．ItwasquiteunexpectedD．Itcameinthecoolautumn．3．Whydidmanypersonsmanagetoescapethepolice?A．Becausethepolicecouldnotseetheminthedarkness．B．Manyofthemcarriedguns．C．TherewerenotenoughpolicementocatchthemallD．Theywerehiddeninsidebigbuildings．4．The1977NewYorkelectricityfailurelasted______．A．awholeweekB．twenty-fourhoursC．threedaysD．awholenight．B用心爱心专心1Aftergivingatalkatahighschool,Iwasaskedtopayavisittoaspecialstudent．Anillnesshadkepttheboyhome,buthehadexpressedaninterestinmeetingme,anditwouldmeanagreatdealtohim．Iagreed．Duringthenine-miledrivetohishome,IfoundoutsomethingaboutMatthew．Hehadmusculardystrophy（肌肉萎缩症）．Whenhewasborn,thedoctortoldhisparentsthathewouldnotlivetoseefive,thentheyweretoldhewouldnotmakeittoten．Nowhewasthirteen．HewantedtomeetmebecauseIwasagold-medalweightlifter,andIknewaboutovercomingobstaclesandgoingformydreams．IspentoveranhourtalkingtoMatthew．Neveroncedidhecomplainorask,“Whyme?”Hespokeaboutwinningandsucceedingandgoingforhisdreams．Obviously,heknewwhathewastalkingabout．Hedidn’tmentionthathisclassmateshadmadefunofhimbecausehewasdifferent．Hejusttalkedabouthishopesforthefuture,andhowonedayhewantedtoliftweightwithme．Whenwefinishedtalking,IwenttomybriefcaseandpulledoutthefirstgoldmedalIwonandputitaroundhisneck．ItoldhimhewasmoreofawinnerandknewmoreaboutsuccessandovercomingobstaclesthanIeverwould．Helookedatitforamoment,thentookitoffandhandeditbacktome．Hesaid,“Youareachampion．Youearnedthatmedal．SomedaywhenIgettotheOlympicsandwinmyownmedal,Iwillshowittoyou．”LastsummerIreceivedaletterfrom...
