四、完形填空
“Hey, how are you doing? I’m Courtney. What grade are you in? What’s your favourite book? *Elephant and Piggy*? Yeah, I got it.”
If you think you have walked into a library with a 1 like that, you are exactly wrong. 2, you’ve entered the workplace of Courtney Holmes, known as the Storybook Barber(理发师).
Two years ago, his small town held its first yearly Back to School Party, offering needy families a 3 to learn about free resources in the community. Holmes, a warm-hearted barber agreed to take part. Though he was very busy, he chose to donate his 4 to give free haircuts to needy kids so that they’d look tidy on that first day of school. Suddenly, a(n) 5 went through his mind, “The kids should go on getting their free 6 by having to read a book to me.”
The idea was so 7 that he continued it for the next two years. Kids aged 5—10 would grab a favourite book, sit in the barber chair, and 8 while Holmes snipped(剪). If they stuttered(结结巴巴) over a word, Holmes was there to 9.
After the haircut, they’d 10 the books, from the characters and vocabulary to the themes—just like in school, only more fun. Holmes realized that not every 11 had the time to read with their kids. He had a talk with his neighbour Mr Smith, “You have four kids, and you are so 12 that sitting down and listening to them read is the last thing you have time to do. Just bring in your kids and let them read to 13.”
Holmes added, “I, too, 14 the free snip-and-reads. Last month, there was a seven-year-old boy, Bob, who tried hard to read through his book, stuttering over words, and then I asked the boy to take the book home and practise. 15 the kid came back a few days later, he read it with no problems. That inspires me.”
()1. A. surprise
B. question
C. greeting
D. suggestion
()2. A. As usual
B. In fact
C. In general
D. Above all
()3. A. job
B. thought
C. possibility
D. chance
()4. A. money
B. books
C. time
D. hair
()5. A. courage
B. imagination
C. story
D. idea
()6. A. haircut
B. education
C. books
D. resource
()7. A. important
B. necessary
C. popular
D. interesting
()8. A. read aloud
B. have chats
C. have fun
D. think hard
()9. A. stop
B. beat
C. help
D. laugh
()10. A. review
B. read
C. write
D. create
()11. A. barber
B. neighbour
C. teacher
D. parent
()12. A. happy
B. busy
C. worried
D. energetic
()13. A. me
B. you
C. us
D. them
()14. A. know
B. enjoy
C. need
D. join
()15. A. Since
B. When
C. Before
D. Until

四、1-5 CBDCD 6-10 ACACA 11-15 DBABB

【解析】
1. 第1空：根据前文的问候对话“Hey, how are you doing? I’m Courtney...”可知这是问候语，故选C。
2. 第2空：前文的想法是错误的，此处需纠正说明实际情况，In fact（事实上）符合语境，故选B。
3. 第3空：固定搭配“give sb a chance to do sth”表示“给某人做某事的机会”，社区为贫困家庭提供了解免费资源的机会，故选D。
4. 第4空：由“Though he was very busy”可知，他是贡献自己的时间为贫困孩子免费剪发，故选C。
5. 第5空：根据后文的具体想法描述，可知是一个念头（idea）闪过他的脑海，故选D。
6. 第6空：前文提到免费剪发，此处指孩子通过读书来获得免费剪发的机会，故选A。
7. 第7空：由“he continued it for the next two years”可知这个想法很受欢迎，故选C。
8. 第8空：根据前文“by having to read a book to me”，可知孩子要大声读（read aloud）书给理发师听，故选A。
9. 第9空：当孩子结巴时，理发师会帮忙（help），符合语境，故选C。
10. 第10空：剪发后孩子回顾（review）书里的角色、词汇和主题，符合文意，故选A。
11. 第11空：根据“had the time to read with their kids”可知此处指父母（parent），故选D。
12. 第12空：由“sitting down and listening to them read is the last thing you have time to do”可知邻居很忙（busy），故选B。
13. 第13空：理发师让邻居把孩子带来读给“我”（me）听，故选A。
14. 第14空：根据后文Holmes讲述的事例，可知他很喜欢（enjoy）这个活动，故选B。
15. 第15空：此处表示“当孩子几天后回来时”，When引导时间状语从句，符合语境，故选B。
【答案】
1-5 CBDCD 6-10 ACACA 11-15 DBABB
【知识点】
语境理解、固定搭配、词义辨析
【点评】
本文讲述了暖心理发师Holmes推出“读书换免费剪发”的创意活动，既帮助贫困孩子打理发型，又鼓励孩子阅读。题目侧重考查学生对上下文语境的理解以及词汇的辨析与运用，需结合文章情节和固定搭配作答。
【难度系数】
0.6