Question

A voyaging ship was wrecked during a storm at sea and only two of the men aboard were able to swim to a small, desert-like island. Not knowing what else to do, the two survivors agreed that they had no alternativethan to pray to God.
However, to find out whose prayers were more powerful, they agreed to divide the territory between them and stay on opposite sides of the island.
The first thing they prayed for was food. The next morning, the first man saw a fruit-bearing tree on his side of the island, and he was able to eat its fruit. But the other man’s parcel of land remained barren.
After a week, the first man became lonely and decided to pray for a wife. The next day, another ship was wrecked and the only survivor was a woman who swam to his side of the island. But on the other side of the island, there was nothing.
Soon thereafter the first man prayed for a house, clothes and more food. The next day, like magic, all of these things were given to him. However, the second man still had nothing.
Finally, the first man prayed for a ship so that he and his wife could leave the island, and in the morning he found a ship docked at his side of the island.
The first man boarded the ship with his wife and decided to leave the second man on the island, considering the other man unworthy to receive God’s blessings since none of his prayers had been answered.
As the ship was about to leave, the first man heard a voice from Heaven booming, “Why are you leaving your companion on the island?”
“My blessings are mine alone since I was the one who prayed for them,” the first man answered. “His prayers were all unanswered and so he doesn’t deserve anything.”
“You are mistaken!” the voice rebuked him. “He had only one prayer, which I answered. If not for that, you would not have received any of my blessings.”
“Tell me,” the first man asked the voice, “what did he pray for that I should owe him anything?”
“He prayed that all your prayers would be answered.”
For all we know, our blessings are not the fruits of our prayers alone, but those of another praying for us. So what you do for others is more important than what you do for yourself.
【小題1】The first man’s wife is _____.

A．a swimmer who got to the island by accident

B．an angel sent by God to keep him company

C．a survivor from another wrecked ship

D．a native person on the desert-like island

【小題2】The underlined word “barren” in Paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to _____.

A．isolated

B．unproductive

C．fertile

D．dry

【小題3】Which of the following is true about the second man?

A．He didn’t deserve any blessing from God.

B．None of his prayers was answered by God.

C．He is not brave enough to tell God his needs.

D．His prayer helped his companion get out of trouble.

【小題4】What’s the moral of the story?

A．Never judge a person by appearance.

B．Don’t lose heart in trouble.

C．Helping others is helping ourselves.

D．Greed is the root of all evil.

Answer 1

【小題1】C
【小題2】B
【小題3】D
【小題4】C

解析試題分析：本文通過一個善良的人總是為別人祈禱的故事告訴我們幫助他人就是幫助自己。
【小題1】C 細節題。根據文章第三段The next day, another ship was wrecked and the only survivor was a woman who swam to his side of the island.可知他的妻子也是另外一艘遇險的船上幸存下來的。故C正確。
【小題2】B 推理題。根據文章3,4段最后一句But on the other side of the island, there was nothing.
However, the second man still had nothing.可知第二個的那一邊什么也沒有，unproductive沒有產出的；故B正確。
【小題3】D 推理題。根據文章倒數第二段“He prayed that all your prayers would be answered.”
可知他的祈禱就是第一個人的愿望都實現，正是他的祈禱讓的一個人實現了一切的追求。故D正確。
【小題4】C 主旨大意題。根據文章最后一段For all we know, our blessings are not the fruits of our prayers alone, but those of another praying for us. So what you do for others is more important than what you do for yourself.可知本文想告訴的就是幫助他人就是幫助我們自己。故C正確。
考點：考查寓言類短文閱讀
點評：本文通過一個善良的人總是為別人祈禱的故事告訴我們幫助他人就是幫助自己。測試考生在閱讀基礎上的邏輯推理能力，要求考生根據文章所述事件的邏輯關系，對未說明的趨勢或結局作出合理的推斷；或根據作者所闡述的觀點理論，對文章未涉及的現象、事例給以解釋。考生首先要仔細閱讀短文，完整了解信息，準確把握作者觀點。