文章大意：这是一篇记叙文。主要讲述了Ellen在19世纪的淘金热期间，如何通过自己的技能、经验和勇气，驾驶Flying Cloud号船打破了从纽约到旧金山的航行记录。
4 . During the Gold Rush, merchants needed a faster way to ship their goods to the West, turning every voyage into a race. The current record holder was the Surprise, which had made the New York to San Francisco trip in ninety-six days. Ellen planned to break that record with her ship, the Flying Cloud.
To achieve the goal, Ellen learned to use navigation (航海) instruments and do the complicated math calculations from her captain father. She also studied positioning charts made by Lieutenant Marthew, Ellen’s race against time began on June 2, 1851. It was her responsibility to keep track of the ship’s progress and current position and to plan the best course for it to follow. She chose a course different from the ones ships normally used and the Flying Cloud passed the equator two days less than ever before.
Heading south, when Ellen and the Flying Cloud was about to reach the Cape Horn, powerful wind slammed into the ship, tipping it sideways. Thirty-foot waves crashed over the deck. Ellen knew that the fastest way to get there was through the Strait of Le Maire. But it was risky. The narrow strip of water was only fourteen miles wide with rocky coasts on both sides. It would not be a problem on a clear day. But Flying Cloud was hit with their worst storm yet. Between the blinding snow and the lack of daylight, visibility was cut to almost nothing. Ellen used dead reckoning to plot a course she hoped would take the Flying Cloud toward the entrance to the strait.Finally, when the skies cleared, Ellen was relieved to see that she were right and everyone were safe on board. On July 22, lucky winds pushed the ship through the strait.Finally, at eleven-thirty the morning of August 3l, 185l, Flying Cloud had completed its voyage in eighty-nine days and twenty-one hours, beating Surprise’s record by an entire week.Crowds gathered on the beach to watch Flying Cloud’s arrival. News of the broken record spread quickly, making Ellen an instant celebrity. Her achievements were recognized in newspapers across the country, The success of her voyage required a combination of skill, experience and courage. Luckily, Ellen had them all.
1. What was Ellen’s main job on the Flying Cloud?
| A．Doing math calculation and making charts. |
| B．Analyzing the data and predicting the weather. |
| C．Locating the ship’s position and deciding the course. |
| D．Following the captain’s instructions and drawing maps. |
2. Which of the following words can best describe Ellen?
| A．Intelligent and generous. | B．Brave and straightforward. |
| C．Adventurous and sensitive. | D．Ambitious and committed. |
3. Which rhetorical device is used in the underlined sentence in paragraph 3?
| A．Personification. | B．Simile. | C．Metaphor. | D．Repetition. |
4. What was the biggest challenge when Ellen crossed the Strait of Le Maire?
| A．The powerful waves. | B．The rocky coasts. |
| C．The narrow strip of water. | D．The low visibility |
