2. 外语
  3. (1)About forty years ago, I was an instructor in the military academy at Woolwich, when young Scoresby was given his first exami

(1)About forty years ago, I was an instructor in the military academy at Woolwich, when young Scoresby was given his first exami

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问题     (1)About forty years ago, I was an instructor in the military academy at Woolwich, when young Scoresby was given his first examination. I felt extremely sorry for him. Everybody answered the questions well, intelligently, while he—why, dear me— he did not know anything, so to speak. He was a nice, pleasant young man. It was painful to see him stand there and give answers that were miracles of stupidity.
    (2)I knew of course that when examined again he would fail and be thrown out. So, I said to myself, it would be a simple, harmless act to help him as much as I could.
    (3)I took him aside and found he knew a little about Julius Ceasar’s history. But, he did not know anything else. So, I went to work and tested him and worked him like a slave. I made him work, over and over again, on a few questions about Ceasar, which I knew he would be asked.
    (4)If you will believe me, he came through very well on the day of the examination. He got high praise too, while others who knew a thousand times more than he were sharply criticized. By some strange, lucky accident, he was asked no questions but those I made him study. Such an accident does not happen more than once in a hundred years.
    (5)Well, all through his studies, I stood by him, with the feeling a mother has for a disabled child. And he always saved himself by some miracle.
    (6)I thought that what in the end would destroy him would be the mathematics examination. I decided to make his end as painless as possible. So, I pushed facts into his stupid head for hours. Finally, I let him go to the examination to experience what I was sure would be his dismissal from school. Well, sir, try to imagine the result. I was shocked out of my mind. He took first prize! And he got the highest praise.
    (7)I felt guilty day and night—what I was doing was not right. But I only wanted to make his dismissal a little less painful for him. I never dreamed it would lead to such strange, laughable results.
    (8)I thought that sooner or later one thing was sure to happen: The first real test once he was through school would ruin him.
    (9)Then, the Crimean War broke out. I felt that sad for him that there had to be a war. Peace would have given this donkey a chance to escape from ever being found out as being so stupid. Nervously, I waited for the worst to happen. It did. He was appointed an officer. A captain, of all things! Who could have dreamed that they would place such a responsibility on such weak shoulders as his.
    (10)The battle grew hotter. The English and their allies were steadily retreating all over the field. Our regiment occupied a position that was extremely important. One mistake now would bring total disaster. And what did Scoresby do this time—he just mistook his left hand for his right hand... that was all. An order came for him to fall back and support our right. Instead, he moved forward and went over the hill to the left. We were over the hill before this insane movement could be discovered and stopped. And what did we find? A large and unsuspected Russian army waiting! And what happened—were we all killed? That is exactly what would have happened in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred. But no—those surprised Russians thought that no one regiment by itself would come around there at such a time.
    (11)It must be the whole British army, they thought. They turned tail, away they went over the hill and down into the field in wild disorder, and we after them. In no time, there was the greatest turn around you ever saw. The allies turned defeat into a sweeping and shining victory.
    (12)The allied commander looked on, his head spinning with wonder, surprise and joy. He sent right off for Scoresby, and put his arms around him and hugged him on the field in front of all the armies. Scoresby became famous that day as a great military leader—honored throughout the world. That honor will never disappear while history books last.
The "first real test" for Scoresby would be ______.
选项 A、his first talk with his supervisor
B、his first service to the community
C、his first job interview
D、his first task as a soldier
答案D
解析 第1段首句中的military academy表明Scoresby就读的是一间军校，毕业后会当士兵；而且后文继续讲述战争爆发两人上战场的事情，由此可知，作者认为Scoresby毕业当兵后执行第一次任务会毁掉他，因此，本题应选D。
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