Question

Waller was a liked－by－all fellow full of fun who often went to coffee houses to tell people interesting stories, of which some even brought him some money. One day, asked by an office secretary who told Waller that his boss was a never－seen before serious man and he never even smiled. Waller would tell a most funny story. “Well, sir,” Waller said before he began the story, “What will be given in return of my success?”“＄100,”replied the secretary. “I haven’t seen him have a bright face since I worked in his office.”
“Then let’s make it.” Waller went to the man’s table and whispered to him, “Please tell your boss that the funny man Waller’s hen gave birth to a baby.”
Three days later a letter reached Mr. Waller in which were ＄100 and a piece of yellow paper with the words, “Mr. Waller, you have succeeded—When I repeated your ＄100－worth sentence, my boss burst into frightening laughter, saying that whoever has managed to make him laugh during the business hours will get dismissed!”
【小題1】The secretary asked Waller for a most funny story because he ______.

A．was tired of his boss seriousness

B．tried to please his serious boss with it

C．wanted to improve his working conditions

D．wanted to see his boss' laughing face

【小題2】Saying "Let's make it," Waller______．

A．was sure of his success

B．thought of nothing but the 100-dollar return

C．knew that his hen had really given a birth to a baby

D．wondered whether he could make the boss smile or not

【小題3】Which of the following ends is true according to the passage?

A．The boss was never so strict with the secretary from then on．

B．The secretary lost his job in office．

C．The secretary dare not make his boss laugh any longer．

D．Mr．Waller was dismissed at last．

【小題4】Which sentence can describe the theme of the story?

A．Things Went Opposite to Wishes

B．Satisfying Both Sides

C．Killing Two Birds with One Stone

D．Either Is in His Proper Place

Answer 1

【小題1】B
【小題2】A
【小題3】B
【小題4】A

解析試題分析：
【小題1】細節題，由第一段第四行before serious man and he never even smiled可以知道答案，所以選B
【小題2】推理題，由第二段第一行Waller went to the man’s table and whispered to him,可以推出他很有把握，所以選A
【小題3】推理題，由第三段最后一句whoever has managed to make him laugh during the business hours will get dismissed可以知道被解雇了，所以選B
【小題4】推理題，本文講述秘書本來出于好心讓老板笑一笑，可是事情卻向相反的方向發展，他勞而無功最后被解雇了，所以選A
考點：本文為一篇記敘文。
點評：本文記敘了秘書未了讓老板笑一笑，找了一愛講笑話的人，雖然老板笑了，但是他卻被解雇了的故事。先通讀全文，然后帶著問題，再讀全文，找出答題所需要的依據，完成閱讀。本文主要考查推理題，要求學生有很強的推理分析能力。