8．Growing up in rural Malawi，Africa，William Kamkwamba learned to accept that life was hard．
He lived with his parents and seven sisters in a small clay house without electricity or running water．Like most boys in his village，William was expected to assist his parents on the family farm，as well as keep up with his school work．Each night，like most Malawians，his family went to bed early because the kerosene oil they needed to light the lamps was costly．
A terrible drought in 2000 left many Malawians hungry，and William's family was no exception．
In 2003 at the age of 13，William and many other children were forced to drop out of school when their parents could no longer afford his schooling．William had to work even harder to help his family，but he wasn't ready to give up his education．He went to the local library and took out some books to study．One book，called Using Energy，sparked William's interest in science and gave him an idea that significantly changed his future．
In the book，William found a picture of a windmill （風車），and a brief description of how it could be used to generate electricity from wind．He knew that there was plenty of wind in his village，and realized that if he could build a windmill like that，he could give his family and the．people in his village a much better life．There was just one problem．The book didn't explain how to build a windmill，and neither did any of the other books in the library．
What happened over the next year demonstrated William's incredible ambition and determination．He began to collect any kinds of materials he thought could be useful-scraps of wood，broken bicycles，old shoes-and started to build a windmill next to his family's house．He endured many challenges and failures．Other people in his village called him crazy and said his idea would never work．Finally，at the age of 14，William completed his first windmill．When they saw electric lights and heard the sound of music on the radio coming from William^house，the village people came running．He had done it．William Kamkwamba had found a way to capture the wind．
Kamkwamba's autobiography （自傳），The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind^tells the story of how the rest of the world came to know about his achievements．With the help of international supporters，his village now has clean running water，solar powered lighting，and electric power．As a result of his actions，Kamkwamba was invited to study engineering at Dartmouth College，one of the top-ranking universities in the U．S．He also travels the world and gives talks about how he made his dream a reality．
56．William went to the local library becauseC．
A．he wanted to find some materials for his invention
B．it was his favorite way to kill time and relax
C．he wanted to continue his education
D．it was believed to be a way to change his fate
57．Paragraph 3is mainly aboutB．
A．why the windmill is so attractive
B．how William got inspired by a hook
C．why William decided to continue his education
D．how a windmill works to produce electricity
58．The living conditions in William's village are much better now mainly because
D
A．William has helped build a power station
B．the villagers are greatly encouraged by William
C．William、autobiography is locally popular
D．it has received much outside help
59．William Kamkwamba can be best described asA．
A．ambitious and determined
B．honest and forgiving
C．brave and patient
D．reasonable and humorous
60．What is the message conveyed in the passageC？
A．We should strike while the iron is hot．
B．A good beginning makes a good end．
C．One who lives his dream can make a difference．
D．You'd better not put all the eggs in one basket．
分析 本文描述了William不同尋常的少年勵志生活，家境貧寒，早年因為自然災害而被迫輟學，但是依然堅持到圖書館自學，在受到一本書的激勵后立志要制造風車來利用村里的風能發電，在眾人的嘲弄和自己的執著努力下終于實現了自己的愿望，并且得到了到美國最好學府深造．
解答 56-60 CBDAC
56．C．細節理解題．根據第二段中"but he wasn't ready to give up his education．He went to the local library and took out some books to study．"可知他去圖書館的目的是去學習，繼續接受教育；故選C．
57．B．段意歸納題．根據開頭一句"In the book，William found a picture of a windmill （風車），and a brief description of how it could be used to generate electricity from wind．"以及后面自己村莊實際內容的描述可知，是這本書激勵他要為家庭和村里做點貢獻，最后一句"The book didn't explain how to build a windmill"可直接排除D項；A和C本段中根本沒有相關信息；故選B．
58．D．細節理解題．根據最后一段中"With the help of international supporters，his village now has clean running water，solar powered lighting，and electric power．"可知，他們村莊狀況的改善主要得益于外部的支持；A項說William幫忙建立了發電廠屬于夸大文意，他只是利用風能制造了風車；B和C兩項說村民受到他的激勵和他自傳的流行都不是村莊狀況改善的原因；故選D．
59．A．推理判斷題．第三段中一句"he could give his family and the．people in his village a much better life．"說明他是一個比較有志向和抱負的人，倒數第二段中"Other people in his village called him crazy and said his idea would never work．"一句說明William在村民們的嘲諷和不信任中依然堅持自己的志向說明他是一個有決心的人；故選A．
60．C．主旨大意題．本文通過對William事跡的描述說明有夢想的人生注定是不平凡的一生，會創造不同尋常的功績，故選C．
點評 本文屬于人物傳記故事類文章閱讀，解答此類題目要認真閱讀，迅速抓住人物的事跡，了解其成長的環境，根據題干的不同要求進行細致的分析，對于歸納題要結合文章內容和表達的主題思想來進行綜合分析．
