A
(2020·湖北武汉调研)In American countryside, the message we hear is this: Go and get an education. Leave your small town and make something of yourself. Success and opportunity are found elsewhere.
After graduating from a high school in Helena, Arkansas, I did go.
I went to Colby College in Maine. I had visited the school ahead of time, so I knew what I was getting myself into. I knew about the difference in weather. I understood the difference in social atmosphere. But I wanted to stretch myself and get out of my comfort zone. And you know what? I absolutely loved my time there. But one thing took me by surprise—the lack of countryside representation. Most of the other students at Colby were from big cities: New York, Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco...And when I had conversations with these students—in or outside of class—we almost always focused on topics facing large American cities. In my education classes, it was always “urban this” and “urban that”．
It was like small town America didn’t exist.
And this urban interest doesn’t just happen in college. I went to an education conference a couple of years ago, and a professor—someone who had been at the forefront of educational reform—was there to deliver a keynote. I was chosen to be part of a small group that got to meet with him. So there we were, five or six of us sitting in a room, and I asked him, “What are your thoughts on the state of education in the countryside？” And this man was speechless.
I’ll never forget that moment. It speaks to a larger truth. Towns like mine are forgotten.
This trend of exporting talent and resources to our big cities—this mindset of leaving small towns and never coming back—I don’t want to add to that movement. I want to reverse that movement.
Now it’s my turn to help people younger than me. And you know what? I’m a sixth grade teacher in Helena now.
【解题导语】 本文作者通过自己的大学生活经历以及在一次教育会议上与一位教授进行交流的故事说明了美国的乡村正在逐渐被人遗忘的现象，作者也由此决定要帮助乡村中的年轻人。
1．What do people in American countryside think of the future of the youth at home?
A．Secure. B．Fragile.
C．Promising. D．Bright.
B 解析：推理判断题。根据第一段中的“Leave your small town and make something of yourself. Success and opportunity are found elsewhere.”可知，在美国的乡村，年轻人的就业前景并不稳定，成功和机会都在别处。故选B项。
2．What did the author find in his college classroom?
A．Students chatted freely.
B．Countryside was ignored.
C．He was looked down upon.
D．Students concentrated on education.
B 解析：推理判断题。根据文章第三段中的“And when I had conversations with these students...it was always ‘urban this’ and ‘urban that’．”和第四段“It was like small town America didn’t exist.”可知，作者在他的大学课堂中发现大家总是探讨与城市相关的问题，就好像乡村在美国不存在一样。也就是说，乡村被人们忽视了。故选B项。
3．How would the author feel about the professor’s reaction?
A．It’s emotional. B．It’s natural.
C．It’s positive. D．It’s disappointing.
D 解析：推理判断题。根据倒数第三段“I’ll never forget that moment. It speaks to a larger truth. Towns like mine are forgotten.”可知，作者在教授对于自己提出的有关乡村的问题无言以对时，意识到像自己家乡那样的乡村被人们遗忘了。由此可推知，作者对此感到失望。故选D项。
4．What is the author doing now?
A．Teaching in a college.
B．Fighting for the movement.
C．Working with the professor.
D．Devoting himself to his hometown.
D 解析：细节理解题。根据第二段中的“After graduating from a high school in Helena”可知，作者的家乡在海伦娜，再根据最后一段“Now it’s my turn to help people younger than me. And you know what? I’m a sixth grade teacher in Helena now.”可知，作者现在在家乡教书，帮助家乡中的年轻人，为家乡做贡献。故选D项。
