13．Exactly five years ago，on New Year's Eve，I was invited to a children's ball by a man high up in the business world，who had his connections，his circle of acquaintances，and his close friends．So it seemed as though the children's ball was merely an excuse for the parents to come together and discuss matters of interest to themselves，quite innocently and casually．
I was an outsider，and，as I had no special matters to air，I was able to spend the evening independently of the others．There was another gentleman present who like me had just stumbled upon this affair of domestic happiness．He was the first to attract my attention．His appearance was not that of a man of noble birth．He was tall，rather thin，very serious，and well dressed．Obviously he had no heart for the family celebration．The instant he went off into a corner by himself the smile disappeared from his face，and his thick dark brows knitted into a frown（皱眉）．He knew no one except the host and showed every sign of being bored to death，though bravely keeping the role of thorough enjoyment to the end．Later I learned that he was a provincial，had come to the capital on some important business，had brought a letter of recommendation to our host，and our host had taken him under his protection，not at all with love．It was merely out of politeness that he had invited him to the children's ball．
They did not play cards with him．They did not offer him cigars．No one entered into conversation with him．Possibly they recognized the bird by its feathers from a distance．Thus，my gentleman，not knowing what to do with his hands，was forced to spend the evening stroking （抚摸） his beards．His beards were really fine，but he stroked them so eagerly that one got the feeling that the beards had come into the world first and afterwards the man in order to stroke them．
28．According to the author，what's the purpose of the children ball？B
A．To offer children a place to meet．
B．To make parents meet and socialize．
C．To please all the guests invited．
D．To welcome a very important guest．
29．What does the underlined part"stumbled upon"in the second paragraph mean？A
A．Happened to attend．
B．Settled．
C．Intended to conduct．
D．Arranged．
30．Why was the gentleman unhappy？D
A．He wasn't well off enough．
B．He was from the countryside
C．He failed to develop his trade．
D．He wasn't really welcome．
31．Why does the author mention the gentleman's stroking his beards in Paragraph 3？C
A．To show his good behavior．
B．To expose his weakness．
C．To stress his embarrassment．
D．To express his interest．
分析 本文作者写得是在一次孩子的舞会上对一位先生的观察和描写，
解答 28．B 细节理解题．根据句子So it seemed as though the children's ball was merely an excuse for the parents to come together and discuss matters of interest to themselves，在作者看来，孩子们的舞会仅仅是家长们聚在一起讨论他们感兴趣的事情的借口．所以答案选B．
29．A 猜测词义题．I was an outsider，and，as I had no special matters to air，我是个局外人，因为我没有什么特别的事情要考虑．There was another gentleman present who like me had just stumbled upon this affair of domestic happiness，另一个出席的人和我一样，应该是个局外人只是碰巧参加了这个活动没有特别的事情，可以猜测stumbled upon是碰巧参加，所以答案选A．
30．D 推理判断题．根据句子 he was a provincial had come to the capital on some important business，had brought a letter of recommendation to our host，and our host had taken him under his protection，not at all with love．可知他是一个来自外省的人来首都做重要的事情凭着一封举荐信来到这里，完全不是因为爱，可以推断出这个人是不受欢迎的，所以答案选D．
31．C 推理判断题．根据句子Thus，my gentleman，not knowing what to do with his hands，was forced to spend the evening stroking （抚摸） his beards．可知因为整个晚上没有人理他，因为不知道手该干些什么，这位先生一个晚上都在抚摸自己的胡子．由此可以推断他是多么尴尬，所以答案选C．
点评 故事类文章在阅读过程中，我们一直在某个线索的引导下，随着作者的思路去了解一个故事或一件事情的始末，因此会感到比较轻松．命题往往从故事的情节、人物或事件之间的关系、作者的意图和态度、故事的前因和后果等方面入手，考查学生对细节的辨认能力以及推理判断能力． 阅读故事类文章时，应注意把握主旨大意，弄清主要情节，立足文章的内容揣摩作者的态度和意图，根据文章的情节展开合理的想象，从而达到解题的目的．
