1) Since 1777, the U.S. flag has changed its design ___________ .
(A) twice
(B) 3 times
(C) 5 times
(D) more than 5 times
2) In 1912, before July 4, the U. S. flag had ___________ .
(A) 15 stars
(B) 20 stars
(C) 46 stars
(D) 48 stars
3) The 49th and 50th states to join the U.S.A. were, in their correct order, ___________ .
(A) Alaska and Hawaii
(B) Hawaii and Alaska
(C) New Mexico and Arizona
(D) Arizona and New Mexico
4) Congress decided in 1818 that the U.S. flag should have 13 stripes because ___________ .
(A) since 1777 it had always had 13 stripes
(B) since 1777 it had always had more than 13 stripes.
(C) In 1818 there were only 13 states in the Union of the U.S.A.
(D) At the founding of the Union of the U.S.A. there had been only 13 states.
问题(1)要求回答美国国旗图案自1777年以来变化了几次。回答这样的题目须把文中所有提及1777年以来美国国旗变更次数的关键词语划出：1795；July 4, 1818; since 1912; a year earlier the 49th; July 4, 1960
文中似乎只提及5处，但是文内又提到1818年时为20颗星，以后每加入一个州增加一颗星，从文中又可看出1912年增加的是第47和48颗星。从第20颗星到47颗星之间必然还有若干次变动，因此答案应为(D)，即：变动次数为5次以上。
问题(2)提问的是1912年7月4日以前的情况。由于新墨西哥和亚里桑那于1912年7月4日加入联邦，国旗上星的数目增至48颗。因此，1912年7月4日以前国旗上的星数应为46颗。正确答案为(C)。
问题(3)的答案为(A)。其根据为The 50th star had been added for Hawaii, a year earlier the 49th, for Alaska.
问题(4)的答案为(D)，其根据是symbolizing the 13 original states
二、 当问题要求对某一事实作出正误判断或询问文中是否提到某一事实时，我们应先把所给的选择项大体上看一下，做到心中有数。然后，根据选择项中提供的线索，迅速找到文章中相应的部分，细读一下有关内容。与文中内容一致的即可肯定，不一致的即可否定。注意，在回答Not True之类问题时，必须逐项找出须肯定的内容，方可确定要否定的内容。切勿一遇到自己认为不正确的内容，便匆忙答题，不再去考虑其它选择项，这样常常会导致错误。
例二：Directions: Read the following passage and choose the best answer to the question.
One word that sums up our age better than any other — whether “our age ”is “the technological age” of western countries or the “modernizing age” of China — is the word CHANGE. But has change not always been present? True, but never before at such a breakneck speed. Today it is more than just change. It is unprecedented change. In such a world, reading provides the best tool we have for keeping up and for avoiding future shock in a world continually being remade.
Which of the following is NOT true?
(A) Western countries and China are being remade.
(B) Reading will help understand our age.
(C) The present age and future world are continually changing.
(D) Reading is the best tool provided by our age.
(A)、(B)、(C)项均与文章中的意义一致，(D)不符。因为文中说的是“Reading serves as the best tool for us.”(对我们来说，阅读可以作为一个最好的工具。)；而不是如选择项(D)所表示的那样：“Reading is the best tool provided by our age.”(阅读是由我们时代所提供的最好的工具)。所以，我们将答案确定为(D)。
三、在文章中，为避免重复提及某一词或短语，作者常常使用指代词(Reference Words)来代替。在寻找细节时，读者须准确理解被指代的对象。通常，我们可根据上下文的句子结构、主谓一致关系以及语义关系等来确定所指代的内容。
