For miles around, the neighborhoods were empty and silent. Stores were dark
来源 :焚题库 2022-06-13
中The jarring, still-life scenes across parts of three Massachusetts towns on Friday followed a chaotic, cacophonous night of______(93) and gas-fueled fires that killed one person,______(94) more than 20 others, left behind charred homes and piles of rubble, and______(95) thousands of people from their homes.
State and federal investigators said they were______(96) the cause of the sudden chain of incidents in parts of Lawrence, Andover and North Andover.______(97) political leaders and residents expressed growing frustration and impatience with Columbia Gas of Massachusetts, ______(98) natural gas lines have been a central focus of inquiry.
Weary residents, some of______(99) are staying in shelters, complained that the company had failed to explain______(100) caused the explosions or to quickly make repairs. Gov. Charlie Baker declared a______(101) of emergency. The step was needed, he indicated, to remove Columbia Gas from leading the repair of the gas lines. Announcing that he was turning the efforts______(102) to a different gas company, Eversource, the governor was pointed in______(103) criticism of Columbia Gas.
Mr. Baker said the gas company was “inadequately prepared” for the______(104) of the explosions.
“Today, on______(105) of very significant issues, we heard one thing, and then something else happened,” Mr. Baker said.“It______(106) questions about the leadership’s ability to actually deliver to the people of Massachusetts.”
During a brief and testy news conference later, Steve Bryant, the company’s president，declined to go______(107) details about what had caused the explosions and defended the company’s handling of the aftermath.
“We are sorry and deeply______(108) about the inconvenience, ”he said.“This is the sort of thing that a gas distribution company hopes never happens.”
The authorities were looking at the possibility______(109) gas may have been placed under a level of pressure that was too high for the pipelines it was moving through,______(110) cascading crises in more than 8,500 homes and businesses across the three towns.
单选题第1题the stoplights were______(91) and blank
A.powerful
B.Powerless
C.potent
D.Strong
参考答案：B
答案解析：本题考查上下文理解。powerless指“无力的、无能量的”，这里指交通灯一片漆黑。powerful指“强大的、强有力的”；potent指“有效的、强有力的”；strong指“坚强的、强壮的”。第一、二句意思为：方圆几英里的地方，到处是空荡荡的寂静；商店里一片漆黑，学校关闭，人行道空无一人。根据句意，B为正确选项。
单选题第2题but it didn’t really matter since only______(92) cars ventured out.
A.a few
B.a little
C.few
D.Little
参考答案：A
答案解析：本题考查词义辨析。句首but表示转折。这句话的意思是：但这并不重要，因为只有几辆车冒险开了出去。a few修饰可数名词复数，表示肯定，指“几个、一点”；few修饰可数名词复数，表示否定；a little修饰不可数名词，表示肯定，指“一点”；little修饰不可数名词，表示否定。答案为A。
单选题第3题cacophonous night of______(93) and gas-fueled fires that killed one person
A.eruptions
B.Eruptive
C.explosive
D.Explosions
参考答案：D
答案解析：本题考查词义辨析。explosion指“爆炸”；explosive指“爆炸的、炸药”；eruption般指“（火山）喷发”；eruptive指“喷发的”。答案为D。
单选题第4题______(94) more than 20 others
A.damaged
B.Disabled
C.wounded
D.Injured
参考答案：D
答案解析：本题考查词义辨析。这句话的意思是：燃气火灾已导致一人死亡，二十人受伤。damage多指对无生命的损害，造成降低价值、破坏功能等后果；disable强调“伤残、残疾、残废”；wound般指外伤、如刀伤、枪伤等，尤指在战争中、打斗中受伤；injure般指在事故中受伤，较为正式。此处injured与上文中的killed并列。根据句意，答案为D。
单选题第5题and______(95) thousands of people from their homes.
A.Caused
B.Drove
C.made
D.Allow
参考答案：B
答案解析：本题考查上下文理解。根据上句，（爆炸后）留下的是烧焦的房屋和成堆的瓦砾，所以“迫使”成千上万的人离开自己的家。“drove”为“drive”的过去式，有“迫使”的意思，符合句意。cause指“造成”；make指“让……、使……”；allow指“允许、准许”。答案为B。
单选题第6题State and federal investigators said they were______(96) the cause of the sudden chain of incidents in parts of Lawrence
A.finding
B.Exploring
C.searching for
D.looking for
参考答案：C
答案解析：本题考查词义辨析。根据句意可知，联邦调查人员说他们正在调查这些部分地区突发一连串事故的原因。find指“发现”；explore指“探索”；look for指“寻找（强调过程）” ；search for强调“调查”。答案为C。
单选题第7题______(97) political leaders and residents expressed growing frustration and impatience with Columbia Gas of Massachusetts
A.And
B.But
C.Thus
D.Since
参考答案：B
答案解析：本题考查上下文理解。根据上句可知，他们正在调查事故原因，下句表示转折：但是政治领导人对天然气公司越来越感到沮丧、不耐烦。所以选择B。
单选题第8题______(98) natural gas lines have been a central focus of inquiry.
A.that
B.Whom
C.whose
D.Which
参考答案：C
答案解析：本题考查逻辑关系。whose引导非限制性定语从句，指“该天然气公司的”，作主语的定语。答案为C。
单选题第9题some of______(99) are staying in shelters
A.them
B.Who
C.which
D.Whom
参考答案：D
答案解析：本题考查逻辑关系。本句主语weary residents指人。逗号隔开，引导非限制性定语从句，可用指人的whom作介词的宾语，而which指物，所以答案为D。
单选题第10题complained that the company had failed to explain______(100) caused the explosions or to quickly make repairs
A.what
B.That
C.which
D.It
参考答案：A
答案解析：本题考查关系从句。explain后面是一个宾语从句，宾语从句里缺主语，what引导宾语从句并作宾语从句的主语。答案为A。
单选题第11题Gov. Charlie Baker declared a______(101) of emergency
A.situation
B.Position
C.condition
D.State
参考答案：D
答案解析：本题考查固定搭配。state of emergency指“紧急状态”，答案为D。
单选题第12题Announcing that he was turning the efforts______(102) to a different gas company
A.over
B.Out
C.on
D.Around
参考答案：A
答案解析：本题考查词义辨析。turn over指“移交”；turn out指“结果是”；turn on指“打开”；turn around指“转身、好转”。这句话的意思是：州长宣布他将把工作移交给另一家天然气公司。根据句意，答案为A。
单选题第13题the governor was pointed in______(103) criticism of Columbia Gas.
A.our
B.His
C.their
D.Its
参考答案：B
答案解析：本题考查上下文理解。这里的his指代“the governor”，答案为B。
单选题第14题Mr. Baker said the gas company was “inadequately prepared” for the______(104) of the explosions.
A.aftermath
B.reason
C.cause
D.Impetus
参考答案：A
答案解析：本题考查词义辨析。aftermath指“后果、余波”，the aftermath of the explosions指“爆炸的后果”。reason指“理由、原因”，cause指“造成”，impetus指“动力、促进”，均与句意不符。答案为A。
单选题第15题on______(105) of very significant issues
A.the number
B.the numbers
C.a number
D.a great deal
参考答案：C
答案解析：本题考查词义辨析。a number of意思是“许多”，相当于many,修饰可数名词复数，作主语时，谓语动词用复数；the number of意思是“……的数量”，作主语时，谓语动词用单数；the numbers of也表示“的数量”，作主语时，谓语动词用复数；a great deal of后面只能跟不可数名词。此处表示“在很多重要的问题上”，考查短语a number of，答案为C。
单选题第16题“It______(106) questions about the leadership’s ability to actually deliver to the people of Massachusetts.”
A.arose
B.Aroused
C.rose
D.Raised
参考答案：D
答案解析：本题考查词义辨析。raise questions意思是“提出问题”；arose是不及物动词arise的过去式，意思是“呈现、出现”；arouse指“唤醒、引起”；rose是不及物动词rise的过去式，意思是“升起、增加”。答案为D。
单选题第17题Steve Bryant，the company’s president，declined to go______(107) details about what had caused the explosions and defended the company’s handling of the aftermath.
A.to
B.Into
C.on
D.Up
参考答案：B
答案解析：本题考查固定搭配。go into details意思是“详述、逐一细说”；go to指“去……”；go on指“发生、进行”；go up指“上升、响起”。根据句意，答案为B。
单选题第18题We are sorry and deeply______(108) about the inconvenience
A.certain
B.Excited
C.concerned
D.Curious
参考答案：C
答案解析：本题考查上下文理解。根据句意“给您带来的不便，我们深表歉意和深切关心”可知，be concerned about指“关心、挂念”，符合句意。be certain about指“确信”；be excited about指“对感到兴奋”；be curious about 指“对感到好奇”。答案为C。
单选题第19题The authorities were looking at the possibility______(109) gas may have been placed under a level of pressure that was too high for the pipelines it was moving through
A.which
B.That
C.how
D.Why
参考答案：B
答案解析：本题考查关系从句。此处that引导同位语从句，是对possibility这一抽象名词的解释与说明，同位语从句只能用that引导。这一句句子较长，第一个that修饰possibility，第二个that 引导定语从句，先行词为pressure，it was moving through为省略了that的定语从句，修饰pipelines。这句话的意思是：有关当局正在调查这一可能性，即天然气对输送它的管道来说压力太大了，导致这三个城镇的8500多户家庭和企业受到连锁危机。答案为B。
单选题第20题______(110) cascading crises in more than 8,500 homes and businesses across the three towns.
A.creating
B.Created
C.being created
D.Creates
参考答案：A
答案解析：本题考查上下文理解。此处表示主动，现在分词短语作结果状语，答案为A。
