A

An elephant and a crocodile were once standing beside river. They were disputing which was the better animal.

“Look at my strength,” said the elephant. “I can pull up a tree, roots and all with my trunk”

“Ah! But your skin is not nearly so thick as mine,” replied the crocodile. “No knife or tooth can cut through it.”

Just as they were coming to blows, a lion happened to pass.

“My dear friends !” said the King of all animals, going up to them. “Let me know the cause of your disagreement.”

“Will you kindly tell us which is the better animal?” cried both at once.

“Certainly”,said the lion, pointing across the river. “Do you see the soldiers’ metal hat on that wall?”

“Yes!” replied the beasts.

“Well, then,” continued the lion, “ go and get it, and bring it to me, and I shall be able then to decide between you.”

Upon hearing this, off they started. The crocodile, being used to the water, reached the opposite side of the river first, and was soon standing beside the wall.

Here he waited till the elephant came up. The elephant, seeing that the crocodile had no way of reaching their goal, raised his long trunk, and took down the hat quite easily.

They then made their way together back again across the river. The elephant was trying to keep up with the fast-moving crocodile in the water and became careless. When he was forced to turn sharply to avoid a floating tree branch, the elephant dropped the hat and it fell to the river bottom. The crocodile noticed the accident, so down he dived, and brought it up in his huge mouth. They then returned, and the crocodile laid the metal hat at the lion's feet. The King took it up, and turning to the elephant, said:

“You, because of your size and trunk, were able to reach the hat on the wall but, having lost it, you were unable to get it back. And you,” said the lion to the crocodile, “although unable to reach the hat, were able to dive for it and save it. You are both wise and able in your own ways. One is no better than the other.”

26. The underlined word "disputing" in Paragraph 1 means____.

A. playing

B. quarrelling

C. complaining

限52c8件量有心东的司西学广优4f91技-慧41b1a5d7科软法公升0f589764网元40d4上途 D. deciding

27. What did the crocodile think was the best about himself?

A. His big mouth

B. His strong skin

C. His swimming skill

D. His dangerous teeth

28. How did the lion deal with the animals’ disagreement?

A. He ordered them to fight.

B. He made a quick decision.

C. He suggested a competition

D. He asked them to describe themselves

29. What caused the elephant to drop the hat?

A. The hat got wet in the river.

B. He hit a floating tree

C. He was trying to swim too fast

D. He wanted to fight the crocodile

30. How were the elephant and the crocodile able to complete their task?

A. By working together

B. planning carefully

C. By sharing their ideas

D. By listening to the lion

【答案】26. B 27. B 28. C 29. C 30. A

【解析】

一头大象和一只鳄鱼在争论谁更厉害，他们互不相让。一头狮子经过，他们想让狮子来决定。于是狮子给他们布置了一个任务，让他们去完成。结果他们都不能单独完成这个任务，他们各自有自己的智慧和能力，不存在谁比谁更好的问题。

优4f9168baedb9元40d4上心有心8e97广88c2东的法12c1a12c254ac9e4慧41b1a5d7公网司西限52c8技件量软法秀科根-学途升0f589764

【26题详解】

词义猜测题。根据文意和这个单词所在的句子which was the better animal.“哪一个是更好的动物”，因此disputing应该是“争论”的意思。playing玩;quarrelling争吵，争论;complaining抱怨;deciding决定。故应选B。

【27题详解】

细节理解题。根据短文第三段“Ah! But your skin is not nearly so thick as mine,” replied the crocodile. “No knife or tooth can cut through it.”可知，鳄鱼说他的皮肤比大象的更厚，刀和牙齿都刺不穿。由此可知应选B。

【28题详解】

细节理解题。根据短文第七段“Certainly”, said the lion, pointing across the river. “Do you see the soldiers metal hat on that wall?”和第九段 “Well, then,” continued the lion, “ go and get it, and bring it to me, and I shall be able then to decide between you.”可知，狮子让他们去把墙上的帽子拿来，然后决定谁是更好的动物。即狮子让他们展开一场比赛，由此可知应选C。

【29题详解】

细节理解题。根据短文第十二段中The elephant was trying to keep up with the fast-moving crocodile in the water and became careless. When he was forced to turn sharply to avoid a floating tree branch, the elephant dropped the hat and it fell to the river bottom可知，大象努力追赶在水里游得很快的鳄鱼，于是变得粗心了，当他被迫急转身躲避一个漂浮的树干时，他把帽子掉了。由此可知应选C。

【30题详解】

推理判断题。根据短文最后两段的内容可知，大象个头大，有长鼻子，能够得着墙上的帽子，但弄丢了帽子;鳄鱼够不着帽子，但帽子掉到水里时，他能找回来。因此他们是合作完成这个任务的。故应选A。