Every object tells a story. Even the most ordinary objects can present to us powerful images. Sometimes it is the ordinary nature of these objects that actually makes them so extraordinary. Such is the case with an old leather shoe in a museum in Alaska. At first glance it does not look like much. It is a woman’s shoe of a style. popular in the 1890s. But what is unique(独特的) about this shoe is where it was found. It was discovered on the Checkout Pass, the famous trail used by the people seeking gold in Alaska. Who it belonged to or why it was left there is not known. Was it perhaps dropped by accident as the woman climbed up the 1500 stairs carved outface? Or did she throw away goods that she didn’t need in order to travel lighter?

　　Over 100, 000 people with “gold fever” made this trip hoping to become millionaires. Few of them understood that on their way they would have to cross a harsh wildness. Unprepared for such a dangerous journey, many died of starvation and exposure to the cold weather.

　　The Canadian government finally started requiring the gold seekers to bring one ton of supplies with them. This was thought to be enough for a person to survive for one year. They would carry their supplies in backpacks(背包) each weighing up to fifty pounds; it usually took at least 40 trips to get everything to the top and over the pass. Whoever dropped the shoe must have been a brave and determined woman. Perhaps she was successful and made it to Alaska. Perhaps she had to turn back in defeat. No one will ever know for sure, but what we do know is that she took part in one of the greatest adventures in the 19th century.

choice：

1. The ordinary woman’s leather shoe is considered unusual because _______.

　　A. it was an important clue to life in the past B. it was found on a famous trail

　　C. it at one time belonged to a VIP   D. it was a fashionable shoe at that time

　　2. According to this passage, many people who went to Alaska _______.

　　A. eventually became millionaires   B. brought with them many shoes

　　C. had conflicts with the Eskimos   D. were not properly equipped

　　3. The Canadian government made gold seekers bring one year’s supplies with them so that _______.

　　A. they would not die of hunger and cold

　　B. the army would have enough food for fighting a war

　　C. they would change these goods with the Eskimos

　　D. the supplies would make Alaska rich

　　4. No matter what happened to the woman who owned the shoe, _______.

　　A. she must have lived a happy life

　　B. she certainly dropped the shoe on purpose

　　C. her adventurous spirit is definitely admired

　　D. her other shoes were equally fashionable

background information

阿拉斯加州（英语：State of Alaska），别名是“最后的荒野”(Last Frontier)。是位于美国西北太平洋沿岸的一个州，第49个加入美国合众国的州，也是美国面积最大的州、世界最大的飞地地区，该州的邮政缩写是AK，“阿拉斯加”一名最可能源于阿留申语的“Alyeska”，意思是“很大的陆地”。

位于北美大陆西北端[1]，东与加拿大接壤，另三面环北极海、白令海和北太平洋。按地理区划可划分为西南区、极北区、内陆区、中南区和东南区。

阿拉斯加的别名是〝最后的荒野〞，另外，阿拉斯加有着丰富的黄金，吸引着淘金者们。阿拉斯加的邮政编码缩写是AK，由于阿拉斯加隔着白令海峡就是俄罗斯，在冷战时期，这里是争锋的主战场。

vocabulary

extraordinary  不寻常的

unique 独特的

【答案解析】

　　本文由在Alaska州博物馆所陈列的一只旧鞋而引出的对当时情况的介绍及表达了对这只鞋的主人敬佩之情。

　　1. B。细节题。根据第1段中的 But what is unique about this shoe is where it was found. It was discovered on the Checkout Pass, the famous trail…可推知此题答案为B。

　　2. D。细节题。根据第2段最后一句Unprepared for such a dangerous journey可推知此题答案为D。

　　3. A。推断题。根据第2段最后一句及第3段第1句可推知此题答案为A。

　　4. C。细节题。根据文章最后一句可推知此题答案为C。