When Paul was a boy growing up in Utah, he happened to live near a copper smelter(炼铜厂), and the chemicals that poured out had made a wasteland out of what used to be a beautiful forest. One day a young visitor looked at this wasteland and called it an awful area. Paul knocked him down. From then on, something happened inside him.
Years later Paul was back in the area, and he went to the smelter office. He asked if they had any plans or if they would let him try to bring the trees back. The answer from that big industry was “No.”
Paul then went to college to study the science of plants. Unfortunately, his teachers said there weren't any birds or squirrels to spread the seeds. It would be a waste of his life to try to do it. He was told everyone knew that even if he was knowledgeable as he had expected, he wouldn't get his idea accepted.
Paul later got married and had some kids. But, his dream would not die. And then one night he did what he could with what he had. Under the cover of darkness, he went secretly into the wasteland and started planting.
And every week, he made his secret journey into the wasteland and planted trees and grass. For fifteen years he did this against the plain common sense. Slowly rabbits appeared. Later, as there was legal pressure to clean up the environment, the company actually hired Paul to do what he was already doing.
Now the place is fourteen thousand acres of trees and grass and bushes, and Paul has received almost every environmental award Utah has. It took him until his hair turned white, but he managed to keep that impossible vow(誓言) he made to himself as a child.
小题1:When Paul was a boy, _________.
A．he had decided never to leave his hometown
B．the economy of Utah depended on the copper smelter
C．he had determined to stop the copper smelter polluting the area
D．no laws were made to protect the environment against pollution小题2:Why did Paul go to college to study the science of plants?
A．He wanted to find out the best way to save the area himself.
B．He was interested in planting trees since he was young.
C．He wanted to get more knowledgeable people to help him.
D．He thought his knowledge would make his advice more persuasive.小题3:What does the underlined phrase “the plain common sense” in paragraph 5 probably refer to?
A．That his normal work and life would be greatly affected.
B．That it was impossible for trees to grow on the wasteland.
C．That no one would like to join him in the efforts.
D．That he had to keep everything he did secret.小题4:The message of the passage is that ___________.
A．perseverance(持之以恒) will work wonders
B．action speaks louder than words
C．God helps those who help themselves
D．many hands make light work.
小题1:C
小题2:D
小题3:B
小题4:A
题目分析：本文主要讲述的就是Paul用自己的毅力实现了自己的理想，让一块污染之地成为了绿洲。
小题1:C 推理题。根据第一段后3行One day a young visitor looked at this wasteland and called it an awful area. Paul knocked him down. From then on, something happened inside him.可知他很爱这个地方，不愿意别人诋毁它。所以在那个时候他就下定决心要治理这个地方的污染问题。故C正确。
小题2:D 推理题。根据文章2,3段He asked if they had any plans or if they would let him try to bring the trees back. The answer from that big industry was “No.”
Paul then went to college to study the science of plants. 可知他的要去没有被允许，所以他读了大学，想学到知识让别人同意他的建议。故D正确。
小题3:B 推理题。根据本句And every week, he made his secret journey into the wasteland and planted trees and grass. For fifteen years he did this against the plain common sense.可知很多人都不相信这个地方还能成为绿洲，他的做法和别人的看法是相反的。该短语是指B项内容。
小题4:A 主旨大意题。本文主要讲述的就是Paul用自己的毅力实现了自己的理想。故A正确。
点评：本文主要讲述的就是Paul用自己的毅力实现了自己的理想。测试考生在阅读基础上的逻辑推理能力，要求考生根据文章所述事件的逻辑关系，对未说明的趋势或结局作出合理的推断；或根据作者所阐述的观点理论，对文章未涉及的现象、事例给以解释。考生首先要仔细阅读短文，完整了解信息，准确把握作者观点。