7. In the future, _______.

A. larger boats will be used to carry commuters

B. a big coffee shop will be built

C. more and more people will get married on the boat

D. people will all go to work by boat

【解析】选A。细节理解题。根据最后一段第一句可知A项正确。

8. Many people don't like the new idea for a high-speed boat because_______.

A. they don't want to go to work earlier

B. they like to stay on the boat

C. they won't have enough time to rest

D. there will be more people on the boat

【解析】选C。推理判断题。根据文章最后一句"他们想要有足够的时间休息, 但如果船开得太快, 他们将没有足够的时间休息"可知选C。

Benjamin West, the father of American painting, showed his talent for art when he was only six years of age. But he did not know about brushes before a visitor told him he needed one. In those days, a brush was made from camel's hair. There were no camels nearby. Benjamin decided that cat hair would work instead. He cut some fur from the family cat to make a brush.

The brush did not last long. Soon Benjamin needed more fur. Before long, the cat began to look ragged(蓬乱). His father said that the cat must be sick. Benjamin was forced to admit what he had been doing.

The cat's lot was about to improve. That year, one of Benjamin's cousins, Mr Pennington, came to visit. He was impressed with Benjamin's drawings. When he went home, he sent Benjamin a box of paint and some brushes. He also sent six engravings(版画)by an artist. These were the first pictures and first real paint and brushes Benjamin had ever seen.

In 1747, when Benjamin was nine years old, Mr Pennington returned for another visit. He was amazed at what Benjamin had done with his gift. He asked Benjamin's parents if he might take the boy back to Philadelphia for a visit.

In the city, Mr Pennington gave Benjamin materials for creating oil paintings. The boy began a landscape(风景)painting. William Williams, a well-known painter, came to see him work. Williams was impressed with Benjamin and gave him two classic books on painting to take home. The books were long and dull. Benjamin could read only a little, having been a poor student. But he later said, "Those two books were my companions by day, and under my pillow at night. "While it is likely that he understood very little of the books, they were his introduction to classical paintings. The nine-year-old boy decided then that he would be an artist.

【语篇概述】本文是一篇记叙文。主要讲述了美国绘画之父本杰明小时候就展现出了绘画的天赋, 并在堂兄及Williams的帮助下下定决心成为一名画家的故事。

9. What is the text mainly about?

A. Benjamin's visit to Philadelphia.

B. Williams' influence on Benjamin.

C. The beginning of Benjamin's life as an artist.