According to Chinese legend, the Meng family — consisting of an old childless couple, lived next door to the Jiang family — also an old childless couple — in Jiangnan. One year, Old Man Meng planted a gourd vine (葫芦藤). The vine grew into his neighbor’s yard and produced a gourd there. Both families agreed to share it. When they cut open the gourd, they found a baby girl inside. Surprised and happy, both couples wanted to adopt her. After neighbors intervened, they decided to raise her together. They named her Meng Jiang Nv.

    When Meng Jiang grew up, she chose to marry a young man named Fan Xiliang. But on their wedding day, soldiers took Xiliang to work on the Great Wall. Life there was hard and many workers died. After a year without any news from Xiliang, Meng Jiang Nv went to look for him. She traveled far to the Great Wall, only to learn that Xiliang had died from overwork and was buried under it. Distraught, Meng Jiang Nv cried and hit the wall, causing part of it to fall and uncover many bones. She then bit her finger and tested each skeleton with her blood, hoping to find her husband’s by seeing if the bones absorbed it. When she found Xiliang’s bones, she held them and wept.

    The angry Emperor of Qin Dynasty (221 B.C. - 206 B.C.) inspected the damage to his wall. When he saw Meng Jiang Nv, he fell for her beauty and wanted to marry her. Meng Jiang said she would only marry him on three conditions — first, her former husband was to be given a grand burial; second, the emperor and his court must go into mourning for Xiliang; and third, she wanted to visit the ocean. The emperor agreed. After Meng Jiang Nv got her third wish, she cast herself into the ocean. The Emperor sent his men to get her back but the waves chased them away.

   The Temple of Meng Jiang Nv, first established in the Song Dynasty about 1,000 years ago, has been maintained and worshipped at the eastern beginning of the Great Wall till this day in Qinhuangdao City of Hebei Province.

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1.1. What can we know about Meng Jiang Nv?

A She was found abandoned outside a yard.

B She was found in a gourd shared by two families.

C She was given to the Meng family by the Jiang family.

D She was rescued from a gourd vine by Fan Xiliang.

解析：选B。细节理解题。根据第一段中的“When they cut open the gourd, they found a baby girl inside.”当他们切开葫芦时，发现里面有一个女婴。因此，孟姜女是在葫芦中被发现的。故选B。

2.2. What does the underlined word “Distraught” mean?

A Curious.

B Confused.

C Sensitive.

D Heartbroken.

解析：选D。词义猜测题。根据划线单词后面的“Meng Jiang Nv cried and hit the wall, causing part of it to fall and uncover many bones.”孟姜女顿时痛哭失声，手拍着长城，因此可推测出她得知日思夜想的丈夫去世后悲痛欲绝。故选D。

3.3. What did Meng Jiang Nv ask of the emperor? ①A visit to the sea. ②Building the Temple of Meng Jiang Nv. ③Mourning by the emperor and his court. ④A grand burial for her late husband.

A ①③④

B ②③④

C ①②③

D ①②④

解析：选A。细节理解题。根据第三段中的“Meng Jiang said she would only marry him on three conditions — first, her former husband was to be given a grand burial; second, the emperor and his court must go into mourning for Xiliang; and third, she wanted to visit the ocean.”可知，孟姜女要秦始皇答应她三个条件：一要秦始皇给她死去的丈夫一个隆重的葬礼；二要秦始皇领文武百官到祭台上吊祀她死去的丈夫；三要游海。故选A。

4.4. What can be inferred about Meng Jiang Nv’s character from the story?

A She was selfish and stubborn.

B She was easily influenced by others.

C She was brave and determined.

D She was earnest and polite.

解析：选C。推理判断题。从故事中可以推断出孟姜女是一个勇敢和坚定的人。她不仅勇敢地去寻找丈夫，还在得知丈夫去世后，坚持寻找他的遗骨，并且最终为了不嫁给秦始皇而投海自尽，这些都显示了她的勇敢和决心。故选C。