《2026年天利38套中考试题精选英语浙江专版》

B
“Why are you looking so sad, Patrick?” asked the old man.
The little boy looked up at his grandfather. “Today at school, Shane McGuire called me a potato head!”
The old man's eyes smiled down at the boy. “Is that all?” Grandpa laughed. “Well, if that young man knew anything about potatoes, he'd know that he just gave you a compliment.”
“What do you mean?” his grandson asked.
“The potato, my boy, is one of the most loved vegetables in the world. Where would we all be without the potato? It's delicious, widely - used, satisfying, and very good for you!”
Patrick laughed. “What else do you know about potatoes, Grandpa?”
“That's the spirit, my boy! Well, let me see... The potato was first grown in South America. It grew on the hillsides of the Andes Mountain range. Farmers there have been growing potatoes for over 7 000 years! It wasn't until the 16th century that the Spanish brought the potato back to Europe with them. Still, it was another 200 years before potatoes were grown widely in Ireland. We soon learned that we could feed ten people with just an acre (英亩) of potatoes. We started growing them all over Ireland, and the population of our country grew rapidly. Sad to say, though, in the 1840s, a plant disease hit the potatoes, causing widespread hunger. Many people had to leave Ireland and moved overseas to North America. But we Irish took our love of potatoes with us, and it became popular there too. Now, Canadians and Americans love potatoes as well. ”
“So, Paddy,” Grandpa continued, “next time Shane McGuire calls you a potato head, just tell him there's nothing wrong with potatoes—but it's certainly wrong to call people names.”
19. Why was Patrick unhappy at first?
A. He fought with a classmate.
B. He missed his grandpa.
C. He was called a potato head.
D. He failed a history test.
20. What does the underlined word “compliment” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?
A. Warning.
B. Invitation.
C. Chance.
D. Praise.
21. Why did Grandpa tell Patrick about the history of the potato?
A. To show potatoes are important and valuable.
B. To teach him how to plant potatoes well.
C. To help him do a science project after school.
D. To compare potatoes with other foods.
22. Which word best describes Patrick's grandpa?
A. Wise.
B. Hard - working.
C. Popular.
D. Talented.

答案： 19—22 CDAA