《2026年水木金卷高考模拟试卷精编英语》

B
In my first year living in Los Angeles, I worked as a birthday-party clown, which made me struggle with my identity. I saw myself as a filmmaker, but everyone else only saw me as a clown. This job itself involved hiding my true self; I wore makeup and sometimes even masks to cover my face.
For some parties, I had to dress as specific characters. The company would drop off costumes in a trash bag at a CVS parking lot, which felt like a bad drug deal. Instead of getting drugs, I received a smelly costume that had been worn by many failed actors. I would be told to dress as "Mickey Mouse" or "SpongeBob SquarePants", but since those are trademarked characters, I had to go as "Ricky Mouse" or "SpongeGuy ShortPants".
One night, I was given a costume to be Batman. At the time, I wore a big mustache, which I thought would be a problem for parents. I decided not to shave because I didn't want to admit I was more of a clown than an artist. The next day, I parked far from the party site, so the kids wouldn't see Batman arriving in my PT Cruiser. As I walked towards the party, I worried that my lack of surprise would ruin the experience.
As I got closer, I regretted not shaving. When the kids finally saw my face, they burst into laughter, and I felt embarrassed. However, their laughter soon turned into cheers and applause, which surprised me. I started to feel warm and supported, something new for me. Inspired, I decided to make an entrance and began running towards the party, which made the kids cheer even louder. In that moment, I truly felt like Batman.
When I arrived, the birthday boy's dad laughed and said, "I told you, son. Batman has a mustache." I was confused until I saw the birthday cake, which featured a Batman with a thick black mustache just like mine. The kids had initially laughed at the cake, insisting that Batman didn't have a mustache, but the dad insisted he just shaves it for movies. My mustache accidentally helped convince the kids that I was the real Batman.
That day, I realized I might not have been the hero they expected, but I was the hero they needed. I struggled with my identity as a filmmaker or a clown, but at that moment, I knew I was making a difference in those kids' lives.
41. Why did the author struggle with his identity while working as a clown?
A. The author was embarrassed by his clown costume.
B. The author felt defined by others' perceptions.
C. The author struggled with the job's physical demands.
D. The author had difficulty balancing two different roles.
42. How did the author feel about wearing the costume provided by the company?
A. Disappointed and angry.
B. Annoyed and frightened.
C. Curious and amused.
D. Embarrassed and disgusted.
43. Why didn't the author shave his mustache before the party?
A. To maintain a sense of artistic dignity.
B. To keep his clown identity covered.
C. To preserve the surprise for children.
D. To achieve recognition as a clown.
44. What can be learned from Paragraphs 4 and 5?
A. Mistakes can lead to surprising negative outcomes.
B. Being yourself can lead to expected acceptance.
C. Laughter can transform into genuine support.
D. New identity can be beneficial in amazing ways.
45. What does the author mean by saying he was "the hero they needed" in the last paragraph?
A. He met their specific character demands.
B. He fulfilled their expectations in a unique way.
C. He provided a unique experience for them.
D. He taught them to accept imperfections.

答案： 41.B 推理判断题。题干意为：作者在做小丑的时候，为什么会为自己的身份而挣扎？根据第一段中“I worked as a birthday-party clown，which made me struggle with my identity. I saw myself as a filmmaker，but everyone else only saw me as a clown”可知，作者在做小丑的时候，会将自己视为电影制作人，但其他人只会将他看作一个小丑，所以作者会为自己的身份而挣扎。由此可推知，作者因身份而挣扎的原因是作者觉得被别人的看法定义了。故选B。
42.D 推理判断题。题干意为：关于穿着公司提供的服装，作者感受如何？根据第二段内容可知，作者把接收公司服装的过程比作“一笔糟糕的毒品交易”，而且这些服装满是臭味，还被许多失败的演员穿过；此外，为了不侵犯版权，作者不得不扮成假的卡通人物。由此可推知，作者对穿着公司提供的服装感到尴尬和厌恶。故选D。
43.A 细节理解题。题干意为：为什么作者在聚会前没有刮胡子？根据第三段中“I decided not to shave because I didn’t want to admit I was more of a clown than an artist.”可知，作者在聚会前没有刮胡子是为了保持艺术家的尊严。故选A。
44.C 推理判断题。题干意为：从第四段和第五段可以得知什么？根据第四段中“When the kids finally saw my face，they burst into laughter... However，their laughter soon turned into cheers and applause... I started to feel warm and supported”可知，对于作者的装扮，孩子们开始是大笑，但后来孩子们的笑声逐渐转变为欢呼和掌声，作者因此而开始感到温暖和支持。由此可推知，笑声可以转化为真正的支持和认可。故选C。
45.C 推理判断题。题干意为：作者在最后一段说他是“他们需要的英雄”，是什么意思？根据最后一段中“I knew I was making a difference in those kids’ lives”可知，作者通过当小丑这种独特的经历对这些孩子们的生活产生了影响。由此可推知，作者在最后一段中说他是“他们需要的英雄”的意思是他为孩子们提供了一种独特的经历。故选C。