-- This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generati

       ……

This election had many firsts and manystories that will be told for generations. But one that's on my mind tonight’sabout a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She is a lot like the millions ofothers who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election, except forone thing: Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

She was born just a generation pastslavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; whensomeone like her couldn't vote for two reasons, because she was a woman andbecause of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that she'sseen throughout her century in America: the heartache and the hope; thestruggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't, and the peoplewho pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

At a time when women's voices were silencedand their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out andreach for the ballot. Yes we can.

When there was despair in the Dust Bowl anddepression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a NewDeal, new jobs, a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.

When the bombs fell on our harbor andtyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise togreatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.

She was there for the buses in Montgomery,the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta whotold a people that "we shall overcome." Yes we can.

A man touched down on the moon, a wall camedown in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. Andthis year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast hervote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and thedarkest of hours, she knows how America can change. Yes we can.

America, we have come so far. We have seenso much. But there’s so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves, ifour children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be solucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? Whatprogress will we have made? 

(From Obama’s victory speech, 2008 )

56. What can be inferred from the passage?

A. Ann Nixon Cooper was once aslave.             B. Ann Nixon Cooper is a black woman.

C. Ann Nixon Cooper knows Obama and hisfamily very well.

D. Ann Nixon Cooper contributed much to thechanges of America.

57. What does the underlined part“cast herballot”in the first paragraph probably mean?

A. expressed herhappiness                               B. worked for Obama

C. voted in theelection                                    D. celebrated the victory

58. What message does this part of Obama’sspeech mainly send?

A. Ann Nixon Cooper has experienced thebest time and the darkest hours of America in the last century.

B. America has undergone great developmentin the last century and is looking forward to more great changes.

C. Ann Nixon Cooper has witnessed thedevelopment and democracy of America.

D. This election had many firsts and manystories that will be told for generations.

试题答案

【答案】

56-58BCB

【解析】略