（湖北专用）省专版2015届高考英语二轮复习 专题限时检测（十六）阅读理解之人物故事.docVIP

专题限时检测(十六)　阅读理解之人物故事类 (共3篇，限时23分钟) A (2014·黄冈高三调研)Pioneering front-row White House journalist Helen Thomas died at age 92 after a long illness. Thomas covered 10 presidents over nearly half a century, and became a legend in the industry. She was always at White House news conferences — sitting front and center — where she frequently annoyed government spokesmen with her pointed questions. Thomas began covering the White House for United Press International when John F．Kennedy became president in 1961 and was a fixture there until her retirement in 2010. In a written statement, Obama called Thomas a “true pioneer” and said she kept the presidents she covered — including himself — on their toes. Thomas, the daughter of Lebanese immigrants, was born in Winchester, Kentucky, on August 4, 1920. She was one of nine children. Thomas was raised in Detroit, where she attended Wayne State University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 1942. In describing her job, Thomas once said，“I’ve never covered the president in any way other than that he is ultimately responsible.” Thomas embraced the freedoms of a columnist with vigor (活力). No question seemed off-limits for her. Colleagues remember her as a genuinely fearless woman who asked the toughest questions of presidents, no matter their party. In January 2009, as President George Bush was preparing to leave office, Thomas aimed her editorial guns at him and his administration. In a commentary, she slammed (抨击) Bush for what she considered his failings, including leading the country “into a senseless war against Iraqi a calamity still under way as he leaves office almost six years after the invasion.” She considered him “the worst president ever.” 1．According to the text, Helen Thomas was________. A．a wise politician　　　 　B．a writing pioneer C．a legendary journalist D．a White House adviser 2．The underlined word “fixture” in Paragraph 3 probably means________. A．an object firmly fixed in place B．a person regarded fixed in