12．Sam，an unemployed piano tuner，said it was only the second thing he had ever won in his life．The first thing was an Afghan blanket at a church raffle（抽彩售货） when be was 25years old．But this was much bigger：it was﹩120，000!He had won the Big Cube，a state lottery（彩票）game．To win，a contestant must first guess which number a spinning cube will stop on．The cube has six numbers on it：1X，10X，50X，100X，500X．and l000X．If he is correct，the contestant must then guess which of two selected variahles（变量）is going to be greater．So，just guessing which mumber appears on the cube does not guarantee that you will win any money．
Sam correctly guessed 1000X，but he still had to choose between two variables．One variable was the number of cars that would run the stop sign at Hill Street and Lake Avenue in six hours．The other variable was the number of times that a teenage boy would change TV channels in a three-hour period．This was a tough decision．
Finally，Sam flipped a coin．It came up heads，so Sam picked the teenager．He picked right．The stop sign was run only 76times，but the teen clicked 120times．Sixty-year-old Sam jumped for joy，for he had just won 1，000times 120，or﹩120，000．Sam dreamily left the lottery studio．Talking excitedly on his cell phone while crossing the street，he got hit by a little sports car．
Sam is slowly getting better．He was in the hospital for a month．His hospital bill was﹩110，000．And the insurance company for the little sports car's owner sued （起诉）Sam for﹩9，000worth of repairs．Also，Sam still has to pay federal taxes on his winnings．Sam doesn't play the state lottery any more．He says it's better to be unlucky．
41．What can be inferred about Sam from passage？A
A．He always has had bad luck．
B．He seldom goes to a raffle．
C．He is a very careful person in life．
D．He used to be crazy about lottery tickets．
42．Which of the following played a vital role in Sam's winning the big prize？B
A．The cube． B．The coin．
C．The blanket． D．The stop sign．
43．Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage？D
A．The lottery game was a complete lie．
B．Sam was quite familiar with the boy．
C．The owner of the car is now in hospital．
D．Sam will have none of the prize money lest．
44．What could be the best title for the passage？C
A．Curiosity killed the cat
B．Joy puts heart into a man
C．Extreme joy ends in sorrow
D．A bird in hand is worth two in the bush．
分析 本文讲述了Sam在幸运地获得大奖以后却出了一场车祸被车给撞了，结果住院交医疗费花掉了11万美元，支付保险公司的汽车修理费用是9000美元，只剩1000美元还需要支付大奖所得税，那就一分不剩了，这个故事说明福祸相依．
解答 41．A 推理判断题．根据文章第一段前两句Sam说到他一生中只抽到过两次奖，第一次是25岁时他在抽奖销售中抽到了一块阿富汗毛毯．可见他运气很差．其他选项没有确凿的事实根据．
42．B 推理判断题．第三段提到，Sam拿到大奖的最后一关是用抛硬币来帮他做决定的，因此可推出答案．
43．D 细节理解题．根据文章最后一段Sam is slowly getting better．He was in the hospital for a month．His hospital bill was﹩110，000．And the insurance company for the little sports car's owner sued （起诉）Sam for﹩9，000worth of repairs．Also，Sam still has to pay federal taxes on his winnings．Sam doesn't play the state lottery any more可知，Sam的12万元奖金因为他出车祸住院交医疗费花掉了11万美元，支付保险公司的汽车修理费用是9000美元，只剩1000美元还需要支付大奖所得税，那就一分不剩了．
44．C 主旨大意题．根据整篇文章内容可知sam在获大奖后，兴奋至极以致在街打手机时出了车祸，C项"乐极生悲"正合此意．
点评 本篇文章是人物故事类阅读理解．人物故事类阅读理解是记叙文文体，是高考常见得选材之一，它注重考查考生通过阅读把握故事梗概，获取有效信息的能力，其难度较小，要求考生平时加强对这一类文章的阅读，了解记叙文基本要素，在做题时要结合上下文做出正确的选择．
