4．China produces 58，000 tons of silk each year．Yet one of the most popular silk companies in the world is Jim Thompson，a brand based in Thailand．
Thompson，a Delaware native，was trained to be an architect in the mid-1920s，but joined the United States army in the early 1940s in response to the rise of World War II． He was soon appointed to the Office of Strategic Services （ which eventually became the CIA） and traveled around the world，including Thailand，where he fell in love with the people and their country．
There were few hotels that accommodated international travelers in the capital of Bangkok，and Thompson thought that with the rise of leisure travel，the Far East would make an appealing destination for Westerners． Upon his discharge from the military in 1946，he returned to Thailand to start his own silk business．
At the time，silk was main y being produced in the northeast of Thailand，but due to the dullness of the collection process，silk production was on the decline． Thompson was determined to revive（振兴） the business，so in 1947，he took a variety of silk thread～back to New York City to see if the product would be marketable to foreign consumers． He received a positive response9 so the Jim Thompson Silk Company was founded in 1948．
Jim Thompson is credited for reviving the silk industry．After the establishment of his company，silk costumes soon-appeared in Broadway plays and popular films such as Ben Hur，and Thai royalty，such as Her Majesty Queen Sirikit，began wearing silk often． Many also think his work contributed greatly to the Thai economy，since the silk industry continues to employ thousands of Thai citizens even today．
Jim Thompson's success is no mystery．'However，his disappearance on March 26，1967 certainly is one． Thompson made a trip to Malaysia to visit friends and one day，ventured into the jungle on an afternoon walk． He was never seen again despite search parties sent out by the Royal Army Air Corps and British troops． Many have their own theories on his disappearance，but none have been completely confirmed．
43． What conclusion can you make about silk since the Jim Thompson Silk Company's establishment？C
A． Siik has only been worn by royalty．
B． Silk has become harder to get．
C． Silk has become more popular．
D． Silk has become more expensive．
44．According to the passage，which of the following statements is NOT true about Thompson？D
A． His military service ended after World WarⅡ．
B． His disappearance remains a mystery．
C． He is the founder of Jim．Thompson．
D． He is a Thai American．
45．Which one of the following is the closest in meaning to the underlined word"credited"in paragraph 5？A
A． Honoured．
B． Sorry．
C． Accounted．
D． Blamed．
46．What is this passage mostly about？A
A． The revival of the silk industry．
B． The mysterious disappearance of Jim Thompson．
C． How the silk industry improved the Thai economy．
D． How Jim Thompson Silk Company came into being．
分析 本文主要讲述了特拉华人Thompson在泰国建立丝绸公司，从而振兴了丝绸工业的故事．文中首先介绍了Thompson的历史背景，选择泰国建立丝绸公司的原因以及该公司的成立所带来的影响（使得丝绸服装开始变得受欢迎，并且也带动了泰国经济的发展）；文章最后讲到，Jim Thompson去马来西亚看朋友时，离奇地消失在了灌木丛里．
解答 答案：43-46．CDAA
43．C 细节推理题 根据第五段"After the establishment of his company，silk costumes soon-appeared in Broadway plays and popular films such as Ben Hur，and Thai royalty，such as Her Majesty Queen Sirikit，began wearing silk often．在他的公司成立之后，丝绸服装出现在了百老汇戏剧以及像《宾虚》这种受欢迎的电影中，泰国皇室，像诗丽吉王后也开始经常穿丝绸"可知，丝绸很受欢迎；故选C
44．D 细节理解题 根据第二段"Thompson，a Delaware native，…Thompson，特拉华本地人…"可知，Thompson是土生土长的美国特拉华州人，并不是泰籍美国人；故选D
45．A 词义猜测题 根据第五段"reviving the silk industry"意为：振兴丝绸工业；并结合本段的大意：Jim Thompson的公司成立之后，丝绸服装开始受到欢迎；可推知，"Jim Thompson is credited for reviving the silk industry"意为：Jim Thompson的公司被赞誉为振兴了丝绸工业；因此"credited"与"Honoured"都有"赞誉"的意思；故选A
46．A 主旨大意题 通读全文可知，本文主要介绍了美国特拉华本地人在泰国建立丝绸公司，振兴了丝绸工业的故事．因此"A． The revival of the silk industry．丝绸工业的振兴"符合本文的意思；故选A
点评 做阅读题时，首先要通读全文，掌握文中大意，理清作者的写作思路；然后针对短文后面的问题，通过细节阅读，在文中相应段落找到或概括出正确答案；做好阅读题，需要平时扩大课外阅读，积累一些常识，例如本文提到的Thompson的出生地 Delaware，要知道它是美国的特拉华州；另外，还要积累足够的词汇量；这都将有利于增强对阅读短文的正确理解．
