2、Harry Houdini(1874―1926) was a world-famous magician and a performer of death-defying stunts(逃生绝技). His world fame was based on a series of astonishing escapology tricks. He was able to free himself from obviously escape―proof devices, including leg irons, handcuffs(手铐)(as many as ten pairs at the same time), locked prison cells and crates(板条箱) which had been nailed shut. His most striking skill was when he escaped from an airtight tank that was filled with water.

Houdini was born in Budapapest, Hungary, and his family moved to the USA when he was a child. For a time, they lived in a cheap boarding house in New York and they struggled to make a living. One of Harry’s first jobs was an apprentice(学徒)to a locksmith(锁匠), which is where he mastered the art of opening locks without using a key.

In 1891, Houdini became a professional magician, but at first he met with little success. When he began experimenting with escapology, however, he so impressed a theatre manager who saw him that he was strongly advised to concentrate on that part of his act.

Within months, he was a huge success, performing at top theatres, not only in the USA but also in Europe. He created a sensation in London, when he made an elephant disappear from the stage of the Hippodrome Theatre. What the audience didn’t know was that below the stage was a swimming pool filled with water, where the somewhat terrified elephant finished up!

Back in the USA, he produced the most dangerous act of his career―the Water Torture. He was suspended(挂，悬) upside down in a water tank which was full to overflowing. He had to hold his breath for more than three minutes to escape. In a fictionalised film of his life, he “died” doing this trick. This is not true. He actually died of peritonitis(腹膜炎) in a Detroit hospital.

 

41．Who was Harry Houdini?

       A．A famoust American magician

       B．A New York locksmith born in Hungary.

       C．An Hungarian escapologist born in New York.

       D．An elephant trainer in London.

42．Which is the right order of the events about Houdini?

    a．He worked as an apprentice to locksmith.

    b．His family moved to America.

    c．He went to Europe to give performances.

    d．He produced the most dangerous magic.

    e．He became a professional magician.

       A．a b c e d B．a c b d e C．b a e c d D．b c e a d

43．Which of the following statements is TRUE?

       A．It was his parents who advised him to fix his attention on performing magic.

       B．Houdini was successful at the very beginning of his career.

       C．Houdini was famous for his astonishing magic.

       D．Houdini died of an accident while giving an performance.

44．It is not mentioned but can be inferred from the passage that

       A．Houdini was once a locksmith.

       B．Houdini’s family was poor and life was hard when he was a young boy.

       C．Houdini’s father began his own business in the U.S.A.

       D．Houdini could open any lock in the world without using a key.