1. (2022高一上·哈尔滨月考) 阅读理解

Do you know the following expressions?

Homeric laughter

The "Homer" in this expression is the Greek poet who wrote The Iliad and the Odyssey. People laugh differently. Some laugh silently, while others tend to laugh loudly. "Homeric laughter" refers to laughter of the latter ( 后 者 ) kind. It is at times uncontrollable, and the entire body shakes during the process. This kind of laughter is called Homeric laughter because this is how the gods laughed in Homer's classics.

Faustian bargain

According to most stories, Faust was a German scholar who was rather unhappy with his life. The devil(魔鬼), Mephistopheles, promises him that in exchange for his soul, he will give Faust unlimited power and knowledge. Faust agrees and experiences all kinds of pleasures, but, in the end, his soul is condemned to the hell ( 下 地 狱 ). A "Faustian bargain" therefore is a deal that finally results in one's ruin. It means a bargain made for temporary gain without taking future consequences into consideration.

A three-ring circus (马戏团)

When you refer to a situation as being a three-ring circus, you are saying that it is a situation of complete confusion. There are so many activities taking place all together that they leave you confused or annoyed. The expression comes from the world of entertainment — the circus. The area where the artists perform their acts is called the "ring". In the past, some of the circuses were so grand that they had three acts taking place simultaneously in three different "rings". The audience had to decide which "ring" they wanted to focus on.

In the swim (of things)

When someone is in the swim of things, the individual is actively participating in the things happening around him, as in "I've been ill, but soon I'll be back in the swim of things." In the world of fishing, fishermen use the word "swim" to refer to the section of the lake/river where fish can be found in plenty. So, if you are a fisherman and wish to catch a lot of fish, where would you be? You would be "in the swim"!

1. （1） According to the text, Homeric laughter _________.

   A . was the way Homer laughed B . means nervous, silent laughter C . is a way to show disagreement D . comes from a Greek poet's works
3. （2） If a person makes a Faustian bargain, _________.

   A . he might come to a bad end B . he would be considered clever C . his life would become satisfying D . he would gain power and knowledge
5. （3） What do we learn about the expression "in the swim (of things)"?

   A . It means having a lot of things to do． B . It has nothing to do with swimming． C . Originally it was used to refer to "going fishing"． D . Patients use it to express their desire for health.