Elizabeth Freeman was born about 1742 to African American parents who were slaves. At the age of six months she was acquired, along with her sister, by John Ashley, a wealthy Massachusettsslaveholders. She became known as “Mumbet” or “Mum Bett.”

For nearly 30 years Mumbet served the Ashley family. One day, Ashley’s wife tried to strike Mumbet’s sister with a spade. Mumbet protected her sister and took the blow instead. Furious, she left the house and refused to come back. When the Ashleys tried to make her return, Mumbet consulted a lawyer, Theodore Sedgewick. With his help, Mumbet sued(起诉) for her freedom.

While serving the Ashleys, Mumbet had listened to many discussions of the newMassachusettsconstitution. If the constitution said that all people were free and equal, then she thought it should apply to her. Eventually, Mumbet won her freedom---- the first slave inMassachusettsto do so under the new constitution.

Strangely enough, after the trial, the Ashleys asked Mumbet to come back and work for them as a paid employee. She declined and instead went to work for Segdewick. Mumbet died in 1829, but her legacy lived on in her many descendants(后裔). One of her great-grandchildren was W.E.B. Du Bois, one of the founder of the NAACP, and an important writer and spokesperson for African American civil rights.

Mumbet’s tombstone still stands in theMassachusettscemetery where she was buried. It reads, in part: “She was born a slave and remained a slave and remained a slave for nearly thirty years. She could neither read nor write, yet in her own sphere she had no superior or equal.” 

1.51. What do we know about Mumbet according to Paragraph 1?

A She was born a slave

B She was a slaveholder

C She had a famous sister

D She was born into a rich family

解析：选A。A 【解析】推理题判断。根据文章第一行Elizabeth Freeman was born about 1742 to African American parents who were slaves.可知Elizabeth Freeman的父母都是奴隶，所以可以推知，她天生就是一位奴隶。

2.52. Why did Mumbet run away from the Ashleys?

A She found an employer

B She wanted to be a lawyer

C She was hit and got angry

D She had to take care of her sister

解析：选C。C 【解析】细节理解题。根据第二段前3行One day, Ashley’s wife tried to strike Mumbet’s sister with a spade. Mumbet protected her sister and took the blow instead. Furious, she left the house and refused to come back.可知Ashley的妻子要拿铁锹打Mumbet的妹妹，Mumbet为了保护妹妹而被Ashley的妻子打了，Mumbet非常生气，所以离开了Ashley家并且决定不再回来。由此可见，她从Ashley家离开的原因是因为被打而非常生气。

3.53. What did Mumbet learn from discussions about the new constitution?

A She should always obey her owners’ orders

B She should be as free and equal as whites

C How to be a good servant

D How to apply for a job

解析：选B。B 【解析】推理题。根据文章第三段前3行While serving the Ashleys, Mumbet had listened to many discussions of the new Massachusetts constitution. If the constitution said that all people were free and equal, then she thought it should apply to her.可知在为Ashley一家人服务期间，Mumbet就听到了很多关于新的马萨诸塞州宪法的讨论，她认为宪法所规定的所有人生而平等的理念亦应该适用于她，即她也应该受到与白人一样的平等的对待。

4.54. What did Mumbet do after the trial?

A She chose to work for a lawyer

B She found the NAACP

C She continued to serve the Ashleys

D She went to live with her grandchildren

解析：选A。A 【解析】细节题。根据文章2,4段When the Ashleys tried to make her return, Mumbet consulted a lawyer, Theodore Sedgewick. With his help, Mumbet sued(起诉) for her freedom. 和She declined and instead went to work for Segdewick.当Ashley一家人请求Mumbet回去的时候，她拒绝了，而是选择为Theodore Sedgewick，那位帮助自己获得自由的律师工作。

5.55. What is the test mainly about?

A A story of a famous writer and spokesperson

B The friendship between a lawyer and a slave

C The life of a brave African American woman

D A trial that shocked the whole world

解析：选C。C 【解析】主旨大意题。本文属于人物传记类短文，介绍了生下来就是奴隶的Elizabeth Freeman为了获得自由而进行的斗争以及人们对她的评价。C项说法与此相符。