Florence Nightingale was a nurse who saved many lives in the 19th century. She was named after the city of Florence in Italy, where her parents went after they got married in 1818. Her family was rich and they had two homes in Britain as well as servants.

Florence was an unusual young woman for her time because she didn’t want to go to parties and get married. She wanted to be a nurse and help people. Her family didn’t want her to become a nurse because hospitals back then were dirty, terrible places. They were worried about her. In 1851, Florence went to Germany and learned all about nursing. It was hard work, but she loved it.

In 1854, lots of British soldiers went to fight in the Crimean War. Army hospitals were filled with injured men, but there were no nurses and many men died. Florence and a team of nurses went to help. Florence worked 20 hours a day to make the army hospital a cleaner and safer place. She brought the men fresh food, she cleaned the hospital beds and she used clean bandages on the wounded soldiers. Soon, fewer men were dying. At night, Florence walked around the hospital. She talked to the injured soldiers and helped the men to write letters to their families. She carried a lamp and the soldiers called her “The lady with the lamp”.

When Florence returned to England, people called her a heroine of her work in the Crimean War. Queen Victoria wrote her a letter to say thank you. She continued to work hard in Britain to improve hospitals and she was given a medal called the Order of Merit. She was the first woman to receive this honour.

1.Why didn’t Florence’s family want her to become a nurse?

A Because nursing cost a lot of work.

B Because they didn’t like the job.

C Because they worried about her.

D Because nursing was difficult.

解析：选C。C细节理解题。根据第二段中的“Her family didn’t want her to become a nurse because hospitals back then were dirty, terrible places. They were worried about her.”可知，她的家人不希望她成为一名护士，因为当时的医院是肮脏、可怕的地方，他们很担心她。故选C。

2.What does the third paragraph mainly talk about?

A Florence’s work in the Crimean War.

B Florence’s plan for the future.

C Florence’s childhood life.

D Florence’s opinions about the war.

解析：选A。A段落大意题。该段主要描述了弗洛伦斯·南丁格尔在克里米亚战争中担任战地护士，为伤员解决必须的生活用品和食品，对他们进行认真的护理。故选A。

3.Which word can describe Florence’s work in the Crimean War?

A Just so-so.

B Terrible.

C Romantic.

D Amazing.

解析：选D。D推理判断题。根据第三段中的“Soon, fewer men were dying.”“She carried a lamp and the soldiers called her ‘The lady with the lamp’.”和第四段的“people called her a heroine of her work”和“Queen Victoria wrote her a letter to say thank you.”可知，她在克里米亚战争中表现非常出色。故选D。

4.The passage is written in the order of _________ .

A reason

B space

C time

D importance

解析：选C。C推理判断题。根据文章中依次出现的时间点“in 1818”“In 1851”“In 1854”等可知，本文按照时间发展顺序。故选C。