Little Robby, our neighbour’s nephew, carefully drew
some water into a bowl and started for the door. How I hated this water
rationing (定量供应). We were forced to bathe in the deep
little pond we shared with Jessie, our cow. Wells were dry, and crops
transformed to dust.
I watched Robby sitting down onto the steps to my
house. Bees buzzed circling his hair, and he buzzed with them. I remembered his
aunt’s words: I don’t know what I was thinking when I took him in. The crash
killed my sister, and he wasn’t hurt, but he can’t talk. He’s in a world of all
his own.
Why couldn’t she see the wonderful gifts this
boy possessed? He was blessed with a loving nature and a deep admiration for
all living things, and I knew he could talk to animals. My heart ached for
Robby, who was to stay with us for the summer, and had already been the dearest
part of our world, eagerly tending the garden with me and my husband, Tom.
On a string around Robby’s neck hung a whistle, in
case he was ever lost or in danger. After all, he could not call out for help.
But he knew perfectly well that the whistle was not a toy. Blowing on it would
bring us both running. I had told him the story of the boy who cried wolf, and
I knew he understood me.
I sighed as I cleared up the last supper dish. Every
ounce of recycled water was saved for a tiny vegetable garden Robby had
planted. Tom turned to me. “You know, honey, I’ve been thinking about...”
Before he could continue, a scream from the yard made
us jump. My God! It’s Robby’s whistle! When we reached him, he was pointing
excitedly to the sky. Looking up, we saw the most magnificent sight: Rain
Clouds! “Robby! Quick! We need all the pots and pans!”
Robby raced with me to the house. A drop of water fell
on my pot and then another. Soon the yard was enveloped in soaking, glorious
rain. We all stood with faces held upward to feel the comfort of it. Tom picked
up Robby and danced about the pots, shouting and whooping, “Rain for Robby!”
Tom swung about to show me Robby’s face: he was laughing right out loud,
“W-W-Wobby’s!” “Wobby’s … wain … Mom,” giggling(咯咯地笑),
and stretching out one tiny hand in the shape of a cup to catch the rain.
I hugged them both, tears of joy mixing with the rain.
1.The underlined phrase “the wonderful gifts” in the
3rd paragraph refers to Robby’s ______.
A.love for
nature and all living things
B.kindness to
help others around
C.independence
since his childhood
D.readiness to
accept what happened to him
2.It was because ______ that the author and her
husband would run on hearing the whistle.
A.it was going
to rain
B.Robby often
surprised us with his whistle
C.something bad
might happen to Robby.
D.Robby might
find something special
3.What can we learn from the passage?
A.Robby was old
enough, but still couldn’t speak.
B.Robby’s aunt regretted bringing Robby home.
C.Robby didn’t accept the author and Tom as his parents.
D.Robby
happened to find the rain cloud and was terrified.
4.It can be concluded from the passage that ______.
A.we should
show mercy for the disabled children
B.every child
has his own talent however young he is
C.children from
poor families take responsibilities earlier
D.children’s sensitive hearts are worthy to be taken care of