题目内容
I wrote to my parents once a week,____ I was too busy with my teaching work
- A.it
- B.unless
- C.when
- D.as
unless=if...not。
I’ve loved my mother’s desk since I was just tall enough to see above the top of it as mother sat doing letters. Standing by her chair, looking at the ink bottle, pens and white paper, I decided that the act of writing must be the most wonderful thing in the world.
Years later, during her final illness, mother kept different things for my sister and brother. “But the desk,” she said again, “is for Elizabeth.”
I never saw her angry, never saw her cry. I knew she loved me; she showed it in action. But as a young girl, I wanted heart-to-heart talks between mother and daughter.
They never happened. And a gulf opened between us. I was “too emotional(易动感情的)”. But she lived “on the surface”.
As years passed and I had my own family. I loved my mother and thanked her for our happy family. I wrote to her in careful words and asked her to let me know in any way she chose that she did forgive me.
I posted the letter and waited for her answer, none came.
My hope turned to disappointment, then little interest and, finally, peace. It seemed that nothing happened. I couldn’t be sure that the letter had even got to Mother. I only knew that I had written it, and I could stop trying to make her into someone she was not.
Now the present of her desk told me that she was pleased that writing was my chosen work though she’d never been able to. I cleaned the desk carefully and found some papers inside — a photo of my father and a one-page letter, folded(折叠) and refolded many times.
Give me an answer, my letter asks, in any way you choose, Mother, you always chose the act that speaks louder than words.
【小题1】The writer began to love her mother’s desk _______.
A.after Mother died | B.before she became a writer |
C.when she was a child | D.when mother gave it to her |
A.Mother was cold on the surface but kind in her heart to her daughter |
B.Mother was too serious about everything her daughter had done |
C.Mother cared much about her daughter in words |
D.Mother wrote to her daughter in careful words. |
A.deep understanding between the old and the young. |
B.different ideas between the mother and the daughter. |
C.free talks between mother and daughter. |
D.part of the sea going far in land. |
A.She had never received the letter. |
B.For years, she often talked about the letter. |
C.She didn’t forgive her daughter at all in all her life. |
D.She read the letter again and again till she died. |
A.My letter to Mother | B.Mother and Children |
C.My Mother’s Desk | D.Talks between Mother and me. |
They were going to Fort Lauderdale — three boys and three girls — and when they boarded the bus, they were carrying sandwiches and wine in paper bags, dreaming of golden beaches and sea tides as the gray, cold spring of New York went behind them.
As the bus passed through New Jersey, they began to notice Vingo. He sat in front of them, completely in silence.
Deep into the night, outside Washington, the bus pulled into Howard Johnson’s, and everybody got off except Vingo. The young people began to wonder about him. When they went back to the bus, one of the girls sat beside him and introduced herself.
“Want some wine?” she said. He smiled and took a swig from the bottle. He thanked her and became silent again. After a while, she went back to the others, and Vingo nodded in sleep.
In the morning, they awoke outside another Howard Johnson’s, and this time Vingo went in. The girl insisted that he join them. He ordered black coffee and some cookies as the young people talked about sleeping on beaches. When they returned to the bus, the girl sat with Vingo again, and after a while, slowly and painfully, he began to tell his story. He had been in prison in New York for the past four years, and now he was going home.
“Are you married?”
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?” she said.
“Well, when I was in prison I wrote to my wife,” he said, “I told her that I was going to be away for a long time, and that if she couldn’t stand it, if the kids kept asking questions, and if it hurt her too much, well, she could jus forget me. I’d understand. Get a new man, I said — she’s a wonderful woman. I told her she didn’t have to write me. And she didn’t. Not for three and a half years.”
“And you’re going home now, not knowing?”
“Yeah. Well, last week, when I was sure the parole (假释) was coming through, I wrote her again. We used to live in Brunswick, just before Jacksonville, and there’s a big oak (橡树) just as you come into town. I told her that if she didn’t have a new man and if she’d take me back, she should put a yellow handkerchief on the tree, and I’d get off and come home. If she didn’t want me, forget it — no handkerchief and I’d go on through.”
“Wow,” the girl exclaimed, “Wow.”
She told the others, and soon all of them were in it, looking at the pictures Vingo showed them of his wife and three children.
Now they were 20 miles from Brunswick, and the young people took over window seats on the right side, waiting for the approach of the great oak. Vingo stopped looking, tightening his face, as if protecting himself against still another disappointment.
Then Brunswick was ten miles, and then five. Then, suddenly, all of the young people were up out of their seats, shouting and crying.
Vingo sat there astonished, looking at the oak. It was covered with yellow handkerchiefs — 20 of them, 30 of them, maybe hundreds, flying in the wind. As the young people shouted, Vingo slowly rose from his seat and made his way to the front of the bus to go home.
【小题1】At the beginning of the story, the young boys and girls ______.
A.showed a great interest in Vingo | B.didn’t notice Vingo at all |
C.wanted to offer help to Vingo | D.didn’t like Vingo at all |
A.bus station | B.apartment | C.hospital | D.restaurant |
A.Ashamed. | B.Relaxed. | C.Nervous. | D.Disappointed. |
A.Vingo’s experience in prison |
B.the young people’s travel to Fort Lauderdale |
C.Vingo’s three lovely children |
D.the dialogue between Vingo and his family |
It was a winter morning, just a couple of weeks before Christmas 2005. While most people were warming up their ears, Trevor, my husband, had to get up early to ride his bike four kilometers away from home to work. On arrival, he parked his bike outside the back door as he usually does. After putting in 10 hours of labor, he returned to find his bike gone.
The bike, a black Kona 18 speed, was our only transport. Trevor used it to get to work, putting in 60-hour weeks to support his young family. And the bike was also used to get groceries (食品杂货) saving us from having to walk long distances from where we live.
I was so sad that someone would steal our bike that I wrote to the newspaper and told them our story. Shortly after that,several people in our area offered to help. One wonderful stranger even bought a bike, then called my husband to pick it up. Once again my husband had a way to get to and from his job. It really is an honor that a complete stranger would go out of their way for someone they have never met before.
People say that a smile can be passed from one person to another, but acts of kindness from strangers are even more so. This experience has had a spreading effect in our lives because it strengthened our faith in humanity (人性) as a whole. And it has influenced (影响) us to be more mindful of ways we, too, can share with others. No matter how or how small, an act of kindness shows that someone cares. And the results can be everlasting.
【小题1】Why was the bike so important to the couple?
A. The man’s job was bike racing. B. It was their only possession.
c. It was a nice Kona 18 speed. D. They used it for work and daily life
【小题2】We can infer from the text that ________
A.The couple worked 60 hours a week |
B.people were busy before Christmas |
C.the stranger brought over the bike |
D.life was hard for the young family |
A.From radio broadcasts. | B.From a newspaper. |
C.From TV news. | D.From a stranger. |
A.Strangers are usually of little help. |
B.One should take care of their bike. |
C.News reports make people famous. |
D.An act of kindness can mean a lot. |
Three boys and three girls were going to Fort Lauderdale and when they boarded the bus,they were carrying sandwiches and wine in paper bags,dreaming of golden beaches as the gray cold of New York vanished behind them.
As the bus passed through New Jersey,they began to notice Vingo, He sat in front of them,dressed in a plain,ill-fitting suit,never moving,his dusty face masking his age. He kept chewing the inside of his lip a lot,frozen into some personal cocoon of silence.
Deep into the night,outside Washington,the bus pulled into Howard Johnson's,and everybody got off except Vingo. He sat rooted in his seat,and the young people began to wonder about him,trying to imagine his life:perhaps he was a sea captain,a runaway from his wife,an old soldier going home. When they went back to the bus,one of the girls sat beside him and introduced herself.
"We're going to Florida,” she said brightly, “I hear it's really beautiful.”
“It is,”he said quietly,as if remembering something he had tried to forget.
"Want some wine?" she said. He smiled and took a swig. He thanked her and once again returned to his silence. After a while,she went back to the others,and Vingo nodded in his sleep.
In the morning,they awoke outside another Howard Johnson's.And this time Vingo went in. The girl insisted that he join them. He seemed very shy, and ordered black coffee and smoked nervously as the young people chattered about sleeping on beaches. When they returned to the bus,the girl sat with Vingo again,and after a while, slowly and painfully,he told his story. He had been in jail in New York for the past four years,and now he was going home.
“Are you married?”
“I don't know.
“You don’t know?” she said.
“Well,when I was in jail I wrote to my wife,”he said. “I told her that I was going to be away a long time,and that if she couldn't stand it.if the kids kept asking questions,if it hurt too much,well she could just forget me, I'd understand. Get a new guy,I said she's a wonderful woman,really something and forget about me. I told her she didn't have to write me for nothing. And she didn't. Not for three and a half years.”
"And you’re going home now,not knowing?”
“Yeah,”he said shyly. “Well,last week,when I was sure the parole (假释) was coming through, I wrote her again. We used to live in Brunswick,just before Jacksonville,and there’s a big oak (橡树) tree just as you came into town. I told her that if she'd take me back,she should put a yellow handkerchief on the tree,and I'd get off and come home, If she didn't want me, forget it, no handkerchief,and I'd go on through.”
"Vow,” the girl exclaimed. "Wow.”
She told the others,and noon all of them were in it, caught up in the approach of Brunswick,looking at the pictures Vingo showed them of his wife and three children. The woman was handsome in a plain way,the children still unformed in the much-handled snapshots.
Now they were 20 miles from Brunswick, and the young people took over window seat on the right side,waiting for the approach of the great oak tree. The bus acquired a dark,hushed mood,full of the silence of absence and lost years. Vingo stopped looking, tightening his face into the ex-con's mask, as if fortifying himself against still another disappointment.
Then Brunswick was ten miles, and then five. Then,suddenly,all of the young people were up out of their seats,screaming and shouting and crying,doing small dances of joy. All except Vingo.
Vingo sat there stunned,looking at the oak tree. It was covered with yellow handkerchiefs,20 of them,30 of them,maybe hundreds,a tree that stood like a banner of welcome billowing in the wind. As the young people shouted,the old rose and made his way to the front of the bus to go home.
1.Which is right about Vingo?
A.He was a sea captain. |
B.He was a runaway from his wife, |
C.He was an old soldier going home. |
D.He was a prisoner. |
2. The underlined word "`exclaimed" probably indicates that the girl was“______”
A. surprised B: angry C: embarrassed D. puzzled
3. From the story,we know that
A.the young people and Vingo loved New York |
B.Vingo dressed himself decently |
C.Vingo's Wife didn't write to him because she didn't miss him |
D.the young people were happy for Vingo because he could went home |
4.What is the best title for the story?
A.An Unexpected Return |
B.Forgiving My Absence |
C.Going Home |
D.The Old Oak Tree |