When a big ship is in very rough(不平坦的) sea, it has to be able to bend(弯) a little, otherwise it may break in two. If one end of the ship is on the top of one huge wave, and the other end is on the top of another, with the middle of the ship hanging in between; or if one huge wave comes up under the middle of the ship, leaving the two ends hanging, the ship's own weight will break its back if it is quite stiff(硬的).

　　To make a big ship elastic(有弹性的) enough to avoid (避开) this danger, it has joints where the sections of the ship come together above the water-line, and these joints (连接处) open and shut slightly as the waves lift one section(部分) of the ship or another. This is enough to save the ship from breaking into pieces.

　　One day a sailor was walking along a passage-way in a big ship during a storm when he was surprised to see a boy sitting comfortably in a chair at the end of the passage-way, which was opposite one of the ship's joints. The boy had a bag of nuts beside him, and every time the ship was lifted by a wave and the joint opened, he put a nut in it. As the ship came down again, the joint closed and cracked(压碎) the nut, gently but firmly. The boy then took it out and put the next one in as the joint opened again.

1．What does a big ship have to do when it is in very rough sea?

2．If one end of the ship is on the top of one huge wave, and the other end is on the top of another, with the middle of the ship hanging in between, what will happen to the ship if it is quite stiff?

3．Why does a big ship have joints?

4．What do these joints do?

5．Where was a sailor walking during the storm in this story?

6．What was he surprised to see?

7．What did the boy have beside him?

8．What did he do?

9．How was the nut cracked?

10．What did the boy do then?

"Can I see my baby?" asked the happy new mother. When the baby was in her arms, she couldn't believe her eyes. The baby was born without ears.

Time proved(证明) that the baby's hearing was very good though he had no ears. He got on well with his classmates. But one day, he said to his mother, tears in his eyes, "A big boy called me a freak (畸形的)."

　　The boy's father asked the family doctor. "Could nothing be done?"

　　"I believe I could graft (植入) on a pair of outer ears if they could be got," the doctor said. They tried to find a person who was helpful for the young man.

　　One day, his father said to the son, "You're going to the hospital, son. Mother and I have someone who will donate the ears you need. But we must keep it a secret who the person is."

　　The operation(手术) was a great success, and a new person appeared. His cleverness and hard work made him a very successful person. He married and lived a happy life.

　　He once asked his father, "Who gave me the ears? I could do enough for him or her."

　　"I do not believe you could, "said the father." The agreement was that you are not to know...not yet."

　　For years they kept it a secret, but the day did come. He stood with his father over his mother's body. Slowly, the father raised the thick, brown hair. To his surprise, the son found his mother had no outer ears.

　　"Mother said she was glad she never needed to cut her hair," his father said in a low voice, "and nobody ever thought mother less beautiful, did they?”

1.The mother was surprised to see her baby for the first time because the baby__.

2.The sentence"...a new person appeared." means"______."

3.Why did the boy's mother never cut her hair?

4.Which of the following is true according to the passage?

5.Which is the best title for the passage?