An Englishman was once traveling in Italy. One day he went into a small restaurant to order dinner. He understood very little Italian and couldn’t read the menu(菜单). He knew the word for eggs, and so he ordered eggs. Italy is famous, however, for its mushrooms(蘑菇) with eggs. But he did not know the word for mushrooms. The waiter did not speak a word of English and could not help him. At last, the man took out his pocket a pencil and a piece of paper and very carefully drew a picture of a mushroom on the piece of paper. The waiter looked at the picture of the mushroom for a long while. He did not understand very well, but at last he left. He was gone a long time. After about a half hour he returned. But instead of an order of mushroom, he brought the man a large black umbrella.

1. 1.

   Why did the Englishman go to Italy?

   1. A.
      He went to work in a restaurant.
   2. B.
      He went to buy an umbrella.
   3. C.
      He traveled in Italy.
   4. D.
      He wanted to visit his friends.
2. 2.

   What is Italy famous for?

   1. A.
      Mushroom with eggs.
   2. B.
      Eggs.
   3. C.
      Mushrooms.
   4. D.
      Beautiful umbrella.
3. 3.

   How did the Englishman tell the waiter that he wanted some mushrooms?

   1. A.
      He drew a picture of a mushroom on the table.
   2. B.
      He said “mushrooms” in Italian.
   3. C.
      He showed the waiter a picture of a mushroom.
   4. D.
      He drew a picture of an umbrella.
4. 4.

   What’s the end of the story?

   1. A.
      The Englishman didn’t get what he wanted, but an umbrella.
   2. B.
      The Englishman got mushrooms at last.
   3. C.
      The Englishman left before the waiter came back.
   4. D.
      The Englishman got nothing in the end.
5. 5.

   Which of the following is right according to the passage?

   1. A.
      An American was once traveling in Italy.
   2. B.
      The man knew Italian very well.
   3. C.
      The man told the waiter that he wanted to buy an umbrella.
   4. D.
      The waiter didn’t know English at all.

I'm not sure if I'm going to Tim's party; I may go to the concert ________.

1. A.
   only
2. B.
   instead
3. C.
   early
4. D.
   late

Twenty years ago, I drove a taxi for a living. One night I went to pick up a passenger at 2:30 AM. When I arrived there, I walked to the door and knocked, “Just a minute,” answered a weak, elderly voice.
After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her eighties stood before me. By her side was a small suitcase.
When we got into the taxi, she gave me an address, and then asked, “Could you drive through downtown?”
“It’s not the shortest way,” I answered quickly.
“Oh, I’m in no hurry,” she said. “I’m on my way to a hospice(临终医院). I don’t have any family left. The doctor says I don’t have very long.”
I quietly reached over and shut off the meter(计价器).
For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked, the neighborhood where she had lived, and the furniture shop that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl.
Sometimes she’d ask me to slow down in front of a special building and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.
In the early morning, she suddenly said,” I’m tired. Let’s go now.”
We drove in silence to the address she had given me.
“How much do I pay you?” she asked.
“Nothing.” I said.
“You have to make a living,” she answered. “Oh, there are other passengers,” I answered.
Almost without thinking, I gave her a hug(拥抱). She held on me and said, “You gave an old woman a little moment of joy.”
【小题1】The old woman chose to ride through the city in order to ______.