When I was a child, my parents often took me to an old house in a thick forest. No other children ever stayed there. I didn’t even have the choice of playing with a brother or sister.
I could never understand what the attraction(吸引) of the house was, even for my parents, who enjoyed nothing better than to sit in silence with a good book. The woman in the house, my father’s distant cousin, was a terrible cook and her food was inedible.
One day, when I was wandering around the garden behind the house, I noticed a wooden house which had clearly been abandoned(被遗弃的). As I walked towards it, I heard a noise, like an animal moving hurriedly away. Then I saw a man with a long beard standing at the door. I was greatly surprised.
“Please don’t tell them you saw me,” he said. “They never use this place, and I have nowhere else to live.” “Don’t worry,” I said. “I won’t tell anyone. But are you all right out here? I mean—do you have enough to eat?” The old man shook his head.
The same evening, I took a small plastic bag into the dining room and, while no one was looking, emptied some of the food into it. Later, I got out of the back door secretly and gave the food to the old man, whose name I had discovered was Taff.
I had never seen anything else as lovely as the smile of satisfaction on Taff’s face when he ate the food. From then on, my visits to the old house had a purpose, and I enjoyed every minute of the rest of my stay.
【小题1】 How did the writer feel about staying in the old house at first?

One evening Mr. Harris was on duty when the phone rang. He went to answer it. It was Mrs. Green.

      "Please, sir, come to my house. I had 5,000 dollars stolen. "

      Mr. Harris hurried to her house. He asked Mrs. Green, "When did you find the money missing?"

      "At seven, I put my money on the table in the living - room. Then I went to wash my hair. I came back at seven thirty and the money was gone. "

      "I see," Mr. Harris said, "Were you alone in the house?"     

"No. My sister's daughter, Nancy, was here, too."

      "Let's talk to Nancy," said Mr. Harris. They went to Nancy's room.

      Mr. Harris sat on the only chair in the room. The chair was cold. Mrs. Green and Nancy sat on the bed. Mr. Harris saw some books on the floor near the chair.

      "What have you been doing this evening?"

      "I've been studying because. I shall have a test tomorrow. I've been sitting on that chair reading all the time. I never got up and never left my room. But at about seven fifty I heard a sound, like someone closing the door. I didn't go out to have a look, for I was too busy. Maybe someone came into the house and took my aunt’s money. "

      After heating that, Mr. Harris was quite clear. He said to Mrs. Green, "Well, you won't have to be worried, and you’ll find the 5,000 dollars just in this room. "

46. In which order did the following happen?

a. Nancy went back into her room.   

b. The money was stolen.

    c. Mrs. Green washed her hair.

d. Mrs. Green put the money on the table.   

e. Mrs. Green gave Mr. Harris a phone call.   

f. Mrs. Green returned to the living- room.   

A. e. d. c. b. a, f.                 B. d. b. c. a. f. e

C. d. c, b, a. f. e.                 D. a. b. c. d. f. e.

47. The chair was cold. This suggested (暗示) that     

A. there was another chair in Nancy’s room   

B. Nancy did not tell the tree facts

C. Nancy forgot to close the windows in her room     

D. it was cold that evening

48. Mr. Harris paid attention to all the facts except the fact that      

A. Nancy and her aunt sat on the bed    

B. some books were on the floor

C. there was only one chair in the room   

D. the chair was cold

49. Which of the following is the most probably true?

   A. Mr. Harris was a policeman.

B. Mrs. Green found Nancy stole the money between 7 and 7: 30.

C. The money was hidden in Nancy's bed.

D. What Nancy said sounded reasonable.

50. Which of the following do you believe?    

A. The thief broke into the house, stole the money and left the house with the money.

B. Nancy was preparing for the test.    

C. Someone closed the door at 7: 50.    

D. Nancy stole the money.