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听力测试(满分30分)
第一节
听下面5段对话。每段对话后有一个小题,从题中所给的A、B、C三个选项中选出最佳选项。听完每段对话后,你都有10秒钟的时间来回答有关小题和阅读下一小题。每段对话仅读一遍。
W:Do you need any help, sir?
M:Yes.Would you like to tell me the way to the Science Museum?
W:Science Museum?
1.What does the woman mean?
A.She is unwilling to tell the man.
B.She knows the place well.
C.She doesn’t know the place.
M:Sorry to bother you, but do you have any change for one dollar?
W:I’ll have to look.What do you want it for?
M:I need it for the parking meter.
W:I can give you 4 quarters if that’ll help.
2.What is the man going to do with the change?
A.To park his car.
B.To make a phone call.
C.To buy something to eat.
W:Here is a picture of Susan taken last week.
M:May I have a look?
W:Sure.It flatters Susan a bit.She is not so pretty actually.
M:No, by no means, and she doesn’t look so young as she appears on
the picture.
3.What does the man think of Susan?
A.She is prettier and younger.
B.She is less pretty but younger.
C.She is less pretty and older.
M:Mom, Dad called and said that he wouldn’t be home for dinner.
W:Did he say why?
M:Yes, he said that one of the men was sick and he was going to stay
for the afternoon shift.
4.Why won’t the man’s father be home for dinner?
A.To look after a sick person.
B.To take the place of someone.
C.To have dinner in the afternoon.
W:Kate, let’s go for a drive somewhere this weekend.
M:That’s a good idea.Just the two of us!
W:I thought that the whole family could go together.
M:I’m afraid that the kids can’t.Jenny is staying at the university this
weekend to study.Peter and Linda going on a trip this weekend with
their school.
5.What is the relation between the speakers?
A.Couple.
B.Friends.
C.Partners.
第二节
听下面5段对话或独白。每段对话或独白后有几个小题,从题中所给的A、B、C三个选项中选出最佳选项。听每段对话或独白前,你将有时间阅读各个小题,每小题5秒钟;听完后,各小题将给出5秒钟的作答时间。每段对话或独白读两遍。
听第6段材料,回答第6~7题。
“Are we poisonous?” the young snake asked his mother.
“Yes, dear, ” she replied.“Why do you ask?”
“Because I’ve just bitten my tongue!” said the young snake sadly.
6.How was the mother snake feeling when asked the question?
A.Puzzled.
B.Interested.
C.Disappointed.
7.Which frightens the young snake?
A.He is poisonous.
B.He is going to die.
C.He has lost his tongue.
听第7段材料,回答第8~10题。
W:What are your plans for today, Mike? Nick and I are going shopping.Do you want to come too?
M:Well, as a matter of fact, I’m meeting Steve.He’s writing an article
and he’s asked me to take some photographs for it.
W:An article? What about?
M:Oh, just people…Anyway, I’m seeing Steve at the zoo.
W:Oh well, let’s meet for lunch, shall we? How about that sandwich bar we went to on Friday.I’ll see you there about one.
M:I’d love to, but I’m afraid we won’t finish by then.
8.What photos does Steve want?
A.Showing that he is writing.
B.Matching what he is writing.
C.Reflecting(反映)how he is writing.
9.When will Mike join Steve?
A.In the morning.
B.In the afternoon.
C.In the evening.
10.Which of the following might Mike do?
A.Go shopping with the woman.
B.Have lunch with Nick Friday.
C.Work over lunchtime.
听第8段材料,回答第11~13题。
W:The weather here is so changeable.Did you hear how cold it got last night?
M:I heard the radio announcer say it was 18 degrees below zero.
W:That’s cold.I could hardly start my car, it was so cold this morning!
M:My car didn’t want to start, either, at first.
W:Don’t you have a garage?
M:Not in the new apartment.We have to leave the car in the parking lot.
W:How much anti-freeze do you put in your car then? You must have to keep it well below zero.
M:I do.Right now I have it protected to 30 below.
W:Does it ever get that cold around here?
M:Not really.It sometimes gets to 20 below.
W:Speaking of cold, how about going for a cup of coffee to warm up?
M:Good idea.
11.What did the man do with his car?
A.He failed to start it.
B.He managed to start it.
C.He could easily start it.
12.What do you know about the man?
A.He preferred to leave his car outside.
B.He was too poor to get a garage.
C.He had recently moved his house.
13.What was the weather like last night?
A.It was colder than the day before.
B.It was colder than ever before.
C.It was warmer than reported.
听第9段材料,回答第14~16题。
W:Hello, Ultimate Computers.May I help you?
M:Yes, this is Jack Kordell from Hunter’s Office Supplies.May I speak to Elaine Strong, please?
W:I’m sorry, but she’s not in right now.She should be here later on this afternoon maybe about 4∶30.May I take a message?
M:Yes.Ms Strong sent me your newest line of laptop computers with a description of other software products, but there wasn’t any information about after-sales service.
W:Oh, I’m sorry.Would you like me to fax that to you?
M:Yes.Could you try sending that information around 3∶30?That should give me time to look over the material before I call Ms.Strong, say, around 5∶00.
W:Sure.Could I have your name, telephone number, and fax number, please?
M:Yes.Jack Kordell and the phone number is 560-1287.And the fax number is 560-1288.
W:All right.I’ll be sure to send you the fax this afternoon.
M:Okay, bye.
14.Why can’t Elaine Strong answer the phone?
A.She’s attending a meeting.
B.She’s out of the office.
C.She’s talking with another customer.
15.What does the man want the woman to send?
A.Information on after-sales service.
B.A picture of the newest computers.
C.A list of software products.
16.What is the man’s telephone number?
A.560-1287.
B.560-1288.
C.560-2187.
听第10段材料,回答第17~20题。
Mother’s Day is celebrated in many countries around the world, but not always on the same day.
Mother’s Day as it is celebrated today in the United States began with a woman named Anna Jarvis.In 1907, she held a ceremony to honor her mother at a church in the state of West Virginia on the anniversary of her mother’s death.In the following years, she and others wrote thousands of letters to public officials urging that the second Sunday in May be declared Mother’s Day.
President Woodrow Wilson finally agreed seven years later.The second Sunday in May became a day of public expression of love for mothers throughout the country.It became popular for people to send gifts of flowers and candy to their mothers on Mother’s Day.
Today, children of all ages still give their mothers special gifts on Mother’s Day.Older children may travel to visit their mothers.If they cannot, they usually send a special card with a message of love.Or they send flowers.They also usually call their mothers on the telephone to wish them a happy day.Mother’s Day is one of the busiest days of the year for America’s telephone companies.
Some families get together on Mother’s Day to honor all the women in the family who are mothers.Many go to a restaurant for a special Mother’s Day meal.
17.What do you learn about Mother’s Day?
A.It is celebrated now in every part of the world.
B.It is not celebrated on the 2nd Sunday in May everywhere.
C.It is celebrated to honor all the women in some families.
18.When was Mother’s Day first celebrated in the US?
A.In 1907.
B.In 1908.
C.In 1914.
19.Who decided Mother’s Day to be celebrated nationwide?
A.Anna Jarvis.
B.Public officials.
C.Woodrow Wilson.
20.What do all the children do on Mother’s Day?
A.Give gifts to their mothers.
B.Pay a visit to their mothers.
C.Send cards to their mothers.
听力(共两节,满分30分)
第一节(共5小题,每小题1.5分,满分7.5分)
听下面5段对话。每段对话后有一个小题,从题中所给的A、B、C三个选项中选出最佳选项。听完每段对话后,你都有10秒钟的时间来回答有关小题和阅读下一小题。每段对话仅读一遍。
1.Where is the bank?
A.Next to the bookstore.
B.Behind the bookstore.
C.Far from the bookstore.
2.What does the man mean?
A.There are too many shopping centers already.
B.They aren’t going to build one.
C.He hasn’t been to the other centers.
3.What does the man mean?
A.Bob said nothing at the meeting.
B.Something is wrong with Bob’s ears.
C.Bob doesn’t listen to him.
4.What is the woman going to do?
A.See the man smile.
B.Take the man’s photo.
C.Take out the film.
5.What’s the relationship between the man and the woman?
A.They’re friends.
B.They’re mother and son.
C.They’re husband and wife.
听力原文:(Text 1)
M:Excuse me.Could you tell me where the bank is?
W:Turn left here, and it’s right besides the bookstore.
(Text 2)
W:They’re building a new shopping center near my house.
M:Not another one!
(Text 3)
W:Didn’t you tell Bob about the meeting?
M:Whatever I say to him goes in one ear and out of the other.
(Text 4)
W:What are you doing with that camera?
M:Smile.I want a picture of you.
(Text 5)
W:Come in and make yourself at home.Our house is your house while you’re here.
M:Thank you.You’re very kind.
W:Invite your friends, Jim, if you like.
M:You really make me feel at home.
第二节(共15小题;每小题1.5分,满分22.5分)
听下面5段对话或独白。每段对话或独白后有几个小题,从题中所给的A、B、C三个选项中选出最佳选项。听每段对话或独白前,你将有时间阅读各个小题,每小题5秒钟;听完后,各小题将给出5秒钟的作答时间。每段对话或独白读两遍。
听第6段材料,回答第6~7题。
6.How long did Mary have to stay in bed?
A.One day.
B.Two days.
C.The whole of last week.
7.Why does everybody seem to have a cold?
A.Because of the changing weather.
B.Because one day is cold and the next day is colder.
C.Because everybody doesn’t wear his thick coat.
听力原文:(Text 6)
M:Hello, Mary.How are you today? I hear you weren’t well last week.
W:I’m much better now.Thank you.
M:What was the matter? Nothing serious, I hope.
W:Oh, no.I had a cold and had to stay in bed for two days.
M:I’m glad you’re better, anyway.And what about your friend Ann? I hear that she’s ill, too.
W:She was ill, but she’s all right now.I think she caught a cold.
M:Everybody seems to have one now.I think it’s the sudden change of weather.One day hot and the next day cold.
听第7段材料,回答第8~10题。
8.How many times has Linda been to China?
A.Never.
B.Once.
C.Many times.
9.What is Linda doing?
A.She’s visiting the Great Wall.
B.She’s doing sightseeing around the city.
C.She’s enjoying Chinese food.
10.How is the weather?
A.Warm and rainy.
B.Warm and fine.
C.Cool and sunny.
听力原文:(Text 7)
M:Linda, I don’t think you have been here before, have you?
W:No, I’ve traveled a great deal in the country.But this is my first time to come to Beijing.
M:I hope that you like it here.
W:I’m sure that I enjoy it.I’ve heard a lot about the Great Wall and I’ve been eager to visit it for ages.So I’m glad my dream has finally come true.
M:We’d love to take you to go sightseeing.
W:That’s great.Thank you.By the way, what is the weather usually like this time of the year?
M:It’s usually warm and sunny.It seldom rains.
W:So I’ve come here at the right time.
M:I guess you have.
听第8段材料,回答第11~13题。
11.What’s Jim’s phone number?
A.88362507.
B.83365207.
C.83362507.
12.What’s Jim?
A.Jack’s brother.
B.Jack’s classmate.
C.A basketball player.
13.What time is Jack expected to call Jim at?
A.4∶30.
B.4∶40.
C.5∶30.
听力原文:(Text 8)
M:Hello.Is Jack in?
W:No, he’s out at the moment.Who is that speaking, please?
M:Jim, his basketball teammate.May I leave a message?
W:Certainly.Just a moment, please.I need to get a pen…Yes? What’s the message?
M:Please ask him to call me back at five thirty this afternoon.My number is 83362507.
W:83362507?
M:That’s right.Thank you.
听第9段材料,回答第14~16题。
14.How far is the man’s hometown from the sea?
A.It isn’t very far.
B.About one hundred miles.
C.About one hundred kilometres.
15.What do the tourists do in his hometown?
A.They go through the town by bus and look at the old buildings.
B.They go through the town on foot and have a look at the old buildings.
C.They pass through the town by bike and look a the old buildings.
16.What’s the favourite sport there in winter?
A.Skiing.
B.Picnics.
C.Walk.
听力原文:(Text 9)
W:And tell me something about your hometown in, Vemont.It’s quite near the sea, isn’t it?
M:Oh, no.It’s about a hundred miles from the sea.
W:Oh, I see.And is it a very big town?
M:Not really.It’s got a population of about twenty thousand.
W:And is it a very old town?
M:Yes, it is.Many of the buildings go back to the eighteenth century.
W:Really? It must be quite an interesting place then.
M:Yes, it is.We get a lot of tourists.In fact, tourism is our main industry.There isn’t much else in the town at all.
W:Well, what do the tourists do there?
M:Oh, they can walk through the town and look at the old buildings.There are some great restaurants in the town.
W:Are there? And what about museums?
M:No, there aren’t any museum.They are planning to build one, though.
W:And is the scenery nice in the area?
M:Yes, there are lovely mountains near the town, for walks and picnics, and the mountains are very good for skiing in the winter.
W:I see.So it gets quite cold in the winter?
M:Yes, very cold.
听第10段材料,回答第17~20题。
17.Who need more sleep?
A.Adults.
B.Growing children.
C.New-born babies.
18.Why do children need more sleep than adults?
A.Because children need more energy.
B.Because children need dreams.
C.Because children are growing.
19.What probably come into our dreams?
A.The feelings.
B.What we have thought of.
C.What we have never heard of.
20.How will we feel if we sleep well at night?
A.Happier.
B.More worried.
C.Sleepy.
听力原文:(Text 10)
Everyone needs sleep so that their bodies can make up the energy used in the day.Growth takes place mainly when we are asleep.Children need more sleep than grown-ups because they are still growing.New-born babies sleep nearly all the time except when they are being fed.Although we are not conscious of anything when we are asleep, sometimes we dream.When we dream we imagine that we are awake.Often strange things seem to be happening to us.Dreams are a mixture of our fears and hopes and what we have done and thought.Sleep and dreams affect our moods and the moods affect our performance throughout the day.Generally, we will feel happier in the day if we sleep well at night.
听力(共两节,满分30分)
第一节(共5小题;每小题1.5分,满分7.5分)
听下面5段对话。每段对话后有一个小题,从题中所给的A、B、C三个选项中选出最佳选项。听完每段对话后,你都有10秒钟的时间来回答有关小题和阅读下一小题。每段对话仅读一遍。
1.What’s the most probable relationship between the two speakers?
A.They are host and guest.
B.They are waiter and customer.
C.They are husband and wife.
2.Where did this conversation take place?
A.At the hospital.
B.At the airport.
C.At the post office.
3.Why will the woman go to London?
A.To have a look at London.
B.To go with her friend.
C.To spend the weekend.
4.What’s the woman’s job?
A.She is a saleswoman.
B.She is a waitress.
C.She is a hotel clerk.
5.How is the weather now?
A.It’s snowing.
B.It’s raining.
C.It’s clear.
听力原文:(Text 1)
W:I think I’ll have the duck, please.
M:I’m very sorry, Madam.I’m afraid there isn’t any left.
(Text 2)
W:Excuse me, visiting hours are over.It’s time for you to leave.
M:I’m sorry, I didn’t know the time or I would have left earlier.
(Text 3)
M:Are you going to London next weekend?
W:Yes, I will visit a friend of mine while I am there.
(Text 4)
M:I want a single room with a bath, what’s the rate?
W:It’s $25 a day.Your room number is 213.It is on the second floor.Here is your key.
(Text 5)
M:You’d better take your coat with you.It looks like it’s going to snow.
W:You may be right.Thank you for mentioning this.
第二节(共15小题;每小题1.5分,满分22.5分)
听下面5段对话或独白。每段对话或独白后有几个小题,从题中所给的A、B、C三个选项中选出最佳选项。听每段对话或独白前,你将有时间阅读各个小题,每小题5秒钟;听完后,各小题将给出5秒钟的作答时间。每段对话或独白读两遍。
听第6段材料,回答第6~8题。
6.Where does this conversation take place?
A.In a restaurant.
B.In a night club.
C.In a super -market.
7.What kind of snack does the woman have?
A.Pancake.
B.Chips.
C.Salad.
8.How much does the woman pay for the things she asked?
A.75 pence.
B.1.30 pounds.
C.2.05 pounds.
听力原文:(Text 6)
W:Good morning, sir.What would you like?
M:I’d like a red wine, please.
W:Anything else?
M:What snacks have you got?
W:The menu is on the board over there.There’s pancake, Greek salad, steak and chips…
M:I’ll try the Greek salad, please.Do I pay now?
W:Oh, yes, if you would.That’s 75 cents for the wine and $1.30 for the salad.
听第7段材料,回答第9~11题。
9.Which age group do the two speakers most likely belong to?
A.Young.
B.Middle-aged.
C.Old.
10.Which part of the body is probably OK with the woman?
A.Her leg.
B.Her back.
C.Her eyes.
11.Why can’t the man do gardening a lot?
A.Because of his back trouble.
B.Because of his leg trouble.
C.Because of his arm trouble.
听力原文:(Text 7)
M:Hello.How are you today?
W:Not so good.My leg’s playing me up, awful pains in my leg and my toothache!
M:Oh, dear! I’ve got toothache too and the dentist says he simply can’t see me before next week.But what gets me is my headache.
W:I know what you mean, but at least you can do the garden.I can’t even do that with my back-the doctor says I mustn’t lift or bend.
M:You poor thing.There’s nothing worse than back trouble.But I don’t do much in the garden now because I’ve hurt my arm.It’s really painful.
W:Like my ankle.It’s all swollen up.
听第8段材料,回答第12~14题。
12.How does the man feel?
A.Happy.
B.Sad.
C.Excited.
13.What’s wrong with the man?
A.He was knocked down by a car.
B.He had an accident when he was walking along the street.
C.He had an accident in the car.
14.Why did it happen?
A.Because there’s something wrong with the driving mirror.
B.Because there’s something wrong with the roadside mirror.
C.Because the other driver drove too fast.
听力原文:(Text 8)
W:Hi, David, you look awful.What’s the trouble?
M:Well, believe it or not, I had an accident in the car this morning.Someone drove into the back of my car.
W:No!How did it happen?
M:I was just turning into my drive when another car came round the corner and drove into the back of mine.
W:Didn’t you see him?
M:No, I didn’t.I looked in my driving mirror and there was no one coming.Not only that, I also looked in the big mirror on the other side of the road.
W:So he must have been coming very fast if you didn’t see him.
M:That’s right.And he went straight into me.
听第9段材料,回答第15~17题。
15.Where is Miss Smith?
A.She is at home.
B.She is taking a break.
C.She is attending a meeting.
16.When should Miss Smith call today whether she will attend the meeting or not?
A.On Thursday.
B.Today.
C.The day after tomorrow.
17.What number should Miss Smith call?
A.802 8714-246.
B.802 9714-246.
C.902 8741-426.
听力原文:(Text 9)
W:Good morning, Miss Smith’s secretary.
M:Good morning, may I speak to Miss Smith, please?
W:I’m sorry.She’s in conference at the moment.Do you want to leave a message?
M:Yes, all right.Could you tell her that Mr.Johnson called? And tell her that the meeting about the Trade Fair is on Thursday 12th at 2 p.m.
W:Fine, is there anything else?
M:Yes.Could she phone to confirm that she can come before tomorrow?
W:Yes, and what number is it?
M:802 9714 Extension 246.
W:Fine, I’ve got that.I’ll get the message to her as soon as possible.
M:Thank you very much.Goodbye.
W:Goodbye.
听第10段材料,回答第18~20题。
18.Why couldn’t the speaker meet with Mr.Smith as soon as he arrived?
A.He missed the appointment.
B.He arrived late.
C.He was sick.
19.Why did he give up making a new appointment with Mr.Smith?
A.He couldn’t reach Mr.Smith’s office.
B.He didn’t want to see Mr.Smith any more.
C.He didn’t want to take the trouble making it.
20.Whom did he meet on the street one day?
A.A stranger.
B.Mr.Smith.
C.Mr.Smith’s secretary.
听力原文:(Text 10)?
I flew to New York to take care of some business with Mr.Smith.But as soon as I arrived, I got sick, and could not meet with him.I had to call our appointment off.Then when I felt better I thought about visiting him at his home, but he lived too far away.I tried to telephone him during office hours, but he was busy.His secretary said that Mr.Smith would call me back, but he didn’t.I gave up trying to make a new appointment because it would take more time and efforts than I wanted to spend.
A few days later, I saw a man on the street who looked like Mr.Smith, and I called out to him.It was someone else.When I returned to my hotel that day, I found a message which said that Mr.Smith had gone out of town on some sudden unexpected business.I was sorry that I had missed seeing him, but I was really enjoying my sightseeing in New York.
Buddy seldom saw either of his parents. But he was happy where he was and he had many kindly
relatives, among whom Miss Sook was by far his best friend. Before Christmas, Buddy's father had
managed to get legal custody(法定监护) of him for this Christmas. So, he had a new suit, with a card
pinned with his name and address and made the trip alone, by bus, to New Orleans.
Several things occurred that kept me awake the whole night. First, the footfalls, the noise of my father
running up and down the stairs, breathing heavily, I had to see what he was up to. So I hid and watched.
There was a Christmas tree and the fireplace downstairs. Moreover, I could see my father. He was
crawling around under the tree arranging a pyramid of packages. I felt dizzy, for what I saw forced me to
reconsider everything. If these were presents intended for me, then obviously they had not been ordered
by the Lord and delivered by Santa Claus; no, they were gifts bought and wrapped by my father,which
meant that my rotten little cousin Billy Bob and other rotten kids like him weren't lying when they laughed
at me and told me there was no Santa Claus. The worst thought was: Had Sook known the truth, and lied
to me? No, Sook would never lie to me. She believed. It was just that-well, though she was
sixty-something, in some ways she was at least as much of a child as I was.
I waited until I was sure he was in bed and sound asleep. Then I crept downstairs and examined the
tags attached to each of the packages. They all said: "For Buddy." I decided to open the packages: It
was Christmas morning. I was awake, so why not? I won't bother to describe what was inside them: just
shirts and sweaters and dull stuff like that. The only thing I appreciated was a toy gun. Somehow I got the
idea it would be fun to waken my father by firing it. So I did. Bang. Bang. Bang. He raced out of his room, wild-eyed, Bang. Bang. Bang. "Buddy-what the hell do you think you're doing?" Bang. Bang. Bang. "Stop that!" I laughed. "Look, Daddy. Look at all wonderful things Santa Claus brought me."
Calm now, he walked into the room and hugged me. "You like what Santa Claus brought you?"
I smiled at him. He smiled at me. There was a tender lingering (逗留不去的) moment, damaged when I said: "Yes. But what are you going to give me, Daddy?" His smile evaporated. His eyes narrowed
suspiciously-you could see that he thought I was pulling some kind of trick. But then he blushed, as though he was ashamed to be thinking what he was thinking. He patted my head, and coughed and said: "Well, I
thought I'd wait and let you pick out something you wanted. Is there anything particular you want?"
I reminded him of the airplane we had seen in the toy store on Canal Street. His face sagged. Oh, yes, he
remembered the airplane and how expensive it was. Nevertheless, the next day I was sitting in that
airplane dreaming I was zooming toward heaven while my father wrote out a check for a happy salesman, who promised to help ship the plane on the bus.
But I wasn't free of New Orleans yet. The problem was a large bottle of wine; maybe it was because of
my departure, but anyway my father had been drinking it all day, and on the way to the bus station, he
scared me by grabbing my wrist and harshly whispering: "I'm not going to let you go. I can't let you go back to that crazy family in that crazy old house. Just look at what they've done to you. A boy six, almost
seven, talking about Santa Claus! It's all their fault, all those sour old spinsters with their Bibles and their
knitting needles, those drunken uncles. Listen to me, Buddy. There is no God! There is no Santa Claus.
" He was squeezing my wrist so hard that it ached. "Kiss me. Please. Please. Kiss me. Tell your daddy
that you love him." But I couldn't speak. I was terrified I was going to miss my bus. And I was worried
about my plane, which was strapped to the top of the taxi. "Say it: 'I love you.' Say it. Please. Buddy. Say
it."
It was lucky for me that our taxi-driver was a good-hearted man. Because if it hadn't been for his help, and the help of some efficient porters and a friendly policeman, I don't know what would have happened
when we reached the station. My father was so drunk he could hardly walk, but the policeman talked to
him, quieted him down, helped him to stand straight, and the taxi-man promised to take him safely home.
But my father would not leave until he had seen the porters put me on the bus.
Once I was on the bus, I crouched in a seat and shut my eyes. I felt the strangest pain. A crushing pain
that hurt everywhere. I thought if I took off my heavy city shoes, those crucifying monsters, the agony
would ease. I took them off, but the mysterious pain did not leave me. In a way it never has; never will.
Twelve hours later I was home in bed. The room was dark. Sook was sitting beside me, rocking in a
rocking chair, a sound as soothing (令人舒畅的) as ocean waves. I had tried to tell her everything that
had happened, and only stopped when I was hoarse (嘶哑的) as a howling dog. She stroked her fingers
through my hair, and said: "Of course there is a Santa Clause. It's just that no single somebody could do
all he has to do. So the Lord has spread the task among us all. That's why everybody is Santa Claus. I am. You are. Even you cousin Billy Bob. Now go to sleep. Count stars. Think of the quietest thing. Like snow. I'm sorry you didn't get to see any. But now snow is falling through the stars-" Stars sparkled, snow whirled inside my head; the last thing I remembered was the peaceful voice of the Lord telling me something I
must do. And the next day I did it. I went with Sook to the post office and bought a penny postcard. That same postcard exists today. It was found in my father's safety deposit box when he died last year. Here is what I had written him: Hello pop hope you are well I am and I am turning to pedal my plane so fast I will
soon be in the sky so keep your eyes open and yes I love you Buddy.
B. He thought his son should have known all the presents were sent by him, not Santa Claus.
C. It was difficult for him to accept that his son is so greedy.
D. He was ashamed of not knowing what his son liked.
B Buddy's father and Miss Sook were people of different personalities.
C. Buddy still held the belief that there was Santa Claus.
D. Buddy finally mailed a postcard to his father.
B. Miss Sook had no idea of Santa Clause, and lied to Buddy.
C. Father loved Buddy very much and prepared a lot of gifts for him.
D. Buddy was afraid of his father for they had been separated long time.
B. clever
C. naughty
D. trusted
B. A Christmas Memory
C. How to Celebrate Christmas in a Meaningful Way?
D. A Christmas of a Divorced Family
years, Buddy seldom saw either of his parents. But he was happy where he was and he had many
kindly relatives, among whom Miss Sook was by far his best friend. Before Christmas, Buddy's
father had managed to get legal custody(法定监护) of him for this Christmas. So, he had a new
suit, with a card pinned with his name and address and made the trip alone, by bus, to New
Orleans.
Several things occurred that kept me awake the whole night. First, the footfalls, the noise of my father
running up and down the stairs, breathing heavily, I had to see what he was up to. So I hid and watched.
There was a Christmas tree and the fireplace downstairs. Moreover, I could see my father. He was
crawling around under the tree arranging a pyramid of packages. I felt dizzy, for what I saw forced me to
reconsider everything. If these were presents intended for me, then obviously they had not been ordered
by the Lord and delivered by Santa Claus; no, they were gifts bought and wrapped by my father. Which
meant that my rotten little cousin Billy Bob and other rotten kids like him weren't lying when they laughed
at me and told me there was no Santa Claus. The worst thought was: Had Sook known the truth, and lied
to me? No, Sook would never lie to me. She believed. It was just that-well, though she was
sixty-something, in some ways she was at least as much of a child as I was.
I waited until I was sure he was in bed and sound asleep. Then I crept downstairs and examined the
tags attached to each of the packages. They all said: "For Buddy." I decided to open the packages: It
was Christmas morning. I was awake, so why not? I won't bother to describe what was inside them: just
shirts and sweaters and dull stuff like that. The only thing I appreciated was a toy gun. Somehow I got the
idea it would be fun to waken my father by firing it. So I did. Bang. Bang. Bang. He raced out of his room, wild-eyed, Bang. Bang. Bang. "Buddy-what the hell do you think you're doing? Bang. Bang. Bang. "Stop
that!" I laughed. " Look, Daddy. Look at all wonderful things Santa Claus brought me."
Calm now, he walked into the room and hugged me. "You like what Santa Claus brought you?"
I smiled at him. He smiled at me. There was a tender lingering (逗留不去的) moment, damaged
when I said: "Yes. But what are you going to give me, Daddy?" His smile evaporated. His eyes narrowed
suspiciously-you could see that he thought I was pulling some kind of trick. But then he blushed, as
though he was ashamed to be thinking what he was thinking. He patted my head, and coughed and said: "Well, I thought I'd wait and let you pick out something you wanted. Is there anything particular you
want?"
I reminded him of the airplane we had seen in the toy store on Canal Street. His face sagged. Oh,
yes, he remembered the airplane and how expensive it was. Nevertheless, the next day I was sitting in
that airplane dreaming I was zooming toward heaven while my father wrote out a check for a happy
salesman, who promised to help ship the plane on the bus.
But I wasn't free of New Orleans yet. The problem was a large bottle of wine; maybe it was because
of my departure, but anyway my father had been drinking it all day, and on the way to the bus station, he
scared me by grabbing my wrist and harshly whispering: "I'm not going to let you go. I can't let you go
back to that crazy family in that crazy old house. Just look at what they've done to you. A boy six, almost
seven, talking about Santa Claus! It's all their fault, all those sour old spinsters with their Bibles and their
knitting needles, those drunken uncles. Listen to me, Buddy. There is no God! There is no Santa Claus."
He was squeezing my wrist so hard that it ached. "Kiss me. Please. Please. Kiss me. Tell your daddy
that you love him." But I couldn't speak. I was terrified I was going to miss my bus. And I was worried
about my plane, which was strapped to the top of the taxi. "Say it: 'I love you.' Say it. Please. Buddy. Say
it."
It was lucky for me that our taxi-driver was a good-hearted man. Because if it hadn't been for his help, and the help of some efficient porters and a friendly policeman, I don't know what would have happened
when we reached the station. My father was so drunk he could hardly walk, but the policeman talked to
him, quieted him down, helped him to stand straight, and the taxi-man promised to take him safely home.
But my father would not leave until he had seen the porters put me on the bus.
Once I was on the bus, I crouched in a seat and shut my eyes. I felt the strangest pain. A crushing pain
that hurt everywhere. I thought if I took off my heavy city shoes, those crucifying monsters, the agony
would ease. I took them off, but the mysterious pain did not leave me. In a way it never has; never will.
Twelve hours later I was home in bed. The room was dark. Sook was sitting beside me, rocking in a
rocking chair, a sound as soothing (令人舒畅的) as ocean waves. I had tried to tell her everything that
had happened, and only stopped when I was hoarse (嘶哑的) as a howling dog. She stroked her fingers
through my hair, and said: "Of course there is a Santa Clause. It's just that no single somebody could do
all he has to do. So the Lord has spread the task among us all. That's why everybody is Santa Claus. I
am. You are. Even you cousin Billy Bob. Now go to sleep. Count stars. Think of the quietest thing. Like
snow. I'm sorry you didn't get to see any. But now snow is falling through the stars-" Stars sparkled,
snow whirled inside my head; the last thing I remembered was the peaceful voice of the Lord telling me
something I must do. And the next day I did it. I went with Sook to the post office and bought a penny
postcard. That same postcard exists today. It was found in my father's safety deposit box when he died
last year. Here is what I had written him: Hello pop hope you are well I am and I am turning to
pedal my plane so fast I will soon be in the sky so keep your eyes open and yes I love you Buddy.
B. He thought his son should have known all the presents were sent by him, not Santa Claus.
C. It was difficult for him to accept that his son is so greedy.
D. He was ashamed of not knowing what his son liked.
B. His father was very drunk and had difficulty returning home.
C. He didn't say "I love you" to his father.
D. He had an argument with his father at home.
B. Buddy's father and Miss Sook were people of different personalities.
C. Buddy still held the belief that there was Santa Claus.
D. Buddy finally mailed a postcard to his father.
B. Miss had no idea of Santa Clause, and lied to Buddy.
C. Father loved Buddy very much and prepared a lot of gifts for him.
D. Buddy was afraid of his father for they had been separated long time.
B. clever
C. naughty
D. trusted
B. A Christmas Memory
C. How to Celebrate Christmas in a Meaningful Way?
D. A Christmas of a Divorced Family