One day last summer, watching the boys and girls trying to catch butterflies I remembered something happened when I was young．When I was a boy of 12 in South Carolina, something happened to me that cured me forever of wanting to put any wild creature in a cage.
We lived on the edge of a wood, and every evening at dusk the mockingbirds would come and rest in the trees and sing. No musician can sing more beautiful than the birds. I decided that I would catch a young bird and keep it in a cage and in that way would have my own private musician.
I finally succeeded in catching one and put it in a cage. At first, the bird flied about the cage, but eventually it settled down in its new home. I felt very pleased with myself and looked forward to some beautiful singing from my tiny musician.
I had left the cage out, and on the second day my new pet’s mother flew to the cage with food in her mouth. The baby bird ate everything she brought to it. I was pleased to see this. Certainly the mother knew better than I how to feed her baby.
The following morning when I went to see how my bird was doing, I discovered it on the floor of the cage, dead. I was shocked! What had happened! I had taken good care of my little bird.
Arthur Wayne, the famous ornithologist, happened to be visiting my father at the time, hearing me crying over the death of my bird, explained what had occurred. “A mother mockingbird, finding her young in a cage, will sometimes bring it poison berries. She thinks it better for her young to die than to live in cage.”
Never since then have I caught any living creature and put it in a cage. All living creatures have a right to live free.
【小题1】Why did the writer catch a mockingbird when he was a boy of 12?

One day last summer, watching the boys and girls trying to catch butterflies I remembered something happened when I was young．When I was a boy of 12 in South Carolina, something happened to me that cured me forever of wanting to put any wild creature in a cage.

We lived on the edge of a wood, and every evening at dusk the mockingbirds would come and rest in the trees and sing. No musician can sing more beautiful than the birds. I decided that I would catch a young bird and keep it in a cage and in that way would have my own private musician.

I finally succeeded in catching one and put it in a cage. At first, the bird flied about the cage, but eventually it settled down in its new home. I felt very pleased with myself and looked forward to some beautiful singing from my tiny musician.

I had left the cage out, and on the second day my new pet’s mother flew to the cage with food in her mouth. The baby bird ate everything she brought to it. I was pleased to see this. Certainly the mother knew better than I how to feed her baby.

The following morning when I went to see how my bird was doing, I discovered it on the floor of the cage, dead. I was shocked! What had happened! I had taken good care of my little bird.

Arthur Wayne, the famous ornithologist, happened to be visiting my father at the time, hearing me crying over the death of my bird, explained what had occurred. “A mother mockingbird, finding her young in a cage, will sometimes bring it poison berries. She thinks it better for her young to die than to live in cage.”

Never since then have I caught any living creature and put it in a cage. All living creatures have a right to live free.

1.Why did the writer catch a mockingbird when he was a boy of 12?

2.The mockingbird died because it ______.

3.An ornithologist probably means ______.

4.What is the most important lesson the writer learned from the incident?

One day last summer, watching the boys and girls trying to catch butterflies I remembered something happened when I was young.When I was a boy of 12 in South Carolina, something happened to me that cured me forever of wanting to put any wild creature in a cage.
We lived on the edge of a wood, and every evening at dusk the mockingbirds would come and rest in the trees and sing. No musician can sing more beautiful than the birds. I decided that I would catch a young bird and keep it in a cage and in that way would have my own private musician.
I finally succeeded in catching one and put it in a cage. At first, the bird flied about the cage, but eventually it settled down in its new home. I felt very pleased with myself and looked forward to some beautiful singing from my tiny musician.
I had left the cage out, and on the second day my new pet’s mother flew to the cage with food in her mouth. The baby bird ate everything she brought to it. I was pleased to see this. Certainly the mother knew better than I how to feed her baby.
The following morning when I went to see how my bird was doing, I discovered it on the floor of the cage, dead. I was shocked! What had happened! I had taken good care of my little bird.
Arthur Wayne, the famous ornithologist, happened to be visiting my father at the time, hearing me crying over the death of my bird, explained what had occurred. “A mother mockingbird, finding her young in a cage, will sometimes bring it poison berries. She thinks it better for her young to die than to live in cage.”
Never since then have I caught any living creature and put it in a cage. All living creatures have a right to live free.

1. 1.

   Why did the writer catch a mockingbird when he was a boy of 12?

   1. A.
      He had just got a new cage.
   2. B.
      He liked its beautiful feather.
   3. C.
      He wanted a pet for a companion.
   4. D.
      He wanted it to sing for him.
2. 2.

   The mockingbird died because it ______.

   1. A.
      drank the poisonous water by mistake
   2. B.
      was frightened to death
   3. C.
      refused to eat anything
   4. D.
      ate the poisonous food its mother gave it
3. 3.

   An ornithologist probably means ______.

   1. A.
      a religious person
   2. B.
      a kind person
   3. C.
      an expert in birds
   4. D.
      a schoolmaster
4. 4.

   What is the most important lesson the writer learned from the incident?

   1. A.
      Freedom is very valuable to all living things.
   2. B.
      All birds put in a cage won’t live long.
   3. C.
      You should keep the birds from their mother.
   4. D.
      Be careful about food you give to baby birds.

One day last summer, watching the boys and girls trying to catch butterflies I remembered something happened when I was young．When I was a boy of 12 in South Carolina, something happened to me that cured me forever of wanting to put any wild creature in a cage.

We lived on the edge of a wood, and every evening the mockingbirds would come and rest in the trees and sing. No musician can sing more beautiful than the birds. I decided that I would catch a young bird and keep it in a cage and in that way would have my own private musician.

I finally succeeded in catching one and put it in a cage. At first, the bird flew about the cage, but eventually it settled down in its new home. I felt very pleased with myself and looked forward to some beautiful singing from my tiny musician.

I had left the cage out, and on the second day my new pet’s mother flew to the cage with food in her mouth. The baby bird ate everything she brought to it. I was pleased to see this. Certainly the mother knew better than I how to feed her baby.

The following morning when I went to see how my bird was doing, I discovered it on the floor of the cage, dead. I was shocked! What had happened! I had taken good care of my little bird.

Arthur Wayne, the famous ornithologist, happened to be visiting my father at the time. Hearing me crying over the death of my bird, he explained what had occurred. “A mother mockingbird, finding her young in a cage, will sometimes bring it poisonous (有毒的) berries (干果). She thinks it better for her young to die than to live in cage.”

Never since then have I caught any living creature and put it in a cage. All living creatures have a right to live free.

52. Why did the writer catch a mockingbird when he was a boy of 12?

A. He had just got a new cage.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. He liked its beautiful feather.

C. He wanted a pet for a companion.　　　　　　　　　 D. He wanted it to sing for him.

53. The mockingbird died because it ______.

A. drank the poisonous water by mistake　　　　　　 B. was frightened to death

C. ate the poisonous food its mother gave it D. refused to eat anything

54. An ornithologist probably means ______.

A. a religious person　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. a kind person

C. an expert in birds　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. a schoolmaster

55. What is the most important lesson the writer learned from the incident?

A. Freedom is very valuable to all living things.

B. All birds put in a cage won’t live long.

C. You should keep the birds from their mother.

D. Be careful about food you give to baby birds.

A few years ago when my youngest son Matt was eight years old, we were getting things together to take to the Salvation Army (救世军) at Christmas time. The boys would go through their old 36  and give away what they didn’t 37 . I made cookies and got together blankets and clothes. After that Matt and I 38 the Christmas package to our local Salvation Army. We unloaded 39 and headed home.

40 we took the corner out of the parking lot, Matt 41 that a baseball glove he had put in the bag had 42 . He said, “Mom, we forgot my glove.” Just then he saw a little boy and his mom sitting on a bench on the side of a building 43 a small playground was. He said, “Mom, can we 44 so that I can give the glove to him?” I said, “ 45 .” And we drove to the side of the 46 and went through the gate.

Matt handed the boy the glove and said, “Here, Santa 47 me to give it to you.” He was so 48 to get it! His mom 49 and gave Matt a huge hug. Her eyes were full of tears. “It is the best 50 he could get,” she looked at us and said, “because the 51 thing I could get him this year was a baseball.”

When we got back in the car, Matt said to me, “Mom, God must have made me 52 the baseball glove inside so the little boy could have it — it was 53 to be!” That moment proved my 54 that everything happens for a 55 and I have tried my best to get people to see that ever since!

36. A. friends    B. ideas        C. toys             D. days

37. A. buy        B. eat          C. ensure          D. need

38. A. threw      B. delivered    C. posted          D. offered

39. A. everything  B. anything    C. something      D. nothing

40. A. When      B. Though     C. Until            D. Since

41. A. added      B. noticed      C. announced      D. remembered

42. A. found out  B. pointed out   C. missed out      D. fallen out

43. A. that        B. which        C. where          D. what

44. A. look over   B. climb over   C. pull over       D. roll over

45. A. Thanks     B. That’s right   C. You’re welcome  D. Sure

46. A. boy         B. road         C. bench           D. park

47. A. wanted     B. persuaded    C. allowed         D. forced

48. A. angry       B. nervous      C. happy          D. disappointed

49. A. sat down     B. stood up     C. went out      D. left behind

50. A. property    B. gift           C. material        D. information

51. A. first          B. worst       C. only            D. cheapest

52. A. leave        B. get           C. find            D. take

53. A. intended    B. planned      C. decided         D. meant

54. A. suggestion  B. chance        C. belief          D. thought

55. A. cause        B. reason        C. time           D. person