A farmer had some puppies（小狗）to   36  . He painted a sign advertising the puppies and   37__  nailing （钉）it to a post on the edge of his yard. As he was driving the last nail into the post, a little boy came to him.
“Mister,” he said, “I want to buy one of your puppies.”
“Well,” said the farmer, as he   38  the sweat off his face, “these puppies come from fine parents and cost   39  money. Do you have enough money?”
The boy    40   his head for a moment. Then reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a handful of   41  and held it up to the farmer. “I’ve got thirty-nine cents. Is that enough to take a look?” “Sure,” said the farmer. And with that he  42  a whistle (口哨声), “Here, Dolly!” he called.   43  from the doghouse and down the ramp ran Dolly    44  by four little balls of fur. The little boy’ eyes danced with delight. As the dogs made their   45  to the fence, the little boy noticed something else stirring inside the doghouse.   46    another little ball appeared; this one noticeably smaller.  Then in a somewhat    47   manner the little pup began hobbling（蹒跚） toward the others, doing its best to    48  .
“I want that one,” the little boy said,   49   to the smallest one. The farmer said, “Son, you don’t want that puppy. He will never be able to run and play with you   50  these other dogs would.”
With that the little boy   51  back from the fence, and began    52    up one leg of his trousers. In doing so he exposed a steel support running down both sides of his leg   53  itself to a specially made   54   . Looking back up at the farmer, he said, “You see sir, I don't   55   too well myself, and he will need someone who understands.”

A young man learns what’s most important in life from the guy next door.

It had been some time since Jack had seen the old man. College, girls, career, and life itself got in the way. In fact, Jack moved clear across the country in pursuit of his dreams. There, in the rush of his busy life, Jack had little time to think about the past and often no time to spend with his wife and son. He was working on his future, and nothing could stop him.

Over the phone, his mother told him, “Mr. Belser died last night. The funeral is Wednesday.” Memories flashed through his mind like an old newsreel as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days.

“Jack, did you hear me?”

“Oh, sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. It’s been so long since I thought of him. I’m sorry, but I honestly thought he died years ago,” Jack said．

“Well, he didn’t forget you. Every time I saw him he’d ask how you were doing. He’d reminisce about the many days you spent over ‘his side of the fence’ as he put it,” Mom told him.

“I loved that old house he lived in,” Jack said.

“You know, Jack, after your father died, Mr. Belser stepped in to make sure you had a man’s influence in your life,” she said

“He’s the one who taught me carpentry,” he said．“I wouldn’t be in this business if it weren’t for him. He spent a lot of time teaching me things he thought were important…Mom, I’ll be there for the funeral,” Jack said．

As busy as he was, he kept his word．Jack caught the next flight to his hometown. Mr Belser’s funeral was small and uneventful. He had no children of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away.

The night before he had to return home, Jack and his Mom stopped by to see the old house next door one more time.

Standing in the doorway, Jack paused for a moment. It was like crossing over into another dimension, a leap through space and time. The house was exactly as he remembered．Every step held memories. Every picture, every piece of furniture….Jack stopped suddenly.

“What’s wrong, Jack?” his Mom asked.

“The box is gone.” he said．

“What box?” Mom asked．

“There was a small gold box that he kept locked on top of his desk. I must have asked him a thousand times what was inside. All he’d ever tell me was ‘the thing I value most’.” Jack said.

It was gone. Everything about the house was exactly how Jack remembered it, except for the box. He figured someone from the Belser family had taken it.

“Now I’ll never know what was so valuable to him.” Jack said.

“I better get some sleep. I have an early flight home, Mom.”

It had been about two weeks since Mr. Belser died. Returning home from work one day, Jack discovered a note in his mailbox “Signature required on a package. No one at home. Please stop by the main post office within the next three days.” the note read.

Early the next day Jack retrieved the package. The small box was old and looked like it had been mailed a hundred years ago. The handwriting was difficult to read, but the return address caught his attention. “Mr. Harold Belser” it read．Jack took the box out to his car and ripped open the package. There inside was the gold box and an envelope. Jack’s hands shook as he read the note inside.

“Upon my death, please forward this box and its contents to Jack Bennett. It’s the thing I valued most in my life.” A small key was taped to the letter. His heart racing, as tears filling his eyes, Jack carefully unlocked the box. There inside he found a beautiful gold pocket watch.

Running his fingers slowly over the finely etched casing, he unlatched the cover. Inside he found these words engraved:

“Jack, Thanks for your time! -Harold Belser.”

“The thing he valued most was…my time”

Jack held the watch for a few minutes, then called his office and cleared his appointments for the next two days. “Why?” Janet, his assistant asked．

“I need some time to spend with my son,” he said, “Oh, by the way, Janet, thanks for your time!”

1．Why did Jack think Mr. Belser died years ago?

     A．College and career prevented him from remembering Mr. Bleser.

     B．Jack was too busy with his business and family to think about Mr. Belser.

     C．Jack was too busy realizing his dreams to think about Mr. Belser.

     D．His present busy life washed away his childhood memories.

2．Jack’s mother told him on the phone about Mr. Belser EXCEPT that ______.

     A．Mr. Belser often asked how Jack was doing

     B．Mr. Belser’s funeral would take place on Wednesday

     C．Mr. Belser had asked for Jack’s mailing address

     D．Mr. Belser had pleasant memories of their time together

3．Why did Belser send Jack his gold watch?

     A．Because he was grateful for Jack’s time with him.

     B．Because he had no children or relatives.

     C．Because he thought he had to keep his word.

     D．Because Jack had always wanted it during his childhood.

4．Why did Jack say he needed some time to spend with his son?

     A．He was very tired of his work and wanted to have a good rest.

     B．He had promised to spare more time to stay with his son.

     C．He had missed his son and his family for days.

     D．He came to realize the importance of the time with his family.

 (08·江苏D篇)

It had been some time since Jack had seen the old man. College, career, and life itself got in the way. In fact, Jack moved clear across the country in pursuit of his dreams. There,I n the rush of his busy life, Jack had little time to think about the past and often no time to spend with his wife and son. He was working on his future, and nothing could stop him.

Over the phone, his mother told him,“Mr. Belser died last night. The funeral is Wednesday.”Memories flashed through his mind like an old newsreel as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days.

“Jack, did you hear me?”

“Oh, sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. It’s been so long since I thought of him.

I’m sorry, but I honestly thought he died years ago,”Jack said.

“Well, he didn’t forget you. Every time I saw him he’d ask how you were doing.

He’d reminisce(回忆) about the many days you spent over ‘his side of the fence’ as he put it,”Mom told him.

“I loved that old house he lived in,”Jack said.

“You know, Jack,after your father died, Mr.Belser stepped in to make sure you had a man’s influence in your life,”she said.

“He’s the one who taught me carpentry. I wouldn’t be in this business if it weren’t for him.He spent a lot of time teaching me things he thought were important...Mom, I’ll be there for the funeral,”Jack said.

Busy as he was,he kept his word.Jack caught the next flight to his hometown.Mr.Belser’s funeral was small and uneventful.He had no children of his own,and most of his relatives had passed away.

The night before he had to return home,Jack and his Mom stopped by to see the old house next door one more time,which was exactly as he remembered.Every step held memories.Every picture,every piece of furniture...Jack stopped suddenly.

“What’s wrong,Jack?”his Mom asked.

“The box is gone,”he said.

“What box?”Mom asked.

“There was a small gold box that he kept locked on top of his desk.I must have asked him a thousand times what was inside.All he’d ever tell me was ‘the thing I value most’,”Jack said.

It was gone.Everything about the house was exactly how Jack remembered it,except for the box.He figured someone from the Belser family had taken it.

“Now I’ll never know what was so valuable to him,”Jack said sadly.

Returning to his office the next day,he found a package on his desk.The return address caught his attention.

“Mr.Harold Belser”it read.

Jack tore open the package.There inside was the gold box and an envelope.

Jack’s hands shook as he read the note inside.

“Upon my death,please forward this box and its contents to Jack Bennett.

It’s the thing I valued most in my life.”A small key was taped to the letter.His heart racing,and tears filling his eyes,Jack carefully unlocked the box.There inside he found a beautiful gold pocket watch.Running his fingers slowly over the fine cover,he opened it.

Inside he found these words carved:“Jack,thanks for your time!Harold Belser.”

“Oh,my God! This is the thing he valued most...”

Jack held the watch for a few minutes,then called his assistant and cleared his appointments for the next two days.“Why?”his assistant asked.

“I need some time to spend with my son,” he said.

66.Why did Jack think Mr.Belser died years ago?

A.College and career prevented him from remembering Mr.Belser.

B.Jack was too busy with his business and family to think about Mr.Belser.

C.Jack was too busy realizing his dreams to think about Mr.Belser.

D.His present busy life washed away his childhood memories.

67.Jack’s mother told him on the phone about Mr.Belser EXCEPT that         .

A.Mr.Belser often asked how Jack was doing

B.Mr.Belser’s funeral would take place on Wednesday

C.Mr.Belser had asked for Jack’s mailing address

D.Mr.Belser had pleasant memories of their time together

68.Why did Belser send Jack his gold watch?

A.Because he was grateful for Jack’s time with him.

B.Because he had no children or relatives.

C.Because he thought he had to keep his word.

D.Because Jack had always wanted it during his childhood.

69.Why did Jack say he needed some time to spend with his son?

A.He was very tired of his work and wanted to have a good rest.

B.He had promised to spare more time to stay with his son.

C.He had missed his son and his family for days.

D.He came to realize the importance of the time with his family.

70.Which of the following is the most suitable title for this passage?

A.The Good Old Times

B.What He Valued Most

C.An Old Gold Watch

D.The Lost Childhood Days

My family and I lived across the street from Southway park since I was four years old.Then just last year the city put a chain link fence around the park and started bulldozing(用推土机推平)the trees and grass to make way for a new apartment complex.When I saw the fence and bulldozers，I asked myself，“Why don't they just leave it alone？”

Looking back，I think what sentenced the park to oblivion(被遗忘)was the drought(旱灾)we had about four years ago.Up until then，Southway Park was a nice green park with plenty of trees and a public swimming pool.My friends and I rollerskated on the sidewalks，climbed the trees，and swam in the pool all the years I was growing up.The park was almost like my own yard.Then the summer I was fifteen the drought came and things changed.

There had been almost no rain at all that year.The city stopped watering the park grass.Within a few weeks I found myself living across the street from a huge brown desert.Leaves fell off the park trees，and pretty soon the trees started dying，too.Next，the park swimming pool was closed.The city cut down on the work force that kept the park，and pretty soon it just got too ugly and dirty to enjoy anymore.

As the drought lasted into the fall，the park got worse every month.The rubbish piled up or blew across the brown grass.Soon the only people in the park were beggars and other people down on their luck.People said drugs were being sold or traded there now.The park had gotten scary，and my mother told us kids not to go there anymore.

The drought finally ended and things seemed to get back to normal，that is，everything but the park.It had gotten into such bad shape that the city just let it stay that way.Then about six months ago I heard that the city was going to“redevelop”certain worn­out areas of the city.It turned out that the city had planned to get rid of the park，sell the land and let someone build rows of apartment buildings on it.

The chain­link fencing and the bulldozers did their work.Now we live across the street from six rows of apartment buildings.Each of them is three units high and stretches a block in each direction.The neighborhood has changed without the park.The streets I used to play in are jammed with cars now.Things will never be the same again.Sometimes_I_wonder，though，what_changes_another_drought_would_make_in_the_way_things_are_today.

59．How did the writer feel when he saw the fence and bulldozers?

A．Scared.      B．Confused. 

C．Upset.     D．Curious.

60．Why was the writer told not to go to the park by his mother?

A．It was being rebuilt.

B．It was dangerous.

C．It became crowded.

D．It had turned into a desert.

61．According to the writer，what eventually brought about the disappearance of the park?

A．The drought.

B．The crime.

C．The beggars and the rubbish.

D．The decisions of the city.

62．The last sentence of the passage implies that if another drought came，________.

A．the situation would be much worse

B．people would have to desert their homes

C．the city would be fully prepared in advance

D．the city would have to redevelop the neighborhood

My family and I lived across the street from Southway Park since I was four years old. Then just last year the city put a chain link fence around the park and started bulldozing(用推土机推平)the trees and grass to make way for a new apartment complex. When I saw the fence and bulldozers, I asked myself，“Why don’t they just leave it alone？”
Looking back, I think what sentenced the park to oblivion(被遗忘)was the drought(旱灾)we had about four years ago. Up until then, Southway Park was a nice green park with plenty of trees and a public swimming pool. My friends and I rollerskated on the sidewalks, climbed the trees, and swam in the pool all the years I was growing up. The park was almost like my own yard. Then the summer I was fifteen the drought came and things changed.
There had been almost no rain at all that year. The city stopped watering the park grass. Within a few weeks I found myself living across the street from a huge brown desert. Leaves fell off the park trees, and pretty soon the trees started dying, too. Next, the park swimming pool was closed. The city cut down on the work force that kept the park, and pretty soon it just got too ugly and dirty to enjoy anymore.
As the drought lasted into the fall, the park got worse every month. The rubbish piled up or blew across the brown grass. Soon the only people in the park were beggars and other people down on their luck. People said drugs were being sold or traded there now. The park had gotten scary, and my mother told us kids not to go there anymore.
The drought finally ended and things seemed to get back to normal, that is, everything but the park. It had gotten into such bad shape that the city just let it stay that way. Then about six months ago I heard that the city was going to“redevelop”certain worn­out areas of the city. It turned out that the city had planned to get rid of the park, sell the land and let someone build rows of apartment buildings on it.
The chain­link fencing and the bulldozers did their work. Now we live across the street from six rows of apartment buildings. Each of them is three units high and stretches a block in each direction. The neighborhood has changed without the park. The streets I used to play in are jammed with cars now. Things will never be the same again. Sometimes_I_wonder,_though,_what_changes_another_drought_would_make_in_the_way_things_are_today.
【小题1】How did the writer feel when he saw the fence and bulldozers?