I ran across an old photo of him the other day, thinking of some old things. He’s been dead for 25 years. His name was Rex.

36  was his favorite recreation(娱乐). He had so much 37 in the water as any person I have known. You didn’t have to throw a stick in the water to 38 him to go in. Of course, he would bring back a stick to you if you 39 throw one in.

That 40 me of that night, 41 he brought back a small box that he found somewhere--- how 42 nobody ever knew. Since it was Rex, it 43 easily have been half a race. The box wasn’t a good one. It was just a 44 old piece that somebody 45. Still it was something he wanted, probably 46 there was some difficulty in transportation（运输）. And that he thought could test his courage. We first knew about his achievement when, deep in the night, we 47 him trying to get the box up onto the porch(门厅). It sounded 48 two or three people were trying to tear the house 49 . We came downstairs and turned on the 50 light. Rex was on the top step trying to pull the thing up, but it had 51somehow. And he was just holding his own(坚持着). I suppose he would have held his own 52 dawn if we hadn’t helped him. The next day we carried the box miles away and threw it out. If we had thrown it out in a 53 place, he would have brought it home again, as a small token(象征)of his strength in such matters. 54, he had been taught to carry heavy wooden objects about and he was 55 of his skill.

When I was young, I went looking for gold in California. And I discovered a beautiful part of the country called Stanislaus. It had bright green hills and deep forests where soft winds touched the trees. By the time I arrived, a man had been smiling at me , standing in front of his little house. Inside, I saw a bright rug on the shining wooden floor. And on little tables there were seashells, books and china vases full of flowers. A woman had made this house into a home. The delight in my heart showed on my face. The man read my thoughts. “All her work.” He said , “Nothing here hasn’t felt the touch of her hand.”As he talked, I went to a little black-walnut shelf that held a small picture of the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. There was a sweetness and softness in the woman’s expression. “Nineteen, her last birthday. When you see her...ah, just wait until you meet her!” “Where is she now?” I asked. “Oh, she is away visiting her parents.” he said slowly. “She will be back on Saturday, in the evening.” That night, I stayed. The man told me his name was Henry.

Thursday evening we had two visitors, Tom and Joe. “When little madam is coming home. Any news from her?” “Oh yes,” the man replied. “A letter.” He took a yellowed letter out of his wallet and read it. It was full of loving messages. While reading, he glimpsed his friends and cried out, “Oh no, Tom! You always cry when I read a letter from her. I’m going to tell her this time!” “No, you must not do that, Henry,” the grey-haired miner said. “I am getting old. And any little sorrow makes me cry. I really was hoping she would be here tonight.”　 

Saturday finally came. I was glad to see Tom and Joe again. They kept giving him glasses of whiskey. “Boys,” he said, “I am sick with fear. Help! I want to lie down.” Henry was asleep almost before the words were out of his mouth. In a moment, the men tucked him into his bed. They seemed to leave. So I said, “Please don’t go. She won’t know me. I am a stranger.” They glanced at each other. “She? she’s been dead for nineteen years!” Joe said, “She went to see her folks(家人) after she got married. On her way back, on a Saturday evening, the Indians captured her. She’s never been heard of since. Henry went insane. But he only gets bad when that time of year comes round. Then we drop in here, to encourage him up and listen to him read the letter. We’ve done it for nineteen years. We drug him to sleep through the night.” The two old men opened the door and disappeared into the darkness .

56. You can sense the existence of a woman from the following sentences EXCEPT “______”.

A. Soft winds touched the trees in Stanislaus.

B. There was a bright rug on the shining wooden floor.

C. There were seashells, books and china vases full of flowers.

D. A little black shelf held a small picture of a woman.

57. Tom cried when Henry read the yellowed letter, because ______.

A. he was getting old

B. he was moved by the loving messages in the letter

C. he felt sad at the thought of Henry’s wife                             

D. he was disappointed that Henry’s wife would arrive so late

58. The underlined word “insane” probably means “______”.

A. depressed                B. disappointed       C. mad            D. sick

59. It can be inferred from the passage that ______.

A. Henry’s wife was 38 when she was last seen

B. Tom and Joe have heard the letter many times

C. the author stayed in Henry’s house because he was lost

D. the two miners came on Saturday to share past memories

When I was young, I went looking for gold in California. I never found enough to make a rich strike. But I did discover a beautiful part of the country called Stanislau. Like Heaven on Earth, it had bright green hills and deep forests where soft winds touched the trees. By the time I arrived, the charming paradise had been deserted because miners’ good luck didn’t last.

Then, I realized I was not alone after all.

A man was smiling at me as he stood in front of his little house. Its front yard was full of blue and yellow flowers. White curtains hung from the windows and floated in the soft summer wind.

Still smiling, the man invited me inside. My spirit seemed to come to life again. I saw a bright rug on the shining wooden floor. And on little tables there were seashells, books and china vases full of flowers. A woman had made this house into a home. The delight in my heart showed on my face. The man read my thoughts. “All her work.” He said affectionately, “Nothing here hasn’t felt the touch of her hand.”

One picture on the wall was not hanging straight. He went to fix it. He stepped back several times to make sure the picture was straight. Then he gave it a gentle touch. “She always does that,” he explained, “It is like the finishing pat a mother gives her child’s hair after she has brushed it. I don’t know why I do it. I just do it.”

As he talked, I went to a little black-walnut shelf that held a small picture of the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. There was a sweetness and softness in the woman’s expression. The man stared at the picture. “Nineteen her last birthday. That was the day we married. When you see her...ah, just wait until you meet her!” “Where is she now?” I asked. “Oh, she is away visiting her parents. This is Wednesday,” he said slowly. “She will be back on Saturday, in the evening.”

That night, I stayed. The man told me his name was Henry.

Thursday evening we had two visitors, Tom and Joe. “We just drop over to ask when little madam is coming home. Any news from her?” “Oh yes,” the man replied. “A letter.” He took a yellowed letter out of his wallet and read it. It was full of loving messages. While reading, he glimpsed his friends and cried out, “Oh no, you are doing it again, Tom! Take your hands away and let me see your eyes. I’m going to tell her this time!” “No, you mustn’t do that, Henry,” the grey-haired miner said. “I am getting old. And any little sorrow makes me cry. Lord, we miss her so.”

Saturday finally came.

I was glad to see his two friends, Tom and Joe, with guitars, coming down the road as the sun began to set. They put the flowers they brought in vases and began to play some fast and lively songs.

Henry’s friends kept giving him glasses of whiskey. When I reached for one of the two remaining glasses, Tom stopped my arm. “Drop that! Take the other.” he whispered. I did so. Henry was served last. He had hardly swallowed his drink when the clock struck midnight. His face grew pale and paler. “Boys,” he said, “I am sick with fear. Help! I want to lie down.” Henry was asleep almost before the words were out of his mouth.

In a moment, those handy men had his clothes off and tucked him into his bed. They seemed to be getting ready to leave. So I said, “Please don’t go, gentlemen. She won’t know me. I am a stranger.” They glanced at each other. Then Joe said, “She? Poor thing, she’s been dead nineteen years!” “Dead?” I whispered. “That or worse.” he said.

“She went to see her folks half a year after she got married. On her way back, on a Saturday evening in June, when she was almost here, the Indians captured her. She’s never been heard of since. Henry went insane. But he only gets bad when that time of year comes round. Then we drop in here, three days before she’s due, to encourage him up and listen to him read the letter. Saturday we all come and get everything ready for a dance. We’ve done it for nineteen years. The first Saturday there were twenty-seven of us, but only two now. We drug him to sleep through the night. Then he’s all right for another year.”

The two old men opened the door and disappeared into the darkness of Stanislau.

1.You can sense the existence of a woman from the following sentences EXCEPT “______”.

A. Soft winds touched the trees in Stanislau.

B. There was a bright rug on the shining wooden floor.

C. There were seashells, books and china vases full of flowers.

D. A little black shelf held a small picture of a woman.

2.Tom cried when Henry read the yellowed letter, because ______.

A. he was getting older and older

B. he was moved by the loving messages in the letter

C. he felt sad at the thought of Henry’s wife

D. he was disappointed that Henry’s wife would arrive so late

3.Tom stopped my reaching for whiskey because ______.

A. there was not enough whiskey for Henry                B. he didn’t want me to get drunk

C. that glass of whiskey was drugged                    D. it was for Henry’s wife

4.The underlined word “insane” probably means “______”.

A. depressed                   B. disappointed            C. mad                 D. sick

5.It can be inferred from the passage that ______.

A. Henry’s wife was 38 when she was last seen

B. Tom and Joe have heard the letter many times

C. the author stayed in Henry’s house because he was lost

D. the two miners came on Saturday to share past memories

6.The story is mainly about ______.

A. ever-lasting love                                                      B. lifelong friendship

C. an unforgettable experience                                               D. charming Stanislau

When I was young, I went looking for gold in California. I never found enough to make a rich strike. But I did discover a beautiful part of the country called Stanislau. Like Heaven on Earth, it had bright green hills and deep forests where soft winds touched the trees. By the time I arrived, the charming paradise had been deserted because miners’ good luck didn’t last.

Then, I realized I was not alone after all.

A man was smiling at me as he stood in front of his little house. Its front yard was full of blue and yellow flowers. White curtains hung from the windows and floated in the soft summer wind.

Still smiling, the man invited me inside. My spirit seemed to come to life again. I saw a bright rug on the shining wooden floor. And on little tables there were seashells, books and china vases full of flowers. A woman had made this house into a home. The delight in my heart showed on my face. The man read my thoughts. “All her work.” He said affectionately, “Nothing here hasn’t felt the touch of her hand.”

One picture on the wall was not hanging straight. He went to fix it. He stepped back several times to make sure the picture was straight. Then he gave it a gentle touch. “She always does that,” he explained, “It is like the finishing pat a mother gives her child’s hair after she has brushed it. I don’t know why I do it. I just do it.”

As he talked, I went to a little black-walnut shelf that held a small picture of the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. There was a sweetness and softness in the woman’s expression. The man stared at the picture. “Nineteen her last birthday. That was the day we married. When you see her...ah, just wait until you meet her!” “Where is she now?” I asked. “Oh, she is away visiting her parents. This is Wednesday,” he said slowly. “She will be back on Saturday, in the evening.”

That night, I stayed. The man told me his name was Henry.

Thursday evening we had two visitors, Tom and Joe. “We just drop over to ask when little madam is coming home. Any news from her?” “Oh yes,” the man replied. “A letter.” He took a yellowed letter out of his wallet and read it. It was full of loving messages. While reading, he glimpsed his friends and cried out, “Oh no, you are doing it again, Tom! Take your hands away and let me see your eyes. I’m going to tell her this time!” “No, you mustn’t do that, Henry,” the grey-haired miner said. “I am getting old. And any little sorrow makes me cry. Lord, we miss her so.”

Saturday finally came.

I was glad to see his two friends, Tom and Joe, with guitars, coming down the road as the sun began to set. They put the flowers they brought in vases and began to play some fast and lively songs.

Henry’s friends kept giving him glasses of whiskey. When I reached for one of the two remaining glasses, Tom stopped my arm. “Drop that! Take the other.” he whispered. I did so. Henry was served last. He had hardly swallowed his drink when the clock struck midnight. His face grew pale and paler. “Boys,” he said, “I am sick with fear. Help! I want to lie down.” Henry was asleep almost before the words were out of his mouth.

In a moment, those handy men had his clothes off and tucked him into his bed. They seemed to be getting ready to leave. So I said, “Please don’t go, gentlemen. She won’t know me. I am a stranger.” They glanced at each other. Then Joe said, “She? Poor thing, she’s been dead nineteen years!” “Dead?” I whispered. “That or worse.” he said.

“She went to see her folks half a year after she got married. On her way back, on a Saturday evening in June, when she was almost here, the Indians captured her. She’s never been heard of since. Henry went insane. But he only gets bad when that time of year comes round. Then we drop in here, three days before she’s due, to encourage him up and listen to him read the letter. Saturday we all come and get everything ready for a dance. We’ve done it for nineteen years. The first Saturday there were twenty-seven of us, but only two now. We drug him to sleep through the night. Then he’s all right for another year.”

The two old men opened the door and disappeared into the darkness of Stanislau.

55. You can sense the existence of a woman from the following sentences EXCEPT “______”.

A. Soft winds touched the trees in Stanislau.

B. There was a bright rug on the shining wooden floor.

C. There were seashells, books and china vases full of flowers.

D. A little black shelf held a small picture of a woman.

56. Tom cried when Henry read the yellowed letter, because ______.

A. he was getting older and older

B. he was moved by the loving messages in the letter

C. he felt sad at the thought of Henry’s wife

D. he was disappointed that Henry’s wife would arrive so late

57. Tom stopped my reaching for whiskey because ______.

A. there was not enough whiskey for Henry          B. he didn’t want me to get drunk

C. that glass of whiskey was drugged                  D. it was for Henry’s wife

58. The underlined word “insane” probably means “______”.

A. depressed                B. disappointed       C. mad            D. sick

59. It can be inferred from the passage that ______.

A. Henry’s wife was 38 when she was last seen

B. Tom and Joe have heard the letter many times

C. the author stayed in Henry’s house because he was lost

D. the two miners came on Saturday to share past memories

60. The story is mainly about ______.

A. ever-lasting love                                         B. lifelong friendship

C. an unforgettable experience                             D. charming Stanislau