通读下面短文,掌握其大意,然后从短文后各题所给的四个选项中选择最佳的一项。
“I’ve been writing a book, John. Do you
think anyone would be interested in 21 it?” said the old lady.
John took over the papers from her shaking
hand and 22 her in chair. He remembered her rich 23 in the early days of the Old
West. He looked through the papers. “It’s good, Grandma,” he said gently. Then
realizing that she 24 hear him, he shouted into her ears, “I
think it’s very good. I’ll 25 it to a publisher.”
Ten days later, he reported that the
publisher had had time to read only a few 26 . But he was so impressed that
he had sent $ 100 for an option(版权).
27 money would be given as an advance. Every
month John 28 $100 for her with a letter from the
publisher telling about the progress of the book.
One morning, three months after her 100th
birthday, Grandma didn’t get up. The doctor told her that she couldn’t 29 more than a few days. She was ready to
go, but she first wanted her book to be in print. John promised that she could
get it very soon.
Grandma held on until the day the book
came into her hands with the title and her name on the cover. Though she couldn’t
see it, she could touch it . She proudly traced(探查)her name with her fingers, tears in her eyes. Two hours
later, she died peacefully, 30 holding
her book.
Her granddaughter took up the book and opened it. “Why, it’s just
blank pages!” she cried in 31 . John’s face turned 32 . Then the girl understood.
There never was a book. Grandma couldn’t hear the little bell when the
typewriter came to the 33 of the line. She would keep on working,
not 34 the whole sentences and sometimes the paragraphs
were missing. John did not tell her, for he couldn’t take away her only hope.
It was John himself who had written the letters and sold his car to pay the
advance.
21.( ) A. buying
B. publishing
C. reading D. lending
22.( ) A. sat B. put
C. placed
D. seated
23.( ) A. sufferings B.
experiences
C. thoughts D. family
24.( ) A. couldn’t B. needn’t
C. mustn’t D. doesn’t
25.( ) A. throw B. put
C.
send
D. lift
26.( ) A. words
B.
sentences
C.
pages
D. books
27.( ) A. Some
B. Much
C. Enough D. More
28.( ) A. brought B.
took
C.
gave
D. carried
29.( ) A. die
B. stay
C. last
D. remain
30.( ) A. still
B. yet C.
always
D. then
31.( ) A. anger
B. joy
C.
surprise D. tears
32.( ) A. white
B. red C.
gray
D. pale
33.( ) A. middle B. last
C. end
D. beginning
34.( ) A. writing B. knowing
C. thinking D. wanting