Question

Kenyon Scudder once told me a story about his friend, Michael. Michael happened to be on a train sitting next to a young man who seemed worried. Finally the young man told the friend that he was a convict (罪犯) returning home from a prison far away. What he did had brought shame (羞耻) on his family, and they had neither visited him nor written to him. He hoped, however, that this was only because they were too poor to travel and too busy to write.

When he was set free he had written to tell them he wanted to go home. To make matters easy for them, however, he had asked them to put up a signal (信号) for him when the train passed their little farm. If the family had forgiven (原谅) him, they were to put up a white ribbon (丝带) in the big apple tree near the railway. If they didn't want him back, they were to do nothing, and he would stay on the train, and go far away.

As the train neared his hometown his suspense became so great that he was afraid to look out of the window. He asked Michael to watch for the big apple tree. They changed seats. In a minute, Michael put his hand on the young convict’s shoulder. "There it is," he said, his eyes filled with sudden tears. "It’s all right. The whole tree is white with ribbons."

1.For which of the following reasons might the young man be worried?

A. His family might not allow him to go home.

B. His family would not remember him.

C. His family hadn’t written to him frequently.

D. His family hadn’t visited him for a long time.

2.According to the passage, the white ribbon in the big apple tree means ________.

A. pleasure B. forgiveness

C. happiness D. education

3.The word "suspense" underlined in the last paragraph can best be replaced by ________.

A. pain B. interest

C. worry D. happiness

4.Why did Michael cry at the end of the story?

A. The young man couldn’t live with his family.

B. There were many white ribbons on the apple tree.

C. He was moved by the young man.

D. The young man was very sad.

Answer 1

1.A

2.B

3.C

4.B

【解析】

试题分析：一个失足青年刑满释放回家，但他担忧家人是否原谅他。他给家人写信，如果家人原谅他，他们将在铁路附近的苹果树上挂上白丝带。如果他们不想让他回家，他们什么也别做。火车经过他的家乡时满树都是白丝带，年轻人感动得哭了。

1. the family had forgiven (原谅) him, they were to put up a white ribbon (丝带) in the big apple tree near the railway. If they didn't want him back, they were to do nothing, and he would stay on the train, and go far away.如果家人原谅他，他们将在铁路附近的苹果树上挂上白丝带。如果他们不想让他回家，他们什么也别做，他将留在火车上远走高飞。从这里可知此人并不知道他的家人是否原谅他，因此他很忧虑。故选A。

2. 推理判断题。根据第二段中If the family had forgiven (原谅) him, they were to put up a white ribbon (丝带) in the big apple tree near the railway. 如果家人原谅他，他们将在铁路附近的苹果树上挂上白丝带。从这里可知a white ribbon代表原谅。故选B。

3. happened to be on a train sitting next to a young man who seemed worried. Michael碰巧在火车上坐在一个年轻人的旁边，这个年轻人似乎担忧的样子。故选C。

4. whole tree is white with ribbons.整棵树都是白丝带。前面提到如果家人原谅他，让他回家，就在树上挂上白丝带，现在树上都是白丝带，所以他感动的哭了，故选B。

考点：考查故事类阅读。