I was ten when my father first sent me flowers. I had been taking ballet lessons for four months, and the school was giving its yearly performance. As a member of the beginners’ chorus group, I was surprised to hear my name called out at the end of the show along with the leading dancers and to find my arms full of red roses. I can still feel myself standing on that stage, seeing my father’s big smiles.
Those roses were the first of many bunches accompanying all the milestones in my life. Getting all those roses was wonderful, but they brought a sense of embarrassment. I enjoyed them, but I also felt they were too much for my small achievements.
Not for my father. He did everything in a big way. Once, when mother told him I needed a new party dress, he brought home a dozen. His behavior often left us without money for other more important things. Sometimes I would be angry with him.
Then came my 16th birthday. It was not a happy occasion. I was fat and had no boyfriend. And my well-meaning father furthered my suffering by giving me a party. As I entered the dining room, there on the table next to my cake was a huge bunch of flowers, bigger than any before.
I wanted to hide. Now everyone would think my father had sent flowers because I had no boyfriend to do it. Sweet 16, and I felt like crying. But my best friend, Jenny, whispered, “Boy, you’re lucky to have a father like that.”
As the years passed, other occasions—birthdays, awards, graduations—were marked with Dad’s flowers. Those flowers symbolized his pride, and my success. As my fortunes grew, my father’s health became worse, but his gifts of flowers continued until he died. I covered his coffin with the largest, reddest roses I could find.
Often during the dozen years since, I felt an urge to buy a big bunch to fill the living room, but I never did. I knew it would not be the same.
Then one birthday, the doorbell rang. I was feeling blue because I was alone. My husband and my two daughters were away. My 10-year-old son, Tommy, had run out earlier with a “see you later”. So I was surprised to see Tommy at the door. “Forgot my key,” he said. “Forgot your birthday too.” He pulled a bunch of roses from behind his back.
“Oh, Tommy,” I cried. “I love flowers!”
1.The writer felt embarrassed getting her first roses because .
A.she wasn’t a member of leading dancers.
B.she thought her success wasn’t big enough.
C.she regarded the flowers as a milestone in her life.
D.she found herself standing on the center of the stage.
2.Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A.The father made the writer happy by giving her a party.
B.The father was proud of the writer in her growth stages.
C.The father didn’t leave the family money for important things.
D.The father bought the writer flowers when she got angry with him.
3.Tommy came back again, mainly to .
A.take back his keys. B.show his love for flowers.
C.encourage his mother. D.bring his mother birthday gift.
4.Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A.Love in Bloom. B.Father and Me.
C.Pleasure and Embarrassment. D.Father’s Flowers.
高三英语阅读理解简单题
I was ten when my father first sent me flowers. I had been taking ballet lessons for four months, and the school was giving its yearly performance. As a member of the beginners’ chorus group, I was surprised to hear my name called out at the end of the show along with the leading dancers and to find my arms full of red roses. I can still feel myself standing on that stage, seeing my father’s big smiles.
Those roses were the first of many bunches accompanying all the milestones in my life. Getting all those roses was wonderful, but they brought a sense of embarrassment. I enjoyed them, but I also felt they were too much for my small achievements.
Not for my father. He did everything in a big way. Once, when mother told him I needed a new party dress, he brought home a dozen. His behavior often left us without money for other more important things. Sometimes I would be angry with him.
Then came my 16th birthday. It was not a happy occasion. I was fat and had no boyfriend. And my well-meaning father furthered my suffering by giving me a party. As I entered the dining room, there on the table next to my cake was a huge bunch of flowers, bigger than any before.
I wanted to hide. Now everyone would think my father had sent flowers because I had no boyfriend to do it. Sweet 16, and I felt like crying. But my best friend, Jenny, whispered, “Boy, you’re lucky to have a father like that.”
As the years passed, other occasions—birthdays, awards, graduations—were marked with Dad’s flowers. Those flowers symbolized his pride, and my success. As my fortunes grew, my father’s health became worse, but his gifts of flowers continued until he died. I covered his coffin with the largest, reddest roses I could find.
Often during the dozen years since, I felt an urge to buy a big bunch to fill the living room, but I never did. I knew it would not be the same.
Then one birthday, the doorbell rang. I was feeling blue because I was alone. My husband and my two daughters were away. My 10-year-old son, Tommy, had run out earlier with a “see you later”. So I was surprised to see Tommy at the door. “Forgot my key,” he said. “Forgot your birthday too.” He pulled a bunch of roses from behind his back.
“Oh, Tommy,” I cried. “I love flowers!”
1.The writer felt embarrassed getting her first roses because .
A.she wasn’t a member of leading dancers.
B.she thought her success wasn’t big enough.
C.she regarded the flowers as a milestone in her life.
D.she found herself standing on the center of the stage.
2.Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A.The father made the writer happy by giving her a party.
B.The father was proud of the writer in her growth stages.
C.The father didn’t leave the family money for important things.
D.The father bought the writer flowers when she got angry with him.
3.Tommy came back again, mainly to .
A.take back his keys. B.show his love for flowers.
C.encourage his mother. D.bring his mother birthday gift.
4.Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A.Love in Bloom. B.Father and Me.
C.Pleasure and Embarrassment. D.Father’s Flowers.
高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
When I was ten my dad helped me buy my first ten-speed bicycle from Allen. I put up $60 of my grass cutting and snow shoveling (铲) money and my dad put up the other half I would pay him back over the next six months. Although it was not in the latest style, it was my ticket to the adult world.
I spent that summer and autumn riding happily. My sister Liz, a prisoner(囚犯,俘虏) of her five-speed bicycle, never had a chance to keep up. Just before the Christmas deadline to pay my dad back, we were hit with several snowstorms. This allowed me to shovel enough driveways (车道) to pay off my debt. I was now officially a bike owner; it was a feeling unlike any other.
On that Christmas morning, my dad gave me a used portable (便携式的) record player. I was excited. However, my joy was short-lived after my dad called my sister to the kitchen. “We have one more gift for you. ” he said as he opened the door that led to the garage. There, on the steps, stood a new ten-speed bicycle.
“It’s not fair,” I complained. “I worked so hard for my bike. and it’s not even new. Then Liz gets a new bike. She didn’t have to do anything for it. ” My dad smiled. “She didn’t have to do anything for it because it’s not really for her,” he said. What did that mean? I didn’t want her bike.
By spring Liz and I were riding all over town together now that she could keep up. As we grew, Liz and I became true friends.
Still I wasn’t smart enough to figure out what my dad meant until years later. That new bike was not a gift for Liz — it was a gift for me. He’d given me the gift of my sister’s company, the ability to stay together rather than drift apart (逐渐疏远) in the face of my ability to travel. He gave me my best friend.
1.What do we know about the author’s bike?
A. It was worth $120. B. Allen bought it for him.
C. It was very fashionable. D. He didn’t like it actually.
2.Why did the author think he was officially a bike owner?
A. He had paid off his debt.
B. He had learned to ride a bike.
C. He could also own Liz’s bike.
D. He could sell his bike to Liz.
3.Why was the author’s Christmas joy short-lived?
A. His sister got a new record player.
B. His father didn’t care about him.
C. The record player wasn’t new.
D. His sister got a better gift.
4.Hearing his father say “it’s not really for her (Paragraph 4)”, the author probably felt ________.
A. moved B. satisfied C. puzzled D. disappointed
5.The author finally realized that ________.
A. the new bike actually belonged to him
B. the new bike wasn’t bought by his father
C. his father actually gave him a more valuable gift
D. his father loved his sister more as a matter of fact
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
When I was young, my father had one of the first telephones in our neighborhood. I remember the shiny box on the wall. But I was too little to reach it, I could only listen to my mother talk on it.
I discovered that inside the wonderful box lived an amazing person whose name was Information Please. There was nothing she did not know.
One day my mother went out. I accidentally hurt my finger when I was playing with a hammer. I walked around the house sucking my hurting finger, finally seeing the telephone. Quickly I dragged a chair over and climbed up.
“Information Please,” I spoke into the receiver. A click or two and a small clear voice spoke into my ear, “Information.”
“I hurt my finger…” I cried into the phone.
“Isn’t your mother home?” came the question.
“Nobody’s home but me.” I sobbed.
“Are you bleeding?” the voice asked.
“No,” I replied. “I hit my finger with the hammer and it hurts.”
“Can you open your icebox?” she asked. I said I could.
“Then take a little piece of ice and hold it to your finger.” Said the voice.
After that, I called “Information Please” for everything. I asked her for help with my geography and she told me where Philadelphia was. She helped me with my math. She told me her name was Sally.
Then there was the time my pet canary (金丝雀) died. I called “Information Please” and told Sally the sad story. “Why is it that birds sing so beautifully and bring joy to all families, only to end up as a pile of feathers?” She listened, then said quietly, “Paul, always remember that there are other worlds to sing in.” Somehow I felt better.
One day when I called “Information Please” again, a different voice answered “Information.”
I asked for Sally. “Are you a friend?” she said.
“Yes.” I answered
“I’m sorry to have to tell you this,” she said. “She died five days ago.” Before I could hang up she said, “Wait a minute. Did you say your name was Paul?”
“Yes!”
“Well, Sally left a message for you. The note said, “Tell him I still say there are other worlds to sing in. He’ll know what I mean.” I thanked her and hung up. I knew what Sally meant.
1.When the author hurt his finger, he rang because______.
A. he believed that the telephone knew everything.
B. the telephone could tell him a doctor’s number
C. his mother was on the other end of the telephone
D. he was once told to ask for help in this way
2. Through the help from Sally, it can be inferred that______.
A. Sally was a geography teacher
B. Sally was the author’s friend
C. Sally was a considerate person
D. Sally was an imaginary person
3.What did Sally really mean by her message?
A. She was sure that she could sing in other worlds.
B. She didn’t want Paul to be sad about her death.
C. Singing helped Paul to face death more easily.
D. There was no need for Paul to call her anymore.
4.What is the best title for this passage?
A. My Pet’s Death B. An Amazing Woman
C. A Healing Message D. My Magic Box
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
When I was seven my father gave me a Timex, my first watch. I loved it, wore it for years, and haven’t had another one since it stopped ticking a decade ago. Why? Because I don’t need one. I have a mobile phone and I’m always near someone with an iPod or something like that. All these devices(装置)tell the time—which is why, if you look around, you’ll see lots of empty wrists; sales of watches to young adults have been going down since 2007.
But while the wise have realized that they don’t need them, others—apparently including some distinguished men of our time—are spending total fortunes on them. Brands such as Rolex, Patek Philippe and Breitling command shocking prices, up to £250.000 for a piece.
This is ridiculous. Expensive cars go faster than cheap cars. Expensive clothes hang better than cheap clothes. But these days all watches tell the time as well as all other watches. Expensive watches come with extra functions—but who needs them? How often do you dive to 300 metres into the sea or need to find your direction in the area around the South Pole? So why pay that much of five years’ school fees for watches that allow you to do these things?
If justice were done, the Swiss watch industry should have closed down when the Japanese discovered how to make accurate watches for a five-pound note. Instead the Swiss reinvented the watch, with the aid of millions of pounds’ worth of advertising, as a message about the man wearing it. Rolexes are for those who spend their weekends climbing icy mountains; a Patek Philippe is for one from a rich or noble family; a Breitling suggests you like to pilot planes across the world.
Watches are now classified as“investments”(投资). A 1994 Philippe recently sold for nearly £350, 000, while the 1960s Rolexes have gone from £15, 000 to £30, 000 plus in a year. But a watch is not an investment. It's a toy for self-satisfaction, a matter of fashion. Prices may keep going up—they’ve been rising for 15 years. But when fashion moves on, the owner of that £350, 000 beauty will suddenly find his pride and joy is no more a good investment than my childhood Timex.
1.It seems ridiculous to the writer that_______________.
A.people dive 300 meters into the sea
B.expensive clothes sell better than cheap ones
C.cheap cars don’t run as fast as expensive ones
D.expensive watches with unnecessary functions still sell
2.What can be learned about Swiss watch industry from the passage?
A.It’s hard for the industry to beat its competitors.
B.It targets rich people as its potential customers.
C.It wastes a huge amount of money in advertising.
D.It’s easy for the industry to reinvent cheap watches.
3.Which would be the best title for the passage?
A.Watches? Not for Me! B.My Childhood Timex
C.Timex or Rolex? D.Watches—a Valuable Collection
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
When I was seven my father gave me a Timex, my first watch. I loved it, wore it for years, and haven’t had another one since it stopped ticking a decade ago. Why? Because I don’t need one. I have a mobile phone and I’m always near someone with an iPod or something like that. All these devices(装置)tell the time—which is why, if you look around, you’ll see lots of empty wrists; sales of watches to young adults have been going down since 2007.
But while the wise have realized that they don’t need them, others—apparently including some distinguished men of our time—are spending total fortunes on them. Brands such as Rolex, Patek Philippe and Breitling command shocking prices, up to £250.000 for a piece.
This is ridiculous. Expensive cars go faster than cheap cars. Expensive clothes hang better than cheap clothes. But these days all watches tell the time as well as all other watches. Expensive watches come with extra functions—but who needs them? How often do you dive to 300 metres into the sea or need to find your direction in the area around the South Pole? So why pay that much of five years’ school fees for watches that allow you to do these things?
If justice were done, the Swiss watch industry should have closed down when the Japanese discovered how to make accurate watches for a five-pound note. Instead the Swiss reinvented the watch, with the aid of millions of pounds’ worth of advertising, as a message about the man wearing it. Rolexes are for those who spend their weekends climbing icy mountains; a Patek Philippe is for one from a rich or noble family; a Breitling suggests you like to pilot planes across the world.
Watches are now classified as“investments”(投资). A 1994 Philippe recently sold for nearly £350, 000, while 1960s Rolexes have gone from £15, 000 to £30, 000 plus in a year. But a watch is not an investment. It's a toy for self-satisfaction, a matter of fashion. Prices may keep going up—they’ve been rising for 15 years. But when fashion moves on, the owner of that £350, 000 beauty will suddenly find his pride and joy is no more a good investment than my childhood Timex.
1.It seems ridiculous to the writer that_______________.
A.people dive 300 metres into the sea |
B.expensive clothes sell better than cheap ones |
C.cheap cars don’t run as fast as expensive ones |
D.expensive watches with unnecessary functions still sell |
2.What can be learnt about Swiss watch industry from the passage?
A.It’s hard for the industry to beat its competitors. |
B.It targets rich people as its potential customers. |
C.It wastes a huge amount of money in advertising. |
D.It’s easy for the industry to reinvent cheap watches. |
3.Which would be the best title for the passage?
A.Watches? Not for Me! |
B.My Childhood Timex |
C.Timex or Rolex? |
D.Watches—a Valuable Collection |
高三英语阅读理解极难题查看答案及解析
When I was seven my father gave me a Timex, my first watch. I loved it, wore it for years, and haven’t had another one since it stopped ticking a decade ago. Why? Because I don’t need one. I have a mobile phone and I’m always near someone with an iPod or something like that. All these devices (装置) tell the time — which is why, if you look around, you’ll see lots of empty wrists; sales of watches to young adults have been going down since 2007.
But while the wise have realized that they don’t need them, others — apparently including some distinguished men of our time — are spending total fortunes on them. Brands such as Rolex, Patek Philippe and Breitling command shocking prices, up to £250,000 for a piece.
This is ridiculous. Expensive cars go faster than cheap cars. Expensive clothes hang better than cheap clothes. But these days all watches tell the time as well as all other watches. Expensive watches come with extra functions — but who needs them? How often do you dive to 300 metres into the sea or need to find your direction in the area around the South Pole? So why pay that much of five years’ school fees for watches that allow you to do these things?
If justice were done, the Swiss watch industry should have closed down when the Japanese discovered how to make accurate watches for a five-pound note. Instead the Swiss reinvented the watch, with the aid of millions of pounds’ worth of advertising, as a message about the man wearing it. Rolexes are for those who spend their weekends climbing icy mountains; a Patek Philippe is for one from a rich or noble family; a Breitling suggests you like to pilot planes across the world.
Watches are now classified as “investments” (投资). A 1994 Patek Philippe recently sold for nearly £350,000, while 1960s Rolexes have gone from £15,000 to £30,000 plus in a year. But a watch is not an investment. It’s a toy for self-satisfaction, a matter of fashion. Prices may keep going up — they’ve been rising for 15 years. But when fashion moves on, the owner of that £350,000 beauty will suddenly find his pride and joy is no more a good investment than my childhood Timex.
1.The sales of watches to young people have fallen because they ________.
A. have other devices to tell the time B. think watches too expensive
C. prefer to wear an iPod D. have no sense of time
2.It seems ridiculous to the writer that ______.
A. people dive 300 metres into the sea
B. expensive clothes sell better than cheap ones
C. cheap cars don’t run as fast as expensive ones
D. expensive watches with unnecessary functions still sell
3.What can be learnt about Swiss watch industry from the passage?
A. It targets rich people as its potential customers.
B. It’s hard for the industry to beat its competitors.
C. It wastes a huge amount of money in advertising.
D. It’s easy for the industry to reinvent cheap watches.
4.Which would be the best title for the passage?
A. Timex or Rolex? B. My Childhood Timex
C. Watches? Not for Me! D. Watches — a Valuable Collection
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
When I first met my new parrot, Chico, his wings had been cut short and he was stuck on the earth just like us humans. When the weather turned nice, I would take Chico outside. I ________ him on a branch of a tree, hoping to make him happier. At first he seemed confused. He walked back and forth on the branch looking ________ . He didn’t even flap his wings in an/a ________ to fly. Somehow he knew he was incapable.
One day Chico got especially excited. He paced back and forth and made an ________ amount of noise. Then all of a sudden he stopped and let out an even louder scream. He started ________ flapping his wings for the first time ever—then he lifted off the ________ like a space shuttle! I was amazed and ________. Little did I know his feathers had been growing back, and Chico had been waiting until the moment was ripe for ________!
Two days later Chico returned. First I tried to ________ him back with food, but he would not come near me. Then I took his ________ and put it away—still he would not come. Finally, I made him a firm promise that I would let him out every day if the weather was nice as long as he did come back. ________, he flew onto my shoulder.
From that day on, whenever the weather was good I would let him ________ early and he would fly around and be back before dark. The routine lasted for two months ________ suddenly Chico became ________. The vet said that he had been infected with a disease from the pigeons in the ________. Within a few days he died.
I was very sad. The ________ crossed my mind that if I had not set him free to fly, he would be still alive. But what ________ is there in being a bird if you can’t fly?
Chico made his first ________ for freedom on a late Monday afternoon in April. When will you make yours? You too can take a ________ when the conditions are right, knowing you too, in your own way, were built to fly. If you don’t set yourself free, what will be the ________ of your life?
1.A. brought B. seated C. caught D. chased
2.A. comfortable B. painful C. patient D. anxious
3.A. attempt B. stage C. journey D. path
4.A. serious B. first C. incredible D. accessible
5.A. slowly B. gently C. madly D. gracefully
6.A. ground B. branch C. window D. house
7.A. moved B. shocked C. delighted D. excited
8.A. patience B. exchange C. rescue D. escape
9.A. trick B. fasten C. seize D. expect
10.A. cage B. chain C. food D. feather
11.A. At last B. As usual C. Once in a while D. In the meantime
12.A. out B. off C. away D. alone
13.A. until B. while C. since D. although
14.A. active B. weak C. annoying D. miserable
15.A. forest B. community C. countryside D. neighborhood
16.A. fact B. thought C. concern D. detail
17.A. problem B. meaning C. interest D. mistake
18.A. relief B. willingness C. communication D. breakthrough
19.A. breath B. look C. holiday D. chance
20.A. success B. purpose C. contribution D. importance
高三英语完形填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
When I first met my new parrot, Chico, his wings had been cut short. He couldn't fly and he was stuck on the______just like us humans. When the weather turned nice, I would take Chico outside. I______him on a branch of a tree, hoping to make him happier. At first he seemed confused.He walked back and forth on the branch looking______. He didn't even flap(拍打) his wings in a(n)______to fly. Somehow he knew he was incapable.
One day Chico got especially excited.He paced back and forth and made an incredible amount of noise. Then all of a sudden he stopped and______an even louder scream. He started______flapping his wings for the first time ever—then he______off the branch like a space shuttle! I was amazed and shocked.Little did I know his feathers had been growing back, and Chico had been waiting until the moment was ripe for______!
Two days later Chico returned.First I tried to______him back with food, but he would not come near me. Then I took his cage and______it away—still he would not come. Finally, I made him a firm______that I would let him out every day if the weather was nice as long as he did come back.______, he flew onto my shoulder.
From that day on, whenever the weather was good I would let him out______and he would fly around and be back before dark. The______lasted for two months until suddenly Chico became weak. The vet said that he had been infected with a______from the pigeons in the neighbourhood.Within a few days he died.
I was very sad.The______crossed my mind that if I had not set him free to fly, he would be still alive. But what______is there in being a bird if you can't fly?
Chico______his first breakthrough for freedom on a late Monday afternoon in April. When will you make yours? You too can______a chance when the conditions are right, knowing you too, in your own way, were built to fly. If you don't set yourself free, what will be the______of your life?
1.A. cage B. scene C. earth D. stage
2.A. brought B. seated C. caught D. chased
3.A. delightful B. painful C. anxious D. guilty
4.A. attempt B. order C. journey D. reason
5.A. gave away B. took on C. laid out D. let out
6.A. proudly B. madly C. slowly D. gracefully
7.A. cut B. fell C. knocked D. lifted
8.A. struggle B. exchange C. escape D. rescue
9.A. trick B. fasten C. seize D. expect
10.A. burnt B. drove C. put D. threw
11.A. contract B. promise C. hand D. feather
12.A. Once in a while B. As usual C. In the meantime D. At last
13.A. early B. lately C. sometimes D. lonely
14.A. practice B. deed C. routine D. recreation
15.A. spirit B. disease C. relationship D. diet
16.A. thought B. fact C. concern D. detail
17.A. profit B. mistake C. interest D. meaning
18.A. discovered B. demonstrated C. achieved D. announced
19.A. lose B. envy C. deserve D. take
20.A. success B. purpose C. contribution D. entertainment
高三英语完形填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
I was surprised when I received a short message from my father wishing me a happy birthday.
I had _______to hear from my mother, my grandmother and my other relatives — _______ never from my father. Lying in bed, _______ of my father flooded back.
When I was a little boy, I regarded my father as a(n) _______ able to do anything. _______, things slowly began to_______. The more I learned, the more I doubted what he said. The gap between us grew and, at last, I didn't _______ like communicating with him.
My father, in my mind, had no _______ in talking with me. Dinner was the only time we were together. He had no time to watch TV with me. He would tell me to ask my mother_______I needed something. He even refused to answer my ________ when I phoned from school. I ________ the changes. I thought that perhaps my father no longer ________ me.
Over time, however, I began to wonder whether my ________ was right. One day, my mother told me that each time I called, father was ________ listening beside her. Suddenly, I hated myself for my ________ behavior toward him.
I planned thousands of times to ________ my father. In the end, however, I was always too embarrassed about what I had done.
But that Saturday, I was so ________ by his short message. I realized then that my father's love for me had never disappeared. I decided to send a________ "Thank you, my dear father.”
Two days later, when I returned home, my mother told me that my father had been so ________ when he received my reply. She said he had ________ from morning till night. At that moment, I felt truly happy.
1.A.wanted B.intended C.planned D.expected
2.A.and B.so C.but D.or
3.A.opinions B.thoughts C.memories D.responses
4.A.angel B.hero C.teacher D.friend
5.A.However B.Otherwise C.Therefore D.Besides
6.A.improve B.change C.develop D.appear
7.A.still B.ever C.yet D.even
8.A.interest B.time C.chance D.courage
9.A.in case B.if C.even if D.after
10.A.calls B.e-mails C.questions D.letters
11.A.got fond of B.got tired of C.got familiar with D.got accustomed to
12.A.helped B.supported C.loved D.missed
13.A.behavior B.attitude C.manner D.action
14.A.often B.always C.seldom D.never
15.A.casual B.rude C.cruel D.cold
16.A.apologize to B.write to C.talk with D.consult with
17.A.excited B.confused C.touched D.pleased
18.A.letter B.card C.gift D.reply
19.A.upset B.happy C.sad D.nervous
20.A.waited B.signed C.smiled D.hesitated
高三英语完形填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
I was 20 years old when my mother passed away.It was the first real blow that life had dealt me,and I thought I would never recover.Then,by the time the following spring came,the pain was almost bearable and again I could find pleasure in the miraculous reward of nature.
At first,I went to the cemetery with trepidation.But then,amazingly,by tending her grave and decorating it with flowers,I was ridding myself of the painful memories.
The years passed.I moved from Kaposvar,Hungary,the town where I had been born and had spent my youth.So did my siblings.We only came together on feast days,especially on All Souls’ Day in the cemetery.
Father lived with me for many years,to a ripe old age.Now that he,too,rests beneath the white marble stone,I go even more eagerly to the cemetery.While I tend my parents’ grave site,again I am with them in thought.
One day I noticed a modest grave site behind my parents’ plot.It lay among the magnificent granite and marble markers of the other graves,its very simplicity calling attention to itself.Ivy(常春藤) had covered the site and its only decoration was a simple wooden cross on which was written in copper letters a name,and that she lived 22 years.Whenever I went by,the plot and its surroundings looked cared for and neat,and each time I felt curious about this mysterious woman who had lived all of 22 years.
Once I saw an elderly man leaving from there.I concluded that perhaps he had come to visit his wife.In 1996 I was preparing for All Souls’ Day in the cemetery when again I caught sight of him,tending the grave.Tall,somewhat bent,he was well passed middle age.We nodded to each other and continued our work.Occasionally I stole a glance at my neighbor.When I noticed that he hadn’t got the tools for a proper cleanup,I offered him mine,which he gratefully accepted.After this,it seemed only natural to engage him in conversation.I asked him whose grave it was.This was his answer:
“My mother’s.She died young,in 1912 when I was only a yearanda half old.I really never knew her.I made her that cross and the copper letters.”
Then he went on:“No one comes to visit this grave but me because I was her only child.She died of pneumonia.My father remarried and my stepmother only cared for her own children.So then I always came here to my mother,whether in sadness or in joy.Later,life took me far afield,but I never forgot this grave.For me it was the same as the family home is for others.I always came home here.”
“With the years passing,it is getting more difficult for me to come,but as long as my legs will carry me,at least twice a year I visit my mother.I’m in my 80s,so who knows how long I can still make it.”
In stunned silence I listened.Tears clouded my eyes as I realized that I had never seen such boundless love.How much easier is my lot,I thought,for at any moment I can reach into my storehouse of memories and draw out the joyful or sad vignettes(小插图) that bind me to my parents with a thousand threads.What memories might this kindly old gentleman harbor?Perhaps a face from an ancient faded photograph of his mother.
What a great attachment throughout his long life must have led him back again and again to the resting place of that young woman whose motherly love he could never truly savor(尝到),only forever feels its enormous lack.
We said goodbye.I was deeply moved because I knew that I had been given a great gift.I had been allowed a glimpse of the royal and longlasting affection that bound a simple and noblehearted man to his mother.I decided I would tend the grave together with that of my parents,where,finally,the aged child will have met his youthful mother.
1.All Souls’ Day is a feast day .
A. to visit the cemetery and memorize the dead
B. for families to get together in the cemetery
C. to give gifts to family members
D. for daughters and sons to memorize their parents
2.From the passage,we know .
A. the author’s mother died young and her father,too
B. the author’s mother was dead while her father enjoyed a long life
C. the man’s mother died very young before he was born
D. the author’s father lived long while the man’s mother died very young
3.The underlined words “calling attention to itself” in the 5th paragraph mean .
A. desiring to be paid attention to
B. making it easily noticed
C. too modest to be noticed
D. calling itself to draw others’ attention
4.The author stole a glance at her neighbor because .
A. they were living in the same neighborhood
B. the man was tall and straight,well passed middle age
C. she was wondering about the dead young lady’s story
D. she knew the dead in the grave was the man’s mother
5.From Paragraph 10 we can conclude that .
A. the author lived near the cemetery and can visit her parents at any time
B. the poor gentleman had hardly any memory of his dear mother’s love
C. the author is bound to her parents with threads
D. the gentleman comes back “home” whenever he wants to
6.What message is conveyed in the passage?
A. Love is a length of thread to bind mother and children together.
B. Mother needs love from her children even if she is dead.
C. Parents’ love is always royal and longlasting to children.
D. Mother’s love can be a boundless gift to their children.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析