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When Laura wanted to go into the garden by the back door, it was blocked by servants.

Something had happened.

“What's the matter? What's happened?"

“There's been a horrible accident/ said the cook. "A man killed."

“A man killed! Where? How? When?”

Know those little cottages just below here, Miss?” Know them? Of course, Laura knew them. "Well, there's a young guy living there, name of Scott, a carter His horse shied (受惊)at a traction-engine, and he was thrown out on the back ofhis head. Killed.^

“Dead!" Laura stared at the cook.

“Dead when they picked him up," said the cook. 'Just now they were taking the body home. He'$ left a wife and five little ones.

come here;' Laura caught her sister's sleeve and dragged her through the kitchen into the garden. There she paused. "Jose!" she said, horrified, ''however are we going to stop everything?'

"Stop everything, Laura!” cried Jose in astonishment. “What do you mean?”

"Stop the garden party, of course.Why did Jose pretend?”

But Jose was still more amazed. "Stop the garden party? My dear Laura, don't be so absurd. Of course we can’t do anything of the kind. Nobody expects us to. Don't be so extravagant

“But we can’t possibly have a garden party with a man dead just outside the front gate.”

That really was extravagant. Those little cottages, those miserable houses, had no right to be in that rich neighbourhood in the first place. When Laura and Jose were little they were even forbidden to set foot there because of the rude language and of what they might see. It was dirty and disgusting.

“And just think of what the band would sound like to that poor woman," said Laura.

"Oh, Laura!” Jose began to be seriously annoyed, lf you are going to stop a band playing every time some one has an accident, you'll lead a very difficult life, I'm every bit as sorry about it as you. But you won't bring a drunken workman back to life by being sentimental(多愁善感的).”

"Drunk! Who said he was drunk?” Laura turned angrily on Jose, “I'm going straight up to tell mother

Do, dear," said Jose, gently.

"Mother, can 1 come into your mom?" Laura turned the big glass door-knob.

"Of course, child. Why, what’s the matter? What's given you such a colour?” And Mrs. Sheridan turned round from her dressing-table. She was trying on a new hat.

"Mother, a man's been killed,began laura.

“Not in the garden?" interrupted her mother.

“No, no!”

"Oh, what a fright you gave me!" Mrs. Sheridan sighed with relief and took off the big hat and held it on her knees.

"But listen, mother,,, said Laura, Breathless, half-choking, she told the dreadful story. "Of course, we can't have our party, can we?" she begged. "The band and everybody arriving. And the poor family would hear us, mother; they're nearly neighbours!”

“Oh, Laura's astonishment her mother behaved just like Jose; it was harder to bear because she seemed amused. She refused to take Laura seriously.”

“But, my dear child, use your common sense. If some one had died there normally 一 and I can't understand how they keep alive in those little holes 一 we should still be having our party, shouldn't we??”

Laura had to say “yes”  to that, but she felt it was all wrong.

"Mother, isn't it terribly heartless of us?” she asked.

"Darling!" Mrs. Sheridan got up and came over to her, carrying the hat. "My child!” said her mother, "the hat is yours. It's made for you. Wow! Look at yourself!And she held up her hand-mirror.

"But, mother, Laura began again. She couldn't look at herself; she turned aside.

This time Mrs. Sheridan lost patience just as Jose had done.

"You arc being very absurd, Laura," she said coldly. "People like that don't expect sacrifices from us. And ifs not very sympathetic to spoil everybody ,s enjoyment as you are doing now,"

"I don't understand,'' murmured Laura. Then, quite by chance, she saw this charming girl in the mirror, in the beautiful hat. Never had she imagined she could look like that. Is mother right? she thought. And now she hoped her mother was right. Am I being extravagant? Perhaps. Just fbr a moment she had another glimpse of that poor woman and those little children, and the body being carried into the house. But it all seemed blurred, unreal, like a picture in the newspaper. I'll remember it again after the party's over, she decided. And somehow that seemed quite the best plan …

1.Laura suggested stopping everything because  .

A.something bad had happened in the garden

B.her neighbours were experiencing great grief

C.the servants blocked the back door of the garden

D.she wanted to provide material help for the poor family

2.What does the last paragraph mainly tell us?

A.Laura was trying to submit herself to her family.

B.The news of the carter's death finally hit the headlines.

C.Laura hoped mother was right in choosing that hat fbr her.

D.A poor man's death was little more than an unimportant thing,

3.What will most probably happen following this story?

A.Laura came up with a best plan to solve all this.

B.Laura managed to persuade her mother and sister.

C.The party just continued as planned in the garden,

D.The poor widow came over to scold the band.

4.Which of the following can best describe Laura?

A.Sentimental and persistent. B.Optimistic and easy-going.

C.Considerate and sympathetic. D.Hardworking and open-minded,

5.What does the underlined word “extravagant” probably mean?

A.Too sensible. B.Not practical

C.Too upright. D.Not sympathetic.

6.Which of the following can be the best title of the story?

A.The garden party. B.The quarrel.

C.rhe rich and the poor. D.The death of a neighbour.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题

少年,再来一题如何?
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