Question

When I was a kid in Minnesota, watermelon was expensive. One of my father’s friends, Bernie, was a rich businessman, who owned a large store in St. Paul.

Every summer, when the first watermelons arrived, Bernie would call. Dad and I would go to Bernie’s place. We’ d sit on the edge of the dock（码头）, feet dangling（摇晃）, and got ready for a big meal.

Bernie would take his knife, cut our first watermelon, hand us both a big piece and sit down next to us. Then we’d bury our faces in watermelon, eating only the heart—the reddest, juiciest, firmest, sweetest, most seed-free part—and throw away the rest.

Bernie was my father’s idea of a rich man. I always thought it was because he was such a successful businessman. Years later, I realized that it was not Bernie’s wealth itself but his way of dealing with it that my father liked. Bernie knew how to stop working, get together with friends and eat only the heart of the watermelon.

What I learned from Bernie is that being rich is a state of mind. Some of us, no matter how much money we have, will never be free enough to eat only the heart of the watermelon. If you don’t take the time to dangle your feet over the dock and enjoy life’s small pleasure, your work is probably hurting your life.

For many years, I forgot that lesson I’d learned as a kid on the loading dock. I was too busy making all the money I could.

Well, I’ve relearned it. I hope I have time left to enjoy the success of others and to take pleasure in the day. That’s the heart of the watermelon. I have learned again to throw the rest away.

1.We learned from the second paragraph that the writer and his father were feeling ______.

A. relaxed      B. worried  C. hungry    D. proud

2.How did the writer and his father eat the watermelon?

A. They ate it in a polite way.

B. They only ate its best part.

C. They ate every part of it.

D. They shared only one piece.

3.In the eyes of the writer’s father, Bernie ______.

A. was just a rich businessman

B. worked hard all the time

C. lived a rich but healthy life

D. knew how to make money

4.The underlined part “the heart of the watermelon” in the last paragraph refers to ______.

A. the best part of the watermelon

B. the writer’s busy life

C. the writer’s decision of making money

D. the writer’s hope of enjoying life

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

A. one has to work hard to reach his goal

B. a friend in need is a friend in deed

C. watermelon is the healthiest fruit

D. one should keep work-life balance

Answer

1.A

2.B

3.C

4.D

5.D

【解析】

试题分析：本文叙述了作者父亲的朋友Bernie，是一个富有的商人，每到第一批西瓜到来时，都会邀请他们到码头上大吃一顿。从Bernie身上我学到了要留下时间享受其他人的成功，享受每一天，要保持工作和生活平衡。

1. d sit on the edge of the dock（码头）, feet dangling（摇晃）, and got ready for a big meal.“ 我们坐在码头的边缘，双脚摇晃，并准备吃一顿大餐”。他们要大吃一顿，故推断心情是放松的，

故选A。

2. bury our faces in watermelon, eating only the heart—the reddest, juiciest, firmest, sweetest, most seed-free part—and throw away the rest.可知我们把脸埋进了西瓜里，只吃西瓜中心部分，最红最甜的部分，也就是最好的部分，故选B。

3. was my father’s idea of a rich man.可知在作者父亲的眼中，Bernie是一个富有的人，故选C。

4. hope I have time left to enjoy the success of others and to take pleasure in the day.可知作者希望留下时间享受其他人的成功，享受每一天。这是作者享受生活的愿望，因此他认为这是生活中最美好的东西，像西瓜中最甜的部分，故选D。

5. you don’t take the time to dangle your feet over the dock and enjoy life’s small pleasure, your work is probably hurting your life.可知不花费时间享受一下生活的乐趣，你的工作可能会使我们的生活受到伤害，因此推断要工作和生活保持平衡。故选D。

考点：日常生活类短文阅读。