Question

When I visit Merle, I always head straight to the kitchen. I play with her dog, and get settled at the table while Merle makes cups of tea for us.

We talk about anything we can think of: politics, dogs, the weather, and work. It’s a ritual that I look forward to days in advance.

To an outsider, my visit appears to be simply the typical act of a granddaughter visiting her grandmother. But Merle and I are not related. She is my surrogate grandmother(代理外祖母）.

I didn’t even realize I was in the market for a new grandparent until I gradually found that the relationship between Merle and I was exactly what I had with my maternal(母性的） grandparents—safe and comfortable.

While our relationship developed organically, there are plenty of people who have gone out searching for a grandparent-grandchild relationship.

Sydney-based Cate Kloos started “Find a Grandparent” in May 2012, after moving to Australia from Germany. While she enjoyed a close relationship with her grandparents in her native country, she realized her own children would be without their extended family(大家庭). She wanted them to benefit in the same way that she had. Grandparents, she says, offer a different but essential kind of support.

“Find a Grandparent” works much like a match-mating service, where young families or individuals can ask for someone to act as a grandparent figure in their life. So far, several hundred families have made connections and spend time doing typical activities—lunch, going to movies and sharing stories.

“It is very important to have another person to turn to when they have problems; often grandparents have a different approach to life,” said Kloos.

1.How does the author feel about her visit to Merle?

A. It is very formal.

B. It makes her nervous.

C. It gives her great pleasure.

D. It is a source of inspiration for her.

2.Why did Kloos decide to start “Find a Parent”?

A. To honor her grandparents.

B. To make people closer to each other.

C. To bring warmth to elderly people.

D. To enable her kids to get more emotional support.

3.What does Kloos stress in the last paragraph?

A. The qualities of grandparents.

B. The important role of grandparents.

C. We should have a positive attitude to life.

D. We should spend more time with our family.

4.What’s the best title for the text?

A. Merle and I

B. My role-model

C. Biological or surrogate?

D. Finding surrogate grandparents

Answer

1.C

2.D

3.B

4.D

【解析】本文主要讲的是作者和Merle（一个代理祖母）之间的故事以及现在有很多人在通过活动寻找代理祖父母，这也说明了有祖父母的重要性。

1.C

推理判断题。根据第二段We talk about anything we can think of: politics, dogs, the weather, and work. It’s a ritual that I look forward to days in advance.（我们谈论任何我们能想到的东西：政治，狗，天气和工作。这是一个仪式，我提前几天就期待着它的到来。）可知，这给了作者以极大的快乐。故选C。

2.D

细节理解题。根据第六段She wanted them to benefit in the same way that she had.可知，Kloos发起了“Find a Parent”的活动是为了让她的孩子得到更大的精神支持。故选D。

3.B

推理判断题。根据最一段“It is very important to have another person to turn to when they have problems; often grandparents have a different approach to life,” said Kloos.（当他们有麻烦时，能有另一个人可以求助是非常重要的；祖父母经常会有很多不同的生活方式。）可知，最后一段强调了祖父母的重要性。故选B。

4.D

标题判断题。本文主要讲的是作者和Merle（一个代理祖母）之间的故事以及现在有很多人在通过活动寻找代理祖父母，这也说明了有祖父母的重要性。故最佳标题是D项Finding surrogate grandparents.（寻找代理祖父母），故选D。