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 for away. What he did had brought shame 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 form. 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.The word “suspense” underlined in the last paragraph can best be replaced by       .

A. pain    B. fright

C. worry    D. happiness

3.Why was Michael asked to watch for the apple tree?

A. The young convict was afraid that he was refused by his family.

B. The young convict’s seat was far from the window.

C. The young convict was afraid of seeing a white ribbon in the tree.

D. The young man was sure that his family would accept him.

Answer

1.A

2.C

3.A

【解析】本文主要讲了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.推理判断题。由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.” 可知这个年轻人在担心他的家人不让他回家，选A。

2.词义猜测题。由As the train neared his hometown, his suspense became so great that he was afraid to look out of the window. 可知这句话的意思是随着火车临近他的家乡，他的担心加剧，所以他不敢看向窗外，选C。

3.推理判断题。这个年轻的罪犯由于害怕家人的拒绝，所以他让Michael向窗外的苹果树望去，选A。