The Pillow
At the age of sixteen, I joined a volunteer group with my dad. I went on my first volunteer project in West Virginia. On the night we arrived, we discovered that “our family” was living in a trailer (拖车) that was in poor condition. A crew had been working on it for two weeks, but every time they finished one problem, another surfaced.
We decided the only reasonable solution was to build a new house—something unusual but necessary under these circumstances. The family was overjoyed with their new house that was twenty by thirty feet with three bedrooms, a bath and a kitchen.
On Tuesday of that week, while we ate lunch together, I asked the family’s three boys, Josh, Eric and Ryan, “What do you want for your new room?” Expecting toys and other gadgets that children usually ask for, we were astonished when Josh responded, “I just want a bed.”
The boys had never slept in a bed! They were accustomed to plastic mats. That night we had a meeting and decided that beds would be the perfect gift. On Thursday night, a few adults in our group drove to the nearest city and bought beds and new bedding.
When we saw the delivery truck coming, we told the family about the surprise. We could hardly contain ourselves. It was like watching excited children on Christmas morning.
That afternoon, as we fitted the frames of the beds together, Eric ran into the house to watch us. Too dirty to enter his room, he observed with wide-eyed enthusiasm from the doorway.
As my father slipped a pillowcase onto one of the pillows, Eric asked, “What is that?”
“A pillow,” he replied.
“What do you do with it?” Eric continued to ask.
“When you go to sleep, you put your head on it,” I answered softly. Tears came to my eyes as my father handed Eric the pillow.
“Oh…that’s soft,” he said, hugging it tightly.
Now, when my sister or I start to ask for something that seems urgent, my dad gently asks, “Do you have a pillow?”
We know exactly what he means.
1.The writer’s first volunteer project was ______.
A. working on a poor trailer B. helping a poor family
C. donating beds and bedding D. dealing with a housing problem
2.On hearing Josh’s answer, the writer was shocked because ______.
A. the family lived in a trailer B. he expected to get some toys
C. he didn’t know what a bed was D. the boys had no bed to sleep in
3.From the passage, we can learn that Eric had never seen ______ before.
A. a trailer B. a truck C. a pillow D. a house
4.By saying “Do you have a pillow?”, the writer’s father means that ______.
A. what they want to get may be unnecessary
B. they should not waste money on small things
C. they should do more volunteer work for the poor
D. what he will buy is not what they want but a pillow
One afternoon I toured an art museum while waiting for my husband to finish a business meeting. I was looking forward to a quiet 21 of the splendid artwork.
A young 22 viewing the paintings ahead of me 23 nonstop between themselves. I watched them a moment and decided the lady was doing all the talking. I admired the man’s 24 for putting up with her 25 stream of words. 26 by their noise, I moved on.
I met them several times as I moved 27 the various rooms of art. Each time I heard her continuous flow of words, I moved away 28 .
I was standing at the counter of the museum gift shop making a 29 when the couple approached the 30 . Before they left, the man 31 into his pocket and pulled out a white object. He 32 it into a long stick and then 33 his way into the coatroom to get his wife’s jacket.
“He’s a 34 man,” the clerk at the counter said. “Most of us would give up if we were blinded at such a young age. During his recovery, he made a promise his life wouldn’t change. So, as before, he and his wife come in 35 there is a new art show.”
“But what does he get out of the art?” I asked. “He can’t see.”
“Can’t see! You’re 36 . He sees a lot. More than you and I do,” the clerk said. “His wife 37 each painting so he can see it in his head.”
I learned something about patience, 38 and love that day. I saw the patience of a young wife describing paintings to a person without 39 and the courage of a husband who would not 40 blindness to change his life. And I saw the love shared by two people as I watched this couple walk away, their arms intertwined.
1.A. view B. touch C. wander D. stare
2.A. lady B. couple C. man D. clerk
3.A. yelled B. argued C. screamed D. chatted
4.A. attempt B. independence C. patience D. wisdom
5.A. constant B. vivid C. casual D. vague
6.A. Adopted B. Adapted C. Disturbed D. Conducted
7.A. from B. to C. towards D. through
8.A. anxiously B. quickly C. urgently D. sensibly
9.A. comment B. purchase C. decision D. profit
10.A. exit B. entrance C. front D. queue
11.A. plugged B. reached C. held D. bent
12.A. lengthened B. made C. brought D. broadened
13.A. led B. found C. tapped D. forced
14.A. generous B. rough C. smart D. brave
15.A. wherever B. whatever C. whenever D. whichever
16.A. unique B. silly C. equal D. wrong
17.A. decorates B. draws C. shows D. describes
18.A. kindness B. pride C. courage D. enthusiasm
19.A. sight B. support C. expectation D. confidence
20.A. get B. allow C. hope D. cause
Even though you offered ______ I have just offered ,I would not sell it to you.
A. the money twice that B. twice the money that
C. twice the money what D. the money that twice
China is known ______ greatly in terms of its cultural values over the past few years.
A. to change B. having changed C. changing D. to have changed
Tom’s boss told Tome that if he worked hard, he _____ have a rise.
A. may B. ought to C. can D. shall
_______ what his parents think, he is leaving home for a new job in a big city.
A. Regardless of B. Instead of C. In terms of D. Lack of
