Question

One evening I went out and left my 17-year-old son in charge of his 8-year-old brother and 4-year-old sister. On this occasion, the work was made less troublesome by the presence of his girlfriend. I left with complete confidence that the older children would do a wonderful job of babysitting the younger children and the younger children would do a wonderful job of accompanying the older ones. Later, I discovered that complete confidence was the last thing I should have left home with.

I had decided to return home earlier than planned so that my son and his girlfriend could go out. I called home with this happy news. But instead of hearing his cheerful, grateful voice on the other end of the line, all I heard was the sound of a telephone ringing.

It was, I should point out, after 10 p.m., when the two younger children should have been in bed, and when the two older children should have been answering the phone. “I’ll give him a lesson,” I said. I decided they must be outside. Why they might be outside at 10:30 on a wintry night I had no idea, but it was the only explanation I could come up with.

Finally, in desperation, I called his girlfriend’s house. After what seemed like countless rings, his girlfriend answered. “Yes,” she said brightly, “He’s right here.”

He came on the phone. I was not my usual calm, rational(理智的) self. After all, one of the rules of survival for modern parents is that you can’t trust modern teenagers. “Where are the children?” I said. He said they were with him. They had done nothing wrong. My son had taken the younger children over to his girlfriend’s house just for ice cream and cake. This was too good to be believed. Well, it turns out that I shouldn’t have believed it. It was only part of the truth.

The following Saturday evening we were at my parents’ home, celebrating my birthday. My oldest son gave me the children’s gifts. Mounted and framed were a series of lovely color photographs of my children, dressed in their best clothes, and wearing their most wonderful expressions. They are pictures to treasure a lifetime, all taken by the father of my son’s girlfriend.

1.51.The author went out and left her eldest son in charge of the younger children because ______.

A. she knew that his girlfriend was a good baby-sitter

B. she believed he could take good care of the younger ones with the help of his girlfriend

C. the older children have always loved the younger ones

D. she could not find a baby-sitter on that winter night

2.52.Shortly after the author left home one evening, she discovered that ______.

A. she shouldn’t have completely trusted her son

B. her son had left home with his girlfriend

C. her son had brought his girlfriend home

D. she should have taken the children along with her

3.53.The sentence “It was only part of the truth.” (Para. 5) implies that the children not only enjoyed ice-cream but also ______.

A. had their pictures taken                B. had a birthday party

C. framed some photographs            D. showed off their best clothes

4.54.Which of the following possible titles best expresses the main idea of this passage?

A. An Evening Out              B. Modern Teenagers

C. A Precious Birthday Gift           D. Mother and Children

Answer

1.B

2.A

3.A

4.C

【解析】

试题分析：本文是一篇记叙文。文章讲述了自己很自信地让大儿子照看弟弟和妹妹的故事。

1.B考查细节理解。根据文章第一段中的前两句One evening I went out and left my 17-year-old son in charge of his 8-year-old brother and 4-year-old sister. On this occasion, the work was made less troublesome by the presence of his girlfriend.可知，一天晚上，作者离开让17岁的儿子照看8岁的弟弟和4岁的妹妹，在他的女朋友的帮助下麻烦会少一些。所以选B。

2.A考查细节理解。根据文章的第一段中的Later, I discovered that complete confidence was the last thing I should have left home with.可知，由于后来，作者给大儿子打电话没人接，结果发现在他的女朋友家。这使作者发现自己不应该带着自信离开家。故选A。

3.A考查推测句子含义。根据文章第五段中的My son had taken the younger children over to his girlfriend’s house just for ice cream and cake. it turns out that I shouldn’t have believed it.和第六段中的They are pictures to treasure a lifetime, all taken by the father of my son’s girlfriend.可知，孩子们在女朋友家既吃了冰激凌和蛋糕，还照了相片。故选A。

4.C考查文章的标题。本文是一篇记叙文。文章讲述了自己很自信地让大儿子照看弟弟和妹妹的故事。虽然，他把他们带到了女朋友家，这让作者很失望，但在那里作者知道孩子们很开心。他们既吃了冰激凌和蛋糕，还拍了照。最后，孩子们将照片送给自己做生日礼物。这值得作者一生珍惜。所以最后突出主题。故选C。选项An Evening Out晚上出游；Modern Teenagers 现代的青少年；Mother and Children母亲和孩子。这三个选项与文章内容不符。

考点：考查记叙文的阅读理解。