Question

The two roads

It was New Year’s Night. An aged man was standing at a window. He raised his mournful eyes towards the deep blue sky, where the stars were floating like white lilies on the surface of a clear calm lake. When he cast them on the earth, where a few more hopeless people besides himself now moved towards their certain goal--- the tomb. He had already passed sixty of the stages leading to it, and he had brought from his journey nothing but errors and regrets. Now his health was poor, his mind vacant, his heart sorrowful, and his old age short of comforts.

The days of his youth appeared like dreams before him, and he recalled the serious moment when his father placed him at the entrance of the two roads---one leading to a peaceful, sunny place, covered with flowers, fruits and resounding with soft, sweet songs; the other leading to a deep, dark cave, which was endless, where poison flowed instead of water and where devils and poisonous snake hissed and crawled.

He looked towards the sky and cried painfully, “O, my father, place me once more at the entrance to life, and I’ll choose the better way!” But both his father and the days of his youth had passed away.

He saw the lights flowing away in the darkness. These were the days of his wasted life; he saw a star fall from the sky and disappeared, and this was the symbol of himself. His regret, which was like a sharp arrow, struck deeply into his heart. Then he remembered his friends in his childhood, who entered on life with him. But they had made their way to success and were now honored and happy on this New Year’s night.

The clock in the church tower struck and the sound made him remember his parents’ early love for him. They had taught him and prayed to God for his good. But he chose the wrong way. With shame and grief he dared no longer look towards the heaven where his father lived. His darkened eyes were full of tears, and with a despairing effort, he burst out a cry: “Come back, my early days! Come back”

And his youth did return, for all this was only a dream which he had on New Year Night. He was still young though his faults were real; he had not yet entered the deep, dark cave, and he was still free to walk on the road which leads to the peaceful and sunny land.

Those who still linger at the entrance of life, hesitating to choose the bright road, remember that when years are passed and your feet stumble on the dark mountains, you will cry bitterly, but in vain: “ O youth, return! Oh give me back my early days!”

1.In the 3rd paragraph, the man cried painfully because _________.

A.all the hopeless people were moving towards death

B.He had lost forever the chance to take the right road

C.His parents and the happy days of his youth were gone

D.He refused to take the road leading to a deep dark cave

2.What happened to the man before his sudden realization?

A.He was at his father’s funeral farewell.

B.He was enjoying the New Year’s eve.

C.He was wandering at the entrance to life.

D.He was having a dream of his life in old age.

3.We can infer from the story that _________.

A.The man’s childhood friends led a joyful life like him

B.The man still had the opportunity to chose the right way

C.both the man’s parents passed away when he was young

D.the man’s father was quite strict with his son before death

4.The passage is mainly written for _________.

A.a new driver getting lost on a detour

B.a concerned mother with two children to raise

C.an experienced teacher with a good reputation

D.a hesitating young adult facing a tough life choice

Answer

1.B

2.D

3.B

4.D

【解析】

这是一篇记叙文。文章通过记叙一个年轻人在新年之夜做梦梦到自己晚年生活，非常后悔自己在年轻时没有听从父亲的劝告，走正确的人生道路。以此文章来告诫犹豫不决的年轻人要选择正确的道路。

1.细节理解题。根据第三段He looked towards the sky and cried painfully, “O, my father, place me once more at the entrance to life, and I’ll choose the better way!” But both his father and the days of his youth had passed away.（他仰望着天空，痛苦地哭喊着:“啊，我的父亲，把我重新放到人生的起点上吧，我会选择更好的道路!”但他的父亲和他的青春年华都已一去不复返了。）可知男人痛苦地哭了，因为他永远失去了走正确道路的机会。故选B。

2.细节理解题。通过倒数第二段第一句And his youth did return, for all this was only a dream which he had on New Year Night.（他的青春真的回来了，因为这一切只不过是他在新年夜里做的一个梦。）可知这个人正在做关于他晚年生活的一个梦。故选D。

3.推理判断题。根据倒数第二段中he had not yet entered the deep, dark cave, and he was still free to walk on the road which leads to the peaceful and sunny land.（他还没有进入那黑暗的深渊，他还可以自由地走在通向宁静和光明的道路上。）可知这个人仍然有机会选择正确的道路。故选B。

4.推理判断题。根据文章最后一段Those who still linger at the entrance of life, hesitating to choose the bright road, remember that when years are passed and your feet stumble on the dark mountains, you will cry bitterly, but in vain: “ O youth, return! Oh give me back my early days!”（仍在人生路口徘徊，仍在为是否应该疡光明坦途而犹豫不决的人们啊，请记住:当你青春已逝，双足在黑暗的群山中举步维艰，跌跌撞撞之时，你才痛心疾首地呼唤:“啊，回来吧，青春!哦，把我早年的时光还给我吧!”）以及文章内容可知，这篇文章主要是写给一个犹豫不决的年轻人面对艰难的人生选择。故选D项。