Question

For years going home for the holidays has been bittersweet. I appreciate the opportunity to spend quality time with my mom but it is painful for me to see her house littered with stuff (物品). Clothes bought but never worn, and new items in their original packaging carelessly purchased and never used. It’s evident that seeing the stuff on a daily basis reminds my mom of a time when shopping was her way of spending money.

I didn’t fully understand the extent to which my mom was suffering until this week, when I saw piles of clothes on her bed, “How do you manage to sleep every night with all that stuff, Mom?” I asked. To my horror, she replied to it because I know I have to get rid of all this stuff eventually; I am punishing myself by sleeping with them until I do that.”

Shocked and upset, I gently explained to her that punishing herself was only to make things worse, and that everybody deserves a place to sleep in peace, no matter what mistakes they’ve made. I suggested she move all the stuff upstairs, leaving her room comfortable to sleep in.

With patience and her slow but steady guidance, I helped her go through some of the piles and move them upstairs. For the rest of the week I stayed there, she was in a better mood and was excited about going-through the rest of the house to finally get rid of her stuff—past mistakes and painful times. The items brought back painful memories as we inspected and moved them, but I kept reminding her that removing them would allow her to move on and heal. We finally sold so many things and took bag after bag to charity.

The stuff is just a sign of the destructive patterns of self-hatred on past mistakes. Only through the act of self-forgiveness can we bring about a chain reaction of reorganizing— both of the house and heart.

1.What made the author feel bitter?

A. She couldn’t understand her mom’s sorrows.

B. Her mom was stuck in the painful memories.

C. Her mom was always left alone at home.

D. Her mom wasted money on useless things,

2.The underlined word “that” in the second paragraph refers to ________.

A. getting rid of the stuff.    B. buying the stuff

C. opening the stuff    D. moving the stuff

3.We can infer from the passage that ________.

A. the author never bought her mom anything

B. the author’s mom has no money to purchase now

C. the author s mom regrets buying so many things

D. the author knows her mom’s suffering only this week

4.What’s the best title of the passage?

A. How to do shopping wisely    B. The importance of self-forgiveness.

C. Keep an eye on the elderly’s behavior    D. Clearance helps remove suffering

Answer

1.B

2.A

3.C

4.D

【解析】

本文是一篇记叙文。作者的母亲对于以前花钱买了很多没用的东西而感到愧疚，并因此而备受折磨。因此，作者建议母亲通过卖掉这些物品和捐给慈善事业来摆脱它们。从这件事情作者告诉我们一个道理：只有通过自我原谅才能带来家和内心的重组。

1.细节理解题。根据第一段最后一句It’s evident that seeing the stuff on a daily basis reminds my mom of a time when shopping was her way of spending money可知这些物品每天都让作者的母亲想起过去；及第二段第一句I didn’t fully understand the extent to which my mom was suffering until this week.承接了第一段，描述了作者的母亲因这些物品而遭受到了很大的痛苦。因此，母亲深陷在痛苦的记忆中让作者很难受。故选B。

2.推理判断题。作者的母亲在上句because I know I have to get rid of all this stuff eventually提到会最终摆脱这些物品，而现在母亲让这些物品时刻陪着自己是惩罚自己的一种方式。因此that指的是get rid of all this stuff。故选A。

3.推理判断题。根据第四段she was in a better mood and was excited about going-through the rest of the house to finally get rid of her stuff—past mistakes and painful times.一句可知，作者的母亲认为以前花钱买这么多不用的东西是一大错误，且上文也提到母亲因这些错误而备受折磨。因此，可得知作者的母亲后悔买了这些东西。故选C。

4.标题判断题。作者的母亲对于以前花钱买了很多没用的东西而感到愧疚，并因此而备受折磨。最终，作者说服母亲通过卖掉这些物品或捐给慈善来摆脱它们，也帮助母亲摆脱了精神上的折磨。Clearance helps remove suffering清除（折磨自己的东西）有助于消除痛苦。故答案选D。