Question

From my earlier memory of Mother it somehow seemed quite natural to think of her as different, nor of everyday things as Father was. In those days he was a young-looking man. He did not hesitate to make friends with children as soon as they were able to talk to him and laugh at his stories. Mother was older than he was. She must have been a woman of nearly forty, but she seemed even older. She changed little for a long time, showing no indication of growing old at all until, towards the end of her life, she suddenly became an old lady.

I was always inquisitive about Mother’s age. She never had birthdays like other people, nor did anyone else in our family. No candles were ever lit or cakes made or presents given in our house. To my friends in the street who talked delightfully about their birthday parties, I would repeat my mother’s words that such celebrations were only foolish.

“Nothing but deception,” she would say. “As though life can be marked by birthdays. It’s deeds, not years, that matter.”

Although I often repeated her words and even prided myself on not having birthdays, I once could not help asking Mother when she was born.

“I was born. I’m alive as you can see, so what more do you want to know?” she replied, so sharply that I never asked her about her age again.

In so many other ways Mother was different. Whereas all the rest of the women I knew in the neighboring hoses took pride in their housewifely abilities, their new furniture, the neat appearance of their homes, Mother regarded all those things as of little importance. Our house always looked as if we had just moved in or were about to move out.

1. How did Father impress the author?

A. He liked writing stories.    B. He loved making friends.

C. He was a very young man.    D. He was popular with children.

2.Before the end of her life, Mother ___________.

A. looked quite young

B. looked like an old lady

C. looked younger than she was

D. looked like a forty-year-old woman

3.What does the word “inquisitive” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?

A. Certain   B. Curious.    C. Cautious.   D. Confident.

4.What do we learn about Mother?

A. She was lazy.   B. She was strict.

C. She was proud.  D. She was special

Answer

1.D

2.C

3.B

4.D

【解析】

试题分析 ：对妈妈的回忆。

1.D推理判断题。根据第一段第二、三句In those days he was a young-looking man. He did not hesitate to make friends with children as soon as they were able to talk to him and laugh at his stories.在那些日子里，他是一个看起来年轻的男人。他会和孩子们交朋友、谈话，孩子们听了他的故事会开心地大笑。可知他在孩子们心中是受欢迎的，故选D。

2.C 推理判断题。根据第一段最后一句She changed little for a long time, showing no indication of growing old at all until, towards the end of her life, she suddenly became an old lady.她很长时间几乎没有改变，没有一点变老的迹象，知道她临终前，他突然变成了一个老妇人。故选C。

3.B词义猜测题。根据第一段的最后两句She must have been a woman of nearly forty, but she seemed even older. She changed little for a long time, showing no indication of growing old at all until, towards the end of her life, she suddenly became an old lady.她一定是近四十岁的妇女，但她似乎更老。她很长时间几乎没有改变，没有一点变老的迹象，知道她临终前，他突然变成了一个老妇人。所以第二段第一句I was always inquisitive about Mother’s age.我对妈妈的年龄充满好奇。故选B。

4.D推理判断题。纵观全文，特别是最后一段第一句In so many other ways Mother was different.妈妈是不同的。说明作者的妈妈是特殊的。故选D。