Question

When milk arrived on the doorstep

When I was a boy growing up in New Jersey in the 1960s, we had a milkman delivering milk to our doorstep. His name was Mr. Basille. He wore a white cap and drove a white truck. As a 5-year-old boy, I couldn’t take my eyes off the coin changer fixed to his belt. He noticed this one day during a delivery and gave me a quarter out of his coin changer.

Of course, he delivered more than milk. There was cheese, eggs and so on. If we needed to change our order, my mother would pen a note-“Please add a bottle of buttermilk next delivery”-and place it in the box along with the empty bottles. And then, the buttermilk would magically appear.

All of this was about more than convenience. There existed a close relationship between families and their milkmen. Mr. Basille even had a key to our house, for those times when it was so cold outside that we put the box indoors, so that the milk wouldn’t freeze. And I remember Mr. Basille from time to time taking a break at our kitchen table, having a cup of tea and telling stories about his delivery.

There is sadly no home milk delivery today. Big companies allowed the production of cheaper milk, thus making it difficult for milkmen to compete. Besides, milk is for sale everywhere, and it may just not have been practical to have a delivery service.

Recently, an old milk box in the countryside I saw brought back my childhood memories. I took it home and planted it on the back porch （门廊）. Every so often my son’s friends will ask what it is. So I start telling stories of my boyhood, and of the milkman who brought us friendship along with his milk.

1.Mr Basille gave the boy a quarter out of his coin changer____.

A.to show his magical power. B.to pay for the delivery

C.to satisfy his curiosity. D.to please his mother.

2.What can be inferred from the fact that the milkman had the key to the boy’s house?

A.He wanted to have tea there.

B.He was a respectable person.

C.He was treated as a family member.

D.He was fully trusted by the family.

3.Why does home milk delivery no longer exist?

A.Nobody wants to be a milkman now.

B.It has been driven out of the market.

C.Its service is getting poor.

D.It is forbidden by law.

4.Why did the author bring back home an old milk box?

A.He missed the good old days.

B.He wanted to tell interesting stories.

C.He missed it for his milk bottles.

D.He planted flowers in it.

Answer

1.C

2.D

3.B

4.A

【解析】

这是一篇记叙文。作者主要通过回忆少年时代送奶员给自己带来的快乐，想念那时的岁月，逝去的总是美好的和有趣的。

1.细节理解题。根据文章第一段的As a five-year-old boy, I couldn’t take my eyes off the coin changer fixed to his belt. He noticed this one day during a delivery and gave me a quarter out of his coin changer可知，五岁的时候，我目不转睛地盯着固定在他腰带上的换硬币机。有一天在送货的时候，他注意到了这一点，从他的换硬币机里拿出了一个25美分的硬币给我。由此判断出Mr. Basle 从他的换硬币机里拿出一枚25分的硬币给了这个男孩是为了满足孩子的好奇心。故选C。

2.推断判断题。根据文章第三段的There existed a close relationship between families and their milkmen. Mr. Basle even had a key to our house可知，各家各户和挤牛奶的人之间关系密切。Mr. Basle甚至有我们家的钥匙。从送牛奶的人有男孩家的钥匙这一事实中可以推断出他完全得到了家人的信任。故选D。

3.推理判断题。根据文章第四段的Big companies allowed the production of cheaper milk, thus making it difficult for milkmen to compete（竞争），可知大公司允许生产更便宜的牛奶，从而使送奶工难以与之竞争。由此判断出，为什么家庭送奶不再存在是因为它已被逐出市场。故选B。

4.细节理解题。根据文章最后一段的Recently, an old milk box in the countryside I saw brought back my childhood memories，可知，最近，作者在乡下看到一个旧牛奶盒，使作者想起了童年的回忆。所以作者为什么把一个旧牛奶盒带回家是因为他怀念过去的好时光。故选A。