12．After his wife left home to visit her mother，David closed the door slowly，expecting a whole day to relax．He was thinking whether to read the newspaper or watch his favourite TV talk show on his first day off in months．"This will be like a walk in the park，"he'd told his wife．"I'll look after the kids，and you can go visit your mom．"
Things started well，but just after eight o'clock，his three little"good kids"-Mike，Randy，and Alex-came down the stairs in their night clothes and shouted"breakfast，daddy．"When food had not appeared within thirty seconds，Randy began using his spoon on Alex's head as if it were a drum．Alex started to shout loudly in time to the beat（节拍）．Mike chanted（吟唱）"Where's my toast，where's my toast"in the background．David realized his newspaper would have to wait for a few seconds．
Life became worse after breakfast．Mike wore Randy's underwear on his head．Randy locked himself in the bathroom，while Alex shouted again because he was going to wet his pants．Nobody could find clean socks，although they were before their very eyes．Someone named"Not Me"had spilled a whole glass of orange juice into the basket of clean clothes．David knew the talk show had already started．
By ten o'clock，things were out of control．Alex was wondering why the fish in the jar refused his bread and butter．Mike was trying to show off his talent by decorating（装饰） the kitchen wall with his colour pencils．Randy，thankfully，appeared to be reading quietly in the family room，but closer examination showed that he was eating apple jam straight from the bottle with his hands．David realised that the talk show was over and reading would be impossible．
At exactly 11：17，David called the daycare centre （日托所）．"I suddenly have to go into work and my wife's away．Can I bring the boys over in a few minutes？"The answer was obviusly"yes"because David was smiling．
21．When his wife left home．Brad expected toA．
A．enjoy his first day off work
B．go out for a walk in the park
C．read the newspaper to his children
D．watch TV talk show with his children
22．Which of the following did Randy do？D
A．Reading in a room．
B．Feeding the fish．
C．Drawing on the wall．
D．Eating apple jam．
23．Why did Brad ask the daycare centre for help？B
A．Because he suddenly had to go to his office．
B．Because he found it hard to manage his boys home．
C．Because he wanted to clean up his house．
D．Because he had to take his wife back．
24．This text is developedC．
A．by process
B．by comparison（对比）
C．by time
D．by space．
分析 文章主要记叙了一位父亲在与他的三个孩子共同度过他假期的第一天，孩子在家的表现让他无法控制，而向日托所寻求帮助．
解答 21．A 细节理解题，由第一段Expecting a whole day to relax，he was thinking whether to read the newspaper or watch his favourite TV talk show on his first day off in months．可知他想享受他的第一天假期．选A．
22．D 细节理解题，第四段Randy，thankfully，appeared to be reading quietly in the family room，but closer examination showed that he was eating apple jam straight from the bottle with his hands．可知Randy吃了苹果酱，选D．23．B 推理判断题．文中诸多关键字眼如life became worse．things were out of control，都表明因为管不了孩子们，所以才寻求日托所的帮助，所以答案选B．
24．C 细节理解题，由每一段的开始都有时间的描述，比如as Sue left home to visit her mother after eight o'clock；Life became worse after breakfast；By ten o'clock；At exactly 11：17可知文章是按时间顺序进行描写的．选C．
点评 本文是一篇故事类的文章，叙述了一个父亲和三个孩子的故事，故事类文章在阅读过程中，我们一直在某个线索的引导下，随着作者的思路去了解一个故事或一件事情的始末，因此会感到比较轻松．命题往往从故事的情节、人物或事件之间的关系、作者的意图和态度、故事的前因和后果等方面入手，考查学生对细节的辨认能力以及推理判断能力． 阅读故事类文章时，应注意把握主旨大意，弄清主要情节，立足文章的内容揣摩作者的态度和意图，根据文章的情节展开合理的想象，从而达到解题的目的．
