When I was a child, my parents often took me to an old house in a thick forest. No other children ever stayed there. I didn’t even have the choice of playing with a brother or sister.
I could never understand what the attraction(吸引) of the house was, even for my parents, who enjoyed nothing better than to sit in silence with a good book. The woman in the house, my father’s distant cousin, was a terrible cook and her food was inedible.
One day, when I was wandering around the garden behind the house, I noticed a wooden house which had clearly been abandoned(被遗弃的). As I walked towards it, I heard a noise, like an animal moving hurriedly away. Then I saw a man with a long beard standing at the door. I was greatly surprised.
“Please don’t tell them you saw me,” he said. “They never use this place, and I have nowhere else to live.” “Don’t worry,” I said. “I won’t tell anyone. But are you all right out here? I mean—do you have enough to eat?” The old man shook his head.
The same evening, I took a small plastic bag into the dining room and, while no one was looking, emptied some of the food into it. Later, I got out of the back door secretly and gave the food to the old man, whose name I had discovered was Taff.
I had never seen anything else as lovely as the smile of satisfaction on Taff’s face when he ate the food. From then on, my visits to the old house had a purpose, and I enjoyed every minute of the rest of my stay.
小题1: How did the writer feel about staying in the old house at first?

A．He was happy to be with his parents.

B．He enjoyed reading good books there.

C．He was pleased with the woods.

D．He felt very lonely.

小题2: The underlined word “inedible” is closest in meaning to “_______”.

A．too bad for him to eat	B．nice to look at
C．not enough to eat	D．as delicious as usual

小题3: The writer discovered the old man _______ the old house.

A．near the back door of	B．in the dining room of
C．in the garden behind	D．among the bushes before

小题4:What can we know about the old man from the passage?

A．He was poor and hungry.

B．He helped to repair the old house.

C．He liked to play hide-and-seek with the writer.

D．He raised many animals.

小题5: The story mainly tells us _______.

A．it’s nice to raise wild animals

B．it’s valuable to help others

C．it’s good to live in the forest

D．it’s comfortable to live in the old house

“My dear lady,” says Holmes. “You’re shaking. Are you cold? Do you want a cup of hot tea?”
“I’m not cold,” the woman replies, “I fear for my life!”
“We are here to help you. Don’t worry about anything. I don’t know you. But I know many things about you. For example, I know how you travel. You came to London by train. You also ride to the train station on a horse-drawn wagon(马车).”
“Why, yes. You’re right. But how do you know these things?”
“I see a return ticket in your glove. I see fresh mud(泥土) on the left arm of your dress. Now tell us your problem.”
“My name is Helen Stoner,” she states, “My mother and father are dead. I am living with my stepfather(继父), Dr Grimesby Roylott. He comes from a rich family. But they are no longer rich. They have nothing except a small piece of land and a big old house. We are living in the house. Dr Roylott is using my mother’s money for expenses(开支). Part of it was for my sister and me. It was for our marriages.”
Holmes is sitting in his chair. His eyes are closed. He is listening carefully to Helen’s story. He hears every detail.
Helen continues. “My stepfather has no friends. He fights with everyone. He is strong and gets angry quickly. Everyone is afraid of him.”
“He has no friends at all?” asks Holmes.
“No. He talks to no one except the gypsies（吉普赛人）. They are poor people who travel from place to place. A band of gypsies is staying on our land right now.”
“Are you and your sister afraid of the gypsies?”
“My dear Mr Holmes. You are making me so sad. My sister is dead. That is why I am standing here in this room.”
小题1:Paragraph 6 beginning with “My name is …” is mostly about ________.

A．Helen’s dead sister	B．Helen’s trip to London
C．the house Helen lives in	D．Helen’s stepfather and the family

小题2:What is Holmes doing while Helen is telling her story?

A．Walking slowly.	B．Listening carefully.
C．Standing sadly.	D．Writing quickly.

小题3:Which of the following can best describe the gypsies according to the passage?

A．They are very rich.	B．They are afraid of other people.
C．They live on a horse-drawn wagon.	D．They move from one place to another.