It was a Sunday morning, and I was in a terrible mood. Two of my friends had gone to the movies the night before and hadn’t invited me. I was in my room thinking of ways to make them sorry when my father came in. “Want to go for a ride, today, Beck? It’s a beautiful day.”

“No! Leave me alone!” Those were the last words I said to him that morning.

My friends called and invited me to go to the mall with them a few hours later. I forgot to be mad at them and went. I came home to find a note on the table. My mother put it where I would be sure to see it. “Dad has had an accident. Please meet us at Highland Park Hospital”.

When I reached the hospital, my mother came out and told me my father’s injuries were extensive. “Your father told the driver to leave him alone and just call 911, thank God! If he had moved Daddy, there’s no telling what might have happened. A broken rib (肋骨) might have pierced (穿透) a lung....”

My mother may have said more, but I didn’t hear. I didn’t hear anything except those terrible words: Leave me alone. My dad said them to save himself from being hurt more. How much had I hurt him when I hurled (愤慨地说出) those words at him earlier in the day?

It was several days later that he was finally able to have a conversation. I held his hand gently, afraid of hurting him.

“Daddy... I am so sorry....”

“It’s okay, sweetheart. I’ll be okay.”

“No,” I said, “I mean about what I said to you that day. You know, that morning?”

My father could no more tell a lie than he could fly. He looked at me and said, “Sweetheart, I don’t remember anything about that day, not before, during or after the accident. I remember kissing you goodnight the night before, though.” He managed a weak smile.

My English teacher once told me that words have immeasurable power. They can hurt or they can heal. And we all have the power to choose our words. I intend to do that very carefully from now on.

The author was in bad mood that morning because ________.

      A. his father had a terrible accident

      B. he couldn’t drive to the mall with his friends

       C. his friends hadn’t invited him to the cinema

      D. his father didn’t allow him to go out with his friends

Why did the author say sorry to his father in the hospital?

      A. Because he didn’t go along with his father.

      B. Because he was rude to his father that morning.

      C. Because he failed to come earlier after the accident.

      D. Because he couldn’t look after his father in the hospital.

The reason why the author’s father said he forgot everything about that day is that ________.

      A. he had a poor memory

       B. he didn’t want to forgive his son

      C. he just wanted to comfort his son

      D. he lost his memory after the accident

What lesson did Beck learn from the matter?

      A. Don’t treat your parents badly.

      B. Don’t hurt others with rude words.

      C. Don’t move the injured in an accident.

      D. Don’t be angry with friends at small things.

It was a Sunday morning, and I was in a terrible mood. Two of my friends had gone to the movies the night before and hadn’t invited me. I was in my room thinking of ways to make them sorry when my father came in. “Want to go for a ride, today, Beck? It’s a beautiful day.”

“No! Leave me alone!” Those were the last words I said to him that morning.

My friends called and invited me to go to the mall with them a few hours later. I forgot to be mad at them and went. I came home to find a note on the table. My mother put it where I would be sure to see it. “Dad has had an accident. Please meet us at Highland Park Hospital”.

When I reached the hospital, my mother came out and told me my father’s injuries were extensive. “Your father told the driver to leave him alone and just call 911, thank God! If he had moved Daddy, there’s no telling what might have happened. A broken rib (肋骨) might have pierced (穿透) a lung....”

My mother may have said more, but I didn’t hear. I didn’t hear anything except those terrible words: Leave me alone. My dad said them to save himself from being hurt more. How much had I hurt him when I hurled (愤慨地说出) those words at him earlier in the day?

It was several days later that he was finally able to have a conversation. I held his hand gently, afraid of hurting him.

“Daddy... I am so sorry....”

“It’s okay, sweetheart. I’ll be okay.”

“No,” I said, “I mean about what I said to you that day. You know, that morning?”

My father could no more tell a lie than he could fly. He looked at me and said, “Sweetheart, I don’t remember anything about that day, not before, during or after the accident. I remember kissing you goodnight the night before, though.” He managed a weak smile.

My English teacher once told me that words have immeasurable power. They can hurt or they can heal. And we all have the power to choose our words. I intend to do that very carefully from now on.

The author was in bad mood that morning because ________.

      A. his father had a terrible accident

      B. he couldn’t drive to the mall with his friends

       C. his friends hadn’t invited him to the cinema

      D. his father didn’t allow him to go out with his friends

Why did the author say sorry to his father in the hospital?

      A. Because he didn’t go along with his father.

      B. Because he was rude to his father that morning.

      C. Because he failed to come earlier after the accident.

      D. Because he couldn’t look after his father in the hospital.

The reason why the author’s father said he forgot everything about that day is that ________.

      A. he had a poor memory

       B. he didn’t want to forgive his son

      C. he just wanted to comfort his son

      D. he lost his memory after the accident

What lesson did Beck learn from the matter?

      A. Don’t treat your parents badly.

      B. Don’t hurt others with rude words.

      C. Don’t move the injured in an accident.

      D. Don’t be angry with friends at small things.

It was a quiet village in which there was a military camp. It was far from the towns and cities and there were some high mountains around. Of course it was a good place for training the new soldiers. But it was difficult for the young men to go outside. Mr. White, an officer of forty, was strict with them and he hardly let them leave the camp.

Once Mr. White was ill in bed. He couldn’t work and a young officer, Mr. Hunt, began to train the new soldiers instead of him. He knew the young men well and let nine soldiers go to the nearest town to have a holiday. But night fell and none came back to the camp. He was worried about it and stood at the gate. It was five to twelve when Mr. Hunt decided to go to the town and see what was happening with the young men. He started the car quickly and set off. At that moment the nine soldiers came back. It seemed they were all drunk. Of course they found the officer was angry.

“I’m sorry, sir,” said the first soldier. “I left the town on time. But something was wrong with my bus on my way here. I had to buy a horse and made it run fast. Bad luck! It died and I had to run back.”

And the other seven soldiers said they were late for the same reasons. It was the last soldier’s turn. He said, “I’m sorry, sir. I got on a bus on time, but…”

Having heard this, the officer became even angrier and stopped him at once. He called out, “If you say something was wrong with your bus, I’ll punish you at once!”

“No, no, sir,” said the young man. “My bus was all right, but the dead horses were in its way!”

The military camp was built in the village to _______.

A. stop the soldiers going to towns

B. stop the soldiers meeting their friends

C. train the new soldiers

D. make the young men live quietly

Mr. Hunt let the nine soldiers have a holiday because _______.

A. he was kind and understanding  

 B. they felt lonely

C. they had something important to do

D. they were the best of all the soldiers

The young officer was worried because _______.

A. a traffic accident had happened

B. he was afraid something happened to the nine soldiers

C. the nine soldiers didn’t come back on time

D. the nine soldiers drank too much in the town

The nine soldiers returned to the camp late because _______.

A. something was wrong with their buses

B. their horses died on the return way

C. it took them much time to run back

D. they all had drunk much in the town

Which statement do you think is right?

A. The officer believed only the last soldier.

B. The officer believed the nine soldiers.

C. The officer believed none of the nine soldiers.

D. The officer wouldn’t punish his soldiers.

It was a quiet village in which there was a military camp. It was far from the towns and cities and there were some high mountains around. Of course it was a good place for training the new soldiers. But it was difficult for the young men to go outside. Mr. White, an officer of forty, was strict with them and he hardly let them leave the camp.

Once Mr. White was ill in bed. He couldn’t work and a young officer, Mr. Hunt, began to train the new soldiers instead of him. He knew the young men well and let nine soldiers go to the nearest town to have a holiday. But night fell and none came back to the camp. He was worried about it and stood at the gate. It was five to twelve when Mr. Hunt decided to go to the town and see what was happening with the young men. He started the car quickly and set off. At that moment the nine soldiers came back. It seemed they were all drunk. Of course they found the officer was angry.

“I’m sorry, sir,” said the first soldier. “I left the town on time. But something was wrong with my bus on my way here. I had to buy a horse and made it run fast. Bad luck! It died and I had to run back.”

And the other seven soldiers said they were late for the same reasons. It was the last soldier’s turn. He said, “I’m sorry, sir. I got on a bus on time, but…”

Having heard this, the officer became even angrier and stopped him at once. He called out, “If you say something was wrong with your bus, I’ll punish you at once!”

“No, no, sir,” said the young man. “My bus was all right, but the dead horses were in its way!”

The military camp was built in the village to _______.

A. stop the soldiers going to towns

B. stop the soldiers meeting their friends

C. train the new soldiers

D. make the young men live quietly

Mr. Hunt let the nine soldiers have a holiday because _______.

A. he was kind to them

B. they felt lonely

C. they had something important to do

D. they were the best of all

The young officer was worried because _______.

A. a traffic accident had happened to the nine soldiers

B. he was afraid something happened to the nine soldiers

C. he didn’t think the nine soldiers would come back

D. the nine soldiers drank too much in the town

The nine soldiers returned to the camp late because _______.

A. something was wrong with their buses

B. their horses died on the return way

C. it took them much time to run back

D. they all had drunk much in the town

Which answer do you think right?

A. I’ll believe only the last soldier.

B. The officer believed the nine soldiers.

C. I’ll believe none of the nine soldiers.

D. The officer won’t punish his soldiers.