Brenda Linson never goes anywhere without an empty spectacles case. It is as vital to her as her purse. Yet, she doesn’t wear glasses. The reason she cannot do without it is that she cannot read and she cannot write. If ever she gets into any situation where she might be expected to do either of these things, she fishes around in her bag for the spectacles case, finds it’s empty, and asks the person concerned to do the reading for her. Until a few months ago hardly anybody knew about her problem. Her husband didn’t know and her children didn’t know. The children still don’t.

She had many tactics for hiding her difficult—for example, never lingering near a phone at work, in case she had to answer it and might be required to write something down.

It has never occurred to the children that their mother cannot read. She doesn’t read them stories, but then their father doesn’t either, so they find nothing surprising in the fact. Similarly they just accept that Dad is the one who writes the sick notes and reads the school reports. Now that the elder boy Tom is quite a proficient reader, Brenda can skillfully get him to read any notes brought home from school simply by asking,“What’s that all about, then?”

Brenda’s husband never guessed the truth in ten years of marriage. For one thing, he insists on handling all domestic correspondence and bills himself. A salesman for a large company, he travels a great deal and so is not around so much to spot the truth. While he’s away Brenda cores with any situations by explaining that she cannot do anything until she’s discussed it with her husband.

Brenda was very successful in her job until recently. For the last five years she had worked as waitress at an expensive restaurant, and had eventually been promoted to head waitress. She kept the thing a secret there too, and got over the practical difficulties somehow.

1．Brenda carries an empty spectacles case wherever she goes because__________.

　　　　 A．she is always so forgetful

B．she uses it as a purse

C．it may provide her with an excuse

D．she wishes to look like an educated woman

2．Brenda’s children have never found out about her problem as__________.

　　　　 A．she isn’t often at home

B．they are too young to guess the truth

C．they find it normal to ask their father for everything

D．they think it natural that short-sighted people like their mother don’t do much reading or writing

3．What most probably made Brenda try hard to hide her difficulty?

　　　　 A．Her desire to be successful in her job.

B．Her fear of losing face.

C．Her deceitful nature.

D．Both A and B.

4．Of the following suggested titles, which is the most appropriate?

　　　　 A．Brenda and Her Family

B．A Woman Who Doesn’t Wear Glasses

C．A Woman with an Empty Spectacles Case

D．The Miserable Life of a Waitress

 

I remember my first Christmas party with Grandma．I remember the day when my big sister dropped the bomb: "There is no Santa Claus," she laughed．"Even dummies know that!"

I fled to Grandma because I knew she always told me  36  ．After I told her everything, she said "No Santa Claus? Don't believe it．Now,   37  your coat, and let's go．"

"Go? Go where?" I asked．

"Where"  38  to be the General Store．As we walked through its doors, Grandma  39  me ten dollars．That was a lot in those days．"Take this money and buy something for  40  who needs it．I'll wait for you in the car．"

The store seemed big and  41  , full of people hurrying to finish their Christmas Shopping．For a few moments I just stood there,  42  , holding that bill, wondering what to buy, and who on earth to buy it for．

Suddenly I thought of Bobbie who sat right behind me．I remembered he didn't have a coat．I fingered the bill with growing  43  ．I would buy Bobbie a coat．

"Is this a Christmas present for someone?" the lady behind the  44  asked me kindly, as I laid my ten dollars down．

"Yes," I replied shyly．"It's．．．for Bobbie．"

The nice lady smiled at me．I didn't get any  45  , but she put the coat in a bag and wished me a Merry Christmas．

That evening, Grandma helped me  46  the coat and wrote, "To Bobby, From Santa Claus" on it．Then she   47   me over to Bobbie's house．

Grandma parked down the street from Bobbie's house, and she and I crept （爬）  48  and hid in the  49  ．Then Grandma gave me a sign．"All right, Santa Claus, get going．"

I took a deep  50  , dashed for his front door, threw the present down, pounded his doorbell and flew back to the safety．Together we  51  breathlessly in the darkness for the front door to open．Finally it  52  , and there stood Bobbie．

Forty years haven't dimmed （使变暗淡） the thrill （强烈的兴奋） of those  53  spent shivering （颤抖） ,beside my grandma, in Bobbie's bushes． 54  , I realized: Santa was alive and well, and we were   55  his team．

36．A．the reason           B．many things        C．stories                D．the truth

37．A．put on                B．put away            C．put up                D．put down

38．A．used                   B．turned out           C．found out           D．turned up

39．A．lent                    B．took                   C．paid                   D．handed

40．A．anyone               B．one                    C．someone             D．anybody

41．A．crowded             B．varied                 C．noisy                  D．convenient

42．A．satisfied              B．confused            C．curious               D．amazed

43．A．worry                B．disappointment    C．happiness           D．excitement

44．A．counter              B．desk                   C．shelf                  D．goods

45．A．money                B．gifts                   C．change               D．encouragement

46．A．make                  B．wrap                  C．undo                  D．design

47．A．drove                 B．took                   C．led                     D．asked

48．A．quickly               B．painfully             C．nervously           D．noiselessly

49．A．bushes               B．darkness             C．doorway             D．car

50．A．courage              B．look                   C．step                   D．breath

51．A．waited                B．whispered           C．crept                  D．stood

52．A．came                  B．sounded              C．did                     D．appeared

53．A．moments            B．days                   C．time                   D．people

54．A．Today                B．That year            C．That night           D．Since then

55．A．on                      B．for                     C．at                       D．of

I remember my first Christmas party with Grandma．I remember the day when my big sister dropped the bomb: “There is no Santa Claus,” she laughed．“Even dummies know that!”

　　I fled to Grandma because I knew she always told me  21 ．After I told her everything, she said “No Santa Claus? Don’t believe it. Now,  22 your coat, and let’s go.”

　　“Go? Go where?” I asked．

　　“Where” 23  to be the General Store．As we walked through its doors, Grandma   24 me ten dollars．That was a lot in those days．“Take this money and buy something for  25 needs it．I’ll wait for you in the car．”

　　The store seemed big and  26 , full of people hurrying to finish their Christmas shopping．For a few moments I just stood there, 27  , holding that bill, wondering what to buy, and who on earth to buy it for．

　　Suddenly I thought of Bobbie who sat right behind me．I remembered he didn’t have a coat．I fingered the bill with growing  28 ．I would buy Bobbie a coat．

　　“Is this a Christmas present for someone?” the lady behind the   29  asked me kindly, as I laid my ten dollars down

　　“Yes,” I replied shyly．“It’s…for Bobbie.”

　　The nice lady smiled at me．I didn’t get any  30 , but she put the coat in a bag and wished me a Merry Christmas．

　　That evening, Grandma helped me  31  the coat and wrote, “To Bobby, From Santa Claus” on it．Then she  32 me over to Bobbie’s house．

　　Grandma parked down the street from Bobbie’s house, and she and I crept 33 and hid in the  34 ．Then Grandma gave me a sign．“All right, Santa Claus, get going．”

　　I took a deep 35 , dashed for his front door, threw the present down, pounded his doorbell and flew back to the safety．Together we  36 breathlessly in the darkness for the front door to open．Finally it  37 , and there stood Bobbie．

Forty years haven’t dimmed the thrill of those  38 spent shivering, beside my grandma, in Bobbie’s bushes． 39 ,  I realized: Santa was alive and well, and we were  40  his team．

1.                A．the reason      B．many things      C．stories   D．the truth

 

2.                A．put on         B．put away        C．put up    D．put down

 

3.                A．used           B．turned out      C．found out D．turned up

 

4.                A．lent           B．took           C．paid D．handed

 

5.                A．anyone         B．whomever       C．someone who  D．those who

 

6.                A．crowded        B．varied          C．noisy D．convenient

 

7.                A．satisfied        B．confused        C．curious   D．amazed

 

8.                A．worry          B．disappointment   C．happiness D．excitement

 

9.                A．counter        B．desk           C．shelf D．goods

 

10.               A．money         B．gifts           C．change    D．encouragement

 

11.               A．make          B．wrap           C．undo D．design

 

12.               A．drove          B．took           C．led   D．asked

 

13.               A．quickly         B．painfully        C．nervously  D．noiselessly

 

14.               A．bushes         B．darkness        C．doorway   D．car

 

15.               A．courage        B．look           C．step D．breath

 

16.               A．waited         B．whispered      C．crept D．stood

 

17.               A．came          B．sounded        C．did   D．appeared

 

18.               A．moments       B．days           C．time D．people

 

19.               A．Today          B．That year       C．That night  D．Since then

 

20.               A．on            B．for            C．at    D．of

 

 

Brenda Linson never goes anywhere without an empty spectacles case. It is as vital to her as her purse. Yet, she doesn’t wear glasses. The reason she cannot do without it is that she cannot read and she cannot write. If ever she gets into any situation where she might be expected to do either of these things, she fishes around in her bag for the spectacles case, finds it’s empty, and asks the person concerned to do the reading for her. Until a few months ago hardly anybody knew about her problem. Her husband didn’t know and her children didn’t know. The children still don’t.

She had many tactics for hiding her difficult—for example, never lingering near a phone at work, in case she had to answer it and might be required to write something down.

It has never occurred to the children that their mother cannot read. She doesn’t read them stories, but then their father doesn’t either, so they find nothing surprising in the fact. Similarly they just accept that Dad is the one who writes the sick notes and reads the school reports. Now that the elder boy Tom is quite a proficient reader, Brenda can skillfully get him to read any notes brought home from school simply by asking,“What’s that all about, then?”

Brenda’s husband never guessed the truth in ten years of marriage. For one thing, he insists on handling all domestic correspondence and bills himself. A salesman for a large company, he travels a great deal and so is not around so much to spot the truth. While he’s away Brenda cores with any situations by explaining that she cannot do anything until she’s discussed it with her husband.

Brenda was very successful in her job until recently. For the last five years she had worked as waitress at an expensive restaurant, and had eventually been promoted to head waitress. She kept the thing a secret there too, and got over the practical difficulties somehow.

1. Brenda’s children have never found out about her problem as__________.

A. she isn’t often at home.

B. they are too young to guess the truth.

C. they find it normal to ask their father for everything.

D. they think it natural that short-sighted people like their mother don’t do much reading or writing.

2.What most probably made Brenda try hard to hide her difficulty?

A. Her desire to be successful in her job.          

B. Her fear of losing face.

C. Her deceitful nature.                        

D. Both A and B.

3.Of the following suggested titles, which is the most appropriate?

A. Brenda and Her Family                    

B. A Woman Who Doesn’t Wear Glasses

C. A Woman with an Empty Spectacles Case      

D. The Miserable Life of a Waitress