As a young boy, I sometimes traveled the country roads with my dad. He was a rural mill carrier, and on Saturdays he would ask me to go with him. Driving through the countryside was always an adventure: There were animals to see, people to visit, and chocolate cookies if you knew where to stop, and Dad did.
In the spring, Dad delivered boxes full of baby chickens, and when 1 was a boy it was such a fun to stick your finger 'through one of the holes of the boxes and let the baby birds peck on your fingers.
On Dad' s final day of work, it took him well into the evening to complete his rounds because at least one member from each family was waiting at their mailbox to thank him for his friendship and his years of service. "Two hundred and nineteen mailboxes on my route." he used to say, "and a story at every one. " One lady had no mailbox, so Dad took the mail in to her every day because she was nearly blind. Once inside, he read her mail and helped her pay her bills.
Mailboxes were sometimes used for things other than mail. One note left in a mailbox read. "Nat, take these eggs to Marian; she's baking a cake and doesn't have any eggs. " Mailboxes might be buried in the snow, or broken, or lying on the groom:. bat the mail was always delivered On cold days Dad might find one of his customers waiting for him with a cup of hot chocolate. A young wrote letters but had no stamps, so she left a few button on the envelope in the mailbox; Dad paid for the stamps. One businessman used to leave large amounts of cash in his mailbox for Dad to take to the bank. Once, the amount came to 8 32,000.
A dozen years ago, when I traveled back to my hometown on the sad occasion of Dad’s death, the mailboxes along the way reminded me of some of his stories. I thought I knew them all, but that wasn't the case.
As I drove home, I noticed two lamp poles, one on each side of the street. When my dad was around, those poles supported wooden boxes about four feet off the ground. One box was painted green and the other was red, and each had a long narrow hole at the top with white lettering: SANTA CLAUS, NORTH POLE. For years children had dropped letters to Santa through those holes.
I made a turn at the comer and drove past the post office and across the railroad tracks to our house. Mom and I were sitting at the kitchen table when I heard footsteps. There, at the door, stood Frank Townsend, Dad's postmaster and great friend for many years. So we all sat down at the table and began to tell stories.
At one point Frank looked at me with tears in his eyes. " What are we going to do about the letters this Christmas?" he asked.
"The letters?"
'I guess you never knew. "
"Knew what?"
" Remember, when you were a kid and you used to put your letters to Santa in those green and red boxes on Main Street? It was your dad who answered all those letters every year. "
I just sat there with tears in my eyes. It wasn’t hard for me to imagine Dad sitting at the old table in our basement reading those letters and answering each one. I have since spoken with several of the people who received Christmas letters during their childhood, and they told me how amazed they were that Santa had known so much about their homes and families.
For me, just knowing that story about my father was the gift of a lifetime.
【小题1】It can be inferred from the passage that the writer regarded his travels with Dad us_____.
| A．great chances to help other people |
| B．happy occasions to play with baby chickens |
| C．exciting experience* with a lot of fun |
| D．good opportunities to enjoy chocolate cookies |
| A．Dad had a strong sense of duty |
| B．Dad was an honest and reliable man |
| C．Dad had a strong sense of honor |
| D．Dad was a kind and generous man |
| A．Dad read letters for a blind lady for years. |
| B．Dad paid for the stamps for a young girl. |
| C．Dad delivered some eggs to Marian. |
| D．Dad answered children's Christmas letters every year. |
| A．offering analyses | B．providing explanations |
| C．giving examples | D．making comparisons |
| A．Santa Claus lived alone in the cold North Pole. |
| B．Santa Claus answered all their letters every year. |
| C．Santa Claus had unique mailboxes for the children. |
| D．Santa Claus had so much information about their families. |
| A．The Mail | B．Christmas Letters |
| C．Special Mailboxes | D．Memorable Travels |
名校课堂系列答案科目：高中英语 来源：黑龙江省双鸭山一中09-10学年度高一下学期期中考试（英语） 题型：完型填空
完形填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）
As a young man, Al was a skilled artist．He had a wife and two fine sons．One night, his oldest son developed a serious stomachache．Thinking it was only some 36 intestinal （肠内的）disorder, neither Al nor his wife took the condition very seriously．But the boy 37 suddenly that night．
Knowing the death could have been 38 if he had only realized the seriousness of the situation, Al's emotional health became worse under the huge burden(重负) of his 39 .To make matters worse his wife 40 him a short time later, leaving him alone with his six-year-old younger son．The hurt and pain of the two 41 were more than Al could handle, and he 42 to alcohol(烈酒)．In time Al became an alcoholic.
43___ the alcoholism progressed, Al began to lose everything he 44 — his home, his land, his art objects, everything． 45 Al died alone in a San Francisco motel room．
When I heard of Al's death, I thought that Al's life was a complete 46 ．
As time went by, I began to reconsider my earlier judgment．I knew Al's now 47 son, Ernie．He is one of the kindest, most caring, most loving men I have ever known．I watched Ernie with his children and saw the free 48 of love between them．I knew that kindness and caring had to come from somewhere．
I hadn't heard Ernie talk much about his 49__．One day I worked __50_ my courage to ask him．"I'm really _51__ by something," I said．"I know your father was 52 _ the only one to raise you．What on earth did he do that you became such a special person?"
Ernie sat quietly and _53__ for a few moments．Then he said, "From my earliest _54_ as a child until I left home at 18, Al came into my room every night, gave me a kiss and said, ' I love you, son．' "
Tears came to my eyes as I realized what a fool I had been to __55_ Al as a failure．He had not left any material possessions behind．But he had been a kind loving father, and he left behind one of the finest, most giving men I have ever known．
36．A．certain B．common C．rare D．basic
37．A．dead B．passed away C．starved D．worsened
38．A．cured B．prevented C．forbidden D．saved
39．A．disease B．debt C．guilt D．duty
40．A．left B．scolded C．quarreled D．forgave
41．A．disasters B．adventures C．conflicts D．situations
42．A．got B．drank C．turned D．sank
43．A．As B．Though C．Because D．If
44．A．needed B．shared C．benefited D．owned
45．A．Eventually B．Gradually C．Therefore D．Meanwhile
46．A．trouble B．hardship C．failure D．waste
47．A．teen B．adult C．old D．adolescent
48．A．win B．fall C．space D．flow
49．A．mother B．brother C．father D．child
50．A．up B．with C．on D．through
51．A．worried B．puzzled C．interested D．attracted
52．A．especially B．basically C．hardly D．specially
53．A．argued B．searched C．analyzed D．thought
54．A．thoughts B．ideas C．minds D．memories
55．A．treat B．call C．judge D．feel
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科目：高中英语 来源：2011-2012学年广东省东莞市第七高级中学高二下学期第一次月考英语试卷 题型：阅读理解
I’ve loved my mother’s desk since I was just tall enough to see above the top of it as Mother sat doing letters(学问). Standing by her chair, looking at the ink bottle, pens, and white paper, I decided that the act of writing must be the most wonderful thing in the world.
Years later, during her final illness, Mother kept different things for my sister and brother. “But the desk”, she said again, “is for Elizabeth.” I never saw her anger, never saw her cry. I knew she loved me; she showed it in action. But as a young girl, I wanted heart-to-heart talks between mother and daughter. They never happened. And a gulf opened between us. I was too emotional. But she lived “on the surface”.
As years passed, I had my own family. I loved my mother and thanked her for our happy family. I wrote to her in careful words and asked her to let me know in any way she chose that she did forgive（原谅）me. I posted the letter and waited for her answer. None came. My hope turned to disappointment, then little interest and, finally, peace-it seemed that nothing happened. I couldn’t be sure that the letter had even got to Mother. I only knew that I had written in, and I could stop trying to make her into someone she was not.
Now the present of her desk told me, as she’d never been able to, that she was pleased that writing was my chosen work. I cleaned the desk carefully and found some papers inside－a photo of my father and a one-page letter, folded and refolded many times. Give me an answer, my letter asks, in any way you chose. Mother, you always chose the act that speaks louder than words.
【小题1】The writer began to love her mother’s desk _______.
| A．after Mother died. | B．before she became a writer. |
| C．when she was a child. | D．when Mother gave it to her. |
| A．Mother was cold on the surface but kind in her heart to her daughter. |
| B．Mother was too serious about everything her daughter had done. |
| C．Mother cared much about her daughter in words. |
| D．Mother wrote to her daughter in careful words. |
| A．deep understanding between the old and the young. |
| B．different ideas between the mother and the daughter. |
| C．free talks between mother and daughter. |
| D．part of the sea going far in land. |
| A．She had never received the letter. |
| B．For years, she often talked about the letter. |
| C．She didn’t forgive her daughter at all in all her life. |
| D．She read the letter again and again till she died. |
| A．My Letter to Mother. | B．Mother and Children. |
| C．My Mother’s Desk. | D．Talks between Mother and Me. |
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科目：高中英语 来源：2010届江西省重点中学联考英语试题 题型：阅读理解
When I was four years old，I broke my elbow. After many weeks in a cast (石膏) I returned to the hospital to finally have it removed. My mother found it strange that I was so enthusiastic about returning to the place where I had experienced so much pain. Yet she soon discovered my fascination with the healing process and how doctors helped to enhance it.
I was in fear as the doctor removed my cast and asked me to move my arm，and immediately became scared as the pain came shooting back through my elbow. After another series of X-rays and examinations my arm was put into a new cast I had begun to doubt the reliability of the doctor，and my mother thought I would be unwilling to return a second time.
When the day came to have my cast removed again，I was nervous. Yet I was optimistic enough to trust the doctor as he once again removed my cast and asked me to move my arm. And this time it was better! Nothing hurt!
On the way back home I released (松开) my mother's hand and ran ahead，and out of her sight. She was immediately worried that I would come upon someone dangerous. At the age of four I was already known for liking to talk with strangers that I felt were potential friends. When she caught sight of me again， I was looking up into the face of an old broken-legged man，saying，“Don't worry，sir! The doctor will fix your leg. Look how he fixed my arm！”
Since then I have continued to be fascinated with the human body and medicine. I also still love to help people，and never miss an opportunity to encourage someone. But most of all，I still believe that optimism and trust are the building blocks of happiness and success. Many things can change，but I am proud to say that these parts of me have always stayed the same.
56.The author was nervous when he returned to the hospital the second time because .
A. the hospital seemed like a more frightening place B. the doctor there was unskilled
C. he was afraid of the pain D. he was sure his elbow wouldn't recover
57.What did the mother fear when the author ran out of her sight on the way back home?
A. That he would break his elbow again.
B. That he would run down others and break their legs
C. That he would lose his way.
D. That he would come upon a dangerous stranger and get hurt.
58.What can we learn about the author from the passage?
A. He is optimistic and enthusiastic. B. He was hard-working as a young boy.
C. He doesn't like making friends with strangers.
D. He could become anything but a doctor.
59.Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A. An Unforgettable Hospital Experience B. Lessons of a Broken Bone
C. What Makes for Happiness and Success? D. Broken Bones Take Long to Heal
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科目：高中英语 来源：四川省武胜县2010届高三下学期第一次联考 题型：阅读理解
第二部分阅读理解（共两节，满分50分）
第一节：阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并将答案写在答题卡上。（共20小题，每小题2分，满分40分）
A
O. Henry was a pen name used by an American writer of short stories. His real name was William Sydney Porter. He was born in North Carolina in 1862. As a young boy he lived an exciting life. He did not go to school for very long, but he managed to teach himself everything he needed to know. When he was about 20 years old, O. Henry went to Texas, where he tried different jobs. He first worked on a newspaper, and then had a job in a bank, when some money went missing from the bank O. Henry was believed to have stolen it. Because of that, he was sent to prison. During the three years in prison, he learned to write short stories. After he got out of prison, he went to New York and continued writing. He wrote mostly about New York and the life of the poor there. People liked his stories, because simple as the tales were, they would finish with a sudden change at the end, to the reader’s surprise.
41. In which order did O. Henry do the following things?
a. Lived in New York. b. Worked in a bank. c. Travelled to Texas.
d. Was put in prison. e. Had a newspaper job. f. Learned to write stories.
A. e. c. f. b. d. a B. e. b. d. c. a. f. C. c. e. b. d. f. a D. c. b. e. d. a f.
42. O. Henry went to prison because ___________.
A. people thought he had stolen money from the newspaper
B. people thought he had taken money that was not his
C. he wanted to write stories about prisoners
D. he broke the law by not using his own name
43. What do we know about O. Henry before he began writing?
A. He was very good at learning. B. He was not serious about his work.
C. He was devoted to the poor. D. He was well-educated.
44. Where did O. Henry get most material for his short stories?
A. His life inside the prison. B. The newspaper articles he wrote.
C. His exciting early life as a boy. D. The city and people of New York.
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科目：高中英语 来源：浙江省菱湖中学2010年高三下学期第二次模拟考试（英语） 题型：阅读理解
I have found that the way I treat insects acts as a reflection of my approach to kindness. Like most kids, I suppose, I mistreated bugs terribly. But many adults continue the rampage against insects, and I have often found that they do this mindlessly.
With the weather getting warmer, more bugs are getting into our houses. We also spend more time in "their house," as we enjoy the great outdoors. We find ourselves reaching for the fly swatter and insecticides（杀虫剂）to get rid of them. But why do we do this? Most insects pose no threat to us, but we kill them anyway.
As a young adult, I found myself questioning my treatment of bugs. It became a moral issue. I remember reading a Native American story about a mother who saw her daughter stomp on a spider. The mom simply asks the child: "Now who'll take care of that spider's children? Who would take care of you if someone killed me?" It became a powerful lesson to the child.
All creatures have a purpose, and our world would be terribly out of balance without insects. If we can treat them with kindness and respect, we can treat any creature that way. The more I learned about the unique behaviors and purposes of insects, the more I appreciated their place in the world. I have literally become someone who "wouldn't hurt a fly."
The more I have practiced, the better I've become at catching flies with my hand and escorting them back outside. I use a small glass with a thin piece of cardboard to catch spiders, ants, and bees, and release them where they'll be happier--outdoors. Sure it takes more work than just squishing them, but I feel more in harmony with nature by being kind to bugs. If we could model that for our kids, perhaps they'd grow up to be kinder adults and help make this a kinder world to live in.
49．According to the author, many adults kill bugs ___________.
A．because they hate bugs B．to stop bugs spread diseases
C．just out of their cruelty D．just for no special reason
50．The author mentions a Native American story in the third paragraph in order to___________.
A．tell readers the importance of protecting insects
B．show its deep influence on the author
C．appeal to readers to look after spiders’ children
D．describe American mother’s kindness to insects
51．Suppose a bug appears in the author’s room, he will probably___________.
A．kill it without hesitation B．catch it and free it outside
C．drive it outside tenderly D．let it be and not disturb it
52．Which of the following would be the best title of the passage?
A．Showing kindness to insects B．My childhood and insects
C．The significance of insets D．Some tips of treating insects
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