14．The end of my sophomore year was approaching．Mom called me at the dorm one evening during the last week of May．My summer break would be spent with grandma and grandpa，helping out around their farm．The arrangement made good sense to all the family．I wasn't fully convinced of that myself but guessed it was just one summer．Next year would be my little brother's turn．
I arrived late that afternoon．Grandma had fixed more food than the three of us could possibly eat．She loved me entirely too much．The next morning，Grandpa fixed breakfast for the two of us． He told me Grandma had tired herself out yesterday and was going to rest in bed a little longer．I made a mental note to myself to not ask her to do things for me while I was there．I was there to help，not be a burden．
Weeks passed．I gradually settled into a routine of daily work with Grandpa．In the evenings I usually read or talked with Grandma．She never grew tired of hearing about college or anything I was involved in．She told me stories about her childhood，family and the early years after she and Grandpa had married．
The last Saturday in June，Grandpa suggested going fishing．We hadn't expected what we saw when we got to the pond that morning：One of the swans was dead．Grandpa had given the pair of swans to Grandma on their 50th anniversary．"Why don't we see about buying another one，"I suggested，hoping the situation could somehow be righted．Grandpa thought for a few moments before answering．
He finally said，"no…it's not that easy，Bruce．You see，swans mate for life．"He raised his finger to point，holding the fishing pole in his other hand．"There's nothing we can do for the one that's left．He has to work it out for himself．"
A few days later，we drove by the pond while doing our morning check on the cows．We found the other swan lying near the same spot we had found the first one．It，too，was dead．
The month of July started with me and Grandpa putting up a new stretch of fence．Then July 12 came．That was the day Grandma passed away．Grandma had died suddenly that morning of a stroke．By the afternoon，my parents were there．The old house was soon crowded with relatives and Grandpa's friends．
The funeral was held the next day．Grandpa had insisted on having it as soon as possible．On the second day after the funeral，Grandpa announced at the breakfast table，"This is a working farm． We have a lot of things to do．The rest of you should get back to your own lives．"Most of the family had already left，but this was Grandpa's way of telling the rest it was time for them to go home．My parents were the last to leave after lunch．
Grandpa was not a man who could outwardly express his grief around others，and we all worried about him．The rest of the summer flowed by．We stayed busy working．I thought there was something different about Grandpa but couldn't quite put my finger on it．
September was nearing，and part of me did not want to leave．I thought of skipping the fall semester and staying around a few more months．When I mentioned it，grandpa quickly told me that my place was back at college．
The day finally came for me to pack my car and leave．I shock his hand and chanced a hug．As Idrove down the driveway，I saw him in the rearview mirror．He waved to me and then walked to the pasture gate to start the morning livestock check．
Mom called me at school on a stormy October day to tell me Grandpa had died．A neighbor had stopped by that morning for coffee and found him in the kitchen．He died of a stroke，the same as Grandma．At that moment，I understood what he'd clumsily tried to explain to me about the swan on that morning we fished together by the pond．
55．We can learn from Paragraph 1 thatD．
A．Bruce regarded working on the farm as a rare chance
B．Bruce longed to enjoy himself freely on the farm
C．the brothers took turns to attend their grandparents
D．Bruce was not happy with his parents'arrangement
56．What did the writer think at the sight of the first dead swan？A
A．Another swan should be bought in place of the dead one．
B．The other was bound to die since swans mate for life．
C．Grandma would be in deep sorrow over its death．
D．The living can do nothing for the dead．
57．Grandpa quickly dismissed the family after the funeral becauseB．
A．he wanted to carry on with his farm work
B．he tended to deal with grief in life by himself
C．he didn't want his normal life disturbed
D．he took for granted the matter of life and death
58．By"I couldn't put my fingers on it"，the writer means thatC．
A．I could do nothing to help him out of grief
B．I was so busy that I couldn't give a hand to Grandpa
C．I couldn't tell exactly what was different about my Grandpa
D．I stayed busy working and couldn't keep Grandpa's company
59．Which of the following best describes Grandpa's character？B
A．Outgoing，clumsy and considerate． B．Loyal，considerate and independent．
C．Talkative，clumsy and independent． D．Romantic，outgoing and loyal．
60．Which of the following can be the best title for the passage？A
A．Mate For Life B．Unforgettable Summer Break
C．Death of Swans D．Everlasting Love Story．
分析 本文是一篇故事类的阅读体裁，写得是一个凄美的爱情故事，从天鹅的那种生死相依的爱情，继而是我外公外婆的爱情故事，读来让人感动震撼，是一篇绝佳的美文，读来容易理解．
解答 5．答案是D．细节理解题．根据文中第一段中的句子"I wasn't fully convinced of that myself but guessed it was just one summer．"虽然我并不这样认为，但想想不过是一个夏天而已．可见作者不是很乐意在那里过一个暑假，所以答案是D．
56．答案是A．细节理解题，当作者看到一只天鹅死了立马想到"Why don't we see about buying another one"为什么不再买一只呢，所以答案是A．
57．答案是B．推理判断题题，根据文中句子"Grandpa was not a man who could outwardly express his grief around others"外公不会在人前表现自己的悲痛，可以推断他把孩子们打发走了要一个人承受痛苦，所以答案是B．
58．答案是C．细节理解题，根据文中句子"I thought there was something different about Grandpa but couldn't quite put my finger on it．"我感到外公和过去有所不同了，却又说不出一个所以然来，所以答案选C．
59．答案是B．根据文中的整个故事，在外婆死后不久外公就在痛苦中死去，还有他对于失去伴侣的天鹅的态度"There's nothing we can do for the one that's left．He has to work it out for himself．"可以看出外公是忠于爱情的人，在老伴死后打发走了所有的亲人独自守着家，把痛苦埋在心里，不给亲人带来麻烦，孤独死去，这些我们都可以看出外公的性格特点．
60．答案是A．纵观全文，写了一个凄美的爱情故事，所以Mate For Life，生死相依是最好的题目．
点评 本文是一篇故事类的阅读体裁，这类文章对于文章的理解是考查的重点，如事实细节题、语义转换题、词义猜测题和简单推理判断题等．虽然这类文章读起来感觉轻松，试题做起来比较顺手，对文章内容的理解和感悟是完成题目的最佳方法．
