Question

My grandmother Adele loved culture and was generous with its gifts. When I was a child, she took me to museums, restaurants, dances. She showered me with gifts from her travels around the world. But I can only remember her giving me one book ― a book that, to this day, I have not read. She presented me with her own favorite childhood book: Hans Brinker. My grandmother was happy to share this book with me. She even decorated the title page with her proud writing.

I tried to read it. I adored reading, and would dive into a new pile of books from the library all at once. But something about Hans Brinker just wouldn’t let me in. The story was set in Holland, a long time ago. It felt dull and unfamiliar ― even though I was a fan of classics of other times and places. I simply read the first pages over and over. I could not progress.

Standing on a bookshelf in our living room, the book was like something I avoided. It scolded me for not being interested, for not trying hard enough, for disappointing my grandmother.

The book started to fit in, almost forgotten, until Adele asked. Had I read it? Did I like it? Always determined, she wanted to know the answer. I would make some kind of excuse, feel bad, and open it again, hoping for a new reaction. The book weighed on me.

Years passed and finally Adele and I both accepted that I would never read Hans Brinker. Eventually I cleared the book from the shelf. The Hans Brinker experience led me to set a rule that I’ve lived by ever since: Do not ask about a book given as a gift. Don’t ask, despite your desire to discuss it to grow closer. The desire for such connection is what gives book-giving with special meaning ― and increases the owner’s possibility to be a letdown.

Guilt is basically the same as for all gifts, though. If the giver doesn’t have the pleasure of seeing or hearing about the gift being enjoyed, and asks whether it is, then the owner ― unless she can truthfully say “yes” ― either has to admit to not liking the present, or else lie on the spot. Neither is pleasant. So, don’t ask.

1.When the author was a kid, his grandmother ________.

A. took him to travel around the world a lot

B. loved to take him to museums and stores

C. shared her childhood stories with him

D. gave him many gifts

2.What does the author think about the book his grandmother gave him?

A. Boring. B. Interesting.

C. Puzzling. D. Disappointing.

3.The underlined sentence “The book weighed on me” in Paragraph 4 probably means

________.

A. the book is too heavy for the author to carry

B. the author feels stressful facing the book

C. the book is full of powerful viewpoints

D. the author keeps reading the book

4.The author learns from the Hans Brinker’s experience that never ________.

A. give others books as gifts

B. lie to people who give you gifts

C. get close to others through gifts

D. talk about the books given as gifts

 

Answer 1

1.D

2.A

3.B

4.D

【解析】

试题分析: 本文是一篇记叙文。作者的奶奶是一个慷慨的人，她曾送给作者一本书，但是我认为这本书很无聊，所以一直没有去读。而奶奶一直问作者读了没有，作者总是找借口。这个经历让作者得出一个教训: 不要询问作为礼物送出去的书。因为如果你问了，如果对方没有读那会很尴尬。

1.D判断推理题。根据第一段第一二句My grandmother Adele loved culture and was generous with its gifts. When I was a child, she took me to museums, restaurants, dances. She showered me with gifts from her travels around the world.描述可知作者的奶奶对于礼物是非常慷慨的，由此可判断奶奶送给他许多礼物，故选D。其它三项都与文章细节所述不符。

2.细节理解题。根据第二段第三行It felt dull and unfamiliar……描述可知作者认为他奶奶送给她的这本书是无聊的，dull与boring同义，都是无聊的意思。故选A。

3.句意猜测题。根据本句上文Always determined, she wanted to know the answer. I would make some kind of excuse, feel bad, and open it again, hoping for a new reaction. 描述当奶奶想知道作者有没有读过那本书的时候，他总是找各种各样的借口搪塞过去。可以推测“The book weighed on me.”意思是面对这本书，作者感觉很有压力，因为奶奶给作者了，但是作者却没有读，但奶奶老是问。故选B。

4.第五段第二行The Hans Brinker experience led me to set a rule that I’ve lived by ever since: Do not ask about a book given as a gift.描述可知作者从奶奶送的这本书的经历中得出一个教训:不要询问作为礼物送出去的书。因为如果你问了，如果对方没有读那会很尴尬。故选D。

考点：考查日常生活类短文阅读