Question

I ran into a local store today to pick up a few things. With an important meeting to attend, I was in a hurry , so I didn’t take a cart (手推车) on my way inside. As I walked between the shelves in the store, I passed by a young couple and their baby. I continued going through the store, picked up a few items I needed and ended up standing behind this couple in the checkout line.

While waiting, I noticed that the young father was holding his money tightly and nervously. The young mother was carrying a baby in her arms and asked the cashier (收银员) for a job application.

When the total was rung up, they had to pick items out of their cart because they didn’t have enough money. But all their items were basic necessities(必需品) that they needed most. It just broke my heart to watch the couple try to think about what they could do without. However, they were able to whittle down their items and paid the bill with the money that they had.

After they left, I quietly asked the cashier to add those items to mine. The cashier rang everything up, and then got me a shopping cart. We put in their items and I hurried over to their car. “This is for you,” I told them.

The young father just looked at me with such appreciation and thanked me. I will never forget the expression in his eyes. As I was getting into my car, they drove over. The young mother said, “Miss, thank you so much.”

Tears welled up in my eyes---as they are again now, while I write this. “You are so welcome. Pay it forward some day,” I replied.

1.The underlined phrase “whittle down” in Paragraph 3 probably means “__________”.

A. add to B. break down C. pay for D. cut down

2.The author felt __________ to watch the couple taking some items out.

A. angry B. sad C. excited D. interested

3.It can be inferred from the passage that _________.

A. the young mother didn’t have a job then

B. the young father felt so sorry to accept help

C. the cashier treated the young couple impolitely

D. the young couple bought something unnecessary

4.The author’s main purpose in sharing the story is to tell us __________.

A. what a great plan she made

B. to take a cart while shopping

C. to help those who are in need

D. how to pick out basic necessities

Answer 1

1.D

2.B

3.A

4.C

【解析】

试题分析：

1. had to pick items out of their cart because they didn’t have enough money.“可知，那对年轻的夫妇必须拿出一些商品出来，因为他们没有足够的钱去支付他们选购的所有商品。所以”whittle down“表示cut down削减。故选D。

2. just broke my heart to watch the couple try to think about what they could do without.”可知，那对夫妇努力在想有没有哪些东西是他们可以不用的，看到这使我感到心伤。故选B

3. young father just looked at me with such appreciation and thanked me.”可知，年轻父亲对我是感到感谢而不是抱歉，故选项B排除。选项C文中并没有提到收银员的态度。由文中第三段第二句“But all their items were basic necessities(必需品) that they needed most.“可知，这对年轻的父母买的都是他们最需要的基本生活必需品，故选项D排除。由第二段第二句“The young mother was carrying a baby in her arms and asked the cashier (收银员) for a job application.”年轻的母亲抱着她的宝宝，请求收银员给她一份工作，可知，年轻的母亲目前没有工作。故选A。

4.

考点：考查记叙文阅读。