_______ you have got the book, you’ll have to read it carefully.

A. For　　 　 B. Because of　　　 C. Now that　 D. So that

Each morning Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table, reading his book. His grandson wanted to be just like him and tried to copy him in every way he could.

One day the grandson asked, “Grandpa, I try to read the book just like you, but I don’t understand it, and I forget what I understand as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the book do?”

The grandpa quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and replied, “Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back a basket of water.”

　 The boy did as he was told, but all the water leaked out before he got back to the house. The grandpa laughed and said, “You’ll have to move a little faster next time,” and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again.

This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned. Out of breath, he told his grandpa that it was impossible to carry water in a basket, so he went to get a bucket instead.

The grandpa said, “I don’t want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You’re just not trying hard enough.”

　 The boy again dipped the basket into the river and ran hard, but when he reached his grandpa the basket was empty again. Out of breath, he said, “Grandpa, it’s useless !”

“So, you think it is useless?” the grandpa said, “Look at the basket.”

　 The boy looked at the basket and for the first time he realized that the basket was different. It had been transformed from a dirty old coal basket and was now clean.

“Grandson, that’s what happens when you read the book. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, you’ll be changed, inside and out.”

56. What puzzled the grandson most was ________.

　 A. whether it was useful to read books

　 B. why he forgot what he read soon

　 C. what kind of book he could understand

　 D. how he could read books like his grandpa

57. Why did Grandpa ask his grandson to fetch a basket of water?

　 A. To train him to run faster.

　 B. To clean the dirty basket in the river.

　 C. To punish him for not reading carefully.

　 D. To get him to realize the use of reading books.

58. What lesson can we learn from the story?

　 A. The old are always wiser than the young.

　 B. It is foolish to carry water with a basket.

　 C. Reading books can change a person gradually.

　 D. You can’t expect to remember whatever you read.

阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从36~55各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题纸上将该项标号涂黑。

An old farmer lived on a farm in the mountains with his young grandson. Each morning Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table   36    his book. His grandson wanted to be just like him and tried to   37    him in every way he could.

One day the grandson asked, “Grandpa! I try to read that book just like you do,   38    I don’t understand it, and what I do understand I   39    as soon as I close the book. What   40    does reading the book do?”

The grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and replied, “Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back a basket of   41   .”

The boy did as he was told, but all the water   42    before he got back to the house.

The grandfather laughed and said, “You’ll have to move a little more   43    next time.” Then he sent the boy back to the river with the basket to try   44   . This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was   45    before he returned home.

   46   , he told his grandfather that it was   47    to carry water in a basket, and he went to get a bucket   48   .

The old man said, “I don’t want a   49    of water; I want a basket of water. You’re just not trying hard enough.”   50    he went out of the door to watch the boy try again.

The boy again dipped the basket into the river and ran as hard as he could, but when he

  51    his grandfather the basket was again empty. Out of breath, he said, “See, Grandpa, it’s useless!”

“So you think it is useless?” the old man said, “Look at the basket.”

The boy looked at the basket and for the first time realized that the basket was   52   . Instead of a dirty old coal basket, it was   53   , inside and out.

“Son, that’s what   54    when you read the book. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, you will be   55   , inside and out.”