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阅读理解
“Can I see my baby?” asked the happy new mother．The bundle(婴儿包)was placed in her arms and when she moved the fold of cloth to look upon his tiny face, she gasped － the baby had been born without ears．Time, however, proved that the baby’s hearing was perfect except his appearance．
One day when he rushed home from school and threw himself into his mother’s arms，he cried out bitterly, “A boy, a big boy…called me－a f－…freak．” She sighed, knowing that his life was to be endless of heartbreaks．
He grew up，handsome for his misfortune．A favorite with his fellow students, he might have been class president, but for that．He developed a gift for literature and music．
The boy’s father had a talk with the family doctor．Could nothing be done? “I believe we could graft(移植)on a pair of outer ears，if they could be donated,” the doctor decided．So the search began for a person who would make such a sacrifice for a young man．Two years went by．Then, “You’re going to the hospital，son．Mother and I have someone who will donate the ears you need．But it’s a secret．” said the father．
The operation was a brilliant success．His talents blossomed into genius．School and college became a series of successes．Later he married and entered the diplomatic(外交)service．“But I must know!” he urged his father．“Who gave so much for me? I could never do enough for him．” “I do not believe you could,” said the father， “but the agreement was that you are not to know…not yet．” The years kept the secret, but the day did come …one of the darkest days that ever passed through a son．He stood with his father over his mother’s casket(棺材)．Slowly and tenderly，the father stretched forth a hand and raised the thick，reddish-brown hair to let out the secret．
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