Uncle Tom gave little Vicki Black a birthday gift one week before her birthday. He told her not to open it until her birthday. She knew her mother wouldn't tolerate any disrespect to the kind man who helped them out after Vicki's father passed away. Besides, Vicki didn't want Uncle Tom to get angry. But little Vicky didn't want to just hold it and guess what was in it. After all, she looked forward to his coming to show her interesting things, like how to turn an old sock into a doll.
     All the day, Vicki couldn't stop thinking about the gift. While her teacher was giving a lecture? Vicki sat still in her seat, drawing paper dolls inside the box. When school was done, she raced home. Walking into the room, again, she shook the present, but she heard nothing. Holding her breath, she opened the box and looked inside. Seconds later, she cried. When Mrs. Black saw the box, she said angrily, "Didn't I tell you to leave it alone?" Vicki sobbed and said, "Mommy, you don't understand."
     "Don't cry to me. You have missed everything now, just because you couldn't wait," Mrs. Black accused. "What will Uncle Tom think now?"
     "Uncle Tom gave me nothing," Vicki cried and handed the empty box to her mother. "He played a trick on me."
     Mrs. Black said doubtfully, "Uncle Tom is not like that. You must have dropped it."
    Vicki kept crying. Only a rapid knock on the door made the house quiet. It was Uncle Tom. He looked at the empty box. "You have already done it? I told you to wait for your birthday."
     "You didn't give me a gift." Fresh tears filled her eyes.
     "I try to give you something. I know your birthday is a special day. I tell myself to give you something valuable to last your whole life. I think hard and get the idea to give you an important lesson. If you open it on birthday, I see you learn. Then I will make a big party to celebrate. Maybe next year you listen and then you will understand the gift better."
     Vicki's cheeks flushed(脸红).

1. We can learn from the text that Vicki_______.

A. often received gifts from her father          
B. expected Uncle Tom to give her a doll
C. was sad because of her father's death        
D. liked and respected Uncle Tom

2. What do the underlined words "done it" refer to?

A. Guessed the result                      
B. Opened the box
C. Realized Uncle Tom's purpose            
D. Known what her birthday gift was

3. What kind of person is Uncle Tom?

A. Thoughtful        
B. Humorous        
C. Mysterious        
D. Funny

4. What did Uncle Tom want to teach Vicki?

A. How to respect others                  
B. The meaning of gifts
C. How to deal with gifts                  
D. The value of a promise

     In 1901, H. G. Wells, an English writer, wrote a book describing a trip to the moon. When
the explorers (探险者) landed on the moon, they discovered that the moon was full of underground
cities. They expressed their surprise to the "moon people" they met. In turn, the "moon people"
expressed their surprise. "Why," they asked, "are you traveling to outer space when you don't even
use your inner space?"
     H. G. Wells could only imagine travel to the moon. In 1969, human beings really did land on the
moon. People today know that there are no underground cities on the moon. However, the question
that the "moon people" asked is still an interesting one. A growing number of scientists are seriously
thinking about it.
     Underground systems are already in place. Many cities have underground car parks. In some
cities, such as Tokyo, Seoul and Montreal, there are large underground shopping areas. The
"Chunnel", a tunnel (隧道) connecting England and France, is now complete.Uncle Tom gave little
Vicki Black a birthday gift one week before her birthday. He told her not to open it until her birthday.
She knew her mother wouldn't tolerate any disrespect to the kind man who helped them out after
Vicki's father passed away. Besides, Vicki didn't want Uncle Tom to get angry. But little Vicky didn't
want to just hold it and guess what was in it. After all, she looked forward to his coming to show her
interesting things, like how to turn an old sock into a doll.
     All the day, Vicki couldn't stop thinking about the gift. While her teacher was giving a lecture? Vicki
sat still in her seat, drawing paper dolls inside the box. When school was done, she raced home.
Walking into the room, again, she shook the present, but she heard nothing. Holding her breath, she
opened the box and looked inside. Seconds later, she cried. When Mrs. Black saw the box, she said
angrily, "Didn't I tell you to leave it alone?" Vicki sobbed and said, "Mommy, you don't understand."
     "Don't cry to me. You have missed everything now, just because you couldn't wait," Mrs. Black
accused. "What will Uncle Tom think now?"
     "Uncle Tom gave me nothing," Vicki cried and handed the empty box to her mother. "He played
a trick on me."
      Mrs. Black said doubtfully, "Uncle Tom is not like that. You must have dropped it."
     Vicki kept crying. Only a rapid knock on the door made the house quiet. It was Uncle Tom. He
looked at the empty box. "You have already done it? I told you to wait for your birthday."
      "You didn't give me a gift." Fresh tears filled her eyes.
     "I try to give you something. I know your birthday is a special day. I tell myself to give you
something valuable to last your whole life. I think hard and get the idea to give you an important lesson.
If you open it on birthday, I see you learn. Then I will make a big party to celebrate. Maybe next year
you listen and then you will understand the gift better."
     Vicki's cheeks flushed(脸红).

1. We can learn from the text that Vicki_______.

A. often received gifts from her father          
B. expected Uncle Tom to give her a doll
C. was sad because of her father's death        
D. liked and respected Uncle Tom

2. What do the underlined words "done it" refer to?

A. Guessed the result                      
B. Opened the box
C. Realized Uncle Tom's purpose            
D. Known what her birthday gift was

3. What kind of person is Uncle Tom?

A. Thoughtful        
B. Humorous        
C. Mysterious        
D. Funny

4. What did Uncle Tom want to teach Vicki?

A. How to respect others                  
B. The meaning of gifts
C. How to deal with gifts                  
D. The value of a promise