The Pecan Thief
When I was six years old, I was visiting my grandfather's farm in Kansas. Grandpa had sent me into the 36 to gather pecans for us to enjoy later.
Pecan picking was really 37 work and my little basket was only half full. I wasn't about to 38 Grandpa down. Just then something caught my 39 . A large brown squirrel was a few feet away. I watched as he picked up a pecan, hurried to a tree and 40 in a large hole in the trunk. A moment later the squirrel 41 out and climbed down to the ground to pick up another nut. Once again, he took the pecan back to his hiding place.
Not so 42 anymore, I thought. I dashed over to the tree and looked into the hole. It was 43 with pecans! Golden pecans were right there for taking. This was my 44 . Handful by handful, I scooped all of those pecans into my basket. Now it was full! I was so 45 of myself. I couldn't wait to show Grandpa all the pecans. 46 , I ran back and shouted, “Look at all the pecans!” He looked into the basket and said, “Well, well, how did you find so many ? ” I told him how I'd 47 the squirrel and taken the pecans from his hiding place.
Grandpa congratulated me on how smart I'd been in observing the squirrel and his habits. Then he did something that 48 me. He handed the basket back to me and put his arm gently 49 my shoulders.
“That squirrel worked very hard to gather his winter 50 of food, ” he said. “Now that all of his pecans are gone, don't you think that little squirrel will 51 the cold winter? ”
“I didn't think about that,” I said.
“I know, ” Grandpa said. “But a good man should never take 52 of someone else's hard work.”
Suddenly I felt a bit 53 . The image of the starving squirrel wouldn't 54 my mind. There was only one thing I could do. I carried the basket back to the tree and poured all the nuts into the hole.
I didn't eat any pecans that night, but I had something much more filling—the 55 of knowing I had done just the right thing.
【小题1】A．woodsB．roomsC．holesD．roads【小题2】A．dirtyB．hardC．lightD．easy【小题3】A．settleB．letC．haveD．keep【小题4】A．sweaterB．basketC．handD．eye【小题5】A．joinedB．livedC．disappeared D．discovered【小题6】A．heldB．jumpedC．stoodD．found【小题7】A．secretB．strangeC．anxiousD．patient【小题8】A．filledB．coveredC．rebuiltD．decorated【小题9】A．timeB．choiceC．achievementD．chance【小题10】A．afraidB．ashamedC．proudD．careful【小题11】A．OtherwiseB．HoweverC．ThereforeD．Besides【小题12】A．followedB．drivenC．protectedD．caught【小题13】A．annoyedB．satisfiedC．delightedD．surprised【小题14】A．offB．besideC．aroundD．over【小题15】A．costB．supplyC．supportD．preparation【小题16】A．escapeB．spendC．fleeD．survive【小题17】A．placeB．noticeC．chargeD．advantage【小题18】A．unconfidentB．guiltyC．embarrassedD．nervous【小题19】A．leaveB．openC．crossD．occupy【小题20】A．inspirationB．expectationC．satisfactionD．impressionA
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(答案→)A
解析：本文讲述爷爷让我去树林里捡山核桃。结果我把松鼠的核桃拿了回来，在爷爷的教育下，我又把所有的核桃都还了回去。
【小题1】A从上下文知，我被爷爷派去捡山核桃，再结合第一句中的“farm”和选项可知我应该到树林(woods)里去，而不是房间(room)，洞里(hole)和路上(road)。
【小题2】B从后面的我才捡半篮山核桃可知，捡山核桃对我来说是一项挺困难的(hard)活，其他选项都不符合语境。
【小题3】B 从下文知，我不想让爷爷失望，此处let sb. down是固定词组，意为“令某人失望”。
【小题4】D就在此时，不远处的一只棕色大松鼠引起了我的注意。catch one's eye表示“引起某人的注意”。
【小题5】C那只松鼠捡起一颗山核桃向一棵树跑去，最后消失(disappear)在树干的大洞中。该句中的三个动作表承接：先pick up，然后hurry to，最后disappear。join“加入”，live“生存”，discover“发现”都不符合语境。
【小题6】B该处表示：不久，那只松鼠又从洞中跳了出来(jump out)，故选A项。hold out“伸出，坚持”；stand out“突出”；find out“发现”都不符合语境。
【小题7】A从后文中dashed over to the tree可知，作者认为松鼠捡山核桃不再是秘密了。
【小题8】A我发现洞中到处都是山核桃，be filled with是固定词组，意为“充满着”，符合语境；be covered with“覆盖”；be decorated with“用……装饰”。
【小题9】D当看到洞中有这么多的山核桃，作者认为自己的机会来了。
【小题10】C 作者拿了这么多的山核桃，心里非常高兴，当然很骄傲。be proud of“自豪，高兴”，符合语境。be afraid of表示“害怕，担忧”；be ashamed of表示“感到羞愧”；be careful of表示“小心”。
【小题11】C此处表示我迫不及待地想把捡到的山核桃让爷爷看，因此兴奋地大叫起来，前后句构成“因果关系”，用therefore。otherwise“否则”；however“然而”；besides“除此之外还……”。
【小题12】A我告诉了爷爷，我是如何跟踪(follow)松鼠，从而找到这些山核桃的。
【小题13】D此处表示爷爷虽然表扬了我，但他接下来做的事情让我很吃惊(surprised)。
【小题14】C爷爷用胳膊挽着我的肩膀，用介词around。
【小题15】B松鼠努力工作，收集了过冬食物，此处supply of food表示“食物储备”。
【小题16】D你把他的食物都拿走了，难道你没有想过他在寒冷的冬天还能活下去吗？survive“挺过”，符合语境。
【小题17】D好人不应该利用(take advantage of)别人的辛勤劳动。take place of“代替”；take notice of“注意到”；take charge of“负责”，都与语境不符。
【小题18】B爷爷说了这些话后，我突然有了一种负罪感(guilty)。
【小题19】A那只松鼠挨饿的场景在我心头挥之不去，所以用leave one's mind表示“离开……心头”。
【小题20】C此处表示作者为自己做了一件正确的事情而感到很满足(satisfaction)