Cohn Blanchard stood up from the bench, straightened his Army uniform, and studied the crowd of people making their way through Grand Central Station. He looked for the girl whose heart he knew, but whose face he didn’t, the girl with the rose.
His interest in her had begun thirteen months before in a Florida library. Taking a book off the shelf he found himself intrigued, not with the words of the book, but with the notes penciled in the margin. The soft handwriting reflected a thoughtful soul and insightful mind. In the front of the book, he discovered the previous owner’s name, Miss Hollis Maynell. With time and effort he located her address. She lived in New York City. He wrote her a letter introducing himself and inviting her to correspond. The next day he was shipped overseas for service in World War II.
During the next year and one month the two grew to know each other through the mail. Each letter was a seed falling on a fertile heart. A romance was starting Blanchard requested a photograph, but she refused. She felt that if he really cared, it wouldn’t matter what she looked like.
When the day finally came for him to return from Europe, they scheduled their first meeting —7:00 PM at the Grand Central Station in New York. “You’ll recognize me,” she wrote, “by the red rose I’ll be wearing on my lapel.” So at 7:00 he was in the station looking for a girl whose heart he loved, but whose face he’d never seen.
I’ll let Mr. Blanchard tell you what happened: A young woman was ing toward me, her figure long and slim. Her blonde hair lay back in curls from her delicate ears; her eyes were blue as flowers. Her lips and chin had a gentle firmness, and in her pale green suit she was like springtime e alive. I stared at her, entirely forgetting to notice that she was not wearing a rose. As I moved, a small, attractive smile curved her lips. “Going my way , sailor?” she murmured.
Almost uncontrollably I made one step closer to her, and then I saw Hollis Maynell. She was standing almost directly behind the girl. A woman well past 40, she had graying hair tucked under a worn hat. She was more than plump, her thick-ankled feet thrust into low-heeled shoes. The girl in the green suit was walking quickly away. I felt as though I was split in two, so keen was my desire to follow her, and yet so deep was my longing for the woman whose spirit had truly panioned me and upheld my own.
And there she stood. Her pale, plump face was gentle and sensible, her gray eyes had a warm and kindly twinkle. I did not hesitate. My fingers gripped the small worn blue leather copy of the book that was to identify me to her.
This would not be love, but it would be something precious, something perhaps even better than love, a friendship for which I had been and must ever be grateful. I squared my shoulders and saluted and held out the book to the woman, even though while I spoke I felt choked by the bitterness of my disappointment.I'm Lieutenant John Blanchard, and you must be Miss Maynell. I am so glad you could meet me; may I take you to dinner?
The woman's face broadened into a tolerant smile. I don't know what this is about, son, she answered, but the young lady in the green suit who just went by, she begged me to wear this rose on my coat. And she said if you were to ask me out to dinner, I should go and tell you that she is waiting for you in the big restaurant across the street. She said it was some kind of test!
It's not difficult to understand and admire Miss Maynell's wisdom. The true nature of a heart is seen in its response to the unattractive. Tell me whom you love, Houssaye wrote, And I will tell you who you are．
【小题1】How did John Blanchard get to know Miss Hollis Maynell?A．They were both interested in literature．B．John knew Hollis's name from a library book．C．John came across Hollis in a Florida library . D．They lived in the same city．【小题2】Hollis refused to send Blanchard a photo because .A．she thought true love is beyond appearance B．she had never taken any photo before they knewC．she was only a middle - aged womanD．she wasn't confident about her appearance【小题3】How could Blanchard recognize Hollis?A．She would be wearing a scarf around her neck． B．She would be holding a book in her hand．C．She would be standing behind a young girl．D．She would be wearing a rose on her coat．【小题4】What was the real Miss Hollis Maynell like?A．She was a middle - aged woman in her forties．B．She was a young, pretty girl wearing a green suit．C．She was a plump woman with graying hair．D．She was a slightly fat girl, with blonde hair．【小题5】When Blanchard went over to greet the woman, he was ．A．shocked but inspiredB．annoyed and bad - manneredC．disappointed but well - behavedD．satisfied and confident【小题6】Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?A．Love is blindB．Don't Judge a Book by its CoverC．A Test of LoveD．The Symbol of RoseB
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(答案→)B
解析：本文在讲术约翰布兰查德通过一本书上的笔记对笔记的作者产生兴趣，两人交往一年，通过信件来增进了解，最终他回国，安排两人的第一次见面，姑娘考验了一番，与之见面
【小题1】B 细节理解题。根据第二段提到His interest in her had begun thirteen months before in a Florida library. Taking a book off the shelf he found himself intrigued, not with the words of the book, but with the notes penciled in the margin.十二个月前，在佛罗里达州的一个图书馆，他对她产生了兴趣。他从书架上取下一本书，很快便被吸引住了，不是被书的内容，而是被空白处铅笔写的批语所吸引，可知选B项。
【小题2】A 细节理解题。根据第一段提到A romance was starting Blanchard requested a photograph, but she refused. She felt that if he really cared, it wouldn’t matter what she looked like可知拒绝的原因是，如果你真的在乎，那么长得什么样不是重要的，故选A项。
【小题3】D 细节理解题。根据第四段提到“You’ll recognize me,” she wrote, “by the red rose I’ll be wearing on my lapel.” So at 7:00 he was in the station looking for a girl whose heart he loved, but whose face he’d never seen. 你会认出我的，” 她写道，“我会在衣襟上戴一朵红玫瑰，故选D项。
【小题4】B细节理解题。根据倒数第二段提到I don't know what this is about, son, she answered, but the young lady in the green suit who just went by, she begged me to wear this rose on my coat. And she said if you were to ask me out to dinner, I should go and tell you that she is waiting for you in the big restaurant across the street. 我不知道是怎么回事，孩子，”她回答说，“可是刚才走过去的那位穿绿色套装的姑娘，她央求我把这支玫瑰插在衣服上。她还说，要是你请我吃饭的话，我就告诉你，她就在街对面那个大饭店里等你，故选B项。
【小题5】C 细节理解题。根据倒数第三段提到I squared my shoulders and saluted and held out the book to the woman, even though while I spoke I felt choked by the bitterness of my disappointment. 我挺胸站立，敬了个礼，并举起手中的书好让那位女士看。不过在我开口说话的时候，失望的痛苦几乎使我哽咽，可知是失望的但是很有修养的，故选C项。
【小题6】C 标题。本文在讲术约翰布兰查德通过一本书上的笔记对笔记的作者产生兴趣，两人交往一年，通过信件来增进了解，最终他回国，安排两人的第一次见面，姑娘考验了一番，与之见面，可见最好的标题是爱的考验，故选C项。