C

A Shoe Pattern

Harry is eighteen now. He studies in a middle school. His parents like him very much and hope he can become a famous man. So they often tell him to study hard and they do all for him. They call him at six in the morning, after breakfast his father takes him to school in a car and in the afternoon, as soon as the young man comes back, the supper is ready. Of course, he never washes his clothes or goes to buy something in the shops.

Once Harry’s father was sent to London on business. He would stay there for half a year. Leaving, he told his wife to take good care of their son. The woman had to get up earlier and did all what her husband did before. And two months later she was so tired that she was ill in bed. Now the young man got into trouble. He couldn’t do any housework. He had to do as his mother told him. Even he didn’t know where to get on the bus!

Yesterday Harry’s mother found his shoes were worn out and told him to buy a new pair in the shop. But he didn’t know how to choose. The woman had a sigh (叹息) and gave him a shoe pattern (鞋样) and told him to buy a pair of shoes himself. It’s Saturday today and Harry doesn’t go to school. With a policeman’s help, he found a shop. The shopkeeper was friendly to him. The man brought a lot of shoes and asked him to choose. When he was trying on a pair, suddenly he remembered something and took them off. The man was surprised and asked, “What’s the matter, young man?”

“I’m sorry, I’ve left the shoe pattern at home!”

8. Harry’s parents do all instead of him because _______.

A. he’s too young B. he has poor health

C. he’s busy with his studies D. they hope he spends all time on studies

9. The woman had to look after her son by herself because _______.

A. her husband wasn’t at home B. she was stronger than her husband

C. she knew the young man well D. she was freer than her husband

10. When the man was in London, _______.

A. Harry had to stay at home B. Harry didn’t find the bus stop

C. Harry fell behind in his class D. Harry wouldn’t go to school

11. The woman told her son to buy a pair of shoes because _______.

A. she didn’t know what kind he needed B. she was busy with the housework

C. something was wrong with her D. she wanted her son to do something himself

D

One of the best-known American writers of children’s books is Alfred Strong, or Doctor Strong, as he is better known to readers everywhere. Now, an art show called “Doctor Strong From Then to Now” is travelling around the United States. The pictures and drawings show the history of Doctor Strong.

Doctor Strong first became famous almost fifty years ago when his first children’s book was published. Since then, he has written forty-five books that have sold more than one hundred million copies around the world.

Doctor Strong’s books are known for their easy use of words and colorful, hand-drawn pictures. These drawings bring life to his imaginary creatures. The Cat in the Hat, Horton the Elephant, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, and hundreds of others.

The San Diego Museum, in California, organized the art show. It included about three hundred Doctor Strong’s original (最早的) drawings and some of his writings.

Most of Doctor Strong’s books, although written in a funny way, have serious messages. For example, in Mc Elligot’s Pool, he describes the danger of pollution. He discusses the arms race in The Butter Battle Book, written in nineteen eighty-four.

Doctor Strong is almost eighty-four years old now. He says he never planned to write stories just for children. He says he writes stories that interest people of all ages. He says he uses easy words so that everyone, even a child, can understand.

12. Alfred Strong is a famous _______ in the United States.

A. doctor 　　　　B. artist 　　　　C. writer 　　　　D. reader

13. Doctor Strong first became famous in _______.

A. his eighties when an art show was travelling around the United States

B. his fifties when his drawings and writings were published

C. nineteen eighty-four when his book MeEligot’s Pool was published

D. his thirties when his first book was published

14. Doctor Strong’s books are very popular in America because _______.

A. they are stories about animals such as cats, elephants and so on

B. they are written in easy words with colourful pictures

C. he organized the art show in California

D. they are written in a funny way

15. His purpose in writing many such books is_______.

A. to show his original pictures and drawings

B. to organize a special art show of his own

C. to make his readers laugh or smile when they read his books

D. not only to interest people but to expose (uncover) some serious social problems