Question

When I was a kid in Minnesota, watermelons were expensive. One of my father's friends, Bernie, was a rich businessman, who owned a large store in St. Paul.

　　Every summer, when the first watermelons arrived, Bernie would call. Dad and I would go to Bernie's place. We’d sit on the edge of the dock (碼頭), feet dangling (搖晃), and got ready for a big meal. Bernie would take his knife, cut our first watermelon, hand us both a big piece and sit down next to us. Then we'd bury our faces in watermelon, eating only the heart—the reddest, juiciest, firmest, sweetest, and most seed-free part — and throw away the rest.

　　Bernie was my father's ideal of a rich man. I always thought it was because he was such a successful businessman. Years later, I realized that it was not Bernie's wealth itself but his way of dealing with it that my father liked. Bernie knew how to stop working, get together with friends and eat only the heart of the watermelon.

　　What I learned from Bernie is that being rich is a state of mind. Some of us, no matter how much money we have, will never be free enough to eat only the heart of the watermelon. If you don't take the time to dangle your feet over the dock and enjoy life’s small pleasure, your work is probably hurting your life.

　　For many years, I forgot that lesson I'd learned as a kid on the loading dock. I was too busy making all the money I could.

Well, I've relearned it. I hope I have time left to enjoy the success of others and to take pleasure in the day. That's the heart of the watermelon. I have learned again to throw the rest away.

1.We learn from the second paragraph the writer and his father were feeling_____.

A. hungry B. worried C. relaxed D. proud

2.How did the writer and his father eat the watermelon?

A. They ate it in a polite way.

B. They only ate its best part.

C. They ate every part of it.

D. They shared only one piece.

3.In the eyes of the writer's father, Bernie ________.

A. was just a rich businessman

B. worked hard all the time

C. lived a rich but healthy life

D. knew how to make money

4.The underlined part "the heart of the watermelon" in the last paragraph refers to ______.

A. the writer's hope of enjoying life

B. the writer's busy life

C. the writer's decision of making money

D. the best part of the watermelon

5.It can be learned from the passage that ______.

A. one has to work hard to reach his goal

B. a friend in need is a friend in deed

C. watermelon is the healthiest fruit

D. one should keep work-life balance

 

Answer 1

1.C

2.B

3.C

4.A

5.D

【解析】

試題分析：短文大意：我小時候在明尼蘇達，西瓜是昂貴的。我父親的一個朋友，伯尼，是一個富有的商人，他擁有的圣保羅的大商店。我從伯尼那里學到的是富有是一種心態。我希望我有時間來享受別人的成功，享受每一天。這是心的西瓜。我已經學會了扔掉剩下的。

1.細節理解題。根據第二段中We’d sit on the edge of the dock (碼頭), feet dangling (搖晃), and got ready for a big meal.可知該選C。

2.細節理解題。根據第二段末Then we'd bury our faces in watermelon, eating only the heart—the reddest, juiciest, firmest, sweetest, and most seed-free part — and throw away the rest.可知該選B。

3.細節理解題。根據短文內容可知在作者父親的眼里，伯尼過著豐富而健康的生活，所以該選C。

4.詞義猜測題。讀短文可知the heart of the watermelon指的是作者對享受生活的希望，所以該選A。

5.推理判斷題。根據短文內容可知一個人應該保持工作和生活平衡，所以該選D。

考點：故事類閱讀。