Henry was an office worker in a big city. He worked very hard and enjoyed traveling in his holidays.
He usually went to the seaside, but one year he saw an advertisement in a newspaper. 「Enjoy country life. Spend a few weeks at West Hill Farm. Good food. Fresh air. Horse riding. Walking. Fishing. Cheap and interesting.」
「This sounds a good idea,」 he thought. 「I』ll spend a month at West Hill Farm. I think I can enjoy horse riding, walking and fishing. They』ll make a change from sitting by the seaside and swimming.」
He wrote to the farmer. In the letter he said that he would like to spend all of July there. Then on the first of July, he left for West Hill Farm.
But four days later, he returned home.
「What was wrong with West Hill Farm?」 his best friend, Ed, asked him. 「Didn’t you enjoy country life?」
「Country life was very good,」 Henry said. 「But there was another problem.」
「Oh. What?」
「Well,」 he said, 「the first day I was there a sheep died, and we had roast mutton for dinner.」
「What’s wrong with that?」 Ed asked. 「Fresh meat is the best.」
「I know, but on the second day a cow died, and we had roast beef for dinner.」
「Lucky you!」
「You don’t understand,」 Henry said. 「on the third day a pig died and we had roast pork for dinner.」
「A different meat every day,」 Ed said loudly, 「and you are complaining!」
「Let me finish,」 Henry said. 「on the fourth day the farmer died, and I didn’t dare (敢)stay for dinner!」
1. How did Henry find out about the farm?
A. He saw it in a newspaper advertisement.
B. His best friend told him.
C. He wrote to the farmer.
D. Maybe he learned it from the radio.
2. Henry came back home several days later because ______________.
A. he didn’t like the country life at all
B. the farmer wasn’t friendly to him
C. his holiday was over
D. he thought he might have to eat the farmer
3. 「…and you are complaining!」, the word 「complain」 means __________.
A. 誇獎 B. 說三道四 C. 抱怨 D. 故弄玄虛
4. Which of the following sentences is true?
A. Ed could eat a different kind of meat every day.
B. Henry thought he could enjoy a change.
C. Henry couldn’t think of anything else to do, so he went to the farm.
D. The farmer died because of the bad meat he ate.
5. Which is the best title for the passage?
A. What a beautiful farm! B. Have a good time.
C. A short holiday D. Henry and the farmer.
答案：
假日裡，亨利喜歡到海邊去旅遊。有一次，他想去西山農場享受一下田園風光，並計劃在那兒度過一個月的時間。可是令人驚奇的是，才去四天之後他就回來了。當朋友問起其中的緣由時，亨利說道：第一天，農場裡死了一隻羊，晚餐時美美地吃了一頓烤羊肉;第二天農場死了一頭牛，又吃了一頓燒牛肉;第三天農場死了一頭豬，結果又吃了一頓烤豬肉。可是，到了第四天，農場主死了，我不敢再留下來吃飯了。
1. A。第二段的首句「...but one year he saw an advertisement in a newspaper.」即是答案的出處。
2. D。本題考查根據語境進行分析判斷的能力。由上下文，顯然可知這是報紙上的一則廣告信息。
3. C。本題考查通過上下文對詞彙的推測能力。根據亨利的敘述可得出此答案。
4. B。這由「A different meat every day, and you are complaining!」一句可知。
5. C。本來打算要在鄉村農場過一個暑假，結果四天之後就回來了。這能不是個短暫的假期嗎?用此作標題既切合題意，又具有幽默的味道。
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（責任編輯：蘭香子)