A
The woman didn’t like us. We didn’t do anything to offend her and she didn’t know us but that didn’t matter. As new female teachers in the Emirati School, we Westerners greeted her every day. Whenever we saw her, she avoided eye contact with us. Eventually, some of us stopped trying to befriend her.
Well after 16 months in the school, we had a secret pal gifting. I drew her name from the glass jar and that meant she was my secret pal. My role was to buy her a gift and say something about her when we publicly acknowledged who our secret pal was.
I bought her a small rose arrangement and asked someone to write a message on it and then sent it to her room. She was so touched. Next day I sent a bottle of shampoo but I wrote the message in English because she needed to know her secret pal was a Westerner before the day of the “big reveal”. I also sent her a fragrant candle.
I had brought a few gifts from Ireland when I returned to the Middle East in September. I decided to gift her a silver coloured bangle.
Then came the day of the “big reveal”. We all gathered in the staff meeting room and everyone was excited. The host said, “Several days ago, when you received your gift, you wrote a few kind words about your secret pal and passed the gift to them. ” She taught music in the school so I said, “My secret pal is someone who brings music to our ears every day of the week. ” I didn’t even need to say her name because everyone knew exactly who I meant.
She came forward with a huge warm smile. She hugged me and kissed me on both cheeks and graciously accepted my gifts. I think everyone’s understanding of things is subjective, so we should have more communication with people around us.
【文章大意】本文为记叙文。主要讲述了“我”和一位阿联酋学校新来女教师交朋友的故事。从中“我”认为每个人对事物的理解都是主观的, 所以我们应该多和身边的人交流。
1. How did the woman respond to the Westerners greetings?
A. She blamed them.
B. She kept away from seeing their eyes.
C. She treated them kindly.
D. She avoided meeting them again.
【解析】选B。 细节理解题。根据第一段中的As new female teachers in the Emirati School, we Westerners greeted her every day. Whenever we saw her, she avoided eye contact with us. (作为阿联酋学校新来的女教师, 我们西方人每天都和她打招呼。我们每次见到她, 她都避免与我们目光接触)可知, 当西方人跟她打招呼时, 她总是避免与他们目光接触。故选B。
2. What was the author supposed to do after knowing the name of her secret friend?
A. Prepare a gift for her.
B. Write a speech about her.
C. Find out who it is.
D. Chat with her.
【解析】选A。 细节理解题。根据第二段中的My role was to buy her a gift and say something about her when we publicly acknowledged who our secret pal was. (我的职责是给她买一件礼物, 当我们公开承认谁是我们的秘密朋友时, 对她说点什么)可知, 当作者知道了她的秘密朋友的名字后, 她要给秘密朋友准备一份礼物。故选A。
3. Why did the author write the message in English in paragraph 3?
A. To show other teachers her identity.
B. To teach the woman some English.
C. To let the woman know her nationality.
D. To make other teachers better understand her intention.
【解析】选C。细节理解题。根据第三段中的I wrote the message in English because she needed to know her secret pal was a Westerner before the day of the “big reveal”. (我用英语写这条信息, 因为她需要在“大揭秘”那天之前知道她的秘密朋友是西方人)可知, 作者用英语写这条信息是为了让这位女士知道她的国籍。故选C。
4. What was the woman’s attitude towards the author at last?
A. Friendly. B. Doubtful.
C. Regretful. D. Forgiving.
【解析】选A。细节理解题。根据最后一段中的She came forward with a huge warm smile. She hugged me and kissed me on both cheeks and graciously accepted my gifts. (她带着一个大大的温暖的微笑走上前来。她拥抱我, 亲吻我的双颊, 很有礼貌地接受了我的礼物)可知, 最后, 这位女士对作者非常友好。故选A。
【知识拓展】佳词积累
1. offend vt. 冒犯
2. befriend vt. 友善对待
3. acknowledge vt. 承认
4. fragrant adj. 香的, 芳香的
5. graciously adv. 优雅地
6. subjective adj. 主观的
