A
Zachariah Fike has an unusual hobby. He finds old military(军队的) medals for sale in antique stores and on the Internet. But unlike most collectors, Zac tracks down the medals’ rightful owners, and returns them.
His effort to reunite families with lost medals began with a Christmas gift from his mother, a Purple Heart with the name Corrado A. G. Piccoli, found in an antique shop. Zac knows the meaning of a Purple Heart—he earned one himself in a war as a soldier. So when his mother gave him the medal, he knew right away what he had to do.
Through the Internet, Zac tracked down Corrado’s sister Adeline Rockko. But when he finally reached her, the woman flooded him with questions: “Who are you? What antique shop?” However, when she hung up, she regretted the way she had handled the call. So she called Zac back and apologized. Soon she drove to meet Zac in Watertown, N.Y. “At that point, I knew she meant business,” Zac says. “To drive eight hours to come to see me.”
The Piccolis grew up the children of Italian immigrants in Watertown. Corrado, a translator for the Army during WWII, was killed in action in Europe.
Before hearing from Zac, Adeline hadn’t realized the medal was missing. Like many military medals, the one Zac’s mother had found was a family treasure. “This medal was very precious to my parents. Only on special occasions(场合) would they take it out and let us hold it in our hands,” Adeline says.
As a child, Adeline couldn’t understand why the medal was so significant. “But as I grew older,” Adeline says, “and missed my brother more and more, I realized that was the only thing we had left.” Corrado Piccoli’s Purple Heart medal now hangs at the Italian American Civic Association in Watertown.
Zac recently returned another lost medal to a family in Alabama. Since he first reunited Corrado’s medal, Zac says his record is now 5 for 5.
1. Where did Zac get a Purple Heart medal for himself？
A. In the army.
B. In an antique shop.
C. From his mother.
D. From Adeline Rockko
2. What did Zac realize when Adeline drove to meet him？
A. She was very impolite.
B. She was serious about the medal.
C. She suspected his honesty.
D. She came from a wealthy family.
3. What made Adeline treasure the Purple Heart?
A. Her parents’ advice.
B. Her knowledge of antiques.
C. Her childhood dream.
D. Her memory of her brother.
【答案】1. A 2. B 3. D
【解析】
这是一篇记叙文。Zachariah Fike有一个不同寻常的业余爱好：他在网上和古董店里寻找旧的军队勋章，然后将这些勋章归还它们的合法主人。文章主要叙述了他这一爱好的起源。
【1题详解】
细节理解题。根据第二段中的Zac knows the meaning of a Purple Heart—he earned one himself in a war as a soldier. So when his mother gave him the medal, he knew right away what he had to do.可知，当Zac还是一名士兵的时候，在一次战争中他获得了一枚Purple Heart。故A项正确。
【2题详解】
推理判断题。根据第三段中的“To drive eight hours to come to see me.”可以推知，Adeline为了那枚Purple Heart开车八个小时来见Zac，由此可知，她对于这件事是认真地。故B选项正确。
【3题详解】
推理判断题。根据第四段中的Corrado, a translator for the Army during WWII, was killed in action in Europe.和倒数第三段中的“But as I grew older,” Adeline says, “and missed my brother more and more, I realized that was the only thing we had left.”可知，这枚勋章寄托了Adeline对于去世的哥哥Corrado的回忆和思念，这是他们家留下的唯一关于哥哥的东西了。因此她很珍惜这枚勋章。故D选项正确。
