Just at that time, a telegram arrived from his brother. Mr. Jameson opened it quickly. It said,“Come home at once. Your wife is ill and in a critical(危急的) condition. West End Hospital.”Mr. Jameson began to think. Since the work at the mine was going well, he decided to go home at once. He just told himself again and again that he couldn’t lose his wife, or his life would be meaningless.
At about 6 the next morning, he and one of his assistants reached Lamesa, where they were going to Chicago at 6:30. There was still half an hour left before the train started, so Mr. Jameson decided to telephone to Chicago to ask about his wife. And after that, if still enough time was left, he could see a doctor and have the piece of coal or the piece of metal removed out of his eye. His eye and his whole head ached now.
After he sent his assistant to the railway station to buy tickets for the train, he went to make the phone call. When the operator put through his call, he sat down and waited. His eye felt like a piece of hot iron. And he worried about his sick wife. The phone rang. Soon Mr. Jameson talked with the hospital in Chicago. A voice, said,“Yes, sir! Your wife is here. She is much better. There is no danger now. You don’t have to return.”
Everything was all right. His wife was going to live. He would not lose his wife. Quite excited, Mr. Jameson began to cry like a little child and could not stop. Big tears rolled out of his eyes and down his cheeks. Soon his eye felt better. He touched his eye and felt something in the corner of his eye. That was a small piece of coal. His tears had washed it out of his eye!
1．What happened to Mr. Jameson before setting off?
A．He was hurt and couldn’t walk.
B．A small piece of coal stuck him in the eye.
C．His eye was suffering from a certain disease.
D．A piece of metal got into his eye.
2．The writer doesn’t mention but we can infer that Mr. Jameson probably______.
A．worked in a factory in Chicago
B．sold coal in a faraway village
C．was worried about his work on the way to Chicago
D．worked as a mining engineer in a company
3．How was the coal removed out of Mr. Jameson’s eye?
A．It was washed out by his tears.
B．A good rest helped it out.
C．He rubbed his eyes slightly.
D．It was taken out by a doctor.
4．After hearing the doctor’s words, Mr. Jameson cried because ______.
A．his wife was dying
B．his eye was getting worse and worse
C．he couldn’t buy any train tickets
D．he was too excited at his wife’s news
答案：
1．B
根据文章最后一段倒数第三行“He touched his eye and felt something in the corner of his eye. That was a small piece of coal”可知在他离开之前一块小煤块已进入他的眼中。
2．D
A和C显然不对，因为文中提到电报来自Chicago，他需回到Chicago，而C可以根据文中第一段倒数第四行“Since the work at the mine was going well…”排除；由第二段第一行“he and one of his assistants…”明显看出D为正确选项。
3．A
由文中最后一段最后一句话“His tears had washed it out of his eye”可以看出。
4．D
由文中最后一段第二行的“Quite excited, Mr. Jameson began to cry like a little child…”可以推出D为最佳选项。
