They were going to Fort Lauderdale - three boys and three girls - and when they

Theywere going to Fort Lauderdale — three boys and three girls — and when they boarded the bus, they were carrying sandwichesand wine in paper bags, dreaming of golden beaches and sea tides as the gray,cold spring of New York went behind them.

Asthe bus passed through New Jersey, they began to notice Vingo. He sat in frontof them, completely in silence.

Deepinto the night, outside Washington, the bus pulled into Howard Johnson’s, and everybody got off except Vingo. Theyoung people began to wonder about him. When they went back to the bus, one ofthe girls sat beside him and introduced herself.

   “Want some wine?”she said. He smiled and took a swig from the bottle. He thanked her and becamesilent again. After a while, she went back to the others, and Vingo nodded insleep.

Inthe morning, they awoke outside another Howard Johnson’s,and this time Vingo went in. The girl insisted that he join them. He orderedblack coffee and some cookies as the young people talked about sleeping onbeaches. When they returned to the bus, the girl sat with Vingo again, andafter a while, slowly and painfully, he began to tell his story. He had been inprison in New York for the past four years, and now he was going home.

“Are you married?”

“I don’tknow.”

“You don’tknow?” she said.

“Well, when I was in prison Iwrote to my wife,” he said, “I told her that I was going to be away for a long time, andthat if she couldn’t stand it, if the kids keptasking questions, and if it hurt her too much, well, she could jus forget me. I’d understand. Get a new man, I said —she’s a wonderful woman. I told her she didn’t have to write me. And she didn’t.Not for three and a half years.”

“And you’regoing home now, not knowing?”

“Yeah. Well, last week, when I wassure the parole (假释) was coming through, I wrote heragain. We used to live in Brunswick, just before Jacksonville, and there’s a big oak (橡树) just as you come into town. Itold her that if she didn’t have a new man and if she’d take me back, she should put a yellow handkerchief on thetree, and I’d get off and come home. If shedidn’t want me, forget it — no handkerchief and I’d go onthrough.”

“Wow,”the girl exclaimed, “Wow.”

Shetold the others, and soon all of them were in it, looking at the pictures Vingoshowed them of his wife and three children.

Nowthey were 20 miles from Brunswick, and the young people took over window seatson the right side, waiting for the approach of the great oak. Vingo stoppedlooking, tightening his face, as if protecting himself against still anotherdisappointment.

ThenBrunswick was ten miles, and then five. Then, suddenly, all of the young peoplewere up out of their seats, shouting and crying.

Vingosat there astonished, looking at the oak. It was covered with yellowhandkerchiefs — 20 of them, 30 of them, maybehundreds, flying in the wind. As the young people shouted, Vingo slowly rosefrom his seat and made his way to the front of the bus to go home.

1.At the beginning of the story,the young boys and girls ______.

A.showed a great interest in Vingo     B. didn’t notice Vingo at all

C.wanted to offer help to Vingo        D. didn’t like Vingo at all

2.The underlined part “Howard Johnson’s”is most probably a(n) ______.

A.bus station  B. apartment      C. hospital   D.restaurant

3.How did Vingo feel on the wayhome?

A.Ashamed.     B. Relaxed.     C. Nervous.     D.Disappointed.

4.The paragraphs following thispassage would most probably talk about ______.

A.Vingo’s experience in prison

B.the young people’s travel to Fort Lauderdale

C.Vingo’s three lovely children

D.the dialogue between Vingo and his family

试题答案

【答案】

1.B

2.D

3.C

4.D

【解析】略