（二）　　

Job and Dream

　　My father was foreman of s sugar-cane plantation in Rio piedras, puerto Rico. My first job was to drive the oxen that plowed the cane fields. I would walk behind an ox, guiding him with a broomstick. For $1 a day, I worked eight hours straight, with no food breaks.

　　It was very tedious work, but it prepared me for life and taught me many lasting lessons. Because the plantation owners were always watching us, I had to be on time every day and work as hard as I could. I’ve never been late for any job since. I also learned about being respectful and loyal to the people you work for. More important, I earned my pay; it never entered my mind to day I was sick just because I didn’t want to work.

　　I was only six years old, but I was doing a man’s job. our family needed every dollar we could make because my father never earned more than $18 a week. our home was a three-room wood shack with a dirt floor and no toilet. Nothing made me prouder than bringing home money to help my mother, father, two brothers and three sisters. This gave me self-esteem, one of the most important things a person can have.

　　When I was seven, I got work at a golf course near our house. My job was to stand down the fairway and spot the balls as they landed so the golfers could find them. Losing a ball meant you were fired, so I never miss one. Some nights I would lie in bed and dream of making thousands of dollars playing golf and being able to buy a bicycle.

　　The more I dreamed, the more I thought, why not? I made my first golf club out of guava limb and a piece of pipe. Then I hammered an empty tin can into the shape of a ball. And finally I dug two small holes in the ground and hit the ball back and forth. I practiced with the same devotion and intensity I learned working in the field – except now I was driving golf balls with club, not oxen with a broomstick.

　　1. What was the writer’s first job?

　　A. to stand down the fairway at a golf course.

　　B. To spot the balls as they landed so the golfers could find them.

　　C. To drive the oxen that plowed the cane fields.

　　D. To watch the sugar-cane plantation.

　　2. The word “tedious” in paragraph 2 most probably means ____.

　　A. hard

　　B. boring

　　C. interesting

　　D. long

　　3. What did the writer learn about from his first job?

　　A. He could work as hard as possible.

　　B. He could go to work on time.

　　C. He should never fail to go to work.

　　D. He should be respectful and loyal to the people he works for.

　　4. What gave the writer self-esteem?

　　A. Having a big family.

　　B. Bringing money back home to help the family.

　　C. Helping his father with the work.

　　D. All of the above.

　　5. What was the writer’s dream while working at a golf course?

　　A. Making a lot of money by playing golf.

　　B. Becoming a successful golfer.

　　C. Running a golf course near his house.

　　D. Both A & B.

　　内容提示与分析

　　本文作者回忆了自己年幼时的两次工作经历以及当时的梦想，这是一个交织着辛酸与幸福的故事，令人感到心灵的触动。全文分两个层次：第一层次讲述了作者的第一份工作---在农田里赶牛犁地。这份工作虽然单调劳累，却使作者为生活做好了准备，给他上了终身受用的一课。最重要的是，使他为自己那贫困的家庭赚了点钱，这给予了作者人生最宝贵的东西---自尊。第二层讲述了他的第二份工作---在高尔夫球场捡球。在努力工作中，作者梦想成为成功的高尔夫球手，能为自己买辆单车。怀着这样的梦想，年幼时的作者用自制的一个简易破烂的高尔夫球杆，以他在农田工作时学到的投入精神和热情进行着练习。

　　答案及分析：

　　1. C

　　分析：作者在第一段的第二句提到：My first job was to drive the oxen that plowed the cane fields.我的第一份工作便是赶着牛犁甘蔗地。很明显，C符合文章内容;A守候在高尔夫球场的球道上;B当球着地时辨认出来，以便高尔夫球手找到他们。在高尔夫球场的工作虽然作者也做过，但并不是作者的第一份工作，故答案为C。

　　2. B

　　分析：文章第二段开始提到：It was very tedious work, but I prepared me for life and taught me many lasting lessons.这份工作虽然很令人厌烦，但是使我对生活做好了准备，为我上了终身受益的一课.从but一词可以看出这句话明显带有转折的语气，显然tedious的语气与后面“我” 的收获相反，是否定的语气。上文提到，I would walk behind an ox, guiding him with a broomstick. For $1 a day, I worked eight hours straight, with no food breaks.我得在一头牛后面慢慢走，用一根帚柄引导它。一天一美元，我要一直工作8小时，没有用餐休息时间。这项工作劳动强度虽然不大，但是却是很单调乏味。A困难的，艰苦的;B 令人生厌的;C有趣的;D漫长的，故答案为B。

　　3. D

　　分析：文章第二段提到：I also learned about being respectful and loyal to the people you work for.我也学会了应该尊敬并忠实于你为之工作的人。A他应尽可能努力的工作;B他应该准时上班;C他绝不能上班缺勤;这些选项在文中也提到过，都是在种植园主的监视下作者的实际做法，但并不符合本题的意思。作者在文中提出，在这一份工作中实际学到的便是尊敬和忠实于雇主。故答案为D。

　　4. B

　　分析：文章第三段最后提到：Nothing made me prouder than bringing money home to help my mother, father, two brothers, and three sisters. This gave me self-esteem, one of the most important things a person can have.没有什么比拿钱回家帮助我的母亲，父亲，两个兄弟和三个姐妹更令我感到骄傲的了。这给我带来了自尊---一个人所能拥有的最重要的东西之一。很明显使作者感到自尊的是能赚钱帮助家人。A并非是作者感到自尊的原因;C也不甚准确;D前面提到的答案都对，这显然也不符合题目意思。故答案为B。

　　5. D

　　分析：文章第四段最后提到：Some nights I would lie in bed and dream of making thousands of dollars playing golf and being able to buy a bicycle.多少个夜晚我躺在床上，梦想着我通过打高尔夫球挣到成千上万的美元，能够买一辆自行车。C在他房子附近经营一个高尔夫球场，文章没提到;A打高尔夫球挣许多钱;B成为一个成功的高尔夫球手。A和B均符合文章的意思，故答案为D。