After breakfast he said,“Boots.”The paper was spread(展开)for him over the back of an armchair.Yesterday's paper was put on the chair for his feet,and his boots were brought to him,freshly cleaned.He read standing at the same time putting on his boots.With one boot finished he said,“Bus.”At that point one of the girls went outside to the garden gate and waited there.Her job was to stop a bus when it came.It came early sometimes and it had to wait for my father.“Overcoat,hat.”One of my sisters had already brushed his overcoat.Now she held it open for him.Another girl came with his hat,nicely brushed.“Handkerchief,pipe(烟斗).”They were brought and put,with his tobacco(烟草),into his pocket.He looked out of the window and said either“Walking stick”or“Umbrella”.It was handed to him.Ready now,he was still reading the paper.He didn't put it down until he heard the shout“Bus coming！”Then he kissed my mother and went out.The girls breathed freely.

How lucky a man was to have a wife and five daughters at home!

【语篇解读】本文讲一个幸福的男人在早上由他的五个女儿和妻子服侍的故事。

6．When the father made the first knock,he meant.

A．he had begun to read the morning newspaper

B．he was made to feel sad by the“Deaths”news

C．he would start to read the other parts of the paper

D．his breakfast should begin

解析：细节理解题。根据第三段第二句“...then he knocked once on the table.One of my sisters brought his bread,already buttered for him”可知答案为D。

答案：D

7．What does“Edith”mean?

A．A kind of bread.B．One of the writer's sisters.

C．The writer.D．The writer's mother.

解析：推理判断题。根据第三段“I love you very much,Edith.I would love you more if you buttered my bread on both sides”可知Edith是他女儿的名字。

答案：B

8．All the daughters were quite busy in the morning because.

A．their father never helped them

B．their father always gave different instructions at the same time

C．each of them had to start and finish her job just on time

D．they were not clever or quick enough to do their jobs

解析：推理判断题。文中描写出了五个女儿早上的忙碌，他们的父亲总是不停地让她们做事，而且他的命令只限于几个单词，甚至动作，所以应该选择C。

答案：C

9．What was the father's favorite?

A．Reading newspapers.

B．Having bread buttered on both sides.

C．Giving instructions.

D．Being clean and tidy.

解析：推理判断题。根据第三段最后一句“He read the paper all through the breakfast”以及早饭以后直到上车还在看报纸可知他很喜欢看报纸，因此应该选择A。

答案：A

10．From the story we may see that.

A．the father was so lazy that he hardly did anything

B．the father was the“centre”of the family

C．every girl in the family was afraid to do wrong because they didn't know clearly enough what to do

D．the father was hated by all his daughters

解析：推理判断题。通读全文我们知道整个早上他家里所有的人都在为他服务，由此可以看出他的家是以他为中心的，因此应该选择B。

答案：B

B

I've loved my mother's desk since I was just tall enough to see above the top of it as Mother sat writing letters.Standing by her chair,looking at the ink bottle,pens and white paper,I decided that the act of writing must be the most wonderful thing in the world.

Years later,during her final illness,Mother kept different things for my sister and brother.“But the desk，”she said again,“is for Elizabeth.”

I never saw her angry,never saw her cry.I knew she loved me;she showed it in action.But as a young girl,I wanted heart－to－heart talks between mother and daughter.