They never happened.And a gulf opened between us.I was“too emotional(易动感情的)”.But she lived“on the surface”．

As years passed and I had my own family.I loved my mother and thanked her for our happy family.I wrote to her in careful words and asked her to let me know in any way she chose that she did forgive me.

I posted the letter and waited for her answers.None came.

My hope turned to disappointment,then little interest and,finally,peace it seemed that nothing happened.I couldn't be sure that the letter had even got to Mother.I only knew that I had written it,and I could stop trying to make her into someone she was not.

Now the present of her desk told me,as she'd never been able to,that she was pleased that writing was my chosen work.I cleaned the desk carefully and found some papers inside—a photo of my father and a one－page letter,folded(折叠)and refolded many times.

Give me an answer,my letter asks,in any way you choose.Mother,you always chose the act that speaks louder than words.

【语篇解读】本文以妈妈的书桌为线索说明了妈妈对女儿的那种深沉的爱。

11．The writer began to love her Mother's desk．

A．after Mother died B．before she became a writer

C．when she was a child D．when Mother gave it to her

解析：细节理解题。当作者是个小孩时(刚有书桌高)，就喜欢她妈妈的desk。

答案：C

12．The passage shows that．

A．Mother was cold on the surface but kind in her heart to her daughter

B．Mother was too serious about everything her daughter had done

C．Mother cared much about her daughter in words

D．Mother wrote to her daughter in careful words.

解析：细节理解题。在文章中的三、四自然段中，从作者的字里行间我们可知：她妈妈外表冷淡，内心却充满了对女儿的爱。

答案：A

13．What does the underlined word“gulf”mean?

A．deep understanding between the old and the young.

B．different ideas between the mother and the daughter.

C．free talks between mother and daughter.

D．part of the sea going far in land.

解析：词义推断题。妈妈的爱只表现在行动上，而作者则想要那种heart－to－heart talks between mother and daughter所以她们之间就产生了gulf(隔阂)。由此可知gulf在这里是指妈妈和女儿之间的不同的想法。故选B。

答案：B

14．What did Mother do with her daughter's letter asking for forgiveness?

A．She had never received the letter.

B．For years,she often talked about the letter.

C．She didn't forgive her daughter at all in all her life.

D．She read the letter again and again till she died.

解析：细节理解题。从文章倒数第二段最后一句话“...a one－page letter,folded and refolded many times”可知妈妈把作者的信读了一遍又一遍。

答案：D

15．What's the best title of the passage?

A．My letter to mother B．Mother and children

C．My mother's desk D．Talks between mother and me

解析：主旨大意题。这个故事是以妈妈的书桌为线索引出的妈妈对作者的那种深沉的爱，所以选C项最佳。

答案：C

C

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