My wife Julie and I were out on the road that runs around where we live, when we saw an old worn-out dog stumbling (蹣跚) painfully up the road. We stopped, bent down, talked gently to the dog and patted it. I checked and there was a collar with a phone number. I called but no one answered.

　　The dog was painfully thin. So Julie ran home to get some of our dog’s food while I tried to encourage the dog. After Julie came back, we sat down on the sidewalk while our new friend made short work of the food. Eventually we got her home.

　　After trying for many times we got a response from the number. A lady came around with a bunch of flowers for us. She explained that Tara had been her father’s dog. She was very old and got lost that morning. So, Tara was safely returned home.

　　Here is the truth of the story:

　　Actually Julie and I were out that morning because I was leaving. She was trying to persuade me to come back, but I wasn’t hearing anything that made that sound likely.

　　I was about to turn and go when an old black dog walked between us and almost fell down. Suddenly we had something more important than our problem to worry about. There was a creature in need right before us and we had to work together to help it.

　　We did help it. And here I am writing the story in my own home, in my own family.

　　In the song “Love Is Not a Fight” Warren Barfield talks about marriage. At one point he sings, “And if we try to leave, may God send angels (天使) to guard the door.”

　　Sometimes angels come disguised (偽裝) as dogs.

　　60. How was the dog when found?

　　A. Too weak to walk. B. Thin and worn out. C. Unable to eat food. D. Homeless but gentle.

　　61. We can infer from Paragraph 2 that .

　　A. the dog didn’t go with the writer B. the writer had his own pet dog

　　C. Julie bought some food for the dog D. the dog didn’t eat any of the food

　　62. The underlined part “our problem” in the passage refers to the fact that .

　　A. the writer didn’t want to take Julie’s advice

　　B. an old black dog appeared in front of them

　　C. Julie disagreed with the writer’s travel on business

　　D. the couple had some trouble with their marriage

　　63. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

　　A. An Angel Dog B. A Helpful Couple C. Saving the Dog D. A Famous Song

　　【參考答案】60—63 BBDA

　　高考英語閱讀模擬練習2：

　　My daughter was singing as she polished the furniture. I hadn’t asked her to polish the furniture. I never do. But while her brothers are happiest with the computer or a football or a model car, her idea of delight is a can of Spring Fresh and a duster. While the boys have to be scolded, temped or tricked into doing their share of house chores, she’s up on a chair with the washing-up liquid as if her life depended on it. Where have I gone wrong?

　　Being a bit of tomboy myself, and not too hot on the household skills, I used to argue till I was blue in the face that the differences between men and women were all about upbringing and expectations. Nobody could have approached motherhood with a courageous determination that all children would be treated the same, not channeled along some predetermined path. Boys would be offered soft toys, while girls would play cars and trains. I would bring up the New Men and female engineers of the future.

　　Ten years ago, as I gazed at my first-born, I fantasized about the gentle soul he would be. No guns or violence for this little peachblossom. The fantasy continued until he was about two, when he proudly presented me with his first model--a gun. Later on, at playgroup, he and his pals daily attacked each other. And what about my daughter? She plays all the boys’ game because she has to. But her heart is not really in it. She would much rather be drawing or writing or cleaning the bathroom while waves of boys roar around her.

　　I finally faced the fact that boys and girls are simply born different on the day, a few years ago, when I was hanging out the washing and gave her and the next brother up a couple of clothes pegs(曬衣夾)to play with. He shot me with his. She supported it in her arms and sang it a lullaby(催眠曲).

　　But I won’t give up. I’ll continue to try and treat them equally and expect the same of them. And by the time they’re all in their teens, I imagine they’ll all be equally impossible to get to do anything. But right now nature is wearing down nurture (訓練). Equality is hard work.

　　67. From the text we can know that the boys ________.

　　A. are happy to do the chores B. like guns by nature

　　C. never do housework D. often play with soft toys

　　68. How does the little girl respond to the boys’ games?

　　A. She’s keen on it. B. She plays with them unwillingly.

　　C. She cares much about it. D. She only concentrates on her own business.

　　69. What can we learn about the author?

　　A. She’s approval of the children’s behavior.

　　B. She’s very strict with her children.

　　C. She accepts the situation as an unchanged fact.

　　D. She has to make a compromise.

　　70. What does the author want to tell us?

　　A. Boys and girls can be trained to do things equally.

　　B. Girls have to work hard to catch up with boys.

　　C. It is impossible for boys and girls to be equal.

　　D. Boys shouldn’t treat girls so violently and impolitely.

　　【參考答案】67—70、BBDA