A
Many years ago, when I was a man in my twenties, I worked as a salesman for a piano company.
We __1__ our pianos all over the state by advertising in small town __2__. Every time we advertise, we would receive a reply on a postcard which said, “Please __3__ me a new piano for my little granddaughter. It __4__ be red mahogany (红木). I can pay $10 a month with my egg money.” Of course, we could not sell a(n) __5__ piano for $10 a month. __6__ her cards kept on coming.
A couple of years later, I __7__ my own piano company, and when I __8__ in that area, the postcards started coming to me. For months, I ignored (不理睬) __9__—what else could I do?
But then, one day I __10__ to be in the area. I had a red mahogany piano on my little truck. Despite knowing that I was about to __11__ a terrible business decision, I managed to find the old woman and took the new piano in her house and placed it __12__ I thought the roof would be least likely to rain on it. I told her and a little barefoot girl to try to __13__ the chickens off it, and I felt sure I had just __14__ a new piano.
But the __15__ came in, all 52 of them as agreed, sometimes with coins. It was unbelievable!
Then one day I was in Memphis on __16__ business. As I was sitting at the bar having a drink, I heard the most beautiful piano music behind me. I looked __17__， and there was a lovely young woman __18__ a very nice ground piano.
She smiled at me, asked for requests, and when she took a __19__ she sat down at my table.
“Aren't you the man who sold my grandma a piano a long time ago？”
I suddenly remembered. My Lord, it was her! It was the little barefoot girl!
I did have to go to my room because men don't like to be __20__ crying in public.
1．A.made B．sold
C．fixed D．delivered
答案：B 从下文看，作者是卖钢琴。
2．A.books B．villages
C．shops D．newspapers
答案：D 在报纸上做广告，由上文by advertising得出。
3．A.bring B．lend
C．take D．give
答案：A 公司送货上门，所以老太太要求把钢琴带来。
4．A.should B．may
C．must D．can
答案：C 老太太语气坚定，要求钢琴必须是红木的。由上文得知。
5．A.old B．new
C．secondhand D．good
答案：B 作者认为不能这样买一架新钢琴。由下文得知。
6．A.And B．So
C．Therefore D．But
答案：D 与上文公司拒绝卖形成转折。老太太的订货卡片不断寄来。
7．A.owned B．moved
C．bought D．earned
答案：A 从上下文看，作者拥有了自己的卖钢琴的公司。
8．A.worked B．progressed
C．advertised D．succeeded
答案：C 从上文看是作者为自己的公司做广告。
9．A.it B．them
C．this D．that
答案：B 此处考查指代，them代替postcards。
10．A.wanted B．decided
C．started D．happened
答案：D 此处指作者碰巧来到老太太居住的地区。
11．A.make B．get
C．do D．send
答案：A make与下文的decision搭配，“做决定”，作者认为这是笔糟糕的买卖。
12．A.when B．there
C．where D．that
答案：C where此处引导地点状语从句，作者认为屋顶是最不可能漏雨的地方。
13．A.remain B．keep
C．leave D．stay
答案：B keep与下文off连用，作者嘱咐不要让鸡到钢琴上来。
14．A.given away B．put away
C．done away D．thrown away
答案：D throw away“扔掉”，作者看到老太太的贫穷境地，认为肯定收不回钱来，等于扔掉了一架新钢琴。
15．A.payments B．money
C．possessions D．counts
答案：A payments指“付款；支付”，老太太很讲信用，按约定的次数付款。52次付清。
16．A.busy B．fine
C．other D．large
答案：C 作者到这个地方是为了别的生意。由常识得出。
17．A.up B．around
C．forward D．on
答案：B look around“转回头看；到处寻找”，因为音乐从背后传来，所以作者要转身。
18．A.having B．performing
C．enjoying D．playing
答案：D 在咖啡厅，自然是弹奏钢琴。
19．A.break B．bread
C．menu D．list
答案：A break此处意思是“暂停；休息”，休息期间，姑娘与作者攀谈。
20．A.struck B．heard
C．seen D．laughed at
答案：C 此时作者感动地要哭，赶紧回到自己的房间，因为男子汉不愿意当众被人看到哭泣。
