During lunch all my friends were talking about their families' plans for winter break, and I was a little jealous since my parents couldn't take a vacation during Christmas week.
I came home from school that day to find a newsletter from the Jewish Community Center, which contained an ad for an “alternative vacation” communityservice trip to New Orleans during Christmas week. I wondered whether cleaning neighborhoods destroyed by Hurricane Katrina and sleeping on the floor in a sleeping bag were really the way I wanted to spend Christmas vacation. I sent in an application anyway, went for an interview, and was actually very excited when I was accepted into the program.
We arrived in New Orleans on December 23. First, we had dinner at a pizza place that had been destroyed by the hurricane. The owners told us about what they had gone through to rebuild their homes.
On Christmas Eve, we spent the day removing garbage as part of a beautification project in the Lower Ninth Ward, which was most heavily damaged by Hurricane Katrina.
On Christmas Day, we worked at a center for homeless people. The people really appreciated our work, and we felt like we had made Christmas a little more special for them. My favorite project was helping at an animal rescue center. We walked the animals, cleaned their places, and fed them. Six thousand dogs and cats, separated from their owners, were rescued by that shelter after the hurricane.
When I returned to New York and told my friends about my trip, I realized how ridiculous I had been to be jealous of their Christmas plans. I looked around at my house, my dog, my family and everything I owned and felt really spoiled. All the things I saw in New Orleans, all the amazing people I met and the small ways l was able to contribute to the rebuilding of the city made that week the most memorable vacation I can imagine.
本文是一篇故事，讲述的是作者去飓风灾区过了一个不同寻常的圣诞节假期的故事。
1．What was the author's first reaction to the communityservice trip?
A．He felt upset. B．He was excited.
C．He felt hopeful. D．He was doubtful.
答案：D
解析：推理判断题。根据第二段中的I wondered whether cleaning neighborhoods destroyed by Hurricane Katrina and sleeping on the floor in a sleeping bag were really the way I wanted to spend Christmas vacation.可知，作者看到社区服务之旅时，不知道旅游活动和条件是不是自己真正想要的假期。作者是怀疑的态度，故选D。
2．Which did the author like most?
A．Removing garbage.
B．Helping the homeless.
C．Working with animals.
D．Dining with survivors.
答案：C
解析：细节理解题。根据第五段My favorite project was helping at an animal rescue center. We walked the animals, cleaned their places, and fed them.可知，作者最喜欢的工作是在动物救助中心工作，照顾动物。故选C。
3．What can be the best title for the text?
A．The Most Memorable Day
B．My Special Christmas Vacation
C．PostDisaster Reconstruction
D．A Big Contribution to Society
答案：B
解析：标题判断题。本文主要讲述的是作者去飓风灾区过圣诞节假期的故事，这是一个不同寻常的假期。My Special Christmas Vacation概括了全文内容，适合作为标题。故选B。
