A
(2019·苏州模拟)One sunny afternoon in the autumn of the year 1861 a soldier lay in a clump of laurel (月桂树) by the side of a road in western Virginia. He lay at full length upon his stomach, his head upon the left forearm.His extended right hand loosely grasped his gun. But for the slight rhythmic movement of his back, he might have been thought to be dead. He was asleep at his post of duty. But if found, he would be dead shortly afterward, death being the just and legal penalty for his crime.
The sleeping soldier was a young Virginian named Carter Druse. He was the son of wealthy parents, an only child. His home was but a few miles from where he now lay. One morning he had risen from the breakfast table and said, quietly but gravely, “Father, the Union Army has arrived at Grafton, I am going to join it.”
The father lifted his head, looked at the son for a moment in silence, and replied, “Go, Carter, and whatever may occur, do what you consider to be your duty. Virginia, which you betray, must get on without you. Should we both live to the end of the war, we will speak further of the matter. Your mother, as the physician has informed you, is in a most critical condition; at best she cannot be with us longer than a few weeks, but that time is precious. It would be better not to disturb her.”
So Carter Druse, bowed to his father and left the home of his childhood. By conscience and courage, he was soon well received by his fellows and his officers; and it was to these qualities and to some knowledge of the country that he owed his selection for his present duty at the extreme post. Nevertheless, he fell asleep, exhausted. What good or bad angel came in a dream to awake him from his state of crime, who shall say? He quietly raised his forehead from his arm and looked between the laurels.
His first feeling was a keen artistic delight. On the cliff was a statue of impressive dignity. The figure of the man sat on the horse, straight and soldierly. The face of the rider, turned slightly away; he was looking downward to the bottom of the valley.
Broad awake and keenly alive now, Druse cautiously pushed the gun forward through the bushes and covered a vital spot of the horseman's breast. A touch upon the trigger (扳机) and all would have been well with Druse. At that instant the horseman turned and looked in his direction — seemed to look into his very face, into his eyes, into his brave heart.
Druse grew pale; he shook in every limb (肢) and turned faint. His hand fell away from his weapon, his head slowly dropped until his face rested on the leaves in which he lay.
The duty of the soldier was plain — the man must be shot dead. But no — there is a hope; he may have discovered nothing — perhaps he is but admiring the beauty of the landscape. Druse turned his head and looked through the deeps of air downward. He saw some foolish commander was permitting the soldiers to water their beasts in the open!
Druse withdrew his eyes from the valley and fixed them again upon the group of man and horse in the sky, and again it was through the sights of his gun. But this time his aim was at the horse. In his memory rang the words of his father, “Whatever may occur, do what you consider to be your duty.”
He fired.
Ten minutes had hardly passed when a Federal officer crept cautiously to him.
“Did you fire？” the officer whispered.
“Yes.”
“At what？”
“A horse. It was standing on the rock, pretty far out. You see it is no longer there. It went over the cliff.”
The man's face was white, but he showed no other sign of emotion. Having answered, he turned away his eyes and said no more. The officer did not understand.
“See here, Druse，” he said, after a moment's silence, “it's no use making a mystery. I order you to report. Was there anybody on the horse？”
“Yes.”
“Well？”
“My father.”
语篇解读：本文是一篇记叙文。文章讲述了富家子弟Carter Druse在父亲的同意下参加了联邦军队并忠于职守的故事。
1. What can we learn from the first paragraph?
A．The soldier was thought to be dead.
B．The soldier was watching attentively.
C．The soldier was punished for his crime.
D．The soldier was sleeping on his duty.
解析：选D 细节理解题。根据第一段中的“He was asleep at his post of duty.”可知，这位士兵值勤时睡着了，故选D。
2．What can be concluded from Paragraphs 2 and 3?
A．The father discouraged the son.
B．The son decided to fight for his belief.
C．Both the son and the father survived the war.
D．The mother was critical of her son's decision.
解析：选B 推理判断题。根据第二段中的“Father, the Union Army has arrived at Grafton, I am going to join it.”可知，儿子要参加联邦军队；再结合第三段中的“Go，Carter, and whatever may occur, do what you consider to be your duty.Virginia, which you betray, must get on without you.”可知，父亲鼓励儿子为信念而战斗。由此可以判断，儿子决定为自己的信念而战斗。故选B。
3．Why did Carter Druse fire in the end?
A．He did his duty.
B．He was coldblooded.
C．He recognized the horse rider.
D．He pulled the trigger accidentally.
解析：选A 细节理解题。根据第九段最后一句“In his memory rang the words of his father, ‘Whatever may occur, do what you consider to be your duty.’”可知，在他犹豫着是不是要扣动扳机时，他想起了父亲的话：无论发生什么事情，都要履行自己的职责。据此可知，儿子最终开枪的原因是完成他的职责。故选A。
4．The writer wrote this story mainly to show ________.
A．the greatness of the father
B．the inner thoughts of a soldier
C．the cruelty of the war
D．the bravery of a soldier
解析：选C 写作意图题。阅读全文可知，文章描写了战争中儿子在杀死父亲的这个过程中的痛苦与挣扎：儿子为尽士兵的职责不得不向父亲开枪，亲手杀死了自己的父亲。由此可知，作者想要通过这个故事告诉读者战争的残酷。故选C。
