I believe in attachment to a place. I believe that watermarks fade, tears dry, and lives mend.
A year after the flood, the nation is remembering Hurricane Katrina. When I left New Orleans, I found myself, like thousands of displaced(转移的) residents, living on the generosity of others. People opened their homes to me. In some ways, life was easier. I almost forgot how tough it was to live in New Orleans. In Chicago, I was offered jobs that paid three times more than anything I could make in New Orleans. I thought about moving: Seattle, Anchorage, New York, Key West, Tucson. But looking at a map, I already knew that my home is New Orleans...still.
I moved back into an uptown apartment, on the third floor this time. Life in New Orleans is not as comfortable as that in other places like Chicago. I work for the Louisiana Family Recovery Corps, and the mental health scene is not good. Depression has been on the rise since Katrina. I can feel the pulse(脉搏) still there. We live the best we can.
I believe the soul of this place cannot be easily destroyed by wind and rain. I believe the music here will live and people will continue to dance. I believe in “Darling” and “Baby”. My family asked me why I wanted to return to New Orleans. “Why do you want to live in a place where garbage is piled up, and rents have doubled, and there are no jobs? Is it safe? Is it healthy？” I don’t have an answer to satisfy them; I can’t really even give myself an answer. I could move anywhere, but I believe in this place. I believe I belong here.
【解题导语】 本文是一篇夹叙夹议文。飓风之后，作者被迫离乡，在其他地方过了一段舒适的生活后，最终还是毅然返回了自己重建中的故乡。
1．What does the underlined word “attachment” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?
A．Love and loyalty.
B．Family and career.
C．Customs and cultures.
D．People and surroundings.
A 解析：词义猜测题。根据全文的大意可推断，这里的attachment指的是作者对自己故乡的归属感，是一种“爱与忠诚”。
2．After leaving New Orleans, the author ________．
A．developed a healthy habit
B．earned a large sum of money
C．received great help from others
D．studied the geography of the city
C 解析：细节理解题。根据文章第二段中When I left New Orleans...living on the generosity of others. People opened their homes to me.可知，作者得到了他人的帮助。
3．What can we learn from the passage?
A．The author’s present job is easy and relaxing.
B．The author’s hometown is in a tough situation.
C．The author’s relatives and friends have moved away.
D．The author’s family supported his decision to return.
B 解析：细节理解题。根据文章中第三段的Life in New Orleans is not as comfortable...和最后一段中的提问内容可知，作者的故乡新奥尔良的状况并不好。
4．Which of the following may best describe the author’s opinion ？
A．No pains, no gains.
B．East and west, home is the best.
C．A friend in need is a friend indeed.
D．Where there is a will, there is a way.
B 解析：推理判断题。根据全文内容，尤其是最后一段中的几个I believe...可知，作者对自己的家乡有着深厚感情，故可推断出答案。
