Section III
Maintaining a Sharp Eye

Passage II :   Read and Judge

Are the following statements true or false according to the passage? Write T/F accordingly.

1.  The author of the passage used to be an overseas student in America. （    ）
2.    Unlike most other people, the author had a miserable Christmas.  （    ）
3.    The author tried his best not to be overwhelmed by his loneliness. （    ） 
4.    The Christmas of 1989 was an unforgettable event for the author. （    ）
5.     The author didn’t look forward to the holiday since he didn’t have much money to enjoy it. （    ）
6.    His check was probably delayed because of the crush of holiday mail. （    ）
7.    Maria was a secretary at the university while the author studied there. （    ）
8.    There was only enough room for five seats at the table in Maria’s home. （    ）  
9.    Maria’s father did not talk because he couldn’t speak English. （    ） 
10.   The author appreciated the tie-clasp because it conveyed the kindness of Maria’s family.  （    ）

Key:
1. T  2. F   3. T   4. T   5. T   6. T   7. F   8. T   9. F    10. T

Passage II :   Read and Rewrite

Rewrite part of the story about the author's visit to Maria's family (Para. 4 & 5) in the third person.

Maria's family was not rich. They lived in a modest small house. Maria introduced me to her parents, her aunt and her sister, who welcomed me warmly. Maria's father could only speak Spanish, so he talked to me while Maria's sister acting as interpreter. The kind look in his eyes and his relaxed behavior made me feel right at home.
The dinner was very elaborate. Each dish had a special feature, sauce and blend of seasonings. Maria's aunt ate while standing at a corner of the small, old table. I felt a little uncomfortable, knowing that I was occupying her place, but her gesture expressed the sincere hospitality with which Maria's whole family received me. After dinner, Maria chose a small package from under the Christmas tree and handed it to me. Inside I found the tie-clasp I still use to this day.

Key:

 

Maria's family was not rich. They lived in a modest small house. Maria introduced the author to her parents, her aunt and her sister, who welcomed him warmly. Maria's father could only speak Spanish, so he talked to him while Maria's sister acting as interpreter. The kind look in his eyes and his relaxed behavior made the author feel right at home.
The dinner was very rich. Each dish had a special feature, sauce and blend of seasonings. Maria's aunt ate while standing at a corner of the small, old table. The author felt a little uncomfortable, knowing that he was occupying her place, but her gesture expressed the sincere hospitality with which Maria's whole family received him. After dinner, Maria chose a small package from under the Christmas tree and handed it to the author. Inside he found the tie-clasp, which he still uses to this day.

 

Passage II :   Read and Translate

Translate the following sentences into Chinese.

1. Rather than lock myself in my loneliness, I have tried each Christmas to learn a little more about the culture of the country and know more about my American friends.
2. A tie-clasp I still wear reminds me repeatedly of the Christmas of 1989, which was quite memorable for me.
3. Maria, a Mexican-American student, who worked as a temporary secretary in the department when others left for their holidays, must have seen me as I left the mailbox with disappointment showing on my face.
4. I felt a little uncomfortable, knowing that I was occupying her place, but this gesture conveyed told me the sincere hospitality with which I was treated by Maria’s whole family.
5. Looking at the tie-clasp, I knew I would always regard it as a memento of an unforgettable evening of good friendship during a hard and lonely period of my life.
Key: