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I was heading to my writing group with a book to read on the journey. Because it was an old book I didn’t want to “dog-ear” the pages, I searched in my pockets for something to use as a bookmark. I placed a ten pound note between the pages.

Sitting on the bus I took the book out and was about to read but a young woman behind me who was speaking on her cellphone drew my attention. She was talking to her brother. She wanted to know where he was, why he wasn’t where he was supposed to be, why he had lied to their mother again and whether he knew that their mum had broken down in tears that morning because of him.

She kept it quiet but she didn’t pull any punches with him. She let him know exactly what she thought of him but I could tell there was love under all the disappointment. She tried so hard to get this young man to come to see his mother, but I got the impression she was fighting a losing battle.

When she left the bus, I got off behind her and drew out the note in the book. “Excuse me,” I said. “Do me a favor, would you? Take this money and buy your mum a box of chocolates or a bunch of flowers. And tell her a strange man said that being a mother is the hardest but most important job in the world.”

Then I turned around and walked on, wondering if in some way I was saying a thank-you to my own mum. But I hoped I had raised a smile on the face of a mother suffering for her child.

1.Why did the writer put a note in the book?

A Because he wanted to buy a new book.

B Because he wanted to use it as a bookmark.

C Because he wanted to buy a box of chocolates.

D Because he wanted to buy a bunch of flowers.

解析：选B。细节理解题。根据第一段第二句Because it was an old book I didn’t want to “dog-ear” the pages, I searched in my pockets for something to use as a bookmark.可知作者把钱夹在书中是因为书是旧书，比较珍贵，因此想用钱当书签，故选B。

2.What was the woman doing?

A She was talking on the phone.

B She was shouting at her brother.

C She was comforting her mother.

D She was asking her brother for money.

解析：选A。细节理解题。根据第二段第一句Sitting on the bus I took the book out and was about to read but a young woman behind me who was speaking on her cell phone drew my attention.可知女子正在打电话，故选A。

3.What can we learn from the third paragraph?

A The woman’s brother is poor and cold-blooded.

B The woman’s brother is shamed of seeing her.

C The woman’s brother won’t go and see his mother.

D The woman and her mother are both disappointed.

解析：选C。推理判断题。根据第三段最后一句She tried so hard to get this young man to come to see his mother, but I got the impression she was fighting a losing battle.可知女子很努力地想要说服弟弟去看望母亲，但是作者得到的印象是可能她会输掉这场战争，由此可推断女子的努力会白费，弟弟不会去看望母亲，故选C。

4.What does the underlined word “bunch” mean in Chinese?

A 支.

B 束.

C 朵.

D 群.

解析：选B。词义猜测题。根据后面的flowers可知应该不止一朵花，可以买的花应该是以束计算，因此bunch的意思是“束”，故选B。

5.Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A The woman told the writer her problem on the bus.

B The mother’s car broke down on her way.

C The woman’s mother smiled at the note.

D The writer wanted to say thank-you to his mother.

解析：选D。推理判断题。根据最后一段第一句Then I turned around and walked on, wondering if in some way I was saying a thank-you to my own mum.可知作者为别人的妈妈做一些事情的时候其实也是想对自己的妈妈说一声谢谢，故选D。