阅读理解。
In Cardiff I was put to work in furniture department at one of the local stores. It was large, fairly out
of date, run , like its parent company in London, by a group of relatives. Being only a member of the
store for a short time, I was in a very fortunate position. The others, particularly the older members of the
store, were naturally asked to produce good sales figures. I was more of an observer. If I made a sale, I
was pleased, but if I didn't, I would not be blamed. I was really there to observe and learn, and as I had
no interest in making a position in the furniture business, I wasn't too diligent about that either.
One salesman in late middle age once expressed his insecurity by scolding me of trying to steal one of
his customers. Nothing could have been further from the truth, but he demanded that I go to the
stockroom with him to settle the matter. He was very small and thin, but to my surprise he started
dancing about among the carpets and closets working his arms wildly and calling on me to 'put them up'.
I couldn't put anything up-I was too busy rolling on a four-foot six-inch spring mattress (弹簧垫子) ,
helpless with laughter. Finally he saw the joke too, and we went off to the members' store for a
conciliatory (和解) cup of tea. Several days later, I finally left the store. Thank God!
1. The furniture department was run by _____.
A. the author's parents
B. the author's relatives
C. some members of a big family
D. the local government
2. The shop in Cardiff ______.
A. was big and very modern
B. was old but beautiful
C. didn't sell furniture only
D. was famous in London
3. The author was lucky because ________.
A. sales figures were not important for him
B. he was younger than the others
C. he produced good sales figures
D. his pay was higher
4. One salesman thought that ______ .
A. the author was more of an observer than a real member of the store
B. what the author had said was far from the truth
C. the author tried to get a person to buy the furniture dishonestly
D. the writer destroyed a four-foot six-inch spring mattress
