阅读理解。
When my father was getting ready for work, our house was ruled by knocks and words. He used to come
downstairs to breakfast.
The morning paper lay beside his plate. He always read the'Deaths'first; and then he knocked once on the
table. One of my sisters brought his toast (烤面包片), already buttered for him. Usually he said nothing, but
once I heard him say, "I love you very much, Edith. I would love you more if you buttered my toast on both
sides." He read the paper all through breakfast.
Two knocks on the table meant 'I am ready for my tea'. If a single knock followed, that meant 'More toast,
please.' After breakfast he said, "Boots." The paper was spread (展开) for him over the back of an armchair.
Yesterday's paper was put on the chair for his feet, and his boots were brought to him, freshly cleaned. He
read standing, at the same time putting on his boots and tying the laces (鞋带). With one boot finished, he
said, "Bus."
At that point one of the girls went outside to the garden gate and waited there. Her job was to stop the bus
when it came. It came early sometimes, and it had to wait for my father. "Overcoat, hat." One of my sisters
had already brushed his overcoat. Now she held it open for him and guided his arms into it. Then she pulled
his jacket down under the coat. Another girl came with his hat, nicely brushed. "Handkerchief, pipe." They
were brought and put, with his tobacco, into his pockets. He looked out of the window and said either
'Walking stick' or 'Umbrella'. It was handed to him. Ready now, he was still reading the paper.
He did not put it down until he heard the shout "Bus coming!" Then he kissed my mother and went out.
The girls breathed freely.
How lucky a man is to have a wife and five daughters at home!
1. When the author's father wanted more toast, he would _____. [ ]
A. knock once on the table
B. knock twice on the table
C. say 'More toast, please'
D. say 'I'm ready for more toast'
2. What does "Edith" in paragraph 2 mean? [ ]
A. A kind of bread
B. One of the writer's sisters
C. The writer
D. The writer's mother
3. All the daughters were quite busy in the morning because _____. [ ]
A. their father never helped them
B. their father always gave different instructions at the same time
C. each of them had to start and finish her job just on time
D. they were not clever or quick enough to do their jobs
4. From the story we may see that _____. [ ]
A. the father was so lazy that he hardly did anything
B. the father was the"center" of the family
C. every girl in the family was afraid to do wrong because they didn't know clearly enough what to do
D. the father was hated by all his daughters
