Love,joy,and the warm feeling of pulling together to get through tough times don\’t cost a thing.But gifts do cost money.So,what\’s a poor family to do?
When Christmas season rolled around,I told my mother that the only .thing I wanted was a pogo stick.However,my mother told me they were too expensive and that we simply couldn\’t afford one.
On a Saturday afternoon a couple of weeks before Christmas,my mom and dad told me we needed to go to Sears to pay our credit card bill.While my mother and I were paying the bill,my dad said,"I\’ll be right back - I need to see something in the tool department"" A little later,my dad came back with a long box.I remember wondering at that moment if there was a pogo stick in that box.
When we got home,my dad put the box in the garage.While my parents were busy with their chores,I quietly walked out to the garage and found the box.I hoped a pogo stick would be inside -but when I opened it,there was just an old broom.And so it looked like Christmas morning would be disappointing.
But after all the wrapping paper was cleaned up,my dad said he needed to tend to something in the garage.When he came back in,he was carrying a beautiful pogo stick.I couldn\’t believe it!
My parents probably got quite a laugh from the trick they played on me.
Although we didn\’t have much money,my parents gave me the most important gift of all:lots of love.My dad worked hard to support our family and my mother knew how to stretch a dollar.That was over 60 years ago and I still think about those wonderful Christmas memories every year during the holiday season.My parents were the best and I will never forget all the joy they brought into my life.
| Word bank pogo stick弹簧单高跷 garage车库 wrapping包装 unconditional 无条件的 |
（1）Why did the author\’s mother refuse to give him a pogo stick? ______
A．They\’re dangerous for kids to play with.
B．They didn\’t have enough money to buy one.
C．She had already bought him another gift.
D．He already had too many pogo sticks.
（2）How did the author probably feel before he opened the box in the garage? ______
A．Amazed.
B．Disappointed.
C．Hopeful.
D．Doubtful.
（3）Which statement is true about the author\’s parents? ______
A．They like to make fool of others.
B．They didn\’t work very hard to live a rich life.
C．They borrowed a lot of money from the bank.
D．They love their children to the best of their ability.
（4）What does the author think the most valuable git he received from his parents was? ______
A．His pogo stick.
B．Their unconditional love.
C．The ability to get through tough times.
D．All the great memories of Christmas.
（5）What is the best title for the passage? ______
A．An Interesting Christmas.
B．Poor Life Made Us Happy.
C．A Christmas Story.
D．A Christmas Gift Full of Love.