Aftergraduatingfromcollege,Iworkedasasalesmanforapianocompany.Weadvertisedourpianosinsmalltownnewspapersandthen,whenwehadreceivedmanyreplies,wewouldloadourlittletrucks,anddriveintotheareaandsellthepianostothosewhohadreplied.Everytimeweadvertised,wewouldreceiveareplyonapostcardwhichsaid,“Pleasebringmeanewpianoformylittlegranddaughter.Itmustberedmahogany(紅木).Icanpay$10amonthwithmyeggmoney.”O(jiān)fcourse,wecouldnotsellanewpianofor$10amonth.Nofinancecompanywouldcarryacontractwithpaymentsthatsmall,soweignoredherpostcards.Oneday,however,Ihappenedtobeinthatareacallingonotherreplies,andoutofcuriosityIdecidedtolooktheoldladyup.IfoundprettymuchwhatIexpected:Theoldladylivedinaone-roomcabininthemiddleofacottonfield.Thecabinhadadirtfloorandtherewerechickensinthehouse.Obviously,theoldladycouldnothavequalifiedtopurchaseanythingoncredit—nocar,nophone,norealjob,nothingbutaroofoverherheadandnotaverygoodoneatthat.Icouldseedaylightthroughitinseveralplaces.Herlittlegranddaughterwasabout10,barefootandwearingafeedsack(麻布袋)dress.Iexplainedtotheoldladythatwecouldnotsellanewpianofor$10amonthandthatsheshouldstopwritingtouseverytimeshesawourad.Idroveawayheartsick,butmyadvicehadnoeffect—shestillsentusthesamepostcardeverysixweeks.Alwayswantinganewpiano,redmahogany,please,andswearingshewouldnevermissa$10payment.Itwassad.Severalyearslater,Iownedmyownpianocompany,andwhenIadvertisedinthatarea,thepostcardsstartedcomingtome.Formonths,Iignoredthem—whatelsecouldIdo?【閱讀理解·訓練部分】1.Whatisthemainmessageofthepassage?A)Advertisingpianosisdifficultinsmalltowns.B)Theoldladywaspersistentinherdesireforapiano.C)Thesalesmancouldnotsellpianosfor$10amonth.D)Theoldlady'slivingconditionswerepoor.Answer:BExplanation:Thepassagefocusesontheoldlady'spersistenceinherdesireforapiano,despitethesalesman'sexplanationthatitwasnotpossible.2.Whydidthesalesmanignoretheoldlady'spostcards?A)Hedidnotthinkshewasseriousaboutbuyingapiano.B)Hedidnotwanttowastehistimevisitingher.C)Thefinancecompanywouldnotapproveherforcredit.D)Hecouldnotsellanewpianofor$10amonth.Answer:DExplanation:Thesalesmanignoredtheoldlady'spostcardsbecauseheknewhecouldnotsellanewpianofor$10amonth.3.Whydidtheoldladyliveinaone-roomcabin?A)Shedidnothaveenoughmoneytoliveinalargerhouse.B)Shepreferredthesimplelifeoflivinginacabin.C)Sheenjoyedlivinginthemiddleofacottonfield.D)Herlivingconditionswerepoorduetofinancialdifficulties.Answer:DExplanation:Thepassagestatesthattheoldladylivedinaone-roomcabininthemiddleofacottonfieldbecauseshecouldnotqualifytopurchaseanythingoncreditandhadnothingbutaroofoverherhead.4.Whatdidthesalesmanfindwhenhevisitedtheoldlady?A)Theoldladyhadajobandacar.B)Theoldladylivedinamansion.C)Theoldlady'slivingconditionswerepoor.D)Theoldladydidnotwantapianoanymore.Answer:CExplanation:Thesalesmanfoundthattheoldladylivedinaone-roomcabininthemiddleofacottonfieldwithpoorlivingconditions.5.Whatdidtheoldladywantinapiano?A)Ithadtobemadeofredmahogany.B)Ithadtobenew.C)Ithadtobesmallenoughtofitinhercabin.D)Ithadtobeaffordable.Answer:AExplanation:Theoldlady'spostcardsalwaysrequestedanewpianomadeofredmahogany.6.Whydidtheoldladysendpostcardseverysixweeks?A)Shewantedtoannoythesalesman.B)Shewantedanewpiano.C)Shewantedtokeepintouchwiththesalesman.D)Shewantedtonegotiateabetterdeal.Answer:BExplanation:Theoldladysentpostcardseverysixweeksbecauseshewantedanewpiano,despitethesalesman'sexplanationthatitwasnotpossibletosellonefor$10amonth.7.Whatdidthesalesmandowhenhereceivedtheoldlady'spostcardsagainyearslater?A)Hevisitedtheoldladyandsoldherapiano.B)Heignoredthepostcards.C)Hecalledtheoldladytodiscussherrequest.D)Hewrotebacktotheoldladyexplainingthesituation.Answer:BExplanation:Thepassagestatesthatthesalesmanignoredthepostcardswhenhereceivedthemyearslater.8.Whatisthetoneofthepassage?A)HumorousB)SympatheticC)CriticalD)SarcasticAnswer:BExplanation:Thepassagehasasympathetictonetowardstheoldladyandherpersistenceinwantinganewpianodespiteherdifficultlivingconditions.

【問答題：難度較高】Whydidthesalesmanignoretheoldlady'spostcardsaskingforanewredmahoganypiano?Answer:Thesalesmanignoredtheoldlady'spostcardsaskingforanewredmahoganypianobecausethepaymentssheofferedwereonly$10amonth,whichwastoosmallforanyfinancecompanytocarryacontracton.2.Whatdidthesalesmanfindwhenhelookeduptheoldladywhokeptsendingpostcardsaskingforanewpiano?Answer:Whenthesalesmanlookeduptheoldladywhokeptsendingpostcardsaskingforanewpiano,hefoundthatshelivedinaone-roomcabininthemiddleofacottonfield,withadirtfloorandchickensinside.Shehadnocar,nophone,andnorealjob,andonlyhadaroofoverherhead.3.Whydidtheoldladykeepsendingpostcardsaskingforanewpiano,eventhoughsheknewthesalesmancouldnotsellonetoherfor$10amonth?Answer:Theoldladykeptsendingpostcardsaskingforanewpiano,eventhoughsheknewthesalesmancouldnotsellonetoherfor$10amonth,becauseshereallywantedoneforherlittlegranddaughterandwasdeterminedtomakethepayments,eveniftheyweresmall.4.Whatwasthesalesman'sreactionwhenhestartedreceivingpostcardsfromtheoldladyagainseveralyearslater?Answer:Whenthesalesmanstartedreceivingpostcardsfromtheoldladyagainseveralyearslater,heignoredthemformonthsbecausehedidnotknowwhatelsehecoulddo.5.Whatlessoncanbelearnedfromthestoryoftheoldladywhokeptsendingpostcardsaskingforanewpiano?Answer:Thestoryoftheoldladywhokeptsendingpostcardsaskingforanewpianoteachesusthatpeoplecanhavestrongdesiresanddreams,eveniftheyseemimpossibletoachieve.Italsoshowstheimportanceofempathyandunders