大學英語閱讀材料

ReadthetwopassagesanddotheTrueandFalseexercises.PaasageI

SilverLining

JuliaCartwrightuncrossedherlegsandsetherteacuponthebreakfasttable.Lifedidn’talwaysturnoutthewayshewanteditto.Drawinghersheerhousedressaroundhershoulders,shestoodandstrolledtothebaywindowthatoverlookedthetrainstationandGreta’sbakery.Theglowfromthestreet’slightpostsdimmedasdawngavewaytothemorning.Passengersmilledabout,someclingingtoloveones,whileothersstoodinlineforatasteofGreta'sscrumptiouspastries.Ifnothingelse,shewouldmisstheendearingscenebelow.Loweringhereyes,wetlashesrestedagainsthercheeks.SomanywonderfulmemoriesnowtaintedbythestabbingdeathofMrs.Monroe.

Ashudderracedthroughherassheturnedfromthewindowandsurveyedthecardboardboxeslinedalongthebrickwall.Consideringherneighborshorrificfatetwonightsbefore,herunemploymentandmovetoasmallerplapaledincomparison.Whatweighedmostonhermindwasdoingsomethingfortheoldwoman'sfamily,evenifitwasjusttositandcomfortthem.Maybeshecouldpurchasesomethingfromthebakeryandtakeittothefamilythisafternoon.Yes,that'swhatshewoulddo.

Excuseme,Julia.Doyouhaveamoment?

Thebaritonevoicebroughtheroutofherreverie.JulialookeduptoseethedetectiveassignedtoMrs.Monroe’scaseinthedoorway,“Sure,comein.”Whenhisdarkgazemoveddownherchiffon,silkgown,herstomachfluttered,asitdidwheneverhewasnear.Instinctively,shedrewthesatinsashtighter.

Heclearedhisthroat,“Yoursisterletmein,butIcanalwayscomebacklater.”

Julia’swarmcheeksmatchedhertintedhair,“No,pleasemakeyourselfcomfortablewhileIchange.”Shehurriedfromtheroom.Hersisterhadstayedovertohelpwithhermove,andsheplannedtostrangleherassoonasheleft.Howdaresheallowhimtocomebackwhileshewasindecent?Havingmetthedetectiveontwopreviousoccasions,shecouldn'tdenyherattractiontohim.Hisjetblackhairandinquisitiveeyeslefthernearlybreathless.Fanningherself,shebrowsedthroughherclosetseveralminutesbeforedecidingonasoft,bluecottondress.Shechangedandreturnedtothesunroom.

“CanIgetyoucoffeeortea,detective?”Julieasked,notmissinghisappreciativeglimpseatherdress.

“No,I'mgood.PleasecallmeWill.”

Shesatinachairacrossfromhim,noticingforthefirsttimethedryrosewhichfellfromherfireplacemantel,nowlayinthecenterofthetatbtlevasagiftshe'dboughtherselflastValentine'sDay,Shechosetoignoreit,“Okay,Will,howcanIhelpyou?”

Withpenandpadbeforehim,hisexpressionturnedserious,“Iwantedtogooverthisagain.Yousaidyouheardascreamattwoo‘clock,Tuesdaymorning.Isthatcorrect?”

“Yes,that’scorrect.”Withhisheadinclined,hescribblednotes.Hergazefollowedthemovementofhisstronghand.

“Howcanyoubesureofthetime?”

“Myfavoritetelevisionshowcameonwhenthescreamrangout.”

Hecastacuriousglanceinherdirection,“Andwhatshowisthis?”

Howembarrassing.Attwenty-five,shenotonlyboughtherselfrosesbutcarriedonaromancewiththetelevision,“TheDatingGame.”

Hisfulllipstiltedatthecorners.Afterafewunspokenmoments,hecontinued,“Iknowyoucalledthepolice.Whatdidyoudoafterthat?”

“JustasI’vetoldyouontwootheroccasions,Irantothewindow,andthat‘swhenIsawtheguyonthefireescape.”

“Youwereadamantabouthimbeingablackmale.Howcanyoubesurewhenit’snight?”

Shewrappedherslenderfingersaroundtheteacupshe'dleftonthetableearlier.Liftingittoherlips,shesippedthelukewarmliquidandsetthecupbackonthesaucer,“Theareawaswell-lit,andhewasn’twearingafacemask.You’veaskedmemostofthesequestionsbefore.AreyouhopingI’llchangemystory?”

Heclosedthenotepadandfoldedhishandsonthetable,drawingherattentiontohiswell-definedforearms.

“You’retheonlywitnesswhohascomeforward,soI’mtryingtogetasmuchinformationaspossible.”Hesmiled,showingeven,whiteteeth.

Warmthsweptthroughherlowerabdomen.Whatwasitabouthimthataffectedherthisway?Lookingaway,shesippedhertea.

“Julia.”

Thesoundslidoverherskinlikeoil.Shelookedupintohismidnighteyes,“Yes?”

Asighresonatedthroughouttheroomasheleanedbackagainstthechair,“IhavetobehonestaboutwhyI‘mreallyhere.Irememberedthatyourmoverswerecomingtoday,andIwantedtoseeyoubeforeyouleft.Iwouldliketostayintouch.”

Tryingtosteadyherhandssohewouldn’thearthecupclinkingagainstthesaucer,shelethimcontinue.

“Iwouldliketotakeyouout.Isthatpossible?”

Won'tthiscompromisethecase?

“Absolutelynot.You’renotasuspect.”Hisgazestillheldhers,“MaybeI’mmovingtoofast,butI’mtotallytakenbyyou.”

Sincefaintingwasnotanoption,Juliatookamuchneededbreath,“Iwouldlikeverymuchtoseeyouagain.”

“Istheofferstillgoodforacupofcoffee?”Willasked.

“Yes,I’llberightback.”Shestoodandturnedtoleave.

“Beforeyougo.Isthereastorybehindthisrose?”Hetwirleditbetweenhisfingers.

“Notoneyou'regoingtohearfromme,detective.”

Juliacouldhearhislaughterbehindherasshewentintothekitchen.Closinghereyes,shewrappedherarmsaroundherwaist.Althoughshe'dlosthersweetneighborandjob,betterdayswereahead.Fromnowon,shewouldfocusonthepositiveandlookforthesilverlining.

Passage1

JuliaCartrightwasmoreconcernedaboutherunemploymentandmovetoasmallerplacethanherneighbor’sdeath.

Juliaseemedtobesweptoffherfeetbythedetectiveassignedtoherneighbor'scasethoughshehadgothervalentine.

JuliafeltembarrassedtorevealhersecretloveofadatingprogramonTV.

ThedetectivecametoquestionJuliaforthethirdtimebecauseshemighthavecommittedthemurderofherneighbor.

Withthedetective’soffertoaskJuliaout,shewillfocusmoreonthepositivesideoflifeandbemoreoptimisticinthefuture.

PaasageII

HomeIsWheretheHeartIs

“I’llseeyouThursdaynight,Jess,”JackMaguiresaidtohiswife.Hewipedasmudgeofbabyfoodfromhercheekbeforepressinghislipstohers.

ItwastheirusualSundaynightroutine.Sayinggoodbye.

Theiryoungest,babyElla,bouncedinhermother’sarmsuntilherdadleanedoverandplantedaraspberryonhercheekelicitingsquealsofdelight.

Jessica’slipscurleddespitetheheavinessinherheart.

Asapharmaceuticalsalesperson,travelwasapartofJack‘sjobdescriptionthatshe’dgrowntoaccept.Butitdidn’tmakesayinggoodbyeanyeasier.

Aftersmotheringtheirothertwokidsinhugsandkisses,Jackhoppedintothewaitinghiredcarwithawaveandasmile.Jessica’sstomachclenchedasshethoughtabouthowexcitinghislifeontheroadmustbe—businessmeetingswithdoctors,dinneratnewrestaurantseveryevening,nightsspentinluxurioushotels.

Aftertheiroldest,Connor,wasborn,Jessicamadethedecisiontoquitherjobasanurseandstayhomefulltime.Nowwiththreekidsunderfive,shestilllovedeverymomentofhertimeathome.Butthatwasher.WhenevershesaidgoodbyetoJackshecouldn’thelpwonderingifhefoundtheirhomelifedullcomparedtohistravels.

Didhelookforwardtogettingbackontheroad?

Jessicafeltatugonherpantlegpullingherbackfromherworries.

“CanIhaveadrink?”askedthreeyearoldZo.

“Ofcourse,Sweetie,nJessicarepliedasshepattedthegirl‘scurlyblondehead.Shegrabbedthreeplasticcupsfromthecupboard,andasshepouredaroundofapplejuiceforthemassesherconcernsaboutJackwerequicklyforgotten.

OnMondaynight,thephonerangatpreciselysixo’clock.Jessica’sheartpoundedwithanticipation.Wheneverhetraveled,Jackalwaysmanagedtosneakawayandcallhomeatthesametime.Nomatterwhat.

Whenshepickedupthephone,Jessicacouldbarelyhearhimovertheraisedvoicesandclinkingofsilverwareondishes.Hewasatdinnerwithclients.

ThekidsjumpedatherlegsanxioustotalktoDaddy.Aftereachhadtheirturn,Connorpassedherthephone,“It’syourturn,Mommy.”

Butassoonassheraisedittoherear,sheheardJacksay,“Sorry,hun.Gottago.”Hewaspracticallyshoutingtobeheard,“Dr.Wattsisabouttoleave,andIhaven’tgottenacommitmentfromhimyet.I’llcallyoutomorrow.Loveyou.”

SheletoutaheavybreathbuttoldherselfshecouldwaituntiltomorrowtotellhimaboutZoe'sattempttodressthecatinaprincessgownandtiara.

ButonTuesdayevening,Jessicareturnedhomeatsix-tenfollowingwhatwassupposedtobeaquickstopatthegrocerystore—animpossibilitywiththreekidsintow—tofindamessagefromJack.

“Iwon'tbeabletocallbacktonight,”hisvoicerangout,“TheonlytimeDr.Brysoncanmeetwithmeisthisevening.Kissesandhugstoeveryone.”Hesoundeddistracted,asthoughhewasinahurrytogetoffthephone.

Herheartsunk.

Thetiarastoryreallyisrtthatexcitinganyway.

OnWednesdayevening,sixo'clockcameandwentwithnophonecall.Eventhoughsheknewhewasduehomethenextnight,disappointmentweighedheavyinherchest.Herfirstinstinctwastoworry.He'dnevermissedacallbefore.

Hadsomethinghappened?

Calmdown.Hesprobablybusywithaclienthercommonsensetoldher.

Butthenthatmeanthe’dgottentoobusyorjustforgottocall.

Eitheroptioncausedherhearttotightenuncomfortably.Butshetriedtoignorethesensationasshejoinedinthekids’livelydinnertimeconversation.

AfewhoursafterthekidswereasleepJessicaheardanoiseatthefrontdoor.Herheartthuddedinherchest.Whocoulditbe?Shewasn’texpectinganyone.

Wipingherdishsoapyhandsonatowel,shewalkedcautiouslytothefrontwindowtocheckitout.

Butbeforeshereachedthefoyer,thedoorswungopenandJackwalkedintothehouse.Jessica'sbreathcaughtinherthroat,andsherushedtoherhusbandthrowingherarmsaroundhisneck.

“You’reearly!”shemumbledintohisshoulder.Herheartspedlikecrazy—partlyfromsurprisebutmostlyduetothethrillofseeingJack.

“Icouldn'tstandthethoughtofbeingawayforanothernight,soIsqueezedallofmyappointmentsintothreedays.That'swhyI'vebeensobusy.”

Andhecouldn'tcalltonightbecausehe'dbeenonaplane,sherealized.Apangofguiltgrippedherstomach.Howcouldshehavedoubtedhim?

Hedroppedhissmallsuitcaseandreturnedherembracewithbotharms, “I’ve

hadenoughstuffybu