2013届高三英语星级阶梯阅读练习三星级15AWhenmilkarrivedonthedoorstepWhenIwasaboygrowingupinNewJerseyinthe1960s,wehadamilkmandeliveringmilktoourdoorstep.HisnamewasMr.Basille.Heworeawhitecapanddroveawhitetruck.Asa5-year-oldboy,Icouldn’ttakemyeyesoffthecoinchangerfixedtohisbelt.Henoticedthisonedayduringadeliveryandgavemeaquarteroutofhiscoinchanger.Ofcourse,hedeliveredmorethanmilk.Therewascheese,eggsandsoon.Ifweneededtochangeourorder,mymotherwouldpenanote---“Pleaseaddabottleofbuttermilknextdelivery”---andplaceitintheboxalongwiththeemptybottles.Andthen,thebuttermilkwouldmagicallyappear.Allofthiswasaboutmorethanconvenience.Thereexistedacloserelationshipbetweenfamiliesandtheirmilkmen.Mr.Basilleevenhadakeytoourhouse,forthosetimeswhenitwassocoldoutsidethatweputtheboxindoors,sothatthemilkwouldn’tfreeze.AndIrememberMr.Basillefromtimetotimetakingabreakatourkitchentable,havingacupofteaandtellingstoriesabouthisdelivery.Thereissadlynohomemilkdeliverytoday.Bigcompaniesallowedtheproductionofcheapermilk,thusmakingitdifficultformilkmentocompete.Besides,milkisforsaleeverywhere,anditmayjustnothavebeenpracticaltohaveadeliveryservice.Recently,anoldmilkboxinthecountrysideIsawbroughtbackmychildhoodmemories.Itookithomeandplanteditonthebackporch(门廊).Everysooftenmyson’sfriendswillaskwhatitis.SoIstarttellingstoriesofmyboyhood,andofthemilkmanwhobroughtusfriendshipalongwithhismilk.56.MrBasillegavetheboyaquarteroutofhiscoinchanger________.A.toshowhismagicalpowerB.topayforthedeliveryC.tosatisfyhiscuriosityD.topleasehismother57.Whatcanbeinferredfromthefactthatthemilkmanhadthekeytotheboy’shouse?A.Hewantedtohaveteathere.B.Hewasarespectableperson.C.Hewastreatedasafamilymember.D.Hewasfullytrustedbythefamily.58.Whydoeshomemilkdeliverynolongerexist?A.Nobodywantstobeamilkmannow.B.Ithasbeendrivenoutofthemarket.C.Itsserviceisgettingpoor.D.Itisforbiddenbylaw.59.Whydidtheauthorbringbackhomeanoldmilkbox?A.Hemissedthegoodolddays.B.Hewantedtotellinterestingstories.C.Hemisseditforhismilkbottles.D.Heplantedflowersin1it.BAnideathatstartedinSeattle’spubliclibraryhasspreadthroughoutAmericaandbeyond.Theconceptissimple:helptobuildasenseofcommunityinacitybygettingeveryonetoreadthesamebookatthesametime.Inadditiontoencouragingreadingasapursuit(追求)tobeenjoyedbyall,theprogramallowsstrangerstocommunicatebydiscussingthebookonthebus,aswellaspromotingreadingasanexperiencetobesharedinfamiliesandschools.TheideacamefromSeattlelibrarianNancyPearlwholaunched(发起)the“IfAllofSeattleReadtheSameBook”projectin1998.Heroriginalprogramusedauthorvisits,studyguidesandbookdiscussiongroupstobringpeopletogetherwithabook,buttheideahassinceexpandedtomanyotherAmericancities,andeventoHongKong.InChicago,themayor(市长)appearedontelevisiontoannouncethechoiceofToKillaMockingbirdasthefirstbookinthe“OneBook,OneChicago”program.Asaresult,readingclubsandneighborhoodgroupsspranguparoundthecity.AcrosstheUS,storiesemergedofparentsandchildrenreadingtoeachotheratnightandstrangerschattingawayonthebusaboutplotandcharacter.TheonlyproblemaroseinNewYork,wherelocalreaderscouldnotdecideononebooktorepresentthehugeanddiversepopulation.Thismayshowthattheideaworksbestinmedium-sizedcitiesorlargetowns,whereagreatersenseofunity(一致)canbeachieved.OritmayshowthatNewYorkersrathermissedthepoint,puttingalltheirenergyandpassionintothechoiceofthebookratherthandiscussionabo...
