We were on the way from Hutchinson to Chicago for a short spring break. For many years I had wanted to take my family on the train. We all had been to Chicago four years ago, and the kids loved it. Chicago is one of my favorite cities, too, so the thought struck me again last fall to ride the train to Chicago. Of course, flying would have been faster. But I don’t think flying is easier, especially these days, with all the security and waiting in lines at airports.
Though we were tired in the middle of the night, the kids got on the train with the
exhilaration of this adventure. “We’re moving,” my son William shouted happily with big eyes as the train began to pull away from the Hutchinson station.
I removed my shoes and lay down to try to finish my night’s sleep. The sleeper car would have better enabled that, but the ordinary train seats were not too bad. An airline flight is a more miserable experience for me: not enough room, two hours of pain with my knees almost touching my chin, the hard seatback in front cracking my kneecaps (膝盖) with every move of the body planted in front of me. On the train I could almost outstretch all of my 6-foot-2-plus body in the generous legroom.
The journey didn’t feel at all as long as it was. We all found the train ride a joy. The car ride would have felt every minute of 13 hours. But on the train you are free to walk around, sit in the observation carriage for a while and enjoy the scenery out the windows, have a nice meal in the dining car, read a book, or play a board game.
In short, the train is all about enjoying the trip, which isn’t something I do so much when traveling by airline or by car, when the trip seems more of a mission (任务) to get there than an experience to enjoy along the way.
Chicago offers much to do for a family. This time, getting there was half the fun.
小题1:We can learn from the first paragraph that _____.
| A．the kids love the train journey |
| B．Chicago is one of the kid’s favorite cities |
| C．the author didn’t enjoy the long train journey |
| D．it was the first time that the kids were taken on the train |
小题2:What does the underlined word “exhilaration” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?
| A．Excitement. | B．Relaxation. | C．Tiredness. | D．Worry. |
小题3:In the third paragraph, an airline flight experience is mentioned to show _____.
| A．an airline flight is easier | B．a train ride is too long |
| C．an airline flight is miserable | D．a train ride is more comfortable |
小题4:Which of the following words best describes the whole family’s feeling about the train journey?
| A．Moved. | B．Delighted. | C．Disappointed. | D．Nervous. |