阅读理解。
As a young man,Al was a skilled artist,a potter (陶工). He had a wife and two
fine sons. One night, his elder son developed a serious stomachache. Thinking it was
only some common disorder, neither Al nor his wife took the condition very seriously.
But it was actually acute appendicitis (急性阑尾炎), and the boy died suddenly that
night.
Knowing the death could have been prevented if he had only realized the seriousness
of the situation, Al's emotional health deteriorated (恶化) under the burden of his guilt.
To make matters worse, his wife left him a short time later, leaving him alone with his
sixyearold younger son. The hurt and pain of the two situations were more than Al could
handle,and he turned to alcohol to help him cope. In time Al became an alcoholic (酒鬼)．
As the alcoholism progressed,Al began to lose everything he possessed-his home, his
land and his art objects. Eventually Al died alone in a San Francisco motel room.
When I heard of Al's death,I reacted with the same disdain (蔑视) the world shows for
one who ends his life with nothing to show for it. "What a complete failure!" I thought. "What
a totally wasted life!"
As time went by, I began to reevaluate my earlier judgment. I knew Al's now adult son,
Ernie. He has grown into one of the kindest, most caring and most loving men I have ever
known. I watched Emie with his children and saw the free flow of love between them. I knew
that kindness and consideration had to come from somewhere.
I hadn't heard Ernie talk much about his father. One day I worked up my courage to ask
him. "I'm really puzzled by something," I said. "I know your father was basically the only one
to raise you. What on earth did he do to make you become such a special person?"
Ernie sat quietly and reflected for a few moments. Then he said, "Al came into my room
every night,gave me a kiss and said 'I love you,son' until I left home at 18."
Tears came to my eyes as I realized what a fool I had been to judge Al as a failure. He had
not left any material possessions behind. But he had been a kind and loving father, and he was
one of the finest men I have ever known.
1. Al's elder son probably died of acute appendicitis due to ________ according to this passage.
A. lack of care and nutrition
B. the couple's carelessness
C. serious stomachache
D. too much alcohol
2. What can we know from the second paragraph?
A. Given more attention, the boy could be saved.
B. Al eventually became an alcoholic without any reason.
C. Al's wife was also dead because of her elder son's death.
D. The boy's death couldn't be avoided even if he was given more attention.
3. In the writer's opinion, what was Al like?
A. Careless.
B. Foolish.
C. Bad.
D. Familyloving.
4. How did the writer evaluate Al's son, Ernie in this passage?
A. Kind.
B. Caring.
C. Loving.
D. All above.
5. The purpose of writing this passage for the writer is to show ________.
A. we should reevaluate Al's meaning of life
B. love is the best heritage in our life
C. Ernie is a kind, caring and loving son
D. Al's death is a totally wasted life as well

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