“Twobookspervisitperweek”saidtheunsmilinglibrarianasshehandedalibrarycard.Neitherthelimitsnorherattitude36mea9-year-oldJewishgirlgrowingupinBerlininthe1950s.Ineededthosevisits.Thebookswerefilledwit

题目详情

“Two books per visit per week ” said the unsmiling librarian as she handed a library card. Neither the limits nor her attitude 36 me a 9-year-old Jewish girl growing up in Berlin in the 1950s. I needed those visits. The books were filled with stories in which however 37 things seemed everything 38 well in the end 39 justice bravery and wisdom—a striking contrast (对比) to my everyday experiences.

Thirty years later I a recent immigrant to the US with a daughter aged 13 stood in front of another librarian. This librarian was 40 .

“What did she say?” I asked my daughter who already knew a little English and often 41 as my interpreter.

“She said ‘Can I help you?’”

“Ask if they have any books in 42 ” I requested.

“No they don’t.” translated my daughter.

While hunting for a job I was told that the library needed people to 43 books. The interview was short—the job didn’t require much English just a 44 of the alphabet. I started the next day. Every day I handled hundreds of books whose meaning was 45 from me mentally dividing them by size and color. One day while shelving I found English for Beginners and began studying it on my own. 46 English letters started forming words I could 47 words combined into phrases and—oh 48 !—I was reading. It was a slow process supported by dictionaries and 49 by tears but it was progress. Afterwards I got promoted to the front desk— 50 books in and out and answering simple questions.

Every day I receive dozens of people. Sometimes I spot new immigrants. They come from all over the world so they look different but the hesitant expression on their faces and their 51 manners are similar. My heart goes out to them 52 they are people like me. I fully understand the 53 roads on which they have stepped. “They’ve come to the right place ” I think to 54 . Then I smile and say—just the 55 a librarian said to me a long time ago—“Can I help you?”

36A. surprised B. comforted C. puzzled D. shocked

37A. attractive B. dull C. terrible D. strange

38A. went out B. turned out C. ended in D. came up

39A. rewarding B. affecting C. deserving D. denying

40A. chatting B. staring C. reading D. smiling

41A. introduced B. instructed C. guided D. served

42A. Spanish B. French C. Russian D. German

43A. shelve B. register C. record D. mark

44A. list B. knowledge C. line D. competence

45A. vague B. simple C. hidden D. clear

46A. All of a sudden B. In no time C. Step by step D. Now and then

47A. recognize B. realize C. define D. interpret