Saroo Brierley, a 4-year-old boy, lived in rural India. One day, he played with his brother along the rail line and fell asleep. When he woke up, he found himself alone. So he got on the train in front of him in search of his brother.
That train took him a thousand miles across the country to a totally strange city. He lived on the streets, and then in an orphanage (孤儿院), where he was adopted by an Australian family and taken to Tasmania.
Brierley is a famous writer now, and in his new book, A Long Way Home, he wrote he couldn’t help but wonder about his hometown back in India. He remembered landmarks, but since he didn’t know his town’s name, finding a small neighborhood in a vast country seemed impossible.
Then he found a digital mapping program. He spent years searching for his hometown in the program’s satellite pictures. In 2011, he came across something familiar. He studied it and realized he was looking at a town’s central business district from a bird’s-eye view. He thought, “On the right-hand side you should see the three-platform train station”—and there it was. “And on the left-hand side you should see a big fountain”—and there it was. Everything matched!
Standing in front of the house where he grew up as a child, he saw a lady standing at the entrance. It took him a few seconds but he finally remembered what she used to look like.
In an interview Brierley says, “My mother came forth and walked forward, and I walked forward, my eyes filled with tears and my brain blank. I just didn’t know what to say, because I never thought seeing my mother would ever come true. And here I am, standing in front of her.”
13. Why did Brierley get on the train when he was a little boy?
A.To go back to his home. | B.To look for his brother. |
C.To travel to Tasmania. | D.To follow a stranger. |
14. What do we know about Brierley from this passage?
A.There were only two children in his family. |
B.He lived in an orphanage in America till he grew up. |
C.He remembered clearly his hometown’s name. |
D.The lady standing at the entrance turned out his mother. |
15. How did Brierley find his hometown?
A.By studying digital maps. | B.By analyzing old pictures. |
C.By setting up searching programs. | D.By spreading his story via his book. |
16. What’s the best title of the passage?
A.Love for Mother | B.Union with Brother |
C.Long Way Back Home | D.Memory of Hometown |