1 . Kathleen Rooney knew that writing Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey, from the point of view of a pigeon, was a risk. Rooney, perhaps best known for her 2017 bestseller, Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk, says her interest in a feathered narrator was excited by one of her students at DePaul University, where she is an English professor. “A student named Brian mentioned Cher Ami in a poem. It blew my mind that this pigeon was so heroic and is stuffed and on display in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.”
Rooney learned that Cher Ami, a British homing pigeon, helped save a group of American troops during a horrific, multi-day World War I battle. The story of this amazing pigeon and the extraordinary man who commanded the battle, Major Charles Whittlesey, was altogether attractive.
In Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey, Charles reflects on his happier prewar days in New York City, where he ran a law firm with a college classmate. When it came time for battle, though, he and his fellows found themselves cut off from supply lines, surrounded by enemy German troops.
Carrier pigeons were the group’s only hope of contacting headquarters and getting the other Americans to stop dropping bombs on them. Cher Ami flew through gunfire to deliver Charles' message, which finally stopped the attack. She lost an eye and a leg, among other wounds, but was eventually able to hobble (蹒跚) on a tiny wooden prosthesis (义肢) that the Army made for her. She lived another year before dying of her injuries in 1919, but in the novel she continues speaking to readers behind glass in the Smithsonian where she’s been since her death.
There’s an interesting lesson to be learned from Charles’ decisions in the battle, too. “He was famous for something we’d describe as passive,” Rooney says. “Once they were in the pocket, he waited as long as he could. I’m an impatient, active person ... His act was stillness, waiting, keeping everybody’s spirits up. The way he did that was amazing.”
Rooney also hopes the book, with its portrayal of the charming and brave Cher Ami, will boost the appreciation of our furry and feathered friends.
1. What inspired Rooney to write the book?| A．Visiting a national museum. | B．Reading a student’s poem. |
| C．Some comments on her bestseller. | D．Experiences of raising pigeons. |
| A．An exhibition featuring a heroic battle. |
| B．Historic events happening to Cher Ami. |
| C．Americans’ poor strategies during the war. |
| D．Charles’ methods for training Cher Ami. |
| A．Charles’ humor and optimism. |
| B．Charles’ affection for carrier pigeons. |
| C．Charles’ patience and motivation. |
| D．Charles’ quick response to the attack. |
| A．A message of hope | B．Braving World War I |
| C．An effort to protect pigeons | D．Finding the lost commander |
Wylie lived in Scotland, far up on the hills, and helped her master take care of his sheep.
Wylie watched over the sheep and the little lambs like a soldier, and never let anything hurt them. She drove them out to pasture when it was time, and brought them safely home when it was time for that. She loved her work, and was a wonderfully fine sheepdog.
At last her master grew too old to stay alone on the hills. Before he left, he gave Wylie to two kind young men who lived in the nearest town; he knew they would be good to her. They grew very fond of her, and so did their old grandmother and the little children; she was so gentle and handsome and well behaved.
But after a while, the family noticed something very strange indeed about their dog. Every single Tuesday night, about nine o'clock. Wylie disappeared. And she would be gone all night. But every Wednesday morning, she was at the door, waiting to be let in. Her silky coat was all sweaty and muddy and her feet heavy with weariness, but her bright eyes looked up at her masters as if she were trying to explain where she had been.
Week after week, the same thing happened. Nobody could imagine where Wylie went every Tuesday night. They tried to follow her to find out, but she always slipped away. It grew to be a real mystery. Where in the world did Wylie go?
In the city near the town where the kind young men lived was a big market. On Tuesday nights, the farmers used to come down from the hills, and drive their sheep through the city streets into the pens, ready to sell on Wednesday morning; that was the day they sold them. The sheep weren’t used to the city noises and sights, and they always grew afraid and wild, and gave the farmers and the sheepdogs a great deal of trouble. They broke away and ran about, in everybody’s way.
注意：
1、所续写短文的词数应为150以上；
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But just as the trouble was worst, about sunrise, the farmers would see a little silky dog come running.
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One day, Wylie went to walk with her two masters.
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3 . One of the most powerful forces of nature is motherly love. It is found not just in humans but is
An animal's maternal (母性的) instinct can be so strong that the mother will often
The love of a mother indeed knows no
| A．complex | B．crucial | C．specific | D．evident |
| A．proud | B．protective | C．skeptical | D．sick |
| A．threatening | B．inspiring | C．annoying | D．striking |
| A．man | B．woman | C．dog | D．bear |
| A．hot | B．cold | C．clear | D．quiet |
| A．abandoned | B．protected | C．tended | D．wrapped |
| A．setbacks | B．concerns | C．errors | D．injuries |
| A．cherish | B．risk | C．lengthen | D．change |
| A．romances | B．fantasies | C．sacrifices | D．memories |
| A．tragic | B．funny | C．thrilling | D．scary |
| A．looked into | B．ran into | C．burst into | D．got into |
| A．distinguishing | B．separating | C．sheltering | D．releasing |
| A．seized | B．carried | C．killed | D．stopped |
| A．inside | B．outside | C．over | D．beyond |
| A．benefits | B．boundaries | C．results | D．secrets |
