1 . The job description of a postman doesn’t always include travelling through thick forests, fast-flowing waters and occasionally being run after by wild animals, but for D. Sivan, that is exactly what it is.
Every day for 30 years, this humble postman has been delivering post to some of the most remote villages in Coonoor which are inaccessible by road. Carrying the mail, he walks along the Nilgiri Mountain Railway track, walking through thick forests, crossing slippery streams and walking on railway bridges. Having travelled through the difficult path for 30 years, Mr. Sivan has grown fond of the wild animals he encounters on his daily walks, going so far as to say that they’ve all become his friends. But even his friends have occasionally caused him some trouble, with an elephant once having run after him. He was saved by a truck driver who spotted him and honked at the elephant. The animals recognize him now, though.
As the years rolled by, emails started replacing letter writing. And as more and more people moved from the Nilgiri hills to the plains-the towns of Mettupalayam and Coimbatore, Sivan’s bag became lighter and lighter every day. Many weeks he ended up carrying just 3-4 letter to each village.
One day Sivan noticed that a man to whom he was supposed to deliver his pension had moved to Coimbatore. The man had fallen very sick and was hospitalized. Sivan tracked down the hospital, travelled 80 kms by bus and later car, and delivered the pension. The kind postman even paid for the whole trip himself!
Not all heroes wear a cape(披风); some have white hair and carry a simple bag full of letters. Not all heroes write cool stories on Instagram; some just sit outside a door and read out a son’s letter to his mother.
1. Which of the following best describes Sivan’s daily delivery journey?| A．Awkward. | B．Comfortable. | C．Adventurous. | D．Uneventful. |
| A．To send a pension check. | B．To enjoy a trip to the plains. |
| C．To get hospital treatment. | D．To draw his pension. |
| A．Letters or emails | B．The world’s busiest postman |
| C．The postal service in Coonoor | D．Capeless hero with a bag |
2 . When my teenaged son became seriously ill, terrible times for my family began. Our once-happy home became tense and depressed. My husband and I were exhausted under the great stress of caring for my son. It was as if we forgot how to communicate-we couldn’t have a simple conversation without a fighting. Our marriage was on the point of breaking up.
One evening, my son and I were talking about gifts. I recalled my first Valentine’s present from my husband, a kazoo. I was awkward when I received it because I couldn’t get it to make a sound although I am a professional saxophone player. However hard I tried, it just never worked. The kazoo eventually got packed away and forgotten. But my son was interested and insisted on seeing it. After some trouble, I found it.
“You couldn’t get a sound? What’s so hard about it?” my husband asked, amazed. He took the kazoo and blew. Nothing happened. Surprised, he tried again. Still there was no sound. Frustrated, he tried again, only to produce a funny sound like an angry bumblebee trapped in the mouth of a bear. We burst into laughter. My son took a turn to play the kazoo. He did no better than us, causing more laughing.
Seeing his face light up, we felt as if the darkness had lifted and a ray of sunshine was let in. It was the best ten minutes of the past couple of years. The mood stayed light for the rest of the evening. It didn’t solve anything. But this experience with the kazoo brought some change in our hearts that always reminds us that there are still things to laugh at and enjoy, and that we can still connect as a family.
1. What affected the relationship of the couple?| A．Quarrels between the couple over marriage. |
| B．Different values they shared towards everything. |
| C．Stress and chaos arising from their son’s serious illness. |
| D．Lack of money needed for their son’s medical treatment. |
| A．He had a love for playing the kazoo. | B．He meant to make his son delighted. |
| C．He wanted to ease a feeling of depression. | D．He didn’t think it that hard to play the kazoo. |
| A．My failure to get the kazoo to make a sound. |
| B．The involvement of my husband in playing the kazoo. |
| C．My memory about the Valentine’s present from my husband. |
| D．The failed but funny playing of the kazoo by my husband and son. |
| A．Every cloud has a silver lining. | B．Parents are the best teachers. |
| C．Music can cure the hurt souls. | D．Misfortunes test the true love. |
