When Mary knew she was no longer in the house, she felt lonelier than ever. She went into the garden as quickly as possible and found Ben Weather staff working there with two other gardeners.
“Spring is coming,” he said to Mary. “I can smell it in the air. Soon there will be spring flowers.” Very soon he found the robin landing at Mary’s feet. He put his head on one side and looked at her so slyly (狡猾地).
“Do you think he remembers me?” she asked Ben. “He knows every cabbage sturnp in the garden, let alone the people,” Ben said.
“What’s happening in the garden where he lives?” Mary asked.
“What garden?” grunted Ben.
“The one where the old rose trees are,” she couldn’t help asking, because she wanted so much to know.
“Ask him,” said Ben. “Only he knows what’s happening in the garden. No one else has been inside it for ten years.”
Then the robin began pecking at the ground, looking for a worm to eat. Suddenly Mary saw something almost buried in the newly-turned soil. It was something like a ring of rusty iron or brass. She put out her hand and picked it up. It was more than a ring, however, it was an old key. “Perhaps it is the key to the garden!”
She put the key in her pocket and walked around the garden. The robin followed her. Mary stopped and spoke to the robin, “Can you show me where the door is?”
The robin sat on the top of the garden wall. It began to sing. The wall was covered with ivy (常春藤), Mary pulled at a piece of the ivy. It came away from the wall. Behind the ivy was a door with a lock on it which had been closed for ten years.
She put her hand in her pocket, drew out the key and found it fitted the key hole. She put the key in and turned it. It took two hands to do it, but it did turn.
And then she pushed back the door which opened slowly. Then she slipped through it, and shut it behind her with excitement, wonder and delight.
She was standing inside the secret garden.
26. The underlined word “it” in the passage refers to________.
A.the key | B.the robin | C.a ring of rusty iron | D.a worm |
27. Which is the right order of how the robin “helped” Mary?
a. It followed her around the garden.
b. It sat and sang on the top of the garden wall.
c. It pecked at the ground and looked for a worm.
d. It came again and landed at her feet.
A.b-c-d-a | B.b-a-d-c | C.d-c-a-b | D.d-a-b-c |
28. Which word best describes Mary’s feeling in the end?
A.Sad. | B.Worried. | C.Lonely. | D.Excited. |