American English | CEFR B1+ | 350 Words
Contents 目录
Reading 阅读
Questions 题目
Vocabulary 词汇
Useful Structures 常用结构
Comprehension Questions 阅读理解问题
Reading 阅读
The Empty Seat
Every morning, thirteen-year-old Daniel took the same bus to school. He usually sat near the back, put on his headphones, and watched videos on his phone. Most passengers were strangers to him, except for an elderly man who always sat by the window near the front. Q1
The man wore an old brown jacket and carried a small paper bag. He rarely spoke, but he always smiled when Daniel walked past.
One rainy Monday, Daniel noticed that the man’s usual seat was empty. He didn’t think much about it until the same thing happened the following day. By Friday, Daniel had begun to wonder where the man had gone. Q2
The next week, Daniel finally asked the bus driver about him.
“His name is Mr. Wilson,” the driver explained. “He used to take this bus with his wife every morning. They would get off near the park and walk together.” Q4
“What happened to her?” Daniel asked.
“She passed away last year. He kept taking the bus because it reminded him of their mornings together.” Q3
Daniel looked at the empty seat. He had never imagined that such a simple daily routine could mean so much to someone.
A few days later, Mr. Wilson returned. He looked thinner than before and moved slowly as he climbed onto the bus. Daniel immediately stood up and offered him his seat.
“Thank you, young man,” Mr. Wilson said with a tired smile.
Daniel hesitated before asking, “Would you mind if I sat with you?” Q5
The old man seemed surprised but nodded.
During the ride, Mr. Wilson told Daniel about his wife. She had loved gardening, old movies, and feeding birds in the park. As he spoke, his face gradually brightened. Q6
Before getting off, Mr. Wilson reached into his paper bag and handed Daniel a small photograph. It showed a smiling couple standing beneath a tree.
“That’s us, forty years ago,” he said. “She always believed that kindness could make someone’s day better.” Q7
Daniel carefully returned the photograph.
After that morning, he no longer rushed to put on his headphones. Whenever Mr. Wilson was on the bus, Daniel sat beside him.
He couldn’t bring back the person Mr. Wilson had lost, but he could make the journey feel a little less lonely. Q8
Questions 题目
Reading Comprehension Questions
Answer the following questions in complete sentences.
1. What did Daniel usually do during his morning bus ride? P1
Answer
He usually sat near the back of the bus, listened through his headphones, and watched videos on his phone.
2. What made Daniel start wondering about the elderly man? P2
Answer
He noticed that the elderly man’s usual seat had been empty for several days.
3. Why did Mr. Wilson continue taking the same bus after his wife passed away? P3
Answer
He continued taking the bus because it reminded him of the mornings he had spent with his wife.
4. How did Daniel learn about Mr. Wilson’s past? P4
Answer
He learned about Mr. Wilson’s past by asking the bus driver about him.
5. What did Daniel do when Mr. Wilson returned to the bus? P5
Answer
He offered Mr. Wilson his seat and asked whether he could sit beside him.
6. How did Mr. Wilson’s mood change while talking about his wife? P6
Answer
His face gradually brightened as he shared happy memories of his wife.
7. Why was the photograph important to Mr. Wilson? P7
Answer
The photograph reminded him of his life with his wife and the happy memories they had shared.
8. What does the final paragraph suggest about kindness and loneliness? P8
Answer
It suggests that small acts of kindness cannot remove someone’s grief, but they can provide comfort and make that person feel less alone.
Vocabulary 词汇
| elderly | /ˈɛldərli/ | 年长的；上了年纪的 |
| passenger | /ˈpæsəndʒər/ | 乘客 |
| stranger | /ˈstreɪndʒər/ | 陌生人 |
| headphones | /ˈhɛdfoʊnz/ | 耳机 |
| routine | /ruˈtin/ | 日常惯例；固定习惯 |
| remind | /rɪˈmaɪnd/ | 使想起；提醒 |
| hesitate | /ˈhɛzɪteɪt/ | 犹豫 |
| gradually | /ˈɡrædʒuəli/ | 逐渐地 |
| brighten | /ˈbraɪtən/ | 使高兴起来；使明朗 |
| photograph | /ˈfoʊtəɡræf/ | 照片 |
| kindness | /ˈkaɪndnəs/ | 善良；善意 |
| lonely | /ˈloʊnli/ | 孤独的；寂寞的 |
Useful Structures 常用结构
spend time doing something 花时间做某事
Daniel usually spends time watching videos on his phone during the bus ride.
Daniel通常在乘公交车时花时间用手机看视频。
begin to do something 开始做某事
Daniel began to wonder where the elderly man had gone.
Daniel开始好奇那位老人去了哪里。
used to do something 过去常常做某事
Mr. Wilson used to take the bus with his wife every morning.
威尔逊先生过去每天早上都和妻子一起乘公交车。
remind someone of something 使某人想起某事
Taking the bus reminded Mr. Wilson of the mornings he had spent with his wife.
乘公交车让威尔逊先生想起了过去和妻子一起度过的那些早晨。
mean a lot to someone 对某人意义重大
Daniel realized that a simple daily routine could mean a lot to someone.
Daniel意识到，一个简单的日常习惯可能对某人意义重大。
offer someone something 主动给某人提供某物
Daniel immediately stood up and offered Mr. Wilson his seat.
Daniel立刻站起来，把自己的座位让给了威尔逊先生。
Would you mind if…? 如果……你介意吗？
Would you mind if I sat with you?
如果我坐在你旁边，你介意吗？
tell someone about something 向某人讲述某事
Mr. Wilson told Daniel about his wife during the bus ride.
乘公交车时，威尔逊先生向Daniel讲述了他妻子的事情。
believe that… 相信……；认为……
She always believed that kindness could make someone’s day better.
她一直相信，善意能够让别人的一天变得更加美好。
no longer do something 不再做某事
After that morning, Daniel no longer rushed to put on his headphones.
从那天早上起，Daniel不再急着戴上耳机。