In 1945, Reuben, a 12yearold boy, saw something in a shop window that set
his heart racing. The price—five dollars—was beyond his means, but he went inside
the shop anyway. Standing proud and straight in his flour sack(面粉袋)shirt and
washed out trousers, he asked the shopkeeper to hold it for him for some time. “Ill
try,”the shopkeeper smiled.

Reuben decided to raise the five dollars. Hearing the sound of hammering from
a side street, he suddenly had an idea. People built their own homes in Bay Roberts,
using nails purchased in sacks from a local factory. The sacks were sometimes
discarded and Reuben knew he could sell them back to the factory for five cents a
piece. Every day after school, Reuben went around the town, collecting nail sacks.
When the school closed for the summer, Reuben wandered around the town, searching for
his treasures. Often he was tired and hungry, but the thought of the object in
the shop window kept him going. Sometimes his mother Dora would ask:“Reuben, where
were you? We were waiting for you to have dinner.”

“Playing, Mum. Sorry.”

Dora would look at his face and shake her head. Boys.

One day in spring, he counted the coins and found that he needed 20 cents
more.Could there be any sacks left anywhere in town? He had to find four and sell
them before the day ended.

When Reuben arrived at the factory in the late afternoon, the sack buyer was
about to lock up.“Mister! Please don’t close up yet.”The man turned and saw Reuben,
dirty and sweat stained.

With four more coins in his pocket, Reuben headed for the shop and got what
he wanted. Racing home, he burst through the front door.“Here, Mum! Here!”He exclaimed as he ran to her side. He placed a small box in her work roughened
hand.

Dora unwrapped it carefully, to save the paper. A blue velvet jewel box
appeared. She lifted the lid and saw an almond shaped brooch (胸针) with the word“Mother.” It
was Mothers Day, 1946. Dora had no jewels except her wedding ring. Speechless,
she smiled radiantly and gathered her son into her arms.

(1). The boy was excited because he saw in the shop window something he
wanted

for .

(A). himself

(B). his brother

(C). his father

(D). his mother

(2). The way Reubens clothes are described shows that he was from .

(A). a rich family

(B). a poor family

(C). a middle class family

(D). a divorced family

(3). The word“Boys”(para. 5) implies that .

(A). boys are like that

(B). boys often tell lies

(C). the mother was angry

(D). the mother disbelieved Reuben

(4). The word“treasures”(line 3,para. 3) refers to .

(A). coins

(B). sacks

(C). rings

(D). brooches

(5). The passage is mainly about .

(A). a loving boy

(B). a tolerant mother

(C). a kind sack buyer

(D). a generous shopkeeper