"Well, then, give me your pearls."

　　"Oh, Daddy, not my pearls! But you can have Ribbons, my toy horse. You can have Ribbons if you want her, Daddy."

　　"No, that's okay," her father said and kissed her. "Sweet dreams, little one."

　　Several days later, when Jenny's father came in to read her a story, Jenny was sitting on her bed and her lip was trembling(颤抖). "Here, Daddy," she said, and held out her hand. She opened it and her beloved pearl necklace was inside. She let it slip into her father's hand.

　　With one hand her father held the plastic pearls and the other he pulled out of his pocket a blue box. Inside of the box were real, genuine, beautiful pearls. He was waiting for Jenny to give up the cheap stuff so he could give her the real thing.

24. Why did Jenny's mother ask Jenny to do some chores?

　　A. Because the necklace was too expensive.

　　B. Because Jenny was a lazy child who needed to work more.

　　C. Because she wanted Jenny to work hard for what she wanted.

　　D. Because Jenny's father didn't like the necklace.

25. How would you describe Jenny according to this passage?

　　A. Understanding and loving. B. Loving and clever.

　　C. Selfless and naughty. D. Lazy and selfish.

26. What does the underlined sentence imply?

　　A. Jenny loved her necklace so much.

　　B. Jenny didn't enjoy the story.

　　C. Jenny's father looked terrifying.

　　D. Jenny didn't love her father enough.

27. What was Jenny's father trying to tell her?

　　A. Obey your parents and you can get what you want.

　　B. You should always respect your parents.

　　C. Sometimes you may get more if you can give first.

　　D. Don't be selfish to your own parents.

No poem should ever be discussed or "analyzed", until it has been read aloud by someone, teachers or students. Better still, perhaps, is the practice of reading it twice, once at the beginning of the discussion and once at the end, so the sound of the poem is the last thing one hears of it.

All discussions of poetry are, in fact, preparations for reading it aloud, and the reading of the poem is, finally the most telling "interpretation" of it, suggesting tone, rhythm, and meaning all at once. Hearing a poet read the work in his or her own voice, on records or on film, is obviously a special reward. But even those aids to teaching cannot replace the student and teacher reading it or, best of all, reciting(背诵) it.

I have come to think, in fact, that time spent reading a poem aloud is much more important than "analyzing" it, if there isn't time for both. I think one of our goals as teachers of English is to have students love poetry. Poetry is "a criticism of life" and "a heightening(提升) of life". It is "an approach to the truth of feeling", and it can save your life. It also deserves(值得) a place in the teaching of language and literature more central than it now occupies.

I am not saying that every English teacher must teach poetry. Those who don't like it