. ----There was a bit of rain in the afternoon. ---- There was a in the afternoon.

When my first wartime Christmas came, I was in basic training in New Jersey and not sure if I could make it home for the holiday. Only on the afternoon of December 23 was the list if men who would have three-day posted. I was one of the lucky soldiers.

It was Christmas Eve when I arrived, and a light snow had fallen. Mother opened the front door. I could see beyond her, into the corner of the living room where the tree had always stood. There were lights, all colors, shining against the green of a pine.

"Where did it come from?" I asked.

"I asked the gate boy to cut it," my mother said, "I wouldn't have one just for myself, but when called—oh, such a rush! He just brought it in this afternoon." Krysal Star was in its place. A few green branches reached about a little disorderly at the side, 1 thought, and there was a bit of bare trunk showing in the middle. But the tree filled the room with warm light and the whole house with the pleasant smell of Christmas.

"It's not like the one you used to find," my mother went on, "Yours were always in good shape. I suppose the gate boy didn't know where to look. But I couldn't be critical."

"Don't worry," I told him, "It's perfect."

It wasn't of course, but at the moment I realized for the first time: all Christmas tree are perfect.

From the passage we can infer that ______.

A．the writer spent his first Christmas during the war

B．all the soldiers did not go home for Christmas during the war

C．all the soldiers had three-day passes

D．the writer did not want to go home for Christmas at first

When my first wartime Christmas came, I was in basic training in New Jersey and not sure if I could make it home for the holidays. Only on the afternoon of December 23 was the list of men who would have three-day passes posted. I was one of the lucky soldiers. It was Christmas Eve when I arrived home, and a light snow had fallen. Mother opened the front door. I could see beyond her, into the corner of the living room where the tree had always stood. There were lights, all colors, and ornaments(装饰物)shining against the green of a pine. "Where did it come from?" I asked.

"I asked the Gates boy to cut it," my mother said. "I wouldn't have had one just for myself, but when called-oh, such a rush! He just brought it in this afternoon... " The pine reached to the proper height, almost to the ceiling, and the Tree Top Krystal Star was in its place. A few green branches reached about a little awkwardly(不够美观地) at the side, I thought, and there was a bi tof bare trunk showing in the middle. But the tree filled the room with warm light and the whole house with the pleasant smell of Christmas "It's not like the ones you used to find," my mother went on. "Yours were always in good shape. I suppose the Gates boy didn't know where to look. But I couldn't be fussy (挑剔的)."

"Don't worry," I told her. "It's perfect. " It wasn't, of course, but at the moment I realized something for the first time: all Christmas trees are perfect.

From the passage, we can infer that______.

A．the writer spent his first Christmas during the war"

B．soldiers did not all go home for Christmas during the war

C．all the soldiers had three-day passes

D．the writer could not go home for Christmas

A、showers

B、lightning

C、thunder

D、hurricane

听力原文： It was Christmas, and there was a big party in the house. Guests came and went but the party continued. Then the bell rang. Several people shouted, "Come in!" and a small man opened the front door and came in. Nobody knew him, but the host(主人) went to meet him and took him to the bar for a drink.

The man sat there happily for an hour and drank. Then suddenly he stopped and looked at his host. "Do you know, "he said, "nobody invited me to this party. I don't know you, I don't know your wife, and I don't know any of your guests. My wife and I wanted to go out in our car, but one of your guests has parked his car in front of our house. So I came here to find him—and my wife is waiting in our car for me to come back."

Who was the small man?

A．A stranger who lived nearby

B．One of the guests.

C．One of the host's friends.