No one knew Prince Edward Street as well as Pierre Dupin. He had delivered milk to the families on the street for thirty years. For the past fifteen years a large white horse named Joseph pulled his milk wagon. Joseph was a gentle horse with beautiful spirit shining out of its eyes, so Pierre named him after Saint Joseph.
Every morning at five, Pierre arrived at the milk company's stables to find Joseph waiting for him, Pierre would call, “Good morning, my old friend.”， as he climbed into his seat, while Joseph turned his head toward the driver. And the two would go proudly down the street. Without any order from Pierre, the wagon would roll down three streets. Then it turned right for two streets, before turning left to Saint Catherine Street. The horse finally stopped at the first house on Prince Edward Street. There, Joseph would wait perhaps thirty seconds for Pierre to get down off his seat and put a bottle of milk at the front door.
Pierre knew every one of the forty families that got milk. The cooks knew that Pierre could not read or write; so, instead of leaving orders in an empty milk bottle, they simply sang out if they needed an extra bottle.
Pierre also had a wonderful memory. When he arrived at the stable he always remembered to tell Jacques, the foreman(领班) of the stables, “The Pacquins took an extra bottle this morning; the Lemoines bought a pint of cream …” Most of the drivers had to make out the weekly bills and collect the money. But Jacques, liking Pierre, never asked him to do this.
One day the president of the milk company came to inspect the early morning milk deliveries.Jacques pointed to Pierre and said：“See how the horse listens and how he turns his head toward Pierre? See the look in that horse's eyes? You know, I think those two share a secret. I have often felt it. He is getting old. Maybe he ought to be given a rest, and a small pension.”
“But of course，” the president laughed. “He has been on this job now for thirty years. All who know him love him. Tell him it is time he rested. He will get his pay every week as before.”
But Pierre refused to leave his job. He said his life would be nothing if he could not drive Joseph every day. “We are two old men，” he said to Jacques. “Let us wear out together. When Joseph is ready to leave, then I too will do so.”
Then one cold morning Jacques had terrible news for Pierre. Jacques said，“Pierre, your horse, Joseph, didn't wake up. He was very old, Pierre.” Jacques said softly. “He is over in his stall, looking very peaceful. Go over and see him.” Pierre took one step forward, then turned. “No … no … I cannot see Joseph again. You …， you don't understand, Jacques.”
For years Pierre had worn a large heavy cap that came down low over his eyes. It kept out the bitter cold wind. Now, Jacques looked into Pierre's eyes and he saw something that shocked him___46___He saw a dead, lifeless look in them.
“Take the day off, Pierre，” Jacques said. Pierre walked to the corner and stepped into the street. There was a warning shout from the driver of a big truck … there was the screech(尖锐的刹车声) of rubber tires as the truck tried to stop. But Pierre heard nothing.
Five minutes later a doctor said, “He's dead …， killed instantly.”
“I couldn't help it，” the truck driver said. “He walked in front of my truck. He never saw it, I guess. Why, he walked as though he were blind.”
The doctor bent down. “Blind？Of course, this man has been blind for five years.”  He turned to Jacques, “Didn't you know he was blind？”
“No …no …” Jacques said softly. “None of us knew. Only one … only one knew－a friend of his, named Joseph … It was a secret, I think, just between those two.”
46. Why did Pierre refuse to leave his job?
A. He thought he was not old enough to retire.
B. The pension was too small to support his life.
C. He was unwilling to be separated from Joseph.
D. He wanted to get promoted to foreman.
47. Which of the following can best describe Pierre?
A. well­received and trustworthy B. cruel and greedy
C. sensitive and humorous D. creative and enthusiastic
48. The underlined sentences imply that ________．
A. Jacques had known the fact that Pierre was blind for a long time
B. the death of Joseph drove Pierre to despair of life
C. Pierre wanted to commit suicide because of his blindness
D. Jacques was afraid to see Pierre's empty eyes
49. Which of the following does NOT indicate Pierre's blindness?
A. Pierre knew every one of the forty families that got milk.
B. You know, I think those two share a secret. I have often felt it.
C. I cannot see Joseph again. You don't understand, Jacques.
D. For years Pierre had worn a large heavy cap that came down low over his eyes.
50. What is the best title for the passage?
A. A caring friend B. A caring milk company
C. A secret of a horse D. A secret for two
【答案】46. C    47. A    48. B    49. A    50. D
【解析】
【分析】
本文是一篇记叙文，讲述了一个叫皮埃尔的送奶工和他叫约瑟夫的马十五年里一起送奶，在他们相继去世后朋友才知道皮埃尔早已失明五年的故事。
【46题详解】
推理判断题。根据第七段中的“But Pierre refused to leave his job. He said his life would be nothing if he could not drive Joseph every day. “We are two old men，” he said to Jacques. “Let us wear out together. When Joseph is ready to leave, then I too will do so.”， 可知，他说，如果他不能每天驾驶约瑟夫拉的马车，他的生活将一无是处。“我们是两个老人，”他对雅克说。“让我们一起耗尽所有的力气吧。当约瑟夫准备离开的时候，我也会离开。因此推断他不愿意离开他的工作是因为他不愿意与约瑟夫离开。故C项正确。
【47题详解】
推理判断题。皮埃尔非常珍爱自己的马，他为爱德华王子街的居民送奶，一送就是三十年，再根据第四段中的“Most of the drivers had to make out the weekly bills and collect the money. But Jacques, liking Pierre, never asked him to do this.”可知，大多数司机不得不每周开账单，然后收钱，但雅克信任皮埃尔，从来没有让他这样做过，由此可见，皮埃尔是一个受欢迎并值得信赖的人，故B项正确。
【48题详解】
句意理解题。句意：雅克看着皮埃尔的眼睛，他看到了令他震惊的东西，他看到脸上有一种死一般的表情，根据上文皮埃尔和约瑟夫合作默契，相互依赖可知，约瑟夫的死让皮埃尔感到对生活的绝望，故B项正确。
【49题详解】
推理判断题。根据文章内容可知，皮埃尔能够记住四十户需要送奶的人家，这恰恰能反映出皮埃尔一切正常，而不能暗示他已经失明了，故A项正确。
【50题详解】
主旨大意题。根据文章内容可知，皮埃尔去世后朋友才得知他早已失明，而朋友之前也总觉得皮埃尔和约瑟夫之间有秘密，而这个秘密就是皮埃尔早已失明，故D项正确。
【点睛】本文第5题主旨大意题的难度在于标题要有高度的概括性，因此抓住关键词尤为重要，通读全文，特别是根据最后一段中的“It was a secret, I think, just between those two.”可知，皮埃尔去世后朋友才得知他早已失明，而朋友之前也总觉得皮埃尔和约瑟夫之间有秘密，而这个秘密就是皮埃尔早已失明，因此文章标题一定要突出“秘密”，故D项（两个人之间的秘密）最能概括出文章内容。