阅读理解
I work in a major U.S. factory. We make refrigerators. Four thousand five hundred new refrigerators
every day. It is a union workshop and it's gradually shrinking as many blue collar factories seem to be but
that is not what this story is about. This story is about one man who works in this huge factory.
I've seen him around for years but never paid much attention. He always seemed just a little strange.
A little short. A little... scruffy (肮脏的). Always the same old red ball cap. And always a garbage bag
in one hand. He walks around this big old factory on his breaks and his lunch time collecting aluminum
(铝) cans. Day after day, month after month on hot days and cold days. Over the years I've followed
him as he walked to his old pickup truck on the coldest day with snow blowing and everyone with their
collars turned up and their hands in their pockets. He would be there with a 40 gallon garbage bag full of
aluminum cans. He'd toss it into the back of his truck and jump in and I'd reach my car and jump in and
we'd all race to the exit of this big half empty parking lot.
Today I was working on a broken machine in this factory and the can man came by with his bag
picking up cans. Our manager was standing there because the machine I was working on had been
"down" for a couple of hours and he was getting worried that we might run out of the parts for one of
the assembly lines(装配线). I was finishing and I stood up just as the manager asked the can man what
he did with all those cans. I'd never thought to ask him that question because I always just assumed he
cashed them at the recycle center. The can man said: "I give them to my neighbor. He's disabled and
can't hold a job." I blurted out: "You mean you've been collecting all those cans for all these years to
give to your neighbor?" "It isn't much," he said, "but I give them to him. He can't hold a job." Right then
and there in that factory I found myself staring at him. He was wearing a T-shirt and an old red ball cap
and he had a garbage bag full of aluminum cans in his hand! I don't even know his name, but I thank him
for the lesson he's taught me.
1. It can be inferred from the passage that ______.
A. the author didn't like the can man before knowing about his story
B. making friends at work was not encouraged
C. the author drove a very old pickup truck
D. aluminum cans couldn't be recycled
2. Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A. The manager was angry seeing the man picking up cans in the factory.
B. The author thought the can man sold the cans for extra money.
C. The manager was worried because he might be short of cans.
D. People in the factory all looked down upon the can man.
3. What's the possible meaning of the underlined phrase "blurted out" in the last paragraph?
A. said suddenly without thinking much
B. screamed at somebody in anger
C. spoke in a low voice thoughtfully
D. shouted to somebody cheerfully
4. What lesson does the author learn from the story?
A. Never judge a person by his appearance.
B. Don't work in a factory as a blue collar worker.
C. Always treat neighbors as family members.
D. Kindness is from the bottom of one's heart.
