Each time I see a balloon, my mind flies back to a memory when I was a six-year-old girl. It was a rainy Sunday and my father had recently died. I asked my mum if my dad had gone to heaven. “Yes, honey. Of course，” she said. “Can we write him a letter?”
She paused, the longest pause of my short life, and answered, “Yes.”My heart jumped.“Can the mailman go there?” I asked.
“No, but I have an idea.” Mum drove to a party store and returned with a red balloon. I asked her what it was for. “Just wait, honey. You'll see.” Mum told me to write my letter. Eagerly, I got my favourite pen, and poured out my six-year-old heart in the form of blue ink. I wrote about my day, what I learned at school, how Mum was doing, and even about what happened in a story I had read. For a few minutes it was as if Dad were still alive. I gave the letter to Mum. She read it over, and a smile crossed her face.She made a hole in the corner of the letter where she looped the balloon string. We went outside and she gave me the balloon. It was still raining.“Okay, on the count of three, let it go. One, two, three.” The balloon, carrying my letter, darted upwards against the rain. We watched until it was swallowed by the mass of clouds. Later I realized, like the balloon, that Dad had never let his sickness get him down. He was strong. No matter what he suffered, he'd persevere, dart up, and finally transcend this cold world and his sick body. He rose into sky and became something beautiful. I watched until the balloon disappeared into the grey and white and I prayed that his strength was passed on. I prayed to be a balloon.
20.When the girl asked her mother if they could write to her father, her mother ________.
A.believed it easy to do so
B.thought her a creative girl
C.felt it hard to answer
D.found it easy to lie
21.When the girl was told that she could send a letter to her father, she ________.
A.jumped with joy
B.was worried that it couldn't be delivered
C.started writing immediately
D.became excited
22.In the eyes of the author, what was the rain like?
A.An incurable disease.
B.An unforgettable memory.
C.The failure her father experienced.
D.The hard time her father had.
23.What would be the best title for the passage?
A.An unforgettable experience
B.Fly to heaven
C.The strong red balloon
D.A great father
【文章大意】 本文是一篇记叙文。文章讲述了女儿想和已故的父亲通信，这使母亲很为难。但聪明的母亲用红气球作为邮递员把女儿写给父亲的信寄往天堂，让女儿感到父亲还活着。
20.C 推理判断题。根据文章第二段中的“She paused, the longest pause of my short life, and answered, ‘Yes.’”可知，母亲停顿了很长时间，这意味着她思考了较长的时间才回答了女儿的问题。这说明女儿的问题很难回答。故选C。
21.D 细节理解题。根据文章第二段中的“My heart jumped.”可知，“我”很高兴。故选D。
22.D 推理判断题。根据文章最后一段中的“No matter what he suffered…became something beautiful.”可知，雨就像父亲经历的艰难时光。故选D。
23.C 主旨大意题。本文是一篇记叙文，文章以红气球为主线贯穿整篇文章，红气球也象征着父亲。故选C。
