D(2025·江苏盐城射阳县实验初级中学期中)
When she was alone, Mary felt lonelier than ever. She went out of the house and ran around the garden ten times. Ben Weatherstaff was working in it.
"Spring is coming," he said to Mary. "I can smell it in the air. ▲."
At this moment, the robin flew towards them and landed at Mary's feet.
"He remembers me," she said.
"He knows everything here," Ben said. "Only he knows what's happening in the secret garden without a door into it. No one else has been inside it for ten years."
Ben walked away to continue his work. Mary began talking to the robin. She felt happier than she had ever felt.
The robin trusted her and did not fly away. It began pecking (啄食) at the ground, looking for a worm to eat. Mary looked closely at the ground. She saw that there was something like metal (金属). She picked it up. It was dirty and rusty. She cleaned it and saw that it was a key.
"It's been in the ground for many years," she thought. "I wonder if it is the key to the garden. If it is, then I must find the door."
Mary skipped (跳跃) around the garden. The robin followed her. Mary stopped skipping and spoke to the robin.
"He showed me where to find the key," she thought. "Can you show me where the door is?"
The robin sat on top of the garden wall. It began to sing. The wall was covered with ivy. Mary pulled at a piece of the ivy. It came away from the wall. Behind the wall was a door. Mary put the key in the lock of the door and turned it. The door opened. Only seconds later, Mary was inside the secret garden.
Mary thought it was the most beautiful garden she had ever seen.
—Adapted from *The Secret Garden*
(
C
)12. 新考法 Which of the following sentences can be put in "▲" in Paragraph 2?
A. Soon summer is coming
B. Soon it will be cold
C. Soon there will be spring flowers
D. Soon animals will hide in the forest
(
B
)13. What is the robin?
A. A plane. B. A bird.
C. A kite. D. A person.
(
C
)14. Which is the right order for the robin?
a. It followed Mary around the garden.
b. It sat and sang on top of the garden wall.
c. It pecked at the ground and looked for a worm.
d. It flew towards Ben and Mary and landed at Mary's feet.
A. b - c - d - a B. b - a - d - c C. d - c - a - b D. d - a - b - c
(
B
)15. What is the best title for the passage?
A. Mary Looks for the Door.
B. Mary Finds a Secret Garden.
C. Mary Remembers the Robin.
D. Mary Helps Her Best Friend.