Father’sGarden
Myfatherwasalwaysagood(酷爱的)gardener.Oneofmyearliestmemoriesisstandingwithoutshoesinthefreshlytilled(翻耕的)soilmyhandsblackenedfromdiggingintheground.
AsachildIlovedfollowingDadaroundinthegarden.IrememberDadpushingthetiller(耕作机)aheadinperfectlystraightlines.Dadlovedgrowingallsortsofthings:yellowandgreenonionswatermelonsalmostasbigasmerowsofyellowcornandourfavorite---redtomatoes.
AsIgrewintoateenagerIdidn’tgetsoexcitedaboutgardeningwithDad.Insteadofmagicallandofpossibilityithadturnedintosomekindofprison.AsDadgrewolderhisloveforgardeningneverdisappeared.AfterallthekidsweregrownandhadstartedfamiliesoftheirownDadturnedtogardeninglikeneverbefore.Evenwhenhewasdiagnosedwithcancerhestilltookcareofhisgarden.
Butthenthecancerbitbybitinvadedhisbody.Ihadtodothethingsheusedtodo.WhatreallyconvincedmethatDadwasdyingwasthestateofhisgardenthatyear.Therowsandrowsofmulticoloredvegetablesweregone.Tootiredtoweedthemhesimplyletthembe.Heonlyplantedtomatoes.
ForthefirstfewyearsafterhediedIcouldn’tevenbeartolookatanyone’sgardenwithouthavingstrongmemoriespourovermelikecoldwaterfromabucket.ThreeyearsagoIdecidedtoplantmyowngardenandstartedoutwithjustafewtomatoes.ThatmorningafterbreakingupafairamountofsoilsomethingcaughtthecornerofmyeyeandIhadtosmile.Itwasmyeight-year-oldsonNathanhappilyplayinginthefreshlytilledsoil.
小题1:Whydidtheauthorlikethegardenwhenhewasachild?A.Hewantedtobeagarden-crazylikehisfather.B.Helovedbeinginthegardenwithhisfather.C.Thegardenwasfullofhisfavoritefood.D.Thegardenwasjustfreshlytilled.小题2:Whenallthekidsstartedtheirownfamiliestheauthor’sfather_____.A.stoppedhisgardening.B.turnedtootherhobbies.C.devotedmoretogardening.D.focusedonplantingtomatoes.小题3:Whathappenedtothegardenwhentheauthor’sfatherwasseriouslyill?