Three boys and three girls were going to Lauderdale, Florida, dreaming of golden beaches as the gray cold of New York was left behind them. When the bus passed through New Jersey, they began to notice a man, who sat in front of them, dressed in a plain, illfitting suit, never moving, his dusty face masking his age.
Shortly after a snack at the Howard Johnson’s outside Washington, they went back to the bus, and one of the girls sat beside him and introduced herself.
“We’re going to Florida,” she said brightly. “I hear it’s really beautiful.”
“It is,” he said quietly, as if remembering something he had tried to forget.
“Want some wine？” she said.
He smiled and took a full glass. After a while, slowly and painfully, he told his story. His name was Vingo and had been in jail in New York for the past four years. Last week he was released from imprisonment and now going home.
“When I was in prison I wrote to my wife,” he said. “I told her that I was going to be away a long time, and that if she couldn’t stand it, she could just forget me; I’d understand. We used to live in Brunswick, just before Jacksonville, and there’s a big oak tree just as you come into town. Last week, I wrote her again. I told her that if she’d take me back, she should put a yellow handkerchief on the tree, and I’d get off and come home. If she didn’t want me, forget it, no handkerchief, and I’d go on through.”
She told the others, and soon all of them were in it, caught up in the approach of Brunswick, waiting for the approach of the great oak tree. Now they were 10 miles from Brunswick, and then five. Then, suddenly, all of the young people were up out of their seats, screaming and shouting and crying, doing small dances of joy. The oak tree was covered with yellow handkerchiefs, 20 of them, 30 of them, maybe hundreds, a tree that stood like small flags of welcome flying in the wind. As the young people shouted, Vingo rose and made his way to the front of the bus to go home.
73. What attracted the six young people when their bus passed through New Jersey?
A. The Howard Johnson’s. B. A poorlydressed man.
C. Golden beaches. D. A mysterious man with a mask.
74. Vingo wrote a letter to his wife before starting off to ________.
A. ask for her forgiveness
B. beg her to allow him back home
C. tie a yellow handkerchief to the oak tree
D. make sure if she was still in love with him
75. Why did all the young people shout with joy when they arrived in Brunswick?
A. They were only 5 miles away from their destination.
B. They were surprised to see so many welcoming people.
C. They were sure that Vingo’s wife was expecting him home.
D. The oak tree was still standing there welcoming Vingo back home.