1990/01（本試）The first time I met him,
1990/01（本試）
The first time I met him, everybody seemed to think that he was crazy and very dangerous. However, I was fascinated with him and gradually a new friendship was born between us. It all began on the day I visited a yacht in Newport Harbor.
A friend of mine, Richard, owned the yacht. He and his wife had two female relatives staying with them during the summer. I wanted to drop by and say hello as Richard and I always had a good time fishing together, and I was interested in meeting the two women.
As I approached the yacht, there was no sign of life and I guessed that everyone had gone ashore. The yacht, however, was not completely empty. I noticed a little creature sitting on the deck, looking at me with suspicion and fear.
I then realized that something terrible had happened on the yacht before I arrived. The deck was covered with broken objects including a little house in which the creature seemed to have been kept
Suddenly it jumped through the air to a long, loose rope, and as it came near me. I could see that it was a monkey. He looked down at me as he swung back and forth, performing all kinds of acrobatics and gymnastics. It was really interesting to watch what he did on the swinging rope; I myself had practiced gymnastics in school, so every least thing the monkey did in his performance had a very special appeal to me. I started talking to him in a gentle voice and told him of my great interest in his tricks, and asked him to show me some more.
Like a circus star, he walked with perfect balance on the wire between the two masts, and then took a long jump toward me. Without hesitation, I extended my hand to help him and he sat down beside me, watching every movement of my lips while I told him what a truly great artist he was. He moved onto my lap as if we had been friends for a very long time.
Just then I heard noises behind us. Turning around, I saw a small boat coming toward us with Richard’s wife and a policeman in the front. He was carrying a rifle and behind him sat two women nervously pointing at the yacht As their boat came near the yacht, they began shouting at me, but I only half understood what they were saying. Once they were on board, the monkey became very excited and I soon understood what had happened on the yacht
Richard had received the monkey as a present, and they immediately became inseparable friends. Two days before, Richard had to go out of town on business and left the monkey in his wife’s care. Separated from Richard, the monkey felt so lonely that he started breaking things, and when the women tried to stop him he attacked them. They fled in the small boat to get help from the police.
After a heated discussion, I persuaded the policeman not to shoot the monkey. I promised to take care of him until Richard returned; he could decide what should be done with his ‘crazy pet’
We left together in my boat while the three women and the policeman stayed behind on the yacht. The monkey gradually calmed down because there were no people around to upset him. My new friend sat quietly in front of me as we approached the shore.
- What happened on the yacht before the writer visited?
① Someone cut the rope and let the monkey go.
② The monkey damaged things on deck.
③ The monkey fought with Richard’s ‘crazy pet’
④ The monkey played with the women. - Why did “something terrible” (in the fourth paragraph) happen on the yacht?
① Because Richards wife and his relatives left the monkey alone.
② Because the monkey felt abandoned by his owner.
③ Because the monkey lost his little house on deck.
④ Because the policeman tried to shoot the monkey. - What was Richard doing on the day the writer visited?
① He was away on a business trip.
② He was fishing with his wife in the small boat.
③ He was reporting the monkey’s behavior to the police.
④ He was visiting one of his old friends. - Why did the writer go to the yacht?
① Because he had promised to go fishing with Richard.
② Because he wanted to play with Richard’s pet.
③ Because he wanted to see Richard, his wife, and the two women.
④ Because he was going to take care of the monkey. - What did the policeman do on the yacht?
① He helped the writer catch the monkey.
② He persuaded the women not to shoot the monkey.
③ He shot the monkey with his rifle.
④ He took part in a heated discussion. - Why was the writer fascinated with the monkey?
① Because he had always loved monkeys.
② Because he wanted to keep the monkey as a pet
③ Because he was interested in the monkey’s tricks.
④ Because Richard wanted him to look after the monkey. - What happened to the monkey at the end of the story?
① The monkey was left with the police for the moment.
② The monkey went to stay with the writer.
③ The writer had to look after him permanently.
④ They decided to give the monkey to the circus.
