When my first wartime Christmas came， I was in basic training in New Jersey1 and not sure if I could make it home for the holidays．only on the afternoon of December 23 was the list of men who would have three-day passes posted．I was one of the lucky soldiers．It was Christmas Eve when I arrived home， and a light snow had fallen．Mother opened the front door．I could see beyond her， into the corner of the living room where the tree had always stood．There were lights， all colors， and ornamentsshining against the green of a pine． Where did it come from? I asked．
I asked the Gates boy to cut it， my mother said．I wouldnt have had one just for myself， but when called-oh， such a rush！ He just brought it in this afternoon The pine reached to the proper height， almost to the ceiling2， and the Tree Top Krystal Star was its place．A few green branches reached about a little awkwardlyat the side， I thought， and there was a bit of bare trunk showing in the middle．But the tree filled the room with warm light and the whole house with the pleasant smell of Christmas． Its not like the one you used to find， my mother went on．Yours were always in good shape．I suppose the Gates boy didnt know where to look．But I couldnt be fussy．
Dont worry， I told her．Its perfect. It wasnt， of course， but at the moment I realized something for the first time： all Christmas trees are perfect．
1．From the passage， we can infer3 that ______．
A．the writer spent his first Christmas during the war
B．soldiers did not all go home for Christmas during the war
C．all the soldiers had three-day passes
D．the writer could not go home for Christmas
2．When the writer got home， ______．
A．it was December 23
B．it was snowing heavily
C．he found a Christmas tree in the living room
D．the Gates boy was cutting a Christmas tree for his mother
3．From this passage， we can conclude4 that ______．
A．the writer used to cut very beautiful Christmas trees
B．his mother didnt like perfect trees
C．his mother didnt want to have a tree
D．the writer wouldnt have a tree cut by someone else
4．All Christmas trees are perfect， because they can remind you of ______．
A．the wartime B．the green of a pine
C．the pleasant smell D．the sweet home
5．The best title for this passage would be ______．
A．How to Choose a Christmas Tree
B．How Soldiers Spent Christmas
C．The Perfect Christmas Tree
D．The Christmas Without a Tree
Key: 1-5 BCADC
