A Misunderstanding

趙志偉

We spent a day in the country and picked a lot of flowers. Our car was full of flowers inside！ On the way home we had to stop at traffic lights， and there my wife saw the bookshelf.

It stood outside a furniture① shop. “Buy it，” she said at once. “Well carry it home on the roof-rack②. Ive always wanted one like that.”

What could I do？ Ten minutes later I was twenty dollars poorer， and the bookshelf was tied on to the roof-rack. It was tall and narrow， quite heavy too.

As it was getting darker， I drove slowly. Other drivers seemed more polite than usual that evening. The police even stopped traffic to let us through. Carrying furniture was a good idea.

After a time my wife said， “Theres a long line of cars behind. Why dont they overtake？”

Just at that time a police car did overtake. The two officers inside looked at us seriously when they went past. But then， with a kind smile they asked us to follow their car through the busy traffic. The police car stopped at our village church③. One of the offices came to me.

“Right， sir，” he said. “Do you need any more help now？”

I didnt quite understand. “Thanks， officer，” I said. “Youve been very kind. I lived just down the road.”

He was looking at our things： first at the flowers， then at the bookshelf. “Well， Well，” he said and laughed. “Its a bookshelf youve got there！ We thought it was something else.”

My wife began to laugh. Suddenly I understood why the police drove here.

I smiled at the officer. “Yes， its a bookshelf， but thanks again.” I drove home as fast as I could.

Choose the best answer.

1. From the story we know that ____.

A. the writer was poor and didnt buy the bookshelf for his wife

B. the writers wife didnt like the bookshelf at all

C. the writer was always glad to buy something for his wife

D. the writer was not very happy to buy the bookshelf for his wife

2. What made the writer think that carrying furniture was “a good idea”？

A. He could drive slowly and it was safe. B. Other drivers would let him go first.

C. His wife could have a new bookshelf.D. He could save a lot of money and time.

3. Why were the police and other drivers so kind to the writer？

A. Because they thought the writer liked studying very much and needed a bookshelf.

B. Because they didnt think it was polite to overtake a car with a bookshelf on it.

C. Because they thought somebody in the writers family had died （死亡） and he needed help.

D. Because they thought it was dangerous to carry a bookshelf on a car.

4. When did the officers begin to realize （意識(shí)到） they had made a mistake？

A. Before they arrived at the church. B. Before they overtook the writers car

C. When they stopped then at the village church.

D. After the writers family left the church.