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Old Behrman was a painter who lived on the ground floor of the apartment building. Behrman was a failure
in art. For years, he had always been planning to paint a work of art, but had never yet begun it. He earned a
little money by serving as a model to artists who could not pay for a professional model. He was a fierce, little,
old man who protected the two young women in the studio apartment above him.
Sue found Behrman in his room. In one area was a blank canvas (畫布) that had been waiting twenty-five
years for the first line of paint. Sue told him about Johnsy and how she feared that her friend would float away
like a leaf on the old ivy vine climbing hopelessly up the outside block wall.
Old Behrman was angered at such an idea. "Are there people in the world with the foolishness to die because
leaves drop off a vine? Why do you let that silly business come in her brain?"
"She is very sick and weak," said Sue, "and the disease has left her mind full of strange ideas."
"This is not any place in which one so good as Miss Johnsy shall lie sick," yelled Behrman. "Some day I will
paint a masterpiece, and we shall all go away."
Johnsy was sleeping when they went upstairs. Sue pulled the shade down to cover the window. She and
Behrman went into the other room. They looked out a window fearfully at the ivy vine. Then they looked at
each other without speaking. A cold rain was falling, mixed with snow. Behrman sat and posed as the miner.
The next morning, Sue awoke after an hour's sleep. She found Johnsy with wide-open eyes staring at the
covered window.
"Pull up the shade; I want to see," she ordered, quietly.
Sue obeyed.
After the beating rain and fierce wind that blew through the night, there yet stood against the wall one ivy
leaf. It was the last one on the vine. It was still dark green at the center. But its edges were colored with the
yellow. It hung bravely from the branch about seven meters above the ground.
"It is the last one," said Johnsy. "I thought it would surely fail during the night. I heard the wind. It will fall
today and I shall die at the same time."
"Dear, dear!" said Sue, leaning her worn face downtoward the bed. "Think.of me, if you won't think of
yourself. What would I do?"
But Johnsy did not answer.
The next morning, when it was light, Johnsy demanded that the window shade be raised. The ivy leaf was
still there. Johnsy lay for a long time, looking at it. And then she called to Sue, who was preparing chicken
soup.
"I've been a bad girl," said Johnsy. "Something has made that last leaf stay there to show me how bad I
was. It is wrong to want to die. You may bring me a little soup now."
An hour later she said:"someday I hope to paint the Bay of Naples."
Later in the day, the doctor came, and Sue talked to him in the hallway.
"Even chances. With good care, you'll win," said the doctor. "And now I must see another case I have in
your building. Behrman, his name is-some kind of an artist, I believe. Pneumonia (肺炎), too. He is an old,
weak man and his case is severe. There is no hope for him; but he goes to the hospital today to ease his pain."
The next day, the doctor said to Sue:"She's out of danger. You won. Nutrition and care now-that's all."
Later that day, Sue came to the bed where Johnsy lay, and put one arm around her.
"I have something to tell you, white mouse," she said."Mister Behrman died of pneumonia today in the
hospital. He was sick only two days. They found him the morning of the first day in his room downstairs
helpless with pain. His shoes and clothing were completely wet and icy cold. They could not imagine where
he had been on such a terrible night.
And then they found a lantern, still lighted. And they found a ladder that had been moved from its place.
And art supplies and a painting board with green and yellow colors mixed on it.
And look out the window, dear, at the last ivy leaf on the wall. Didn't you wonder why it never moved
when the wind blew? Ah, darling, it is Behrrnan's masterpiece-he painted it there the night that the last leaf felt."
1. What was in Johnsy's mind all the time?
A. When the last leaf falls I must go.
B. The old ivy leaves have little to do with my getting well.
C. I am such a bad girl as to make everything messy.
D. Someday I hope to paint a masterpiece.
2. Which detail in the passage suggests that Behrman was a failure?
A. He worked as a miner to make ends meet.
B. His drawing board had waited 25 years to receive the first line of his masterpiece.
C. He was protective of the two girls but mostly sensitive and fierce.
D. He was a professional model waiting for his great opportunity.
3. One can safely assume after reading the story that _____.
A. the relationship between the two artist girls was developed on material comfort
B. the three artists mentioned in the story shared a studio apartment
C. Behrman showed great sympathy for the two youth
D. Johnsy was somehow annoyed to be accompanied by a never-succeeded artist
4. What does the underlined part "Even chances" suggest?
A. The doctor indicated that Johnsy was doomed to die.
B. The doctor thought that they should let her go.
C. The doctor believed that Johnsy had every chance of recovery.
D. The doctor put her chances at fifty-fifty.
5. When Johnsy said she had been a bad girl, she meant that _____.
A. asking for death was not right
B. she deserved more severe punishment
C. she should never forget about her dream
D. she was ashamed not to be able to support the other two
6. The short story can be listed as a typical example of stories with _____.
A. surprise endings
B. vivid contrasts
C. artistic imagination
D. arresting openings
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