When I was a boy every holiday that I had seemed perfect. My parents took me by train or by car to a

When I was a boy every holiday that I had seemed perfect. My parents took me by train or by car to a hotel by the sea. All day, I seem to remember. I played on the sands with strange exciting children. We make sandcastles with huge yellow walls, and watched the incoming tide destroy them; we splashed each other in the water and shrieked with excitement. When the tide went out, we climbed over the slippery rocks and stared down at the fish and the seaweed in the rock-pools. In those far-off days the sun seemed to shine constantly and the water was always warm. Sometimes we left the beach and walked in the country, exploring ruined houses and dark woods and climbing trees that overhung streams. There were always sweets in one’s pockets or convenient places where one could buy ice-creams. Each day seemed a life-time. Although I am now an , my idea of a good holiday is much the same as it was. I still like the sun and the warm sand and the sound of waves breaking on the beach. I no longer wish to build sandcastles and I dislike sweets instantly, but I look forward to sitting down to a good meal and a bottle of wine in the evening. I think, too, that I prefer spending my holiday abroad. I want to smell different smells; I want to see different kinds of trees, flowers and birds; and I also want to see people with different colored skins, wearing different kinds of clothes. Above all, I want to hear a different language spoken and listen to different musical rhythms from those I am used to. But I still need my companions----not, of course, to play on the sands and eat ices with, but to drink with and talk to on warm moonlit nights. Sometimes I wonder what my perfect holiday will be when I am old. All I shall want to do then, I expect, will be to lie in bed, reading books about children who make sandcastles with huge yellow walls, who watch the incoming tide, who make themselves sick on too many ices… 39.Where did the author mostly spend his holidays when he was young? A.In the countryside. B.On the beach. C.In the mountains. D.On the sea. 40.What does the underlined word “shrieked” in Paragraph 1 mean? A.shouted B.swam C.struggled D.surfed 41.What now interests the author as an is ____. A.to enjoy a nice dinner B.to spend his holiday sunbathing C.to chat with someone D.to experience a foreign culture 42.When the author grows old, he expects that ____. A.he will read more books about children B.he will lie in bed without worrying about anything C.he will bring back wonderful childhood memories from a book D.he will make sandcastles with his children

Here are the answers to the questions based on the passage:

39. Where did the author mostly spend his holidays when he was young?
B. On the beach.
The author describes spending most of his childhood holidays on the beach, playing in the sand, swimming, and exploring the coastline.

40. What does the underlined word “shrieked” in Paragraph 1 mean?
A. shouted
"Shrieked" refers to loud, high-pitched shouting or screaming, which fits with the context of children excitedly playing in the water.

41. What now interests the author as an adult is ____
D. to experience a foreign culture
The author mentions wanting to smell different smells, see different trees, flowers, and people, and hear different languages—indicating a desire to experience new cultures.

42. When the author grows old, he expects that ____
C. he will bring back wonderful childhood memories from a book
The author imagines that in his old age, he will lie in bed reading books about his childhood, reliving memories of making sandcastles and playing on the beach.