def load(hdfs_path, **kwargs):
    """\
    Read the content of ``hdfs_path`` and return it.

    Keyword arguments are passed to :func:`open`. The `"mode"` kwarg
    must be readonly.
    """
    m, _ = common.parse_mode(kwargs.get("mode", "r"))
    if m != "r":
        raise ValueError("opening mode must be readonly")
    with open(hdfs_path, **kwargs) as fi:
        data = fi.read()
    fi.fs.close()
    return data