At eighteen years of age,I flew up to San Francisco to meet a pen pal who I had written
to for over a year.The first thing we did when we got home was to bake (烘焙) chocolate
chip cookies,and our strong_ties were formed.From laughing at the burnt cookies,to eating
the chocolate chips instead of putting them in the dough (生面团),it was fantastic.We became
best friends.Twelve years later,we still reflect on that moment,and laugh with silliness and joy.
Fast forward to 2003,I was in my first month of training in radiation oncology (放射肿瘤学),
and scared.I was in a new city,alone,and afraid of having to make a new start.One patient
that we were treating used to come into the department with freshly baked goods for everyone
once a week with a smile on her face.She was treated with a really tough regimen (疗法) for
her cancer,yet she still overcame the pain and exhaustion (精疲力竭) to bake for the
department.I once asked her why,and she said it gave her purpose and meaning.
This purpose was far greater for me than a simple cookie.I really didn"t know how to
bake,and I told her that.She then invited me to her home for lessons.With her as a guide
I learned some of the art of baking.While baking we talked about life,regrets,and dreams.
We soon became very close friends.
A few weeks later,her husband came to the department and gave me a large box with
a handwritten note.I opened the box.Inside was a Kitchen Aid mixer,and the note saying,
"Please remember me when you bake,keep at it and you"ll change the world." He told me
that her cancer had spread.She was in her final stages of life.I cried and cried.It was simply
the most generous gift that I had ever received.
( )1. A. wealth ( )2. A. depressed ( )3. A. writing ( )4. A. abnormal ( )5. A. presents ( )6. A. sense ( )7. A. affection ( )8. A. estimated ( )9. A. hospitals ( )10. A. families ( )11. A. release ( )12. A. acceptable ( )13. A. Faced ( )14. A. holy ( )15. A. point ( )16. A. sharing ( )17. A. success ( )18. A. curiously ( )19. A. only ( )20. A. ruin | B. faith B. embarrassed B. suffering B. regular B. e-mails B. strength B. caution B. doubted B. churches B. letters B. reach B. reasonable B. Filled B. daily B. worst B. learning B. reply B. patiently B. better B. pieces | C. experience C. ashamed C. weeping C. comfortable C. letters C. shape C. difficulty C. assumed C. prisons C. freedom C. defe nd C. prohibited C. Satisfied C. one-way C. degree C. gaining C. help C. carefully C. extra C. the ground | D. confidence D. thrilled D. wandering D. meaningful D. prizes D. function D. confidence D. wondered D. charities D. conscience D. know D. considered D. Impressed D. round-way D. limit D. enriching D. progress D. actually D. lost D. the bottom |
A handsome middleaged man walked quietly into the cafe and sat down. Before he ordered, he couldn"t help but noticed a group of younger men at the table next to him. It was obvious they were making fun of something about him and it wasn"t until he remembered he was wearing a small pink ribbon (丝带) on the lapel of his suit that he became aware of what the joke was all about. The man pretended not to notice it, but the whisper and laughter began to get to him. He looked one of the rude young men straight into the eye, placed his hand beneath the ribbon and asked, "This?" With that the young men all began to laugh out loud. The man he spoke to said, "Hey, sorry, man, but we were just commenting on how pretty your little pink ribbon looks against your blue jacket!" The middleaged man calmly invited the joker to come over to his table, and politely seated him. As uncomfortable as he was, the young guy had to, not really sure why. In a soft voice, the middleaged man said, "I wear this ribbon to bring awareness about breast cancer. I wear it in my mother"s honor. " "Oh, sorry. She died of breast cancer?" "No, she didn"t. She"s alive and well. But her breasts nourished me as a baby, and were a soft resting place for my head when I was scared or lonely as a little boy. I"m very grateful for my mother"s breasts, and her health. " "Umm, "the young replied, "yeah. " "And I wear this ribbon to honor my wife," the man continued. "And she"s okay, too?" the young guy asked. "Oh, yes. She"s fine. Her breasts have been a great source of loving pleasure for both of us, and with them she nurtured and nourished our daughter 23 years ago. I"m grateful for my wife"s breasts, and her health." "Uh, huh. And I guess you wear it to honor your daughter, also?" "No. It"s too late to honor my daughter by wearing it now. . . " Shaken and ashamed, the young guy said, "Oh, I"m so sorry, mister." "So, in my daughter"s memory, too, I proudly wear this little ribbon, which allows me the opportunity to enlighten others. And here. . . "With this, he reached in his pocket and handed the young man a little pink ribbon. The young guy looked at it, slowly raised his head and asked, ". . . ?" | |||
1. The young men joked about the middle-aged man"s ______. | |||
A. looks B. ribbon C. attitude D. clothes | |||
2. What may have happened to the man"s daughter? | |||
A. She died of breast cancer. B. She was ill with cancer. C. She had gone abroad. D. She got married. | |||
3. What will the young man probably ask at the end of the story? | |||
A. May I give it to my mother? B. Can you help me put it on? C. Will you please forgive me? D. Shall we have some drink together? | |||
4. What is the best title for the passage? | |||
A. An Unusual Meeting B. An Impressive Lesson C. Be Grateful to Your Beloved D. A Little Pink Ribbon | |||
阅读理解 | |||
While I was waiting outside my wife"s office building for her to get out of work.I saw a bum (流浪乞丐) coming my way. "I hope he won"t ask me for any money, " I thought. He came and sat in front of the bus stop.After a few minutes he spoke."That"s a very pretty car, " he said.He was in rags, but he had an air of dignity (尊严) about him. I gave him a smile and continued cleaning my car. He sat there quietly as I worked.The expected asking for money never came.As the silence between us widened, it seemed that a voice inside me said, "Ask him if he needs any help." "Do you need any help?" I asked. He answered in three simple but meaningful words that I shall never forget.We often look for wisdom in great men and women, and we expect it from those of higher learning and achievements.I expected nothing but an outstretched (伸出的) dirty hand from him, but he said three words that shook me. "Don"t we all?" he said. I_was_feeling_high, successful_and_important_above_a_bum_in_the_street, until those three words hit me like a shot. Don"t we all? I needed help.Maybe not for a bus fare or for a place to sleep, but I needed help.I reached in my wallet and gave him not only enough for a bus fare, but enough to get a warm meal and shelter for the day.Those three little words still ring true.No matter how much you have, you need help, too.No matter how little you have, no matter how loaded you are with problems, even without money or a place to sleep, you can give help. Maybe God looked down, called an angel, dressed him like a bum, and then said, "Go to that man cleaning the car.That man needs help." Don"t we all? 1. The writer was near the bus stop________. A. to meet the bum B. to wait for his wife C. to wait for a bus D. to clean his car 2. At the sight of the bum, the writer________. A. asked him if he needed any help B. hoped to give the bum some money C. wished the bum not to ask him for money D. pretended to be cleaning his car 3. The underlined part in the passage means "________". A. I thought I"m better in any way than the bum B. I felt the bum is as good in some ways as I am C. I felt I liked the bum very much D. I thought I should respect the bum 4. What does the story mainly tell us? A. Those who are poor are in greater need of help. B. Anybody should give help to others. C. Poor as a man may be, he has dignity. D. Whatever we are, we need help. |