Microsoft founder Bill Gates said that he planned to give away almost all of his vast^① fortune, largely to the cause of global health, during the course of his lifetime. With an estimated^② worth of more than $ 40 billion, according to Forbes, the project will be no small feat^③ for Gates. Having already provided the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation with $ 24 billion to address global health issues, Gates said that eventually his entire fortune will be put towards the cause except “a few percent left for the kids.”

So what has made the richest man in the world to channel his resources so heavily into one interest? Gates believes that “the equality of opportunity” in which Americans take such pride needs to extend to other nations around the world. Improving the health of the populations, he says, has proven to be an essential method in helping poor countries to be financially^④ successful. “National borders allow inequalities,” said Gates, “We all need to take a more global view, rather than just saying my country is doing well. We have to step up these health issues, knowing how few resources are going into them.”

Gates said that both his parents set good examples to him as a child. His father, William H. Gates, was the head of the local Planned Parenthood, and his mother, Mary, volunteered for the United Way. As he gathered his fortune, Gates knew he would eventually want to give back as well, but he didn’t expect to devote himself whole-heartedly to one project until he was about 60.

However, Gates, 47, began to question his ability to wait that long. “It seemed there was a real time urgency,” Gates said, “I started to think, how many lives could I save before then?”

Notes:

vast  adj. 巨额的

estimate  v. 估计，估价

feat  n. 功绩，壮举

financially  adv. 财政上，金融上

Choose the best answers according to the above:

Why will Bill Gates give away his vast fortune?

A. to improve the health of population in America alone

B. to improve the health of population all over the world

C. to avoid leaving his children too much money

D. to spare the American government the burden of health care

According to the passage, which of the following is right?

A. Americans should care about people in other countries

B. Americans should treat fellow citizens well

C. Americans should devote themselves to certain projects

D. Americans can be world-famous by giving away vast fortune

Bill Gates gave away his vast fortune earlier than he had expected because of       __.

A. his weakening health condition

B. his parents’ suggestions

C. his great success in business

D. his concerns for suffering people

According to the passage, which word can be used to describe Bill Gates?

A. brave   B. kind-hearted   C. strong-minded   D. confident

He lost his arms in an accident that claimed his father’s life who was the main   36 of support for the family. He had to   _37__  the arms of his younger brother，and his younger brother became his ___38 _ ，never leaving him alone for years. Except for writing with his toes，he was completely unable to do   _39_  in his life.
One late night，his younger brother accompanied him into the toilet and went back to  __40__ . But being so   41___，his younger brother fell asleep，leaving him on the toilet for two hours. As the two brothers grew up together，they had their share of problems and they would often  __42__  . His younger brother wanted to live   _43__  from him，living his own life，as many normal people do. So he was   44 __ and didn’t know what to do.
A   _45__  misfortune befell(降临) a girl. One night her mother，who suffered from mental illness ___46_ . So her father went out looking for her mother，leaving her alone at home. She tried to prepare a  __47_  for her parents，only to overturn the stove，  _48 __  in a fire which took her hands away.
Though her elder sister who was studying in another city，showed her   _49__  to take care of her，she was determined to be completely   _50__ . At school，she always studied hard.
One day，the boy and the girl were both invited to appear on a television interview program. They were both asked to write something on a piece of paper with their toes. The boy wrote： My younger brother’s arms are my arms；  51_  the girl wrote: Broken wings，flying heart.
Disasters can    52_ at any time. If you choose only to complain and    53   from the ordeal(苦难的经历)，it will always follow you wherever you go. But if you decide to be       ___54   ，the hardship will turn out to be a(n)   55  on which new hopes will arise.

It took her a while to adjust to __________alone after the divorce(离婚).

This is love, hand in hand with you, old age to the old.
I made a promise to myself on the way down to the vacation beach cottage. For two weeks I would try to be a(an)   31  husband and father. Totally loving. No ifs, ands or buts.
The   32   had come to me as I listened to a talk on my car radio. The   33  was quoting Biblical passage about husbands and their wives. Then he went on to say, “Love is an   34  of will. A person can choose to love.” To myself, I had to   35  that I had been a selfish husband. Well, for two weeks that would   36 .
And it did,   37  from the moment I kissed Evelyn at the door and said, “That new yellow sweater looks   38  on you.”
“Oh, Tom, you noticed,” she said,   39  and pleased. Maybe a little puzzled.   40  the long drive, I wanted to sit and read. Evelyn   41  a walk on the beach. I started to refuse,   42 
then I thought she wanted to be alone with me.” We walked on the beach while the   43  flew their kites.
So it went. Two weeks of not calling the firm where I am a director. We visited the shell museum   44  I usually hate museums. Relaxed and happy, that’s how the whole   45  passed. I made a new promise to keep on remembering to choose love.
There was one thing that went   46  with my experiment, however. Evelyn and I still laugh about it today. On the last night at our cottage, preparing for bed, Evelyn  47 me.    “What’s the matter?” I asked her.
“Tom,” she said in a(an)   48  voice, “do you know something? I don’t….”
“What do you mean?”
“Well… that   49  I had several weeks ago … our doctor … did he tell you something about me? Am I dying?”
It took a moment for it all to be understood. Then I burst into   50 .
“No, honey,” I said, wrapping her in my arms. “You’re not dying; I’m just starting to live.”