One day, Jack’s parents told him that his grandpa would retire(退休) after working for forty years. Jack said in surprise, “I’m only seven, so it means Grandpa has been… err … A really long time!”
His parents said, “Yes. That’s why we are going to have a surprising party for him. ”
Jack loved his grandpa and wanted to do something special for him. He remembered the business card his grandpa had given him two years before. He knew that his grandpa would no longer have the position(职位) on that card, so he decided to build a new one for his grandpa.
When the big day came, Jack was ready. But he didn’t want to put his gift together with others’. He carried it around with him the whole evening.
When all the other people left, he took his grandpa’s hand and brought him over to a chair and gave him the gift.
His grandpa smiled, “Well, it must be a beautiful gift. May I open it now?” “Sure!” Jack said excitedly.
As Grandpa opened the gift, tears came into his eyes. Jack gave him the greatest gift he had ever got! They were business cards with new position: FULL-TIME GRANDPA! Jack said, “Now your full-time job is my grandpa!”
Well, how much do I get paid?” his grandpa asked, smiling. “As many hugs as you want!” With these words, Jack gave Grandpa a hug. “Well, I guess that means I’m the richest man in the world!” said Grandpa.
【小题1】Who was going to retire?

A．Jack’s grandma.	B．Jack’s grandpa.
C．Jack’s mother.	D．Jack’s father.

【小题2】Jack remembered __________ his grandpa had given him two years before.

A．the birthday card	B．the boy
C．the book	D．the business card

【小题3】What did Jack decide to do for his grandpa?

A．To build a new position for him.

B．To draw a picture for him.

C．To sing a song for him.

D．To buy a gift for him.

【小题4】Which of the following is TRUE?

A．Jack was the first one to give his gift to his grandpa.

B．Jack was the last one to give his gift to his grandpa.

C．Jack gave his gift to his grandpa together with other people.

D．Jack gave his gift to his grandpa together with his parents.

【小题5】Why were there tears in Grandpa’s eyes?

A．Because he would lose his position.

B．Because he was not cared for.

C．Because he was moved by Jack’s gift

D．Because he was unhappy.

 

I love it at night. It’s peaceful. And when it cools down I sometimes do some ironing. I don’t really care for it. I work full-time and I am too busy for most housework. I remember the old woman who taught me to iron. I was about 15 and I had to get a job taking care of a woman to make a living. She had been an able-bodied, healthy woman until the accident that caused her to be paralyzed.

The woman sat in an electric wheelchair all day. She could only move her head and arms. She would tell me how to do things. She would teach me in great detail on the correct ways to do things. Her home was perfect and beautiful. She would follow me around in her electric wheelchair to make sure I did everything exactly right. I’m sure she had been a perfect homemaker. She would have me fold(折叠) everything, including socks. I would complain silently and wish terrible things on her. She taught me the right way to make the bed. I know sometimes she’d get frustrated(沮丧) and impatient with me. I knew she wanted to do it herself. But she never shouted or scolded. She only insisted I do it right. I didn’t like it much, but I did it.

Today I can iron pretty well. I know where to start on a shirt and the right way to do the trousers. Now when I think about it, I don’t think she is an old lady. I think she might have been about my age now. Anyway, when I iron, I think of her and silently thank her for all the things I learned.

1.The writer used to take care of the lady because ________.

    A. she wanted to learn to do housework

    B. she was a friend of the lady’s

    C. she had to earn some money

    D. she couldn’t find a room to live in

2.The underlined word ‘paralyzed’ in the first paragraph may mean ‘______’.

A. destroyed        B. deaf         C. seriously ill        D. unable to walk

3.The little girl was ______ when the lady taught her how to do housework.

    A. encouraged to learn              B. unwilling to learn

    C. delighted to learn               D. recommended to learn

4.Now the writer ______.

    A. is still afraid of the lady          B. hates the strict lady

    C. admires the disabled lady            D. is very grateful to the lady

 

Twenty years ago, I drove a taxi for a living. One night I went to pick up a passenger at 2:30 AM. When I arrived there, I walked to the door and knocked, “Just a minute,” answered a weak, elderly voice.
After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her eighties stood before me. By her side was a small suitcase.
When we got into the taxi, she gave me an address, and then asked, “Could you drive through downtown?”
“It’s not the shortest way,” I answered quickly.
“Oh, I’m in no hurry,” she said. “I’m on my way to a hospice(临终医院). I don’t have any family left. The doctor says I don’t have very long.”
I quietly reached over and shut off the meter(计价器).
For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked, the neighborhood where she had lived, and the furniture shop that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl.
Sometimes she’d ask me to slow down in front of a special building and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.
In the early morning, she suddenly said,” I’m tired. Let’s go now.”
We drove in silence to the address she had given me.
“How much do I pay you?” she asked.
“Nothing.” I said.
“You have to make a living,” she answered. “Oh, there are other passengers,” I answered.
Almost without thinking, I gave her a hug(拥抱). She held on me and said, “You gave an old woman a little moment of joy.”
【小题1】The old woman chose to ride through the city in order to ______.

A．show she was familiar with the city

B．see some places for the last time

C．let the driver earn more money

D．reach the destination on time

【小题2】The taxi driver did not get the money because he ______.

A．wanted to give her a hand

B．shut off the meter by mistake

C．had received her payment already

D．was in a hurry to take other passengers

【小题3】What can we learn from the story?

A．No pains, no gains.

B．People should respect(尊重) each other.

C．An act of kindness can bring people great joy.

D．People should learn to enjoy our life.