----How fine the weather is! Let’s go out for a walk.

----__________, but I need to do some cleaning first.

A. Not at all　　 B. That’s right　 C. Good idea　 D. No, thank you.

My grandson, Daniel, and I have always been very close. When Daniel’s father remarried after a divorce, Daniel, who was eleven, and his little sister, Kristie, came to live with us. My husband and I were more than happy to have kids in the house again.

    Things were going along just fine until the diabetes (糖尿病) I’ve lived with most of my adult life started affecting my eyes, and then more seriously, my kidneys (肾). Then everything seemed to fall apart.

    Three times a week, I had to go to the hospital to be hooked up to a dialysis machine (透析机). I was living, but I couldn’t really call it a life — it was an existence. I had no energy. I dragged myself through daily chores and slept as much as I could. My sense of humor seemed to disappear.

    Daniel, seventeen by then, was really affected by the change in me. He tried as hard as he could to make me laugh, to bring back the grandma who loved to clown around (开玩笑) with him. Even in my sorry state, Daniel could still bring a smile to my face.

    But things were not improving. After a year on dialysis, my condition was deteriorating (恶化) and the doctors felt that if I didn’t receive a kidney transplant within six months, I would surely die. No one told Daniel this, but he knew — he said all he had to do was look after me. To top it off, as my condition worsened, there was a chance that I would become too weak to have the transplant surgery at all, and then there would be nothing they could do for me. So we started the tense and desperate wait for a kidney.

    I was adamant (坚决的) that I didn’t want a kidney from anyone I knew. I would wait until an appropriate kidney became available, or I would literally die waiting. But Daniel had other plans. The time that he took me to my dialysis appointments, he did a little secret research on his own. Then he announced his intention to me.

    “Grandma, I’m giving you one of my kidneys. I’m young and I’m healthy …” He paused. He could see I wasn’t at all happy with his offer. He continued, almost in whisper, “And most of all, I couldn’t stand it if you weren’t around.” His face wore an expression of appeal mixed with determination. He can be as stubborn as a mule (驴) once he decides on something — but I’ve been told many times that I can out-stubborn any mule!

    We argued. I couldn’t let him do it. We both knew that if he gave up his kidney, he would also give up his life’s dream; to play football. It was all he ever talked about. And he was good, too. Daniel was co-captain and star defensive tackle (防守阻截队员) of his high school team; he expected to apply for a football scholarship and was looking forward to playing college football. He just loved the sport.

    “How can I let you throw away the thing that means the most to you?” I pleaded with him.

    “Grandma,” he said softly, “compared to your life, football means nothing to me.”

    After that, I couldn’t argue anymore. So we agreed to see if he was a good donor (捐赠者) match, and then we’d discuss it further. When the tests came back, they showed Daniel was a perfect match. That was it. I knew I wasn’t going to win that argument, so we scheduled the transplant.

    Both surgeries went smoothly. As soon as I came out of the anesthesia (麻醉) , I could tell things were different. I felt great! The nurses in the intensive care unit had to keep telling me to lie back and be quiet — I wasn’t supposed to be that lively! I was afraid to go to sleep, for fear I would break the spell (魔法) and wake up the way I had been before. But the good feeling didn’t go away, and I spent the evening joking and laughing with anyone who would listen. It was so wonderful to feel alive again.

    The next day they moved me out of ICU and onto the floor where Daniel was recuperating (复原) three doors away. His grandfather helped him walk down to see me as soon as I was moved into my room. When we saw each other, we did not know what to say. Holding hands, we just sat there and looked at each other for a long time, overwhelmed by the deep feeling of love that connected us.

    Finally, he spoke, “Was it worthwhile, grandma?”

    I laughed a little ruefully (懊悔). “It was for me! But was it for you?” I asked him.

    He nodded and smiled at me. “I’ve got my grandma back.”

    And I have my life back. It still amazes me. Every morning, when I wake up, I thank God —and Daniel — for this miracle. A miracle born of the purest love.

1.Grandma’s diabetes brought about all the following EXCEPT that _______.

A. her eyes and her kidneys were affected

B. grandma became quite a different person

C. Daniel had to be sent back to his father

D. everything was thrown into confusion

2.When grandma was at her lowest, what did Daniel do to bring her back to her usual life?

A. He tried his best to make her laugh.     

B. He helped her with the daily chores.

C. He gave up his dream of going to college.     

D. He searched desperately for a good donor match.

3.How did grandma feel when Daniel announced his intention to give her one of his kidneys?

A. She was moved by his selfless decision.

B. She wasn’t at all happy with his offer.

C. She felt relieved that an appropriate kidney was available.

D. She was enthusiastic about having a kidney of someone she loved.

4.What would giving up a kidney mean to Daniel, according to the passage?

A. He wouldn’t be young and healthy thereafter.

B. He didn’t have to search for a good match any more.

C. He could apply for a full scholarship to a college he desired.

D. He would also give up his life’s dream: to play football.

5.How was grandma when she came out of the anesthesia after the surgery?

A. She was feeling low.                B. She was full of life.

C. She was exhausted.                D. She was the way she had been before.

6.Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?

A. Grandma got her life back thanks to Daniel’s selfless donation.

B. Grandma thought her returning to life was a miracle of pure love.

C. Daniel agreed with grandma that the transplant was worthwhile for her, not for him.

D. Much as he loved football, grandma’s life meant the most to Daniel.

 

阅读理解

阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A，B，C和D)中，选出最佳选项．

　　Mrs Brown was tired after her day's shopping in London, so she went to a restaurant for a cup of tea before catching the train home. When she had ordered the tea, she suddenly remembered that she had to buy some medicine for her husband, who had a cough.

　　“Is there a chemist's near here?”she asked the waiter.

　　“Yes. Madam,”the waiter said.“It's only about three minutes' walk away. Turn right when you go out of the restaurant, then take the second turning to the left. You'll find a big chemist's about a hundred yards up the road on the right-hand side. It closes at five, but if you hurry, you'll just get there in time.”

　　Mrs Brown followed the waiter's directions carefully and found the chemist's without any difficulty. She bought the cough mixture and started to make her way back to the restaurant. But after she walked about ten minutes and there was still no sign of the restaurant, she realized that she must have made a mistake.

Mrs Brown was anxious because she had left all her shopping in the restaurant. She was wondering what to do when a policeman came up and asked if he could help. Mrs Brown explained what had happened. The policeman suggested going back as far as the chemist's. When they got there, the policeman said, “Let's go in this direction. It leads to the main road, where we probably find your restaurant.”

When they reached the main road. The policeman said, “I think you'll find the restaurant you are looking for along there, on the opposite of the road.”

1．It must have been ________ when she ordered her tea.

[　　]

2．Which of the following is Not true according to the passage?

[　　]

A．It was easy for Mrs Brown to find the chemist's.

B．The waiter was helpful to her.

C．She almost forgot to buy some medicine for her husband.

D．When she got lost, she went to a policeman and asked for help.

3．Which of the following is the right way from the chemist's to the restaurant?

[　　]

A．Turn right, then take the second turning to the left and then walk straight forward 100 yards.

B．Turn left when you go out of the chemist's. Go straight forward about 100 yards and then turn right. Walk a few minutes and the restaurant is on your left.

C．Turn left when you go out of the chemist's and then take the second turning to the right. Go a hundred yards and the restaurant is on the opposite.

D．Turn right out of the chemist's. Take the second turning to the left and then right.

4．Which of the following is the most likely dialogue between Mrs Brown and policeman?

[　　]

A．“Thank you very much, but I wonder how I went wrong?”“Oh, it's easy to get lost in a big city like London!”

B．“Excuse me, could you tell me the way to the chemist's?”, “OK, let me show you the way.”

C．“How much should I pay?”“It's nothing.”

D．“It's kind of you”“You are welcome.”

I always reflect on what happened in my life. I think this is important—to appreciate our wins, losses, new passions, insights, etc.       1.       Here are some tips for you on reflection.

1. Focus on the process and not the outcome.

This thought was beautifully summed up by Srikumar Rao. He explains how we fail because

we focus our energies on the outcome rather than the- process itself. When a child learns to walk, she never focuses on the outcome but on the process.

2. Failure is a lead not a stop sign.

When you hit a wall and things don’t turn up the way they are intended, no one is saying to you, “This is where you stop because you failed”. If you do, you are reading the wrong information. Failure tells us, “       2.       Try another method.”

3. Happiness is not the destination but the journey.

We think that happiness is a result that comes after having acquired or achieved something we don’t have. This is not quite right.       3.       It’s about stepping back and enjoying the ride rather than expecting it at your destination point.

4. Wisdom comes from the balance between your knowledge and your heart.

Let your heart talk more; it’s wiser than you think. You can be as knowledgeable and clever as one can be.       4.      Wisdom is really having reached a stage where you balance all your knowledge with your heart.

5. Gratitude is the energy-drink of the soul.

Say thank you to the universe every morning. Appreciation can lift your soul from anxiety which weighs you down. Try it out.       5.       It will help you appreciate life with more depth and perspective.

A. Failure is the mother of success.

B. Happiness is when we accept and enjoy everything as it is.

C. This method and the intended result do not match.

D. Be thankful to at least one thing in your day.

E. Not reflecting on our lives and experiences is a wasted chance for growth.

F. Happiness means achieving your goals and getting what you want.

G. But if your mind doesn’t go with your heart, you are losing energy in internal conflicts.