Last year, around Labor Day, I read a “Happy Ad” in our local newspaper． There was a lady in a local nursing home, who was celebrating her 90th birthday and her family wanted everyone to know about it． It said that if you wanted to drop her a line, here was her address． So I did． I found a birthday card and dropped her a short note, wishing her a happy birthday．

A week or so later, someone knocked at my front door． I opened the door and found a middle-aged man standing on my doorstep． He introduced himself as the son of this woman to whom I had sent the card． He explained that he just wanted to drop by in person and thank me for sending such a nice card to his mom． Apparently, like many older folks, she did not receive much mail and was quite excited to receive mine． I just didn’t know what to say． I told him it was my pleasure and that I hoped his mom had enjoyed her birthday．

That year, I did not send out any Christmas cards, except to this lovely old lady in the nursing home． I just told her that I was thinking about her and hoped that she had a nice holiday． I sent her a Valentine and also a couple of notes in between． I just thought she might like to have someone write to her, to get some mail．

She passed away a couple of months ago． I never met this lady, but I did keep her and her family in my thoughts． I dropped them a line of sympathy． I hope that my few little notes were enough to brighten a couple of her days here on earth．

1.The old lady’s address was given because ____________．

   A． her family wanted to make her well-known

   B． the old lady wanted to receive a birthday card

   C． the son of the old lady wanted to meet the author

   D． her family wanted to give her a happy birthday

2.Which of the following best describes the author?

   A． Brave．          B． Polite．       C． Caring．        D． Faithful．

3.Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

    A． A Kind Act     B． An Old Lady     C． A Happy Ad      D． A Considerate Son

 

It was a hot summer day． My dad and I were getting ready to go out for a ride on the boat with my friend Katie and the dog when the phone call came, the call that made that bright, beautiful day a cold, dark, gloomy one．

I had just put on my suit, shorts, and tank top, and packed my bag with sunscreen and everything else I would need for the day． I ran into my parents' room to find Dad． When I saw him on the phone, he was crying． I'd never seen my dad cry before． My heart sank． What possibly could have happened?

"Max, I'm so sorry," I heard him say． That's when it hit me． I knew that Suzie had died． Max has been my dad's best friend for years． Suzie, his daughter, had a rare disease that mainly affected her body． Her brain was OK． She knew what was going on; she knew that she had problems and was different from other kids． Once she told her dad that she wished she could die and be born in a different body． Yet although she couldn't live a normal life ，she was still happy．

When Suzie and I were little, we spent quite a bit of time together． As we grew up, we grew apart． She lived in New York, and I lived in the Midwest． When Suzie was ten she had to live in a hospital in Virginia． About eight months before she died, Max gave us her number at the hospital and we talked at least twice a week until the end． Suzie was always so excited to talk to us and wanted to know every detail about my life． She wanted to know everything I did and every thing I ate． In a way, she lived through me．

    After we found out about her death, we made our plans to go to New York for the funeral． When she was alive, I sent her a Beanie Baby and she sent one back to me． I had bought her another one but never had the chance to send it to her, so I took it to put in her casket（棺材）．

Her funeral was very different from any funeral I'd ever been to． After they lowered her casket, each one of us put a shovelful of dirt over her． I remember crying so hard, I felt weak． My cheeks burned from the tears． My whole body was shaking as I picked up the shovel, but I'm glad I did it．

When Suzie and I first started calling one another, I thought it would be more of a burden on me, but I was completely wrong． I learned so much from her． She gave me more than I could ever give to her． I will never forget her or the talks we had． I now know that I must never take anything for granted especially my health and the gift of life．

1.What does the underlined part “In a way, she lived through me．” mean?

A．Suzie got to know what life outside hospital was like by sharing my experience．

B．Suzie was financially dependent of me．

C．Suzie managed to pull through her illness with the help of my family．

D．Suzie was too weak to live her own life．

2.Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?

A．Suzie was the only person helping the author with difficulties．

B．The author feared that she might also get the same disease as Suzie．

C．The author benefited a lot from talking on the phone with Suzie．

D．The author didn't understand Suzie was her true friend until Suzie's death．

3.What is the most important lesson the author learned from Suzie's death?

A．Never let go of a friend even if you are apart．

B．Be thankful for what we have in our life．

C．Talking with a friend can cure your illness．

D．We can learn more from our friends than they do from us．

 

It was a hot summer day. My dad and I were getting ready to go out for a ride on the boat with my friend Katie and the dog when the phone call came, the call that made that bright, beautiful day a cold, dark, gloomy one.

I had just put on my suit, shorts, and tank top, and packed my bag with sunscreen and everything else I would need for the day. I ran into my parents' room to find Dad. When I saw him on the phone, he was crying. I'd never seen my dad cry before. My heart sank. What possibly could have happened?

"Max, I'm so sorry," I heard him say. That's when it hit me. I knew that Suzie had died.Max has been my dad's best friend for years. Suzie, his daughter, had a rare disease that mainly affected her body. Her brain was OK. She knew what was going on; she knew that shehad problems and was different from other kids. Once she told her dad that she wished she could die and be born in a different body. Yet although she couldn't live a normal life ，she was still happy.

When Suzie and I were little, we spent quite a bit of time together. As we grew up, we grew apart. She lived in New York, and I lived in the Midwest. When Suzie was ten she had to live ina hospital in Virginia. About eight months before she died, Max gave us her number at the hospital and we talked at least twice a week until the end. Suzie was always so excited to talk to us and wanted to know every detail about my life. She wanted to know everything I did and every thing I ate. In a way, she lived through me.

    After we found out about her death, we made our plans to go to New York for the funeral. When she was alive, I sent her a Beanie Baby and she sent one back to me. I had bought her another one but never had the chance to send it to her, so I took it to put in her casket(棺材).

Her funeral was very different from any funeral I'd ever been to. After they lowered her casket, each one of us put a shovelful of dirt over her. I remember crying so hard, I felt weak. My cheeks burned from the tears. My whole body was shaking as I picked up the shovel, but I'm glad I did it.

When Suzie and I first started calling one another, I thought it would be more of a burden on me, but I was completely wrong. I learned so much from her. She gave me more than I could ever give to her. I will never forget her or the talks we had. I now know that I must never take anything for granted especially my health and the gift of life.

1.The author's family cancelled their ride because______.

    A．Katie couldn't join them for the ride

    B．the weather was too terrible for a ride

    C．they couldn't find their dog

    D．Max's daughter passed away

2.What does the underlined part “In a wav, she lived through me.” mean?

    A．Suzie got to know what life outside hospital was like by sharing my experience.

    B．Suzie was financially dependent of me.

    C．Suzie managed to pull through her illness with the help of my family.

    D．Suzie was too weak to live her own life.

3.Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?

    A．Suzie was the only person helping the author with difficulties.

    B．The author feared that she might also get the same disease as Suzie.

    C．The author benefited a lot from talking on the phone with Suzie.

    D．The author didn't understand Suzie was her true friend until Suzie's death.

4.What is the most important lesson the author learned from Suzie's death?

    A．Never let go of a friend even if you are apart.

    B．Be thankful for what we have in our life.

    C．Talking with a friend can cure your illness.

    D．We can learn more from our friends than they do from us.

 

 

I entered St Thoma’s Hospital as a medical student at the age of 18 and spent five years there. I was an unsatisfactory student, for my heart, as you might have guessed, was not in it. I wanted, I had always wanted to be a writer, and in the evening, after my high tea, I wrote and read. Before long, I wrote a novel, called “Liza of Lambeth”, which I sent to a publisher and was accepted. It appeared during my last year at the hospital and had something of a success. It was of course an accident, but naturally I did not know that. I felt I could afford to give up medicine and make writing my profession; so, three days after I graduated from the school of medicine, I set out for Spain to write another book. Looking back now and knowing as I do the terrible difficulties of making a living by writing, I realize I was taking a fearful risk. It never even occurred to me.

The next ten years were very hard, and I earned an average of £100 a year. Then I had a bit of luck. The manager of the Court Theatre put on a play that failed ; the next play he arranged to put on was not ready , and he was at his wits’ end. He read a play of mine and, though he did not much like it, he thought it might just run for the six weeks till the play he had in mind to follow it with could be produced. It ran for fifteen months. Within a short while I had four plays running in London at the same time. Nothing of the kind had ever happened before. I was the talk of the town. One of the students at St Thomas’s Hospital asked the famous surgeon with whom I had worked whether he remembered me. “Yes, I remember him quite well, “he said. “ One of our failures, I’m afraid. “

1. Which of the following statements is not true?

A. The author was very pleased to have his book published but he didn’t realize it was something of an accident.

B. The success of his first book led the author to think he could afford to make writing his profession.

C. The author knew he was running a terrible risk when he decided to become a writer.

D. The author became a writer after graduation but was not a successful one.

2. In the second paragraph, “… he was at his wits’ end “means ________.

A. he was having a nervous breakdown       B. he was out of his wisdom

C. he did not know what to do             D. he almost went mad

3. The manager of the Court Theatre agreed to put the author’s play on the stage because _____________.

A. he thought it would run for fifteen months

B. he knew it was one of the author’s best plays shown in London

C. he had just put on a play that failed

D. the play he had arranged to put on was not ready

4. The author became the talk of the town. The reason was that __________.

A. he talked with a great many people in London about his plays

B. the plays he wrote were excellently performed in London

C. his performances in the Court Theatre were unexpectedly

D. he was criticized by an eminent surgeon as one of their failures