For 52 years my father got up every morning at 5:30 am, except Sunday, and went to work. He returned home at 5:30 pm, for dinner at 6:00 pm. I never remember my father having a night out with his children. All he asked from me as a daughter was to hold his hammer while he repaired something, just so we could have some time to talk to each other.
For 22 years, after I left home for college, my father called me every Sunday. Nine years ago, my father, 67 years old, spent three days painting my house. He asked me to hold the paint brush for him and talk to him. But I was too busy and I could not take the time to hold the paint brush, or talk to my father.
Five years ago, my father spent five hours making a swing（秋千）for my daughter. Again, all he asked me to do was to give him a glass of tea, and talk to him. But again, I had some clothes to wash, and the house to clean.
On January 16, 1996, my father telephoned me as usual, this time from my sister’s home in Florida. I had to get to church, and I cut the conversation short.
The call came at 4:40 pm. That day, my father was in hospital in Florida. I got on an airplane immediately, and on the way, I made up my mind that when I arrived, I would make up for the lost time, and have a nice long talk with him.
I arrived in Florida at 1:00 am, but my father had passed away at 9:12 pm. This time it was he who did not have time to talk, or time to wait for me.
1.
When the author was young, her father ______.
A. was busy with his work B. disliked his children
C. often talked to his children D. never cared about his children
2.
How old was the author’s father when he made a swing for his granddaughter?
A. 45. B. 67. C. 71. D. 76.
3.
When painting the house, the father asked the author to hold a paint brush because ______.
A. he wanted to make his work easy
B. he was too old to work all by himself
C. he just wanted his daughter to help him
D. he wanted to have a talk with his daughter
4.
The underlined phrase “passed away” in the last paragraph probably means “______”.
A. arrived B. lost C. left D. died
It was in the hospital that I first saw Tommy.
He must have been crying a lot __21_ his chest was still heaving（起伏）as I __22_ the bed. I knew he was trying to __23_ his tears. I felt helpless, unable to __24_ the pain from the little boy. Suddenly an idea hit me. I wanted to __25_ him the ancient Hawaiian wisdom. __26_ over, I whispered, “Tommy , did you know our Hawaiian Lizards（蜥蜴）grow their tails back and little boys can grow their __27_ back too?” Tommy’s eyes grew wide with __28_ .
“They can?” he asked, obviously __29_ .
“Yes!” I answered with __30_ . “Close your eyes,” I said. He nodded with his eyes closed __31_ .
“Tell your finger every day how much you love it and you need it to __32_ the phone and to write your homework in school.” I paused, __33_ his little face focused in deep __34_ . “Now say, grow for me, finger. I love you. I need you so much.” __35_ later, Tommy opened his eyes. I told him, “Your finger will be perfectly fine. Let’s __36_ until it completely recovers.”
A year later, Tommy came to say good-bye to me. His broken finger was just the same as any other finger should be. Only a(n) __37_ scar（伤疤）remained.
Tommy remains forever in my heart and __38_ me of the possibility of miracle（奇迹）. From him, I have learnt to _39_ failure. He inspires me to improve myself and to remember the ancient __40_ : Everything is possible if you truly believe.
1.
A. so B. but C. because D. or
2.
A. left B. approached C. touched D. saw
3.
A. flow out B. wipe out C. hold up D. hold back
4.
A. remove B. move C. stand D. suffer
5.
A. amuse B. teach C. inspire D. treat
6.
A. Turning B. Watching C. Looking D. Bending
7..
A. hands B. arms C. fingers D. feet
8.
A. ease B. excitement C. fright D. disappointment
9.
A. tired B. confident C. astonished D. worried
10.
A. certainty B. pride C. honesty D. pleasure
11.
A. slightly B. firmly C. loosely D. straight
12.
A. call B. answer C. dial D. receive
13.
A. changing B. noticing C. washing D. covering
14.
A. sadness B. fantasy C. regret D. attention
15.
A. Years B. Weeks C. Minutes D. Hours
16.
A. stay B. stop C. wait D. rest
17.
A. fine B. ugly C. terrible D. big
18.
A. warns B. reminds C. educates D. shows
19.
A. forget B. accept C. refuse D. challenge
20.
A. game B. lesson C. wisdom D. truth
The job market is competitive. Therefore, you have to be _________ knowledge and skills in order to employed in the future.
A. satisfied with B. cut off
C. equipped with D. focused on
His first book _________ next month is based on a true story.
A. published B. to be published
C. to publish D. publishing
Only when his mother died ________ how much he loved his mother.
A. he realised B. did he realise
C. he had realised D. had he realised
The girl looked at me with a _______expression. Maybe the problem was quite ________.
A. puzzled; puzzling B. puzzling; puzzled
C. puzzled; puzzled D. puzzling; puzzling
