Last weekend, I was walking across the village green(草坪) when I saw an elderly gentleman on the bench, just overlooking the duck pond. I thought he looked a bit forlorn(被遗弃的) so I went over and sat next to him.
After a few 36 about how nice the weather was and how there were a lot of ducks in the pond today, he told me how he used to come with his wife and watch the children feed the ducks with their mums. They didn't have any 37 of their own..So they cherished being together even more.
He explained he had been married for 54 years 38 his wife died and how much he missed 39 all the little things with her, like a beautiful sunset. He now lives in a care home. I remarked at how wonderful it must've been to have been married for so long and to have so many happy memories. He took out a large 40 and wiped his eyes and said he had one regret that in all that time he 41 told her how much he really loved her.
He showed me a photograph of them when they were young. The photo was taken more than 50 years ago. He couldn't believe how the time had 42 . I tried to comfort him by explaining that his wife would be still 43 over him and he could talk to her 44 he wants and that she knows how much he loved her because she can see into his heart.
The old man tried to 45 for blurting out his life story but I hushed him and said how privileged I felt he could talk to me and how much it meant to me.
The 46 I learned from this chance encounter is that we must tell the ones close to us how much we love and care for them and not take them for granted.
Don't 47 your kind acts until tomorrow; do them today because time flies.
1.A. discussionB. comments C. quarrels D. communication
2.A. children B. ducks C. pond D. home
3.A. before B. when C. after D. unless
4.A. doing B. carrying C. sharing D. buying
5.A. paper B. rubber C. brush D. handkerchief
6.A. never B. often C. sometimes D. constantly
7.A. passed on B. passed awayC. passed by D. passed off
8.A. watching B. looking C. seeing D. observing
9.A. every timeB. any time C. some time D. the time
10.A. blame B. cry C. regret D. apologize
11.A. thing B. class C. lesson D. knowledge
12.A. put up B. put down C. put away D. put off
The web is fantastic at many things—e-mail, e-commerce, for example. But ________ your name is Amazon or Google, making money has proved hard.
A. if B. unless C. although D. as long as
Russia’s president fires senior military officers for failing to stop a naval base _________ by wildfires that have killed 48.
A. being swept B. swept C. to be swept D. having swept
Mark Twin’s own story is as memorable as _______ he imagined.
A. that B. those C. one D. it
If Lu Xun were a contemporary writer, I can’t guarantee that he ________ laughed at by readers, as most young people don’t appreciate his writing style.
A. isn’t B. is C. wouldn’t be D. would be
________ away from people who try to belittle(����) your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.
A. Keeping B. To keep C. Kept D. Keep
