Question

    I drove a taxi to make a living. One night about twenty years ago, I went to pick up a passenger at 2:30 AM. When I arrived to collect, I found the building was dark except for a single light in a ground floor window.

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.

I took the suitcase to the car, and then returned to help the woman. She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the car.

She kept thanking me for my kindness. “It’s nothing,” I told her. “I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated.”

“Oh, you’re such a good man.” She said. 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 particular building and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.

At dawn, 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 owe 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 bent and gave her a hug. She held onto me tightly. Our hug ended with her remark, “You gave an old woman a little moment of joy.”

1.The old woman chose to ride through the city in order to ______.

A.show she was familiar with the city

B.let the driver earn more money

C.see some places for the last time

D.reach the destination on time

2.The taxi driver did not charge the old woman because he ______.

A.shut off the meter by mistake

B.wanted to do her a favor

C.had received her payment in advance

D.was in a hurry to take other passengers

3.What can be inferred from the story?

A.Giving is always a pleasure.

B.People should respect the old.

C.People should learn to appreciate others’ concern.

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

Answer

1.C

2.B

3.D

【解析】

这是一篇记叙文。本文讲了一个快要走到生命尽头的老人在司机耐心帮助下又最后看了看她曾经生活和工作的地方，在到达目的地之后司机没有收钱而且和她紧紧拥抱，让她感受到浓浓爱意。

1.细节理解题。根据倒数第八段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.可知在接下来的两个小时里，我们开车穿过这个城市。她带我看了她曾经工作过的大楼，她曾经居住过的社区，还有曾经是舞厅的家具店，她还是个小女孩的时候曾在那里跳舞。由此可知，老妇人选择穿过市区是为了最后看一看一些地方。故选C。

2.推理判断题。根据第八段“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.”(“哦，我不着急，”她说。“我在去临终医院的路上。我已经没有家人了。医生说我活不了多久了”)以及第九段I quietly reached over and shut off the meter(计价器).(我静静地伸出手，关掉了计价器)可知司机在得知老人是去临终医院，她已经没有亲人了．医生说她没有多少日子了时关掉了计时器，可推知他对老人很同情,之后他驾车带着老人穿过城市，最后老人下车时，他没有收老人的钱，由此可推知，出租车司机没有向老妇人收费，因为他想帮她一个忙。故选B。

3.推理判断题。根据最后一段中“You gave an old woman a little moment of joy.”可知你让一个老人得到了短暂的快乐。结合根据本文讲了一个快要走到生命尽头的老人在司机耐心帮助下又最后看了看她曾经生活和工作的地方，在到达目的地之后司机没有收钱而且和她紧紧拥抱，老妇人说司机给了她短暂的快乐。由此可推知，一种善良的行为可以给别人带来巨大的快乐。故选D。