Ice cream can’t cure cancer or bring back a lost
love, but it can make one feel better for a while.
A bout 18 months ago, my father was in hospital
recovering from a major lung operation. My mother had recently
36 , and my father had taken the loss of his partner of 55 years very
hard and had lost interest in 37 . Trying to get him
to 38 each day was quite a chore as he didn’t want anything.
The one thing, 39 , that he would ask us to bring him was
ice-cream.
One evening, to our 40 ,
he refused to eat the ice-cream, 41 I placed it in a
staffroom freezer. A little while later, my son decided he wanted it, so I 42
it for him.
As I passed another ward(病房), a 43 asked, “Are there more
where that came from?” When I explained the 44 , she
apologized. She then said that she had cancer and could eat very little,
45 the occasional ice-cream.
The next evening, I decided to buy two
ice-creams. On the way to Dad’s room, I stopped in at the 46
woman’s room, and 47 her the ice-cream
I’d bought for her. She was 48 stunned that I had
thought of her, and 49 the gift with tears in
her eyes. I spoke with her for a few minutes, 50 what
was happening in my family and listened to her 51 story
of pain and suffering. It was apparent that she did not 52
many visitors, and the ice-cream and our short chat meant a great
deal to her.
I 53 the gesture
a few days later, and this time was 54 with a huge hug.
I never even thought to ask her name, and never
saw her again, but it made me realize that an act of 55 can
be more rewarding when you give it, rather than receive it.
1.A.passed
away B.gone out C.come
back D.calmed down
2.A.work
B.life C.studies
D.games
3.A.speak
B.laugh C.drink
D.eat
4.A.though
B.however C.instead
D.therefore
5.A.joy
B.satisfactionC.surprise
D.relief
6.A.if
B.unless C.so
D.because
7.A.borrowed
B.bought C.made
D.fetched
8.A.woman
B.granny C.girl
D.child
9.A.question
B.situation C.process
D.decision
10.A.better
than. B.more
than C.rather than D.other
than
11.A.pretty
' B.honest C.sick
D.shy
12.A.offered
B.told . C.sold
D.charged
13.A.hardly
B.finally C.gradually
D.totally
14.A.accepted
B.stored C.exchanged D.gave
15.A.remembering
B.denying C.explaining
D.forgetting
16.A.ordinary
' B.similar C.interesting
D.i'great
17.A.have
B.like C.expect
D.J attract
18.A.reported
B.expressed C.noticed
D.^repeated
19.A.covered
B.connected C.rewarded D.filled
20.A.politeness
B.kindness C.selflessness D.willingness