He must have been completely lost in something he was reading because I had to tap on the windshield to get his attention.
“Is your taxi 1 ?” I asked when he finally looked 2 at me. He nodded, then said 3 as I settled into the back seat, “I'm sorry, but I was reading a 4 .” He 5 as if he had a cold .
“I am not in a hurry,” I told him. “Go ahead and finish your letter.” He 6 his head. “I've read it several times already. I guess I 7 know it by heart.”
“Letters from home always mean a lot,” I said. “From a child?”
“This isn't 8 ,” he replied. “Although it 9 just as well have been family. Old Ed was my oldest friend. In fact, we used to call each other 'Old Friend' when we'd meet. I'm not much good at 10 .”
“I don't think any of us keep 11 our correspondence (通信) too well,” I said. “I know I don't. But I take it he's someone you've 12 quite a while?”
“All my life. We were kids together, went to school together and all the 13 through high school.”
“There are not too many people who've had such a long friendship,” I said.
“ 14 ,” the driver went on, “I hadn't seen him more than once or twice a year over the past 25 or 30 years because I 15 away from the old neighbourhood and you kind of lose touch 16 you never forget.”
“You said 'was'. Does that mean—?” He nodded. “ 17 a couple of weeks ago.”
“I'm sorry,” I said. “It's no fun to lose any friend—and losing a real old one is 18 tougher.”
He didn't 19 to that, and we rode on in silence for a few minutes. But I realized that Old Ed was still on his mind when he spoke again, almost more to himself than to me: “I should have kept in touch.”
“Well,” I agreed, “we should all keep in touch with old friends more than we do. But things 20 and we just don't seem to find the time.”
When I got to my hotel room I didn't unpack right away. First I had to write a letter and mail it.
1. available B. acceptable C. beneficial D. occupied
2. A. down B. up C. to D. off
3. A. unexpectedly B. curiously C. apologetically D. definitely
4. A. booklet B. novel C. book D. letter
5. A. sounded B. spoke C. seemed D. continued
6. A. hung B. nodded C. shook D. kept
7. A. anyhow B. hardly C. almost D. really
8. A. friendship B. family C. leadership D. colleague
9. A. could B. might C. maybe D. would
10. A. writing B. reading C. talking D. earning
11. A. up B. with C. on D. in
12. A. found B. written C. known D. seen
13. A. curriculum B. coincidence C. life D. way
14. A. Eventually B. Actually C. Additionally D. Besides
15. A. removed B. left C. headed D. moved
16. A. even though B. as though C. when D. whereas
17. A. Died B. Suffered C. Choked D. Survived
18. A. ever B. even C. fairly D. quite
19. A. appeal B. reply C. adapt D. talk
20. A. take up B. pick up C. come up D. break up