Twenty years ago, I drove a taxi for a living. One night 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. reach the destination on time

C. let the driver earn more money

D. see some places for the last time

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

A. was in a hurry to take other passengers

B. shut off the meter by mistake

C. had received her payment in advance

D. wanted to do her a favor

3.What can we learn from the story?

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

B. People should respect each other.

C. Giving is always a pleasure.

D. People should learn to appreciate others’ concern.

The Winter Olympic Games are a major international sporting event that occurs once every four years. Unlike the Summer Olympics, the Winter Olympics feature sports practiced on snow and ice. The first Winter Olympics, the 1924 Winter Olympics, was held in Chamonix, France. The Games were held every four years from 1924 until 1936, after which they were interrupted by World War II. The Olympics resumed in 1948 and was again held every four years. Until 1992, the Winter and Summer Olympic Games were held in the same year.

The Winter Games have evolved since its beginning. Sports and disciplines have been added and some of them, such as short track speed skating, freestyle skiing, have earned a permanent spot on the Olympic program. Others have been discontinued and later reintroduced. Still others, such as speed skiing, bandy and skijoring, were demonstration sports but never incorporated(合并)as Olympic sports. The rise of television as a global medium for communication enhanced the impression of the Games. It created an income stream, via the sale of broadcast rights and advertising.This allowed outside interests, such as television companies and corporate sponsors.

Beijing has become the first city to host both Summer and Winter Olympic Games after beating Kazakhstan’s Almaty to hold the 2022 Winter Olympics. With a fully-prepared final presentation by an all-star team, Beijing has successfully convinced the committee members that the 2008 Olympics host city is a more favored candidate for the Winter Games. Beijing was the safe choice because it had already proved it could stage the Games and said it would take winter sports into the backyard of the world’s most populated country.

1. Why were the Winter Olympic Games not held for 12 years ?

A. Because of the economic crisis

B. Because of culture difference

C. Because of the Second World War

D. Because of countries’ lack of interest

2. Which of the following is a sports event of the Winter Games ?

A. Speed skiing B. Freestyle skiing

C. Bandy D. Skijoring

3. What does the underlined word “ enhanced” in paragraph two mean?

A. Improved B. Reduced C. Paused D. Balanced

4. Beijing won the right to host the 2022 Winter Olympic Games mainly due to______.

A. its rich experience

B. its large population

C. its safety

D. its ability to stage the Games

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