My father came to the United States as a Ukrainian immigrant (移民) when he was 14 years old. Unable to speak English but willing to do anything to succeed, he learned the language, became a barber, and opened up his own business in a small town. He put my sister and me through college during a time when most people thought that women didn’t need an education and that they should be satisfied with getting married and having children. He gave us values and ambition. But this story didn’t really start until my father was 60 years old.

    I was preparing to get married and my father was attempting to practice the polke, a must at any Ukrainian wedding. But he just couldn’t do it! He had lost mobility in his leg and was diagnosed with a brain tumor (肿瘤). After surgery, this energetic, hard-working man was forced to retire as a result of significant paralysis (瘫痪) in his right arm and leg. My dad had always worked two jobs and spent his spare time working around the house. Now that kind of life came to a sudden stop. Yet never once did he complain. He bought rubber balls and spent his days trying to regain his hand mobility by squeezing those balls over and over.

    After his last operation, he chatted with me pleasantly in the hospital room until a nurse flew into the room, waving her finger at me, and yelling, “You’d better tell your father to stay in bed. He is paralyzed and will never walk again. He needs to stop trying to get out of bed and accept the fact that he can’t walk now or ever. I am sick of picking him up and you’d better warn him to stay put!” My father smiled. He spent a great deal of time on the floor that year, but he eventually got up and walked.

    My father lived nineteen more years after that operation. He bought himself a motor scooter (小型摩托车) and spent years zipping around the streets of Philadelphia. He was proud, free, and always smiling.

In what way was the author’s father different from most other people in his times?

    A. He succeeded in migrating to the U.S.

    B. He learned the new language easily and quickly.

    C. He achieved his life goal by working as a barber.

    D. He had his daughters educated.

The underlined word “polke” in Paragraph 2 probably refers to        .

    A. a song           B. a dance          C. a musical instrument     D. a tool for painting

The author’s father used the rubber balls to         .

    A. kill his too much spare time         B. relieve himself from work pressure

    C. get his hand’s function back            D. recover from his operation

Which of the following can be used to describe the author’s father?

    A. Perfect.         B. Strong-minded.           C. Creative.            D. Impractical.

What can we learn from the text?

    A. Love can do wonders.             B. Failure is the mother of success.

    C. A father’s love is most valuable.       D. Never give up on your life.

My father came to the United States as a Ukrainian immigrant (移民) when he was 14 years old. Unable to speak English but willing to do anything to succeed, he learned the language, became a barber, and opened up his own business in a small town. He put my sister and me through college during a time when most people thought that women didn’t need an education and that they should be satisfied with getting married and having children. He gave us values and ambition. But this story didn’t really start until my father was 60 years old.

    I was preparing to get married and my father was attempting to practice the polke, a must at any Ukrainian wedding. But he just couldn’t do it! He had lost mobility in his leg and was diagnosed with a brain tumor (肿瘤). After surgery, this energetic, hard-working man was forced to retire as a result of significant paralysis (瘫痪) in his right arm and leg. My dad had always worked two jobs and spent his spare time working around the house. Now that kind of life came to a sudden stop. Yet never once did he complain. He bought rubber balls and spent his days trying to regain his hand mobility by squeezing those balls over and over.

    After his last operation, he chatted with me pleasantly in the hospital room until a nurse flew into the room, waving her finger at me, and yelling, “You’d better tell your father to stay in bed. He is paralyzed and will never walk again. He needs to stop trying to get out of bed and accept the fact that he can’t walk now or ever. I am sick of picking him up and you’d better warn him to stay put!” My father smiled. He spent a great deal of time on the floor that year, but he eventually got up and walked.

    My father lived nineteen more years after that operation. He bought himself a motor scooter (小型摩托车) and spent years zipping around the streets of Philadelphia. He was proud, free, and always smiling.

1. In what way was the author’s father different from most other people in his times?

    A. He succeeded in migrating to the U.S.

    B. He learned the new language easily and quickly.

    C. He achieved his life goal by working as a barber.

    D. He had his daughters educated.

2. The underlined word “polke” in Paragraph 2 probably refers to        .

    A. a song           B. a dance          C. a musical instrument     D. a tool for painting

3.The author’s father used the rubber balls to         .

    A. kill his too much spare time         B. relieve himself from work pressure

    C. get his hand’s function back            D. recover from his operation

4. Which of the following can be used to describe the author’s father?

    A. Perfect.         B. Strong-minded.           C. Creative.            D. Impractical.

5. What can we learn from the text?

    A. Love can do wonders.             B. Failure is the mother of success.

    C. A father’s love is most valuable.       D. Never give up on your life.