I can honestly say it was the best of times and the worst of times．I was joyfully  36  my first Child at the same time that my once-energetic mother was   37  her battle with a brain cancer．

For ten years，my courageous mother had fought，but none of the operations or other  38  had been successful．Finally，she became totally  39  unable to speak，walk，eat or dress on her own．As she grew closer and closer to death，my baby grew closer and closer to life．My biggest fear was that their lives would never  40  she and my baby could never  41  each other．

My fear seemed  42  ．A few weeks before my  43  date，mother went into a deep coma(昏迷)and doctors said she would never  44  ．So we brought her to her own house．As often as I could，I  45  her about the baby moving inside me．I hoped that somehow  46  inside，she knew．

On February 3rd，at about the same time my labor(分娩)started at hospital，the nurse at her house told me the  47  news：Morn opened her eyes，sitting up and smiling．I asked for the phone to be  48  to Morn’S ear．

“Morn，you’II have a new grandchild!”

“Yes!Yes!I know!”

Four words。four _49__  and beautiful words!

For the next tWO miracle weeks after I brought Jacob home，she gave US joy，smiling，holding Jacob and speaking to the family in complete  50  Then she quietly slipped back into a coma  51  and was finally free  52  the pain forever．

Memories of my son’s birth will always be   53  for me，but it was at this time that I learned an important truth about living．  54  both joy and sorrow are lasting only a short time，and often intertwined(相互纠缠)，love has the   55  to face both．And love can last forever．

1.A．hoping     B．expecting            C．waiting for      D．taking care of

2.A．continuing B．starting         C．completing       D．losing

3.A．treatments B．methods          C．measures         D．injections

4.A．dull           B．unmoved          C．unconscious      D．disabled

5.A．combine        B．connect          C．mix              D．gather

6.A．replace        B．bless                C．know             D．inspire

7.A．well-founded   B．well—informed   C．well—known      D．well-planned

8.A．ready      B．final                C．due              D．fixed

9.A．come over  B．come up          C．come back            D．come around

10.A．discussed with B．talked to           C．explained to     D．described to

11.A．deep          B．dangerous            C．magic            D．mysterious

12.A．strange       B．fantastic            C．impossible       D．imaginary

13.A．built     B．set              C．felt             D．put

14.A．accurate      B．slow             C．clear                D．truthful

15.A．words     B．idioms           C．descriptions     D．sentences

16.A．state     B．setting          C．reaction         D．silence

17.A．off           B．against          C．from             D．beyond

18.A．light-hearted B．bitter-sweet     C．nice             D．fresh

19.A．If            B．As               C．Since                D．While

20.A．power     B．strength         C．force                D．energy

When I was in the third grade,I was picked to be the princess(公主）in the school play.For weeks my mother had helped me practice my lines.But once onstage,every word disappeared from my head.Then my teacher told me she had written a narrator's（解说者的）part for the play,and asked me to change roles.Though I didn't tell my mother what had happened that day,she sensed my unhappiness and asked if I wanted to take a walk in the yard.

    It was a lovely spring day.We could see dandelions(蒲公英）popping through the grass in bunches,as if a painter had touched our landscape with bits of gold.I watched my mother carelessly bend down by one of the bunches."I think I am going to dig up all these weeds,"she said."From now on,we'll have only roses in this garden."

    "But I like dandelions,"I protested."All flowers are beautiful-even dandelions!"

    My mother looked at me seriously."Yes,every flower gives pleasure in its own way,doesn't it?"she asked thoughtfully.I nodded."And that is true of people,too,"she added.

    When I realized that she had guessed my pain,I started to cry and told her the truth.

　　“But you will be a beautiful narrator,”she said,reminding me of how much I loved to read stories aloud to her.

    Over the next few weeks,with her continuous encouragement,I learned to take pride in the role.The big day finally came.A few minutes before the play,my teacher came over to me.“Your mother asked me to give this to you,”she said,handing me a dandelion.After the play,I took home the flower,laughing that I was perhape the only person who would keep such a weed.

   1.The girl did not play the role of the princess mainly because .

   A.she felt nervous on the stage.

   B.she lost her interest in that role.

   C.she preferred the role of the narrator

   D.she had difficulty memorizing her words

   2.Why did the mother suggest a walk in the garden?

   A.To remove the dandelions

   B.To enjoy the garden scene

   C.to have a talk with her daughter.

   D.to hlep her daughter with the play.

   3.What is the main idea of the story?

   A.Everybody can find his or her own way to success.

   B.Everybody has his or her own value in the world.

   C.Everybody should learn to play different roles

   D. Everybody has some unforgettable memory.

When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: “If you live each day as if it were your last, someday you’ ll most certainly be right.” It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself, “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?”
Remembering that I’ ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choice in life.
About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer. The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that was incurable, and that I would live no longer than three to six months. My doctor advised me to go home and get my affairs in order, which is my doctors’ code for preparing yourself to die.
I lived with that diagnosis all day. I was completely in despair. Later that evening, I had another examination and my wife told me that tumor turned to be curable with surgery. I had the surgery and I’ m fine now.
This was the closest I’ve been to facing death. To tell the truth, no one wants to die. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. It clears out the old to make room for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away.
Your time is so limited that you shouldn’t waste it repeating someone else’s life. Don’ t be trapped by dogma（教条）—which is living with the results of other people’ s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most importantly, have the courage to follow your heart. It somehow already knows what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.
【小题1】The doctor advised the author to go home and get his affairs in order because_________.

A．Hopeless

B．Excited

C．Optimistic

D．Angry

When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: “If you live each day as if it were your last, someday you’ ll most certainly be right.” It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself, “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?”

Remembering that I’ ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choice in life.

About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer. The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that was incurable, and that I would live no longer than three to six months. My doctor advised me to go home and get my affairs in order, which is my doctors’ code for preparing yourself to die.

I lived with that diagnosis all day. I was completely in despair. Later that evening, I had another examination and my wife told me that tumor turned to be curable with surgery. I had the surgery and I’ m fine now.

This was the closest I’ve been to facing death. To tell the truth, no one wants to die. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. It clears out the old to make room for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away.

Your time is so limited that you shouldn’t waste it repeating someone else’s life. Don’ t be trapped by dogma（教条）—which is living with the results of other people’ s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most importantly, have the courage to follow your heart. It somehow already knows what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

1.The doctor advised the author to go home and get his affairs in order because_________.

A. he had to rest at home               B. his disease couldn’t be cured

C. his disease was not serious at all       D. he had to wait for the result of the test

2.How did the author feel after the diagnosis?

A．Hopeless      B． Excited       C． Optimistic   D． Angry 

3.What does the author think of death?

A．He thinks it is impossible to avoid.  

B．He thinks it is not the end of life.

C．He thinks it is nothing to be scared of.

D．He thinks it is the beginning of a new life

4.In the author’ s opinion, we should ____________.

A．follow others’ advice               B．take no notice of diseases

C．take exercise and keep healthy       D．have the courage to follow our heart