A Lesson from a Five-Year-Old
It’s eight o’clock on a cold spring night. The phone rings for the sixth time in less than an hour. I know who it is—my mom.
When my mom was 68, a stroke(中风) took her ___16___ but not her life. She’s suffering from paranoia. She thinks she has been kicked out of her house which is not true and she thinks her daughters have not visited in months even though it was only a few days ago.
Each time she ___17___, I play a game with myself called “How Good of a Person Can I Be?”. I’ve ___18___ five rounds of the game tonight. But I’m due for a loss. My mom has no idea that she has ___19___ the things she has said a million times today and a million times yesterday. She has no idea that she cannot recall her own grand-daughter’s name.
“Mom!” I yell. “You’re not being ___20___ your home! And we visited two days ago! I cannot talk anymore! Everything is fine!” I sink into the sofa, ___21___ that my daughter saw everything. I have not only failed tonight at being a good person, but I have failed at being a good ___22___ to my daughter.
“Can I talk to Grandma Ellie?” My daughter ___23___ for the phone. I hand it over.
“Hi, Grandma!”
I hear my mother’s bright and cheerful voice ___24___ the receiver, “Sweetheart! Did you go to school today?”
“Yes, Grandma. Today was share day, and I brought my Wonder Woman necklaces.”
My mother tells her how much she loves her and how lovely her voice sounds. Then, “Tell me, did you go to school today?”
“Yes, Grandma. I went to school and we had share day. I brought my Wonder Woman necklaces.” I listen to my daughter talk ____25____ to her grandmother. My daughter has a lot of ____26____ towards her.
I have spent so much time ____27____ she had a “real” grandmother. In this moment, I realize that she does have a real grandmother, and she does have a real ____28____ with her. It isn’t the one I had hoped for, but to her, this is ____29____—to care for a loved one is a part of life.
Tonight, she ____30____ me how to answer the phone like a grown-up.
16. A. body B. temper C. mind D. nature
17. A. calls B. reflects C. visits D. leaves
18. A. lasted B. done C. made D. won
19. A. replaced B. repeated C. recalled D. realized
20. A. removed from B. moved into C. rescued from D. forced into
21. A. aware B. proud C. curious D. satisfied
22
A. identity B. example C. friend D. soul
23. A. cares B. applies C. prepares D. reaches
24. A. into B. beyond C. through D. against
25. A. briefly B. firmly C. softly D. anxiously
26. A. patience B. attitude C. determination D. experience
27. A. confirming B. worrying C. promising D. wishing
28. A. gathering B. relationship C. greeting D. agreement
29. A. formal B. normal C. unbelievable D. selfless
30. A. advises B. expects C. warns D. teaches
【答案】16. C 17. A 18. D 19. B 20. A 21. A 22. B 23. D 24. C 25. C 26. A 27. D 28. B 29. B 30. D
