My Grandpa Forgets Who I Am
A few days ago I visited my grandfather in hospital. He has Alzheimer’s—a degenerative (退化的) disease that usually starts slowly and gets worse over time. I thought I was prepared to see him. I knew chances were slim that he’d actually recognize me.
He didn’t. As a matter of fact, he had no idea that he even had grandchildren. But he was excited that somebody came to visit him. I tried to explain to him who I was. But after he told me multiple times that he didn’t have grandchildren, I gave up. And my heart broke into a million little pieces.
I was tired of explaining things to him. So I just smiled. He smiled back. It’s a genuine smile. Like a long time ago, when he’d take me by the hand and made this big world feel a little bit less scary for me. Now I have to take his hand.
We sat in silence for a little while, before he told me to call my grandma. This was the first time I had tried so hard to hold back tears. My grandma died four years ago and he didn’t remember. He thought she was stuck on her way to pick him up.
My grandpa used to be a strong, hard-working man. He was the person you turned to when you needed your car fixed, your tires changed or something heavy to be carried. Sadly, that man left this world a long time ago, and left behind a man that is lost and scared.
I want to help him. I want to make him feel better. I want to tell him about his old life, and how great it was. So I sat with him and I held his hand, and every once in a while I told him how good he looked and how much I liked the color of his shirt and how it brought out the blue in his eyes. I told him that my grandma was on her way whenever he asked about her, and I made sure the glass in his hand was always filled with water.
I can’t take away his pain. I can’t help him remember. I can’t make the disease go away. All I can do is hold on to the memories—hold on for both of us.
1.When the author first saw her grandpa in hospital, ________.
A.she gave up on him B.they were both excited
C.he didn’t recognize her D.they talked about the past
2.The author was close to tears because ________.
A.grandma died about four years ago
B.grandpa needed to be taken care of
C.grandma didn’t make it to the hospital
D.grandpa believed grandma was still alive
3.Which of the following best describes the author?
A.Open-minded and cheerful. B.Considerate and patient.
C.Warm-hearted and grateful. D.Strong-minded and generous.
Studying abroad
| I am from Toronto, Canada and I moved to Madrid, Spain in September to pursue my master's degree（硕士学位）. After almost two years of full-time work, I realized that I loved my field so much that I wanted to pursue higher education in the same field. Then I decided to pursue a Master's while having an experience abroad in Madrid. I chose Madrid because it is the business capital of Spain. They have amazing food, great wine, amazing culture and a beautiful language. |
| I am studying abroad in Amsterdam in the Netherlands at the University of Amsterdam now. I have always wanted to study abroad because I wanted an experience studying in the Western atmosphere（气氛）. I choose the Netherlands because their courses are taught in English and that is very convenient for me. It is also a very student-friendly country. |
| Being an international student is a very interesting and useful experience. I got to know so many interesting students and discussed with them about different topics, not just about studies. What I wanted to experience most was the European lifestyle and cultures. Aside from the cultures, you also get to properly enjoy your time with others according to the real French lifestyle. |
| As I got closer to graduating from high school, I began to consider spending a year or so travelling, either before or after studying at university. I was really excited to go outside of the UK. Studying abroad has given me the confidence to continue pursuing opportunities that lie outside of my comfort zone（舒适区）. |
1.Where does Jessica come from?
A.Spain. B.Canada. C.The Netherlands. D.The UK.
2.Who studies in the Netherlands?
A.Jessica. B.Dixie. C.Myriam. D.Oli.
3.What does Myriam think of studying abroad?
A.Interesting. B.Challenging. C.Boring. D.Amazing.
“I can’t believe what I’m hearing!” I thought to myself. Jeff was the last candidate (候选人) for president of Student Council. My best friend Tony came to me and said, “I’m sorry, Mike.” I really thought you should be_________.”
Later that day, I happened to pass Jeff in the dining room. I offered him a_________ “congratulations” and walked to my usual table. To my surprise, Jeff put his plate beside mine.
“I’m, er-I’m just wondering if you would…consider coming to work on my team,” he said_________ . “You are really smart, and you would be a great manager.”
“I don’t think so,” I replied, feeling unsure.
“Well, if you change your mind, we are meeting tomorrow,” he said before moving to another table.
All that night, I thought about the_________from Jeff. Maybe being a part of the election process(选举过程) would give me a chance to make important changes at our school. I decided to join them.
My first goal was to_________a catchy advertisement. Within a few days, we designed a poster with Jeff’s pictures showing him in a number of activities. No one could walk through any hallway without passing Jeff’s smiling face.
My next step was to_________out which new activities students would like to have at our school. Many of them wanted a chess club and a volleyball team.
With the information I had collected, Jeff met with the headmaster. The headmaster_________to add these activities to our school program.
With my help, Jeff and our ideas were well_________at school.
An eighth grader said, “It’ll be like attending a new school with Jeff as president.”
Hearing these words made my heart filled with_________. I had wanted to become president of Student Council to make a difference, I achieved that and more by working as a member of Jeff’s team. He became the most popular candidate and I was a large part of his _________. The face that it has made a difference in other people’s lives is the real prize. What a great feeling!
1.A.heard B.chosen C.invited D.followed
2.A.polite B.loud C.warm D.cheerful
3.A.proudly B.quickly C.nervously D.regretfully
4.A.advice B.chance C.message D.offer
5.A.print B.invent C.create D.send
6.A.carry B.try C.work D.find
7.A.agreed B.wanted C.expected D.asked
8.A.allowed B.received C.introduced D.required
9.A.pride B.surprise C.patience D.hope
10.A.luck B.spirit C.life D.success
New Distractions (使人分心的事)
Madeline’s family vacation to the beach was usually the highlight of her summer. This year, however, her parents announced a new_________: no phones allowed for the entire week. “No distractions,” they said.
“But my friends will be_________updates,” Madeline protested (抗议). ”
“They’ll have to_________,” her mom said.
“What if something bad happens?” Madeline changed her strategy (策略). Her mom shook her head as she opened a drawer. Madeline saw that her parents’ phones were already in it. Madeline had to drop her_________in, too.
The drive to the beach house took most of the day. That night after dinner, Madeline wandered into the kitchen, where her father was_________dishes.
“Still hungry?” he asked.
“No,” she answered. Then she gave him a loving look and said in her sweetest voice, “Couldn’t I have my phone back? Just so I can tell everyone what a(n)_________time I’m having?”
“Can’t,” he said. “It’s not here. Remember? Check out the bookcase in the living room,” he suggested. “Might find something you like.”
She walked into the living room and spotted a jigsaw puzzle (拼图玩具) on the bookcase. She took it, put the pieces on the table, and began to work on them.
After what seemed like minutes, she looked up. It was past ten o’clock. She had been working for almost two hours! The puzzle was less than half done. It would have been nice to_________a picture of the puzzle with her friends, she thought.
The next morning, a golden sun was rising over the blue ocean. The sky was cloudless. The scene reminded Madeline of a photo that Brandi had shared. Her friends had oohed and ahhed (对……大加赞赏) over it. This view was even better. It would leave everyone_________. Madeline’s hand reached for the bedside table, but there was nothing there.
That evening, Madeline lost herself in the jigsaw puzzle again. She felt a little excited every time the shapes met. Soon, all that were left were a few gaps. She quickly put the remaining pieces into place. The puzzle was complete.
She stepped back to appreciate the finished puzzle. The picture showed an old painting of several farmhands working in a brown field and there was a giant rainbow arching across the sky.
Madeline enjoyed the puzzle for a few minutes, trying to keep the image in her mind. Then, she quietly started taking it apart. That, she thought, was just for me.
1.A.rule B.result C.date D.discovery
2.A.providing B.expecting C.considering D.selecting
3.A.wait B.guess C.search D.judge
4.A.book B.computer C.puzzle D.phone
5.A.serving B.preparing C.washing D.cooking
6.A.limited B.amazing C.boring D.common
7.A.share B.draw C.explain D.discuss
8.A.confused B.hopeless C.amused D.speechless
— Did you notice . in her office?
— Yes. She was going over our writing.
A.what was Miss Lin doing B.what Miss Lin was doing
C.what does Miss Lin do D.what Miss Lin does
Yesterday I helped an old man _______ lost his way.
A.what B.which C.who D.when
