A year ago Michelle was looking forward to all the joys—and challenges—that being a young mother can bring. Instead the 26-year-old victim of a stroke (中风), was left trapped in her own body—able to see, think and hear perfectly but unable to speak or move a muscle. She was a victim of the devastating “locked-in syndrome”, －sometimes described as “like being buried alive”－a type of brain damage usually caused by a stroke, a bleed or a tumour. This means the only way she could communicate with her husband Rick and their two young children was through moving and blinking (眨眼) her eyes.
Before the tragedy, Michelle was an active mother. She suffered the stroke while bathing her baby daughter, Holly. The only warning Michelle had of the stroke was a series of splitting headache in the months before.
Following the attack, the only part of her body she could move was her eyes, meaning all she could do was look up to say ‘yes’ or close an eyelid for ‘no’. Her family have a board with the alphabet (字母表) arranged on different colored backgrounds. They painstakingly work out which letter she wants by indicating each letter on the board. It allows Michelle to explain how she is feeling and whether she is cold or warm. She sends messages to her family and even tells if her son Ryan has been naughty, giving instructions about which toys he can play with.
Rick, 24, has given up his job as a mechanic to look after their children Ryan, three, and Holly, one, and is now training to be Michelle’s full-time carer. Ryan was old enough to know his mummy was unwell but Holly was too young to understand. But she responds really well to Michelle.
To keep her involved in family life, when one of the children needs new clothes Rick will ask for her opinion using the alphabet board. Although it can take minutes to spell out each word the family and nurses wait patiently as it is her only means of communication.
Last month her best friends organized a sponsored running, which raised almost £17,000.
She has been in hospital for almost a year and has left twice, once for her brother’s wedding and once for a fund-raising event.
Doctors say it is hard to predict her future but she is showing slight signs of improvement. She has started to gain control of her mouth and tongue and can now move her head slightly.
1.The devastating “locked-in syndrome” must be a disease caused by _________.
A. being buried alive B. a kind of cancer
C. sudden brain damage D. the problem of blood
2.It is true that Michelle ________.
A. can no longer express herself B. used to be a woman in poor health
C. can manage her own message D. is good at talking with her eyes
3.Arrange the time order of the following events.
a. Rick gave up his job as a mechanic.
b. Michelle suffered a series of splitting headache.
c. Michelle’s best friends organized a running.
d. The tragedy happened while bathing Holly.
e. Michelle showed her yes and no by blinking
A. a-b-c-d-e B. b-e-c-a-d C. d-b-e-a-c D. b-d-e-a-c
4.The author tells the story of Michelle in order to ______.
A. inform of a rare disease and draw attention to its victim
B. describe the terrible life condition of a patient’s family
C. show the wonderful results of family love to a patient
D. tell about the ever-lasting truth: health is above wealth
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题纸上将该选项标号涂黑。
My mother helped to build ships during World WarⅡ. She was a(n) 1woman to seek work at this South Portland Shipyards (造船厂). She was raising four children 2. I still remember my mom’s struggle to keep the 3together.
After the divorce, there wasn’t much 4. At first my mom worked in washing houses in 5places. And she later got the job in a department store 6she noticed some young women would come in, all 7in big boots and rough overalls and they would have 8of $600 to cash. And she finally asked one of them where they 9and made so much money. And they said in the 10. So my mother went over, and the man who 11her asked whether she wanted to be a welder (焊工) or a burner. My mother asked which 12the most. He said the welder. Then she said that was 13she wanted to do. He said: “oh, why?” She said: “Ha, I have four children to 14.”
It was bitterly cold in the winter going into the bottom of those steel ships. They had to creep into narrow basis and lay on their backs, and welded 15. And I remember her neck and her chest all spotted with 16from the sparks. And her shift (轮班) was midnight to 6 AM, so she could be home with us 17the day. I remember her dressing was man’s clothing. Once she fell and 18her foot and they brought her home in the middle of the night, and she was weeping. After the Shipyard 19, she needed to have two jobs to make enough money. And we kids were more or less on our own, and that was not a happy time. But still she was 20to keep us together as a family.
1.A. educated B. employed C. unmarried D. divorced
2.A. for her life B. on her own C. like her own D. by her love
3.A. children B. home C. ships D. family
4.A. happiness B. work C. money D. strength
5.A. different B. dirty C. difficult D. busy
6.A. that B. which C. where D. when
7.A. worn B. dressed C. covered D. decorated
8.A. marks B. checks C. coins D. dollars
9.A. lived B. graduated C. worked D. performed
10.A. navy B. factory C. shipyard D. army
11.A. examined B. interviewed C. questioned D. accepted
12.A. charged B. cost C. spent D. paid
13.A. why B. how C. whether D. what
14.A. take care of B. play games with C. spend time on D. feed food with
15.A. sideways B. outward C. overhead D. downward
16.A. burn marks B. white points C. red circles D. dark lines
17.A. on B. by C. among D. during
18.A. damaged B. wounded C. injured D. ached
19.A. moved B. closed C. opened D. ruined
20.A. persuaded B. attracted C. demanded D. determined
—Did you enjoy yourself at the party?
—Sorry to say I didn’t. It was_________ a meeting than a party.
A. much of B. more like C. less of D. more or less
His parents __________ him to work in a big company but he failed them.
A. suggested B. demanded C. recommended D. hoped
Carol said the work would be done by October, _________ personally I doubt very much.
A. that B. when C. it D. which
“How can we go outing in this kind of weather!”! Bob said,__________ out of the window.
A. looking B. looked C. to look D. having looked
