A
Twenty years ago,I drove a taxi for a living.One night I went to pick up a passenger at 2:30 am.When I arrived,I found the building was dark except for a single light in a ground floor window.
I walked to the door and knocked.“Just a minute,” answered a weak,elderly voice.
After a long pause,the door opened.A small woman in her eighties stood before me.By her side was a small suitcase.
I took the suitcase to the car,and then returned to help the woman.She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the car.
She kept thanking me for my kindness.“It’s nothing,” I told her.“I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated.”
“Oh,you’re such a good man,” she said.When we got into the taxi,she gave me an address,and then asked,“Could you drive through downtown?”
“It’s not the shortest way,” I answered quickly.
“Oh,I’m in no hurry,” she said.“I’m on my way to a hospice(救济院;末期病人安养所).I don’t have any family left.The doctor says I don’t have very long.”
I quietly reached over and shut off the meter(计价器).
For the next two hours,we drove through the city.She showed me the building where she had once worked,the neighbourhood where she had lived,and the furniture shop that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl.
Sometimes she’d ask me to slow down in front of a particular building and would sit staring into the darkness,saying nothing.
At dawn,she suddenly said,“I’m tired.Let’s go now.”
We drove in silence to the address she had given me.
“How much do I owe you?” she asked.
“Nothing,” I said.
“You have to make a living,” she answered.“Oh,there are other passengers,” I answered.
Almost without thinking,I bent and gave her a hug.She held onto me tightly.Our hug ended with her remark,“You gave an old woman a little moment of joy.”
21.The old woman chose to ride through the city in order to .
A.show she was familiar with the city
B.see some places for the last time
C.let the driver earn more money
D.reach the destination on time
答案B
解析细节理解题。由第八段可推知,这位老人想在进安养所前最后看看这座生活了一生的城市。
22.The taxi driver did not charge the old woman because he .
A.wanted to do her a favour
B.shut off the meter by mistake
C.had received her payment in advance
D.was in a hurry to take other passengers
答案A
解析推理判断题。由第八段可知,老人已没有任何亲人活在世上,而且不久于人世,将去往末期病人安养所——说明老人的生活很凄惨。第九段讲出租车司机“悄悄地伸出手关掉计价器”,由此可推知,司机很同情老人,想给她一点帮助。
23.What can we learn from the story?
A.Giving is always a pleasure.
B.People should respect each other.
C.An act of kindness can bring people great joy.
D.People should learn to appreciate others’ concern.
答案C
解析主旨大意题。本文主要讲述了一位好心的司机帮助一位孤寡老人的事情,即:善行能够给别人带来很大的快乐。文章最后一句也印证了这一点。
