A

My parents knew their wealth: each other, their six children, and their faith. They tried to live simple lives so that they could have time for what was most important.

They didn’t busy themselves buying a bigger house, because that would mean working harder to pay the monthly mortgage(按揭貸款)，working overtime or taking second job. Who would go running with me then? Who would read stories to me?

They didn’t burden themselves with buying an expensive car because that would mean worrying about installment(分期付款) bills. Besides, walking to the shopping centre every Saturday afternoon with me gave my dad his needed exercise, and made me feel so special.

One of my heart’s delights was seeing Dad and Mom in their bedroom at night, after our nightly family prayer. The lights were turned off, and I’d see the figure of my father seated on his old chair and Mom standing behind him, gently massaging(按摩) his shoulders. I’d hear them talk about what happened during their day. Even as a child, I sensed their quiet pleasure in being together.

My question today: Could they have done this rich ritual(儀式) each night and nourished(滋潤) their marriage if they had been busy paying for expensive clothes for themselves or their kids, or if they had been worrying about monthly bills for new hi-tech equipment? I don’t think so. And I’ve made a choice: I don’t want that of life either.

( ) 41. Which of the following is TRUE about the author’s family?

A. There were six people in the family.

B. They decided to buy a bigger house.

C. They lived an easy and happy life.

D. They had a second-hand car.

( ) 42. What did the parents regularly do with the author?

A. They wrote stories together.

B. They read newspapers together.

C. They regularly took exercise together.

D. They went shopping together each day.

( ) 43. The author believed that his/her parents’ happiness was due to

A. their attitude towards life

B. their love for each other

C. their common interests

D. their ability to communicate with each other

( ) 44. It can be inferred from the last paragraph that the author .

A. got bored with his/her parents’ way of educating kids

B. was influenced by his/her parents’ lifestyle

C. didn’t want to follow his/her parents’ advice

D. didn’t want to live the same life as his/her parents

B

The CEO of Apple, Steve Jobs’ story about death

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(遇到) to help me make the big choices 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 doctor’ code for preparing yourself to die.

I lived with that diagnosis all day. I was completely in despair. Later that evening I had another biopsy(活組織檢查) and my wife told me that tumor(腫瘤) turned out to be curable with surgery. I had the surgery and I’m fine now.

This was the closest I’ v 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’ life. Don’t be trapped by dogma—which is living with the results of other people’ thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart. It somehow already knows what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

( ) 45. 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 rest

( ) 46. How did the author feel after the diagnosis?

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

( ) 47. How did the author think of death?

A.He thinks it is nothing to be scared of

B.He thinks it is impossible to avoid

C.He thinks it is not the end of life

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

( ) 48. In the author’s opinion, we should .

A.follow others’ advice B.do what we want

C.keep a positive attitude towards life D.take exercise and keep healthy

C

What’s on tonight

10 pm (NBC) ER

In this 300th episode(集)，we find the staff treating 300 patients in an overflowing emergency room. Peter Fonda makes a guest appearance(客串出場) as a husband who rushes to the hospital when he hears that his wife has been in a car accident, and unexpectedly meets up with someone his past.