I often wondered what it would be like to have cancer.
I didn’t expect to find out, though, at last not for decades. I have always been healthy and strong; I regularly do hot yoga and swim two kilometers in a bay near my home in Sydney.
But now I know: it felt as if I was carrying a baby. Tumors (肿瘤) that silently grew inside me suddenly became bigger one weekend.
Then, one Saturday in June, I was struck with sharp pain and ended up in the hospital.
My doctor said it might be very serious. I spent two weeks waiting for the operation, not knowing if I’d live to the end of the year.
In the days before the operation, I turned off my phone and computer. I prayed so hard that I grew unnaturally calm.
The operation lasted five hours. The mass was fully removed, but it was unexpectedly complicated. I was in special care for eight days, in the wires, machines, with pipes in my lungs and liver.
Luckily, the operation was very successful and I am slowly growing stronger. I am walking upright again and waking without great pain. I can now drive, and am preparing to return to work. My prognosis (预后) is good, but I will need to live with the fear of return.
Everyone suddenly seems consumed with foolish worries. I have a different idea about the complaints posted by some Internet users who had the flu, were upset by the upcoming exams or burdened by work. I want to scream: BUT YOU ARE ALIVE! Alive! Each day is a gift, especially if you are upright and able to move with ease, without pain.
I’m still struggling with what all of this means. But in this short time, a truth became even clearer to me.
We should not have to move to the woods like Henry David Thoreau to “live meaningfully”. It would be impossible and frankly tiring to live each day as if it were your last. My doctor asked me a few days ago how I became so calm before the operation. I told her: I prayed; I locked out negativity and drew my family and friends near; I tried to live meaningfully.
She said, “Actually you should do that for the rest of your life.”
5. What did the author think of her physical state before being diagnosed (诊断) with cancer?
A.She knew tumors silently grew inside her. |
B.She exercised regularly but felt bad sometimes. |
C.She thought there was nothing wrong with her health. |
D.She was considered to be healthy by the doctor. |
6. Which one is not the so-called “foolish worries” according to the author in Paragraph 9?
A.Loss of both legs. | B.Suffering from the flu. |
C.Burden of heavy workloads. | D.Fear of the monthly exams. |
7. Which of the following can best describe the author?
A.Kind and outgoing. | B.Cautious and brave. |
C.Confident and generous. | D.Positive and reflective. |
8. What is the author’s purpose in writing the text?
A.To share a pleasant experience. | B.To recommend a healthy lifestyle. |
C.To call on people to live a worthy life. | D.To try hard to make a difference to the world. |