Nearly a year ago, on a sunny July day, I drove to a nearby lake with my family and friends to have a picnic. I couldn’t wait to get in the water because I loved swimming. “Here I go,” I shouted, laughing, as I dove (跳水) from a boat dock into the lake. That was the last thing I remember. I was unconscious and pulled from the water with a severed spine (脊柱断裂), and paralyzed from the waist down.
After months of hospitalization, I was finally home. But things weren’t going well. I had to face many lifestyle changes. The gray sky outside my window matched how I felt inside. I sighed and turned away. Life had lost all meaning. I was impatient with myself as well as my family.
A few days later, I poured out my despondency to Jerry, a good friend of mine. “I don’t feel like I have a reason to get out of bed,” I told him. Jerry was quiet with his eyes focused on my mulberry tree. “Look,” he whispered. “There’s a cardinal (a kind of bird).” I saw it on that lower branch to the right. Cheer, cheer, cheer, the cardinal sang in a sweet voice. I’d seen cardinals before. Now as I studied this one, I realized I’d never really seen a cardinal. It was beautiful.
As I watched the elegant bird, something clicked (茅塞顿开). The hope of life, like a light, was awakened inside me. After Jerry left, I wheeled to the front of the house, smiled at the sky and felt relieved.
I now take bird watching as my new hobby. I record interesting sightings in my diary and photograph every bird I meet. Besides, I feel a new kind of pleasure when taking care of the potted plants in my yard. Of course, I still face many difficulties every day, but when I look out of my window, I see birds. And when I see birds, I see miracles (奇迹). And I’ve found my place among them.
4. What happened to the author about a year ago?
A.He fell off his boat. |
B.He had a car accident. |
C.He injured his spine in a dive. |
D.He hardly got along with his family. |
5. What is the probable meaning of the underlined word “despondency” in Paragraph 3?
A.Doubts. | B.Expectations. |
C.Nervousness. | D.Discouragement. |
6. How did the author feel after seeing the cardinal outside his window?
A.Indifferent. | B.Shocked. |
C.Pleased. | D.Puzzled. |
7. What can we learn about the author from the last paragraph?
A.He decides to raise birds himself. |
B.He becomes hopeful about his life. |
C.He determines to be a bird photographer. |
D.He can deal with difficulties all by himself. |