When the water came in under the door of their home in Naples, Florida, it was just a glimmer (隐约的迹象) on the floor, a sign that it was time to go. It was around noon on Wednesday, September 28 last year when Darcy Bishop woke her two brothers who had been resting after lunch. She pulled the wheelchair up to the oldest, Russell Rochow, 66, and helped him into it. Her other brother, Todd Rochow,63, was in his room. He could manage with a walker.
Both men had been born with cerebral palsy (脑瘫), and their mental development was like that of a young child. About 10 years ago, they started showing signs of Parkinson’s disease. Bishop,61, was their lifeline, their little sister who had long felt an obligation to keep them safe.
“We have to go!” she shouted to Todd. She went to open the front door. It would not move. The weight of the water on the other side had made it shut. She rushed to try the door to the garage. It was stuck too. That’s when the house the three siblings (兄弟姐妹) shared began to flood. As Hurricane Ian bore down on Florida, many residents who’d decided to stay found themselves unable to leave even if they tried. Within days, around 100 deaths in the state were caused by the hurricane. On Tuesday, Bishop had planned to leave with her brothers for her daughter’s home 25 kilometres inland. But by then, there were so many warnings to stay put.
Now Bishop and her brothers were trapped. She texted her daughter at 12:34 p.m. “Water’s coming in.” Around her, she could hear the china breaking and the refrigerator falling over. The only way to go was up. Bishop guided Todd to the stairs, and he held the banister (扶手). She helped him pull himself slowly up to the top where he waited in a chair.
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But stairs were impossible for Russell, who could neither walk nor bend his legs.
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After a while, Bishop heard the rescuers were downstairs.
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When I looked closely at the face of my 23-year-old son, Brian, in the doorway, we were saying goodbye. In a few hours he would be flying to France. It was a transitional (过渡的) time in Brian’s life, a passage from college into the adult world. I wanted to leave him some words that would have some meaning, some significance beyond the moment. But nothing came from my lips.
No sound broke the stillness of my beachside home. I stood frozen and quiet, looking into the searching eyes of my son, which I knew was not the first time I had let such a moment pass.
When Brian was five, I took him to the school bus stop on his first day of kindergarten. I felt the tension in his hand holding mine as the bus turned the corner. I saw color flush (发红) his cheeks as the bus pulled up. He looked at me—as he did now. “What is it going to be like, Dad? Can I do it? Will I be OK?” Then he walked up the bus steps and disappeared inside. The bus drove away, and I said nothing.
A decade later, a similar scene played itself out. I drove him to college in Virginia. As I started to make the trip home, I tried to think of something to say to give him courage and confidence as he started this new phase of life. I left, only mumbling (咕哝) “Hope you feel better, Brian.”
I once told Brian about my great regret that I didn’t take a year off to travel. Brian thought about this. After graduation, he worked as a waiter, a bike messenger and a painter. Now he had enough money for Paris. The night before he left, I tossed and turned (辗转难眠) in bed. I was trying to figure out something to say. Nothing came. Maybe it wasn’t necessary to say anything.
How many times have we all let such moments pass? What does it matter over the course of a lifetime if a father never tells a son what he really thinks of him?
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But as I stood before Brian, I knew that it does matter.
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Hearing this, Brian came toward me and threw his arms around me.
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Sometimes I really doubt whether there is love between my parents. They don’t act in the romantic way that I read in books or I see on TV. In their opinion, “I love you” is too luxurious (奢侈的) for them to say. Sending flowers to each other on Valentine’s Day is even more out of the question. And my father has a bad temper.
One day, my mother was sewing a quilt(被子). I silently sat down beside her and watched her for a moment, the wrinkle of concentration on her forehead softening as she noticed my presence.
“Is there love between you and Dad?” I asked her in a very low voice, my heart pounding with the weight of the question.
My mother stopped her work with the surprise washing over her face. Her eyes, wide and searching. met mine, and I could see a storm of emotions swirling within them-confusion, reflection, perhaps a touch of sadness. She didn’t answer me immediately. and the silence stretched between us, filled with unspoken thoughts and fears.
I was very worried because I thought I had hurt her. The air felt heavy, filled with my anticipation and her delayed response. But at last, she spoke, her voice carrying the warmth of years of silent understanding and the strength of enduring affection.
“Lily,” she said, her voice soft yet firm, “take a good look at this thread. Sometimes it comes out, but most of the time, it’s hidden within the quilt. Yet. it’s this very thread that gives the quilt its strength and endurance. If life is like a quilt, then love is like this thread. It may not always be visible, but it’s always there, woven into every part of our lives. Love resides within.”
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I listened carefully but I couldn’t understand her until the next spring.
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My father gently told me, “Don’t worry about me. I’ve fully recovered. I just really enjoy the time spent walking with your mother.
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4 . One summer night, a boy felt himself lifted from bed by his father. Dazed with sleep, he saw stars flashing across the heavens. “What is it?” the child whispered. “Shooting stars. They come every year in August.” Decades have passed, but I remember that night still, because I was the fortunate boy whose father believed a new experience was more important than an unbroken night’s sleep.
Some parents like my father have the gift of opening doors for their children. This art of adding dimensions to a child brings the reward: the marvelous moment when the spark bursts into a flame that will burn brightly on its own one day. At a Golf Association tournament, a ten-year-old girl played creditably. “How long have you been interested in golf?” someone asked. “I got it for my ninth birthday,” she said.“ Your father gave you a set of clubs?” “No,” she said, “he gave me golf.”
I have a friend, a psychiatrist, who says there are two types of people: those who think of life as a privilege and those who think of it as a problem. The first type is enthusiastic and energetic. The other type is suspicious and self-centered. And he adds, “Tell me about your childhood and I can tell you which type you are likely to be.”
The real purpose, then, of trying to open doors for children is to build eager and outgoing attitudes, which is the most valuable legacy we can pass on to the next generation. But why don’t we work harder at it? Probably because sometimes we don’t have the awareness or the selflessness or the energy. And yet, for those of us who care what becomes of our children, the challenge is always there but the opportunities also come repeatedly. Many years have passed since that night. And next year, when August comes with its shooting stars, my son will be seven.
1. Why does the author mention the girl in Paragraph 2?| A．To show parental impact on children’s passion. |
| B．To suggest hobbies always start from the small. |
| C．To highlight the importance of diverse experiences. |
| D．To prove true passion usually arises from the reward. |
| A．Setting an example for. | B．Broadening the horizons of. |
| C．Providing attentive care for. | D．Narrowing the possibilities of. |
| A．Stability in upbringing builds confidence. |
| B．Parenting styles requires professional guidance. |
| C．Childhood experience determines adult happiness. |
| D．One’s personality is related to childhood experiences. |
| A．The author is always addicted to shooting stars. |
| B．It is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to motivate kids. |
| C．The author will go to see shooting stars with his son. |
| D．It is impossible to unlock kids’ potential without eagerness. |
Her mouth open in both wonder and horror, Mia stares at the bush cricket that has landed in front of her on the picnic table. The girl is camping with her parents near Fish River Canyon in Namibia, in southwest Africa. During the first few months of a year-long trip through Africa, Asia and the Middle East, Mia is seeing the world with her parents. It is a family’s journey to see the world before it’s too late though.
Far from their home in Quebec, the families’ experiences, brimming with colour, shape, touch and smell, are especially important to them. Because unless science makes a break-through soon, the little daughter Mia will become blind, likely in adulthood. She has been diagnosed with a disease that has no effective treatment as it gradually robs her of sight.
For Mia’s parents, mom Edith and dad Sebastien, the diagnose came after a four-year search for the reason their daughter couldn’t see at night. Then Mia, banged into furniture that her mom and dad could make out once their eyes adjusted to the dark.
In 2013, when Mia was three, the family began a frustrating series of visits to doctors, none of whom had an answer for her lack of night vision. In 2015, as a last resort, a pediatric ophthalmologist (儿童眼科医生) enrolled the family in a research project in which their entire gene was mapped out. RP, the name of the disease which haunted the poor girl, affected the tissue at the back of the eye that interpreted images in both black and white, and colour. As the disease progresses, the cells in the middle, used for seeing in colour and for everyday activities like reading and writing, die off, too. The parents were called into the doctor’s office, where the specialist gave it to them straight: “So far, no cure.”
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Mia waiting at home, the badly stricken parents stumbled back.
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And so the idea of a year-long trip was born.
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Emily was only seven years old when she heard Mommy and Daddy talking about her little brother, Tommy. He was very sick and the doctors told them that only a very costly surgery (手术) could save his life. However, his family could not afford it. Emily heard Daddy say to her tearful mother desperately, “Only a miracle(奇迹) can save him now.”
Emily went to her bedroom and found her piggy bank. She shook all the money out on the floor and counted it carefully. Then she put all the money in her pocket and made her way to a drugstore. She waited patiently for the pharmacist (药剂师) to give her some attention, but he was busy talking to another man. Emily cleared her throat. No good. Then she took out all the coins from her pocket and threw it onto the glass counter. That did it!
“What do you want?” the pharmacist asked in an annoyed tone of voice. “Can’t you see I’m talking to my brother?” “Well, I want to talk to you about my brother,” Emily answered back urgently. “He’s really, really sick..., and I want to buy a miracle.” “I beg your pardon?” asked the pharmacist. “His name is Tommy, and he has something bad growing inside of his head. My Daddy says only a miracle can save him now. So how much does a miracle cost? ”
“We don’t sell miracles here, little girl. I can’t help you.” the pharmacist said, softening a little.
“Please, I have the money to pay for it.”
The pharmacist’s brother was a well-dressed man. He bent down and asked, “What kind of miracle does your brother need?” “I don’t know,” Emily replied with her eyes welling up. “I just know he’s really sick and Mommy says he needs an operation. But my family doesn’t have enough money, so I have brought all my money. I love my little brother.” “How much do you have?” asked the well-dressed man. “A dollar and fifteen cents,” Emily answered barely audibly (可听见地). “And that’s all the money I have!”
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“Well, what a coincidence (巧合),” smiled the man.
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It wasn’t long before Tommy was home again.
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“Hurry up you guys, or you will be late for school!” called Mom. We went downstairs and had a quick breakfast. I was eating my favorite — very sweet porridge, and Sara was. having eggs. When I rose to have my bowl washed, Mom whispered, “You know you need to be cautious today when you’re walking Sara to school. It’s your job to assure (保证) me she gets there all right.” Then she cast me. a very serious look. I thought to myself, wondering why Mom was making such a big deal out of this. It was Sara’s first day of Kindergarten, but I could manage it. I wish Mom would treat me like an adult.
Then Sara ran out of the house, and I went behind her, skipping down the front walkway to the sidewalk. Along the way, I could feel Mom’s gaze on us.
I grabbed Sara’s hand. “Are you eager and excited for your first day of school?” I asked, trying to sound like a grown-up. Sara smiled and nodded her head yes. Meanwhile, my mom was staring at us through the window. “When will she treat me like an adult?” I thought. “I will show you the way.” I said. I felt proud to be the elder sister. We walked past beautiful gardens and big, leafy trees. Suddenly, I heard a growl (低吼) and saw a dog walking towards us. He was big and fierce looking with long sharp teeth. “GRRRR!!!” the dog barked. I didn’t see its owner or anyone who could help us. My hand became sweaty and Sara stopped walking. “I’m scared, Julie,” she said. I didn’t want her to be scared. I wanted to appear brave. “Everything will be okay,” I said.
“GRRRR!!!” The dog stepped closer and we could see it was the size of a small horse — with red eyes and sharp teeth.
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I was trying to make my voice sound calm.
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I told Mom what had happened.
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Pat was the new kid in town. Her dad got a new job, so they had to move from their old home, school, friends and everything in South America to this new city. Now they were total strangers here.
Summer vacation went by while they unpacked, arranged furniture and adjusted to the new city. School was approaching. Pat dreaded it. She was not an outgoing person, so making friends was not easy for this shy and quiet girl. She was filled with fears and worries. She thought, “Would I make friends? Would I fit in? Would I survive at all in this strange new world?” But there she was, preparing for a new school full of strangers.
Here came her first day in the new school. She arrived at school on time, found her classroom and seated herself. Everything was going well until the first class when Pat’s teacher asked her to introduce herself in front of the whole class. She had prepared for it the day before, so she should have done it well. But when she uttered the first sentence, the whole class burst out laughing and began to whisper. It was then that Pat realized she talked with a very strange accent which was different from the locals. Blushing with embarrassment, she finished her introduction quickly and sat there all day long without talking with others.
After school, Pat came home crying, “It’s an awful day. All of them are disagreeable. I hate them.” After knowing what had happened in the school, Pat’s mother gently hugged her and comforted her, “Hatred is a double-edged sword that can hurt both others and yourself. Honey, try to be happy.” In order to cheer her up, Pat’s mother suggested, “How about having a party this Saturday? We haven’t had any party since we arrived here.” Party is such an appealing event for kids like Pat. Right away, she stopped crying and looked at her mother excitedly, “Oh yes! Ice cream! Cake! Red, red balloons!”
“And friends?” mom asked gently.
Hearing this, Pat sobbed again, “I haven’t got any friends here. Nothing but enemies.”
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“If so, let’s have an enemy party. I think it would be interesting.” Pat’s mom smiled.
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On Saturday, it was sunny and all of Pat’s classmates came to the party.
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9 . Never had a lovely sunflower been absent to my house on my birthday, since I turned 13. No cards or notes in it. Calls to the flower shop were always
I never stopped
My mother even
When I was 17, I failed
One month before my graduation from high school, my father died of a heart attack. My feelings ranged from pain to
My mother didn’t. The day before the dance, I found that dress, in the right size,
Actually, my mother passed away one week after I got married, That year the adorable sunflower stopped
| A．in advance | B．in vain | C．in charge | D．in private |
| A．declaring | B．admiring | C．calculating | D．confirming |
| A．identity | B．proof | C．address | D．presence |
| A．subscribed to | B．referred to | C．objected to | D．contributed to |
| A．applause | B．account | C．appreciation | D．assistance |
| A．though | B．moreover | C．therefore | D．otherwise |
| A．particularly | B．unexpectedly | C．unavoidably | D．sincerely |
| A．applied | B．allowed | C．forced | D．devoted |
| A．wandering | B．rushing | C．pacing | D．moving |
| A．astonishment | B．annoyance | C．tiredness | D．abandonment |
| A．grasping | B．interrupting | C．accepting | D．skipping |
| A．awesome | B．original | C．ordinary | D．imaginative |
| A．awarded | B．thrown | C．delivered | D．paid |
| A．in response to | B．by means of | C．in terms of | D．in the face of |
| A．cheering up | B．showing up | C．lighting up | D．warming up |
“You signed us up for what?” Lu’s eyes widened as Jamie grinned at her. “A charity bike ride. It’d be fun!” She stared at him open-mouthed. “Fun? But I haven’t ridden a bike for years, Jamie. And I hate exercise! How long is this ride?” Lu could feel her muscle shrinking at the mere thought of it.
“Only 20 kilometers.”
Lucinda swiped the brightly coloured leaflet advertising the bike ride from her husband’s hand. “Twenty kilometres? That’s a half marathon, Jamie!”
She tossed the leaflet back at him. “Well you can count me out. I’m not fit enough to run five minutes round the block, let alone hours on a bike.”
“But you will be in a couple of months. I thought we could train for it together.” Jamie patted his beer belly. “I’m not exactly in great shape at the moment. And you’ re always saying we don’t get to spend enough time together!” He gave her his best winning grin.
A smile fell across Lucinda’s lips. It was true, she was always saying that lately. Though spending her weekends cycling was not exactly what she’d had in mind.
A wave of sadness spun through her heart. The past few months had been... difficult. She had lost her job and was struggling to find a new one. Being at home, scrolling through job adverts and waiting for interview replies, had left her feeling stuck. Jamie had been working extra hours to support financially, but that only added to her guilt. Despite trying to stay positive, life had somehow skidded to a stop.
“I’m not sure,” Lu sighed.
“It’s not a race, but a joy ride, Lu.” Jamie reassured her, nudging her playfully. “Plus, I’ve already rented us a tandem bike(双人自行车)!”
“A tandem?” Lu’s eyes flashed with horror. “Are you mad?” She stared at him. “You’re not even joking, are you?” Doubts crept into her mind as she imagined the challenges of coordinating their movements on a shared bike.
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Actually, the first training session did not go well.
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It seemed cycling had truly got their lives moving forward again.
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