Eight years ago, my 13-year-old son, Dustin, became very ill with a heart enlarged. For several months, he lived on life support as we were forced to stand by and watch him wither away. ks5u While his friends were out playing baseball, and sleeping in their own beds, my son was in a hospital bed, attached to a machine that kept his heart beating. As a mother, my first reaction after crying was anger, and then I played the bargaining game: "Take my life for his, Lord. I've lived my life but he still has so much to do." People all around me were praying for a heart to become available, but it made me so angry and confused because I knew for that to happen, someone else's child would have to die. How could anyone pray for that? I still remember so clearly the morning we got the call that there was a heart. As we stood in Dustin's hospital room watching them prepare him for surgery, we experienced the true definition of bittersweet. His dad and I realized that at the precise moment we were standing there with so much hope and so much love, another family somewhere was saying goodbye. We knelt down together and cried, and we prayed for them and we thanked them for giving such a selfless gift. To our amazement, just 10 days later, Dustin got to come home for the first time in many months. He had received a second chance at life. Over the next two years, he got to go to high school, learn to drive and put his brand new heart to good use volunteering at the homeless shelter and helping the elderly. Dustin's new heart failed him when he was 16. A tragedy, yes, but we have to see it as the miracle it was. We received two precious years with him that we would never have had without organ donation. We have more pictures, more memories and a great satisfaction in knowing that he was able to experience some of the most exciting times and milestones in a teenager's life. When he died, difficult as it was for us, we knew that it would be Dustin's wish to give back. His eyes went to someone who wanted to see. Someone... The text mainly wants to tell us that _ . A) organ donation can greatly benefit people B) the world is full of hope C) an act of kindness can mean a lot D) a mother's love is priceless
C
Mr. Smith is well known in Washington because of his many social blunders. He always likes to attend the various social functions because he wants to expand his circle of friends. Whenever he is invited, he goes, unless he is ill. Recently he received an invitation to a fashionable banquet. Although he did not know the hostess, he accepted the invitation. He was secretly very pleased, because he felt that his reputation as a desirable guest was growing. When he arrived at the banquet hall, he found that about one hundred people had been invited. He began to move a-round the hall. He spoke to other guests whether he knew them or not. He soon realized that he had never met any of the other people present, although they seemed to know each other. At dinner he was seated beside a very dignified woman. The woman tried to be friendly even though she had never met Mr. Smith before. She spoke politely whenever he spoke to her. Between the first and the second course of the meal, she, turned to Mr. Smith and said, "Do you see that gray-haired man at the end of the table? The one with glasses." "Ah, yes. Who is he?" "He's the Secretary of the Interior!" she replied. Mr. Smith said, "So that's the secretary of the Interior! I' m afraid that I find very little to admire about him, although he is the Secretary." The woman stiffened and did not reply. Mr. Smith continued in spite of her coldness. "I really can't see how he received his appointment unless he is perhaps a relative of the President." "It hardly matters whether you like the Secretary or not," she said. "He was chosen because the President thought he was the man for the job. If he does the job well, you should have no complaint." "That's just it," persisted Mr. Smith. "No one does the things he does, unless he is a complete fool!" "Sir!" said the woman in all her dignity. "Do you know who I am?" "No," replied Mr. Smith. "I am the Secretary's wife," she said coldly. Mr. Smith was shocked, but he went on in spite of his embarrassment. "Madam, do you know who I... When Mr. Smith learned that the woman didn't know who he was, he felt _ . A) shocked B) worried C) embarrassed D) relieved
D
Walking home from work with a family friend, I found myself in a discussion about her daughter's going to college. It started with the mother telling me that she had no money to help her daughter go through college, which led the mother to push community college fiercely. She then started to say how she had been pushing "high-paying" fields on her daughter--doctor, engineer, lawyer, etc. When I asked her if that was what her daughter had interest in, she said no. I asked her what the point was to push her daughter into something that she didn't like, and she responded with, "I just want her to make a good fortune." After hearing her words, I would like to state that money is not everything. A high-paying job means nothing if you are miserable. I used to do a high-paid job, but it was very tiring and I had no time of my own. I didn't like it at all. Though the pay was good, I was not happy. So I'd like to tell parents, please do not force your children into a major or a career just because you think they are going to make a lot of money. They would feel terrible for taking that major or job just to comfort you. The worst part is the feeling of guilty when they decide to change that major to something they actually want or when they quit that job. Being a member of a generation who are willing to give ly everything to our kids, we know we just hope our children could live happy lives. Please do not force a career path on our children just because we think it is good for them. Give our children advice, but don't force them. What do we know about that mother? A) She thought highly of community college. B) She got along very well with her daughter. C) She couldn't afford her daughter's college fees. D) She wanted to be a doctor when she was young.
C