阅读理解
A girl became a volunteer in the activities of Deathbed Care, which meant visiting and taking
care of a patient suffering from an incurable disease with days numbered.
The girl was assigned to look after an old man suffering from cancer whose children lived abroad.
Their living conditions were not satisfactory while the old man had a lot of savings. She was expected
to comfort him and keep up his spirits.
Every Saturday the girl came on time to keep him company, telling him stories. When he was
having an intravenous drip (静脉滴注), she would help massage his arms. The doctor found the
patient much improved mentally. The old man began to involve himself actively in the medical
treatment and he seldom shouted at others.
But something that happened made the doctor uneasy and puzzled. Each time the girl left, the
old man would give her some money. The doctor did nothing to interfere (干涉), unwilling to
offend the old man. A month later the old man showed evident signs of decline after suffering
coma (昏迷) a few times.
When rescued from the latest coma, the old man told the doctor his last wish, "I have deep
sympathy for the girl. Will you be kind enough to help her finish her studies?"
But the doctor knew that her family was welloff and she had no difficulty pursuing her studies.
Sometimes she even came to the hospital in her father's car.
When the girl came at the weekend after the death of the old man, the doctor told her the bad
news. She was very sad and burst into tears. Then she handed $ 500 to the doctor, saying, "The
old man had all along thought I came to do the job because of poverty. He gave me money so that
I could continue my schooling." Now he got the answer to the puzzle. In the last period of his life, the
old man found it a real pleasure to be able to help a girl badly in need.
1. If you're a volunteer in the activities of Deathbed Care, what kind of people do you have to attend to?
A. The patients in need of help.
B. The people suffering from cancer.
C. The patients without many days left.
D. The people suffering from diseases.
2. What can we infer about the old man?
A. He had a lot of savings.
B. He was suffering from cancer.
C. He often lost his temper before meeting the girl.
D. He asked the doctor to help the girl finish her study.
3. What can we know from the passage?
A. The doctor told the old man the truth.
B. The old man's children were wealthy.
C. The girl's father encouraged her to accept the money.
D. The girl didn't accompany the old man when he died.
4. What is the real reason resulting in the old man's mental improvement?
A. The girl's comfort and care.
B. The pleasure of being helpful to people in need.
C. People's understanding.
D. His children's progress.
