It was midday when I got the call that my grandfather was not well and he was quickly getting worse. My family did not know how long he would stay in the world. I knew I had to get to the hospital to tell him how much I loved him. As I drove to the hospital, I pictured him before I got to tell him how much he meant to me. Trying to fight back the tears, I wanted to stay calm when I saw him.
When I got to the hospital, I hurriedly looked for his hospital room. I found him in a semi-conscious state(半清醒狀態). On my knees, I said softly, “Hello, Grandpa.”
Still feeling shy, I decided not to leave his bedside without letting him know. While I asked about how he was, he told me, “I’ll be fine, Henry.” although we both knew that wasn't true. Then he asked me with a smile how I was doing.
Hearing what my grandpa said, I was much moved. I made the decision that I had to show my
gratitude for him. As I found all the courage (勇氣) I had, I hold his hand tightly. I cried out, “Grandpa. I just want to let you know how much I love you. I hope you already know that yet I just want to make sure.” By this time, tears were rolling down my face. All those years of love that I had shut and not let him know, became free.
Smilingly, he said, “I know. Thank you for telling me that. All I have on this planet is my family and my love for them. If there is anything I could ask of you, I want you to be good to your family, your mother, your father, and your brother. That’s all I want of you.”
What I learned that day changed my whole life.
From then on, I began telling people how much I love them, care for them, and respect them. I get in touch with, for example, my babysitter, my barber, to show my appreciation. I go down into the city once a week and serve pizza to the homeless. I wake up every morning and list everything I’m thankful to in my life.
小題1:The author got the news of Grandpa’s illness________.
| A．in the morning | B．at noon | C．in the evening | D．at midnight |
小題2:The author didn’t tell Grandpa his love because _______ to say love to Grandpa before.
| A．he was too shy | B．he was too frightened | C．he was too busy | D．he had no chances |
小題3:The underlined word “gratitude” (in Paragraph 4) means _________ in Chinese.
小題4:The author wrote this passage to tell readers mainly about ________.
| A．how to think highly of others |
| B．how to help others get out of trouble |
| C．how to get in touch with others |
| D．how to share feelings with others |
小題5:The story develops with the changes of __________.
| A．the author’s life | B．Grandpa’s feelings | C．the author’s emotion | D．Grandpa’s illness |
