Question

We always celebrated Dad’s birthday on Thanksgiving Day, even

after he entered a nursing home. When we knew it might be his last

birthday, the whole family decided to get together for a huge birthday

celebration at the nursing home.

Dad was a good storyteller and we were always his listeners.

During a quiet moment, I announced it was now Dad’s turn to listen

to stories for a change. I wanted everyone to tell Dad what we loved

about him. The room became quiet. Then one after another, people

told stories from their hearts, while Dad listened with tears in eyes.

Everyone seemed to have more than one story. Even the little

grandchildren couldn’t wait to tell Dad why they loved him. For a

man who had been kind to so many hundreds of people in his life,

here was our chance to tell him how much we love him. A few

months later, at Dad’s memorial service, we more fully realized what

we had given to Dad that night. Those are the stories people normally

tell at a funeral (葬礼) after a loved one is no longer alive to hear the

words. They tell stories, full of tears. But we had given those

memories to Dad in his life, and we had told them through

laughter, together with hugs and joy. He had them to hold and

enjoyed them from time to time in his mind during his last days and

months.

Words do matter, and they are enough. We just need to say them

or to speak them publicly the ones we love. That’s the ways to give

back love and that’s our chance to celebrate a person in his or her life.

1. The writer’s family decided to have a huge birthday celebration

because______ .

A. Dad was to leave the hospital

B. it might be Dad’s last birthday

C. they would celebrate Thanksgiving Day

D. Dad was at the nursing home

2. According to the passage, we know______ .

A. all the family loved the father, including the little grandchildren

B. the writer’s father was still enjoying good health

C. the party was held at the writer’s home

D. the doctor told the writer his father was going to die at once

3. From the passage, we know the writer’s father was______ to hear

the stories.

A. surprised B. moved C. sad D. frustrated

4. The best title of the passage can be______ .

A. An Amazing Story B. A Kind Father

C. Say Our Love Publicly D. A Big Party

Answer 1

1B  2A  3B  4C