My husband Ollie had retired from teaching and we were making plans to travel together to Florida. Then he was terribly ill and became very weak, hardly able to speak. Weeks passed and it became clear that Ollie was near death, but I prayed day and night that he could get better.
One of us was always in Ollie’s hospital room—either me, or our grown children, Bruce and Karen. One day, in his broken and weak speech, Ollie told Bruce, “Go home. You should be with Gwen.” Gwen was Bruce’s wife. They had been married for six years and lived hundreds of miles away. Gwen was about to have a baby. We felt an extra sadness, knowing Ollie would never see his first grandchild.
“I don’t want to leave you, Dad,” Bruce said. Ollie repeated, “You should be with Gwen.” Reluctantly, Bruce left. “When the baby comes,” he promised Ollie, “you will be the first to know.” A few days later, around 2 p.m., Ollie awoke from a sleep. He turned and looked at me. I sat close to hear his weak words. “The baby is coming now. It’s a boy,” he said. For a moment his eyes were filled with tears. Then he went back to sleep again. Not long after that, Karen ran into the room. “Bruce called,” she said, a smile lighting her face. “Gwen gave birth to a healthy baby boy around two o’ clock.”
Ollie smiled; he had been the first to know. That night, Ollie died in his sleep.
【小題1】Ollie didn’t travel to Florida because________.

A．he was too weak to travel

B．he could hardly be able to speak

C．he could not afford the trip

D．he was waiting for his grandchild to be born

【小題2】Why did Ollie want Bruce to be with Gwen?

A．Ollie thought it was too much trouble for Bruce to stay at hospital.

B．Ollie wanted Bruce to bring the baby along as soon as it was born.

C．Ollie didn’t want his son to be absent when his baby was born.

D．Ollie couldn’t bear his son seeing him dying with a broken heart.

【小題3】The underlined word in Paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to_______.

A．Disappointedly

B．Unwillingly

C．Excitedly

D．Immediately

【小題4】What can we learn from the passage ?

A．Ollie and his wife had planned to settle in Florida.

B．Ollie cared for his son more than his daughter.

C．Ollie was sad about not being able to see his first grandchild.

D．Ollie died happy and in peace.

My husband Ollie had retired from teaching and we were making plans to travel together to Florida. Then he was terribly ill and became very weak, hardly able to speak. Weeks passed and it became clear that Ollie was near death, but I prayed day and night that he could get better.

One of us was always in Ollie’s hospital room—either me, or our grown children, Bruce and Karen. One day, in his broken and weak speech, Ollie told Bruce, “Go home. You should be with Gwen.” Gwen was Bruce’s wife. They had been married for six years and lived hundreds of miles away. Gwen was about to have a baby. We felt an extra sadness, knowing Ollie would never see his first grandchild.

“I don’t want to leave you, Dad,” Bruce said. Ollie repeated, “You should be with Gwen.” Reluctantly, Bruce left. “When the baby comes,” he promised Ollie, “you will be the first to know.” A few days later, around 2 p.m., Ollie awoke from a sleep. He turned and looked at me. I sat close to hear his weak words. “The baby is coming now. It’s a boy,” he said. For a moment his eyes were filled with tears. Then he went back to sleep again. Not long after that, Karen ran into the room. “Bruce called,” she said, a smile lighting her face. “Gwen gave birth to a healthy baby boy around two o’ clock.”

Ollie smiled; he had been the first to know. That night, Ollie died in his sleep.

1.Ollie didn’t travel to Florida because________.

A．he was too weak to travel

B．he could hardly be able to speak

C．he could not afford the trip

D．he was waiting for his grandchild to be born

2.Why did Ollie want Bruce to be with Gwen?

A．Ollie thought it was too much trouble for Bruce to stay at hospital.

B．Ollie wanted Bruce to bring the baby along as soon as it was born.

C．Ollie didn’t want his son to be absent when his baby was born.

D．Ollie couldn’t bear his son seeing him dying with a broken heart.

3.The underlined word in Paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to_______.

A．Disappointedly

B．Unwillingly

C．Excitedly

D．Immediately

4.What can we learn from the passage ?

A．Ollie and his wife had planned to settle in Florida.

B．Ollie cared for his son more than his daughter.

C．Ollie was sad about not being able to see his first grandchild.

D．Ollie died happy and in peace.

 

As a disabled person, I often feel I have two jobs．There's my normal job working as a radio producer and there’s my role managing a team of carers （otherwise called personal assistants）．Of the two jobs, being a radio producer is considerably easier．One of the hardest aspects of being a PA employer and needing 24-hour care is that you never feel “off duty”．At any time a PA could present me with an issue or concern that needs handling．

There was an occasion when a previous PA came into my bedroom one morning to get me up and began complaining straight away that I had paid her the wrong amount that week．Another former PA once called me on a Saturday evening to ask if she could book some annual leave．

Once the booking is confirmed, the worry about not having a carer at all is replaced by concern over who the carer is．My agency tries very hard to send me carers who’ve helped me before, but obviously if you book agency care at short notice you just have to accept whoever is available．When an agency sends me a carer who is new to me, I have to explain my needs from scratch．

Of course, no organisation is never wrong and care agencies are no exception．When an agency makes a mistake and a carer fails to turn up, the impact on my life can be frustrating and distressing．It might mean I’m unable to get up in the morning and am stuck in bed for hours staring at the ceiling, waiting for a carer to arrive．It might mean I’m late for work or have to miss an appointment．Fortunately, over the last decade I’ve seen a considerable improvement in the quality of service care agencies provide．Most of the time, I’m pleased to say, the agencies I use are caring, organised and reliable．

When a home PA is off sick, life can be stressful but when a work PA is ill, the consequences can be more serious．At home it doesn’t matter if tasks don’t get done or take longer because the agency carer is less experienced at helping me than my permanent PAs．The only person affected is myself．However, at work I have to meet deadlines and if I don’t do my job properly, then not only will it create extra problems for my colleagues but it could also affect the quality of the programme I'm working on．

Luckily, I employ two full-time permanent PAs so when one is absent I usually still have the other one with me．On a normal day the work PAs share out the hours equally between them．

Covering a PA’s sickness not only creates practical problems, it can also be a financial headache．Agency care is expensive．For this reason, a PA who doesn’t need much sick leave is worth her weight in gold．

1．The passage is mainly about __________________．

      A．social relation                        B．housework and work

      C．social care                         D．sickness and treatment

2．Being a PA employer, the author feels she is always “on duty” because__________________．

      A．she takes up two jobs---- working as radio producer and managing a team of carers．

      B．some employees are either less experienced or considerably lazy．

      C．she has to get up early in the morning and go to bed late at night．

      D．a(chǎn) personal assistant may bring much trouble to her anytime．

3．What does the author think of the service of the care agencies?

      A．The quality of service care agencies offer has improved a lot．

      B．Her care agencies never make any mistakes．

      C．Her care agencies take good care of her．

      D．The service her care agencies provide needs considerable improvement．

4．Why can the consequences be more serious when a work PA is ill?

      A．Because a work PA is less efficient than a home PA

      B．Because the author’s poor work has an effect on her colleagues with no care．

      C．Because on a normal day a work PA has much important work to do．

      D．Because the absence of a PA can cause financial problems．