The first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn't already know.
I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder. I turned around to find a wrinkled，little old lady beaming up at me with a smile that lit up her entire being. She said，“Hi, handsome. My name is Rose. I' m eighty－seven years old. Can I give you a hug？”I laughed and enthusiastically responded，“Of course you may.”and she gave me a giant squeeze. “Why are you in college at such a young，innocent age？”I asked. She jokingly replied，“I'm here to meet a rich husband，get married，have a couple of children，and then retire and travel.”“No，seriously？”I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to be taking on this challenge at her age.
“I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting one. ”she told me. After class we walked to the student union building and shared a chocolate milk- shake. We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months, we would leave class together and talk nonstop. I was always attracted listening to this “time machine” as she shared her wisdom and experience with me.
Over the course of the year，Rose became a campus icon and she easily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she enjoyed the attention from the other students. She was living it up.
At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet. I'll never forget what she taught us. She was introduced and stepped up to the podium(讲台). As she began to deliver her prepared speech，she dropped her 3x5 cards on the floor. Frustrated and a little embarrassed, she leaned into the microphone and simply said，“I'm sorry I'm so nervous. I gave up beer for Lent(一种威士忌的牌子) and this whisky is killing me. I'll never get my speech back in order to let me just tell you what I know.”
As we laughed she cleared her throat and began：“We do not stop playing because we are old；we grow old because we stop playing. There are only four secrets to staying young，being happy，and achieving success.” “You have to laugh and find humor every day.” You've got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams，you die. We have so many people walking around who are dead and don't even know it.” “There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up. If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don't do one productive thing，you will turn twenty years old. If I am eighty－seven years old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything, I will turn eighty－eight. Anybody can grow older. It’s non-optional but that doesn't take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding the opportunity in change.” “Have no regrets. The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we did，but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets.” She concluded her speech by courageously singing “The Rose.” She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our daily lives. At the year's end Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those years ago.
One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep. Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in honor of the wonderful woman who taught by example that it's never too late to be all you can possibly be. When you finish reading this, please send this peaceful word of advice to your friends and family, they’ll really enjoy it! These words have been passed along in loving memory of ROSE.
【小题1】The writer provides the details about Rose in Paragraph 2 to show that .A．she was an innocent and enthusiastic personB．she was an optimistic and humorous personC．she was an aggressive person with a strong sense of honorD．she was an intelligent person with highly motivated personality【小题2】Why does the writer pare Rose to “time machine” in Paragraph 3?A．To describe the friendship between Rose and her young schoolmates.B．To stress her old age and rich wisdom and experience.C．To show that she enjoyed dressing up in spite of her old age.D．To emphasize that she took on the challenge at such an old age.【小题3】Which of the following best explains the sentence ”We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing”(Paragraph 6)?A．“If we lose our dreams, we will regret for what we did when young.”B．“If we don’t laugh every day, we will easily get old.”C．“Once we stop seeking and working for our dreams, we will really bee old.”D．“Once we stop exercising, we will get weaker physically and mentally.”【小题4】It can be inferred from Paragraph 6 that .A．those who don’t have dreams are as good as deadB．growing old is uncontrollable but growing up is optionalC．the elderly usually feel regretful for what they didD．our talent and ability decline with age【小题5】The method the writer uses to describe the character of Rose is .A．making mentsB．making parisonsC．providing argumentsD．giving examples【小题6】Which of the following is the best title for the passage?A．Meeting challengesB．Secrets to successC．Dream in heartD．My best friendB
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(答案→)B
解析：
本文通过87岁的Rose圆梦的故事，介绍了她对待生活的态度：长大变老(grow old)不可避免，也无需才能；成熟起来(grow up)却是个人选择的结果；我们不因年老而停止追求，却因停止追求而变老；我们不后悔我们做过的，我们后悔我们没有做过的。总之，人要有梦想并努力实现梦想，成熟起来就是指抓住稍纵即逝的机会，然后可以死而无憾。
【小题1】第一天上课就带着微笑与陌生人拥抱，可见其乐观开朗；被问及87岁高龄为何还要读大学时，Rose开玩笑地说是为了找一个有钱的丈夫结婚、生两三个孩子，然后退休、旅游。可见其幽默。故答案为B。
【小题2】由I was always attracted listening to this “time machine” as she shared her wisdom and experience with me.一句可知Rose经历丰富、充满智慧。故B项正确。
【小题3】Rose对待生活的态度之核心就是心怀梦想实现梦想，不留遗憾走完人生。这里Play一词应该指心态的年轻而非锻炼。故答案为C.
【小题4】“躺在床上什么都不做也会长一岁”，这一点人人做得到，无需才能、不可控制；The idea is to grow up by always finding the opportunity in change.成熟起来就是发现并抓住稍纵即逝的机会，这是个人选择的结果，并非人人能够做到。uncontrollable: 不可控制的。optional：可选择的。故选择B项。A项“没有梦想的人等于行尸走肉”是Rose明确表达的，When you lose your dreams，you die. 非推断的结果。
【小题5】用“与陌生人拥抱”展现她的乐观开朗、用“开玩笑”展现她的幽默风趣，等等，可见作者使用实例展现Rose的性格。故答案选D。
【小题6】本文通过Rose追梦圆梦的故事，阐明“心怀梦想”是我们应有的生活态度。故C项正确。