As a kid, I used to spend my summers with my grandparents on their farm in Texas. I helped them with farming at times. Luckily, they (16) a caravan, a kind of car designed for people to live in while travelling. Every few summers, we'd travel together around the US and Canada.
On one trip, I was about 10years old. I was playing around in the back of the car (17) my grandfather was driving. My grandmother had the passenger seat. She smoked through the trip, and I hated the(18) , which made me cough a lot. I read about smoking in an article. It says that every puff(吸) of a cigarette takes two minutes off your life. I(19) the number of cigarettes per day and the puffs per cigarette. When I came up with a reasonable(合理的) number, I was(20) . Then I moved my head into the front of the car and proudly (21) , "So far, you've taken nine years off your life!" Hearing this, my grandmother began to cry and it was not what I(22) . I did not know what to do. My grandfather, who had been driving (23) , stopped the car, got out of it and opened my door. He looked at me calmly, and said(24) , "See, grandmother is crying! One day, you'll understand that it's harder to be kind than clever."
As I grow up, I realize that cleverness is a gift and kindness is a choice. Gifts are easy ﹣ they are given (25) . Choices can be hard, so it seems more difficult to be kind.
16.A: produced |
B: owned |
C: required |
D: returned |
17.A: as |
B: when |
C: while |
D: though |
18.A: dust |
B: taste |
C: noise |
D: smell |
19.A: guessed |
B: counted |
C: collected |
D: received |
20.A: afraid |
B: relaxed |
C: satisfied |
D: worried |
21.A: replied |
B: explained |
C: presented |
D: announced |
22.A: dreamed |
B: enjoyed |
C: supported |
D: expected |
23.A: in fear |
B: in silence |
C: with pride |
D: with sadness |
24.A: gently |
B: loudly |
C: powerfully |
D: confidently |
25.A: in all |
B: after all |
C: above all |
D: first of all |