阅读理解

　　Like any other American 18-year-old, Michael Sessions will attend high school from 8 a. m．to 3 p. m．and after 6 p. m. he will do his homework．But from 3 p. m. -6 p. m., he will carry out his new job as the elected Mayor of Hillsdale, Michigan．

　　Although he was too young to celebrate his success over the 51-year-old rival－by two votes－with champagne or any other alcoholic drink, the youngest elected official in America is determined to discharge(履行)his civic duties seriously．

　　Mr．Sessions, who turned 18 in September ran for Mayor on a budget(预算)of ＄700 earned from a summer job and on a promise of working to increase Hillsdale’s contingent(分谴队)of full-time firefighters from three to four．

　　His rival was defeated by an energetic door-to-door campaign made all more remarkable because Mr．Sessions was a “write-in” candidate．He was too young to register(登记)as a candidate(候选人)before nominations closed for the printed ballots(选票), so his supporters had to write in his name on election day．

　　“Obviously, the people of Hillsdale took me seriously, ”the teenager said．“A lot of older people really enjoyed talking to me．I look at them in the eye．Young people could relate to me．”

　　He told the reporter, “It’s just a state of trying to believe it－especially that 670 people took the time to write my name in．My heart’s racing．”

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　　I met Connie the day she was admitted to the Hospice Ward(安养院的病房),where I 　　1　　 as a volunteer．Her husband, Bill, stood 　　2　　 nearby as she was removed from the gurney to the hospital bed．Although Connie was in the final stages of her fight 　　3　　 cancer, she was quick-minded and 　　4　　．We got her settled in, and then asked if she needed 　　5　　．

　　“Oh, yes,” she said, “Would you please show me how to use the TV? I 　　6　　 the soaps so much and I don’t want to get 　　7　　 on what’s happening．”Connie was a romantic．She loved soap operas(肥皂剧), romance novels and movies with a good 　　8　　 story．As we became familiar, she confided how 　　9　　 it was to be married 32 years to a man who often called her “a silly woman”．

　　“Oh, I know Bill loves me,” she said, “but he has 　　10　　 been one to say he loves me, or send cards to me．”She 　　11　　 and looked out of the window at the trees in the courtyard．“I’d 　　12　　 anything if he’d say ‘I love you’, but it’s just not in his 　　13　　．”

　　One day, 　　14　　 coffee in the cafeteria, I got him on the 　　15　　 of women and how we need romance in our lives; how we love to get sentimental cards and love letters．

　　“Do you tell Connie you love her?” I asked, and he looked at me 　　16　　 I was crazy．

　　“I don’t have to,” he said．“She knows I 　　17　　!”

　　“I’m sure she knows,” I said, 　　18　　 over and touching his rough, carpenter’s hands, “but she needs to hear it, Bill．She needs to hear what she has 　　19　　 to you all these years．Please think about it．”

　　We walked back to Connie’s room．Bill 　　20　　 inside, and I left to visit another patient．Later, I saw Bill sitting by the bed．He was holding Connie’s hand as she slept．

Dear Tracy,

Although I’m 16 years old, but my father still treats

1．________

me as a careless children．He doesn’t value my opinions．

2．________

He is very strict with me and often punishes me about

3．________

leaving things lying around in the house while he did this

4．________

all time．I think he fails to set an example to me to

5．________

follow．But he often says, “Doing as I say, not as I do．”

6．________

Even worse, he points out my past mistakes to guests,

7．________

making me feel hurting．I love my father, but I can’t

8．________

bear what he does．I have been tried many times

9．________

to talk with he but he never listens．Please, help me．

10．________

Puzzled