Twenty years ago, I drove a taxi for a living. One night I went to pick up a passenger at 2:30 AM. When I arrived there, I walked to the door and knocked, “Just a minute,” answered a weak, elderly voice.
After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her eighties stood before me. By her side was a small suitcase.
When we got into the taxi, she gave me an address, and then asked, “Could you drive through downtown?”
“It’s not the shortest way,” I answered quickly.
“Oh, I’m in no hurry,” she said. “I’m on my way to a hospice(临终医院). I don’t have any family left. The doctor says I don’t have very long.”
I quietly reached over and shut off the meter(计价器).
For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked, the neighborhood where she had lived, and the furniture shop that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl.
Sometimes she’d ask me to slow down in front of a special building and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.
In the early morning, she suddenly said,” I’m tired. Let’s go now.”
We drove in silence to the address she had given me.
“How much do I pay you?” she asked.
“Nothing.” I said.
“You have to make a living,” she answered. “Oh, there are other passengers,” I answered.
Almost without thinking, I gave her a hug(拥抱). She held on me and said, “You gave an old woman a little moment of joy.”
【小题1】The old woman chose to ride through the city in order to ______.

　 Twenty years ago, I drove a taxi for a living. One night I went to pick up a passenger at 2:30 AM. When I arrived to collect, I found the building was dark except for a single light in a ground floor window.

I walked to the door and knocked, “Just a minute,” answered a weak, elderly voice. After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her eighties stood before me. By her side was a small suitcase.

I took the suitcase to the car, and then returned to help the woman. She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the car. She kept thanking me for my kindness. “It’s nothing,” I told her. “I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated.”

“Oh, you’re such a good man.” She said. When we got into the taxi, she gave me an address, and then asked, “Could you drive through downtown?”

“It’s not the shortest way,” I answered quickly.

“Oh, I’m in no hurry,” she said. “I’m on my way to a hospice. I don’t have any family left. The doctor says I don’t have very long.”

I quietly reached over and shut off the mete.

For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked, the neighborhood where she had lived, and the furniture shop that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl. Sometimes she’d ask me to slow down in front of a particular building and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.

At dawn, she suddenly said,” I’m tired. Let’s go now.”

We drove in silence to the address she had given me.

“How much do I pay for you?” she asked.

“Nothing.” I said.

“You have to make a living,” she answered. “Oh, there are other passengers,” I answered.

Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She hugged me tightly, too. Our hug ended with her remark, “You gave an old woman a little moment of joy.”

46. How was the old woman?

A. She was fine, but she wanted to have a family. 　B. She missed her hometown very much.　　

C. She was ill, but not serious. 　　　　　　　　 D. She was ill and she was dying..

47. The old woman chose to ride through the city in order to ______.

A. show she was familiar with the city　 　B. see some places for the last time

C. let the driver earn more money　　　 　　D. reach the destination on time

48. The taxi driver did not charge the old woman because he ______.

A. wanted to do her a favor　　　　　　　 　 B. shut off the meter by mistake

C. had received her payment in advance　 D. was in a hurry to take other passengers

49. What can we learn from the story?

A. Giving is always a pleasure.　　　　　　　　　 　

B. People should respect each other.

C. An act of kindness can bring people great joy.

D. People should learn to appreciate others’ concern.

50.What’s the best title for the passages?

A. Under The Same Roof 　　　　 B. Unlucky Woman　

C. Hard Life 　　　　　　　　　 D. Great Doctors and helpless woman

　　Money doesn't grow on trees but sometimes a big family can help make it happen.

　　For years I wanted a flower garden. I'd spend hours thinking of different things I could plant there. We had five children, Matthew, Marvin, Helen and the twins, Alisa and Alan. I was too busy raising them to grow a garden.

　　We didn't have much money or time. Often when my children were little, one of them would want something that cost too much. I'd have to say, “Do you see a money tree outside? Money doesn't grow on trees, you know.”

　　Finally, all the five finished high school and college and were off on their own. I started thinking about having a garden again. I wasn't sure, though. I mean, gardens do cost money, and after all these years I was used to living with very little.

　　Then, one morning in spring, on Mother's Day, I was working in my kitchen. Suddenly, l heard cars outside. I looked out of the window and saw a new tree planted right in my yard. I knew it was a weeping willow (垂柳), because I saw things blowing around on all of its branches (树枝). Then I put my glasses on and I couldn't believe what I saw. There was a money tree in my yard.

　　I went outside to look. It was true. There were dollar bills, one hundred of them, taped (绑) all over the tree. I could buy many flowers with one hundred dollars. There was also a note, “I still do something for you. Love, Marvin.” Marvin kept his words, too. He dug up a nice flower bed for me. My other children bought me tools and other things to help me, such as gardening books.

　　That was three years ago. My garden is now very pretty. It is just the way I wanted it. When I go out to take care of my flowers, I don't seem to miss my children as much as I once did. It feels like they are right there with me.

　　I live quite far to the north, where winters are long and cold, and summers are much too short. But every year now, when winter begins, I look out of my window and think of the flowers. I'll see next spring in my little garden. I think about what my children did for me, and I get tears (泪) in my eyes every time. I'm still not sure that money grows on trees. But I know love does.

(1) What was the woman's dream?

[　　]

A．To have five children.

B．To have a money tree.

C．To have a flower garden.

(2) In the passage, the sentences “Do you see a money tree outside? Money doesn't grow on trees.” really mean ________.

[　　]

A．making money isn't very easy

B．they have no money tree in their yard

C．the children can see a money tree outside

(3) Marvin gave his mother a tree with much money in it, because ________.

[　　]

A．he had many money trees

B．he wanted to show his love to his mother

C．he wanted his mother to help him make more money

(4) Living with the beautiful garden, the woman ________.

[　　]

A．felt even lonely in winter

B．felt her children's deep love was with her

C．seemed to miss her children even more than before

(5) From the passage, we know that ________.

[　　]

A．having a money tree is a nice thing

B．the woman's children made her dream come true

C．the woman herself was rich enough to have a garden