The first day of school our teacher let us know someone. Looking out, we found an old woman  1  at the door. She said, “ Hi, my name is Susan, I’m seventy years old.” While we were   2  what made her take this challenge (挑战) at her age, she said with a smile, “I’m here to meet a rich husband, get  3  , have two children and travel together.” Hearing this, all of us laughed. “In fact,” she went on, “I always 4   of having a college education, and now I’m getting  5   !”

After class we had chocolate and milk together. We became good  6  . I often listened to this “time machine” as she shared her study with me.

At the end of the term we invited Susan to give us a  7  . When she was stepping up to the front, suddenly she found she took the wrong paper. She felt a little frustrated (沮丧的) and said, “I’m sorry. I am so nervous I can’t get my ready talk   8  , so I have to tell you   9  I know.”

In her speech she told us, “We don’t stop playing as we are old, we grow old because we stop playing. The secret of staying   10  , being happy and getting success is that we should laugh and find something   11  every day. I think there is a great  12  between growing old and growing up. I am seventy now. If I  13   in bed for one full year and never do anything. I’ll become seventy-one. Since anybody can grow older, my idea is to grow up by always finding the chance in change. Growing older can’t be avoided (避免), growing up can be  14   . It’s never too late to be all you can be possibly.”

During the four years’ study, it was so easy for Susan to make friends 15    she went. In the end, the wonderful woman got the college degree.

1. A. escaped     B. appeared     C. reached        D. hurried  

2. A. finding      B. getting       C. wanting       D. wondering 

3. A. married      B. worried      C. excited        D. relaxed 

4. A. realized      B. made        C. knew         D. dreamed  

5. A. one         B. each         C. some         D. much 

6. A. teachers     B. friends        C. students      D. neighbors  

7. A. lesson       B. present       C. talk          D. story 

8. A. again       B. back          C. down        D. away  

9. A. which       B. how         C. what         D. why  

10. A. old         B. young        C. clear         D. awake 

11. A. natural      B. difficult       C. interesting    D. possible

12. A. difference    B. change       C. pleasure      D. confidence

13. A. lie          B. hide         C. leave         D. turn 

14. A. noticed      B. chosen       C. thought       D. mentioned

15.A. whenever     B. however     C. wherever      D. whether

On the first day of school our teacher 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 little old lady with a warm smile. She said, “Hi, handsome. My name is Rose. I’m eighty-seven years old.”
“Why are you in university at such a YOUNG age?” I asked. She replied, “I’m here to meet a rich husband, get married, have a couple of kids, and then retire and travel.”
I knew she was joking. I was curious(好奇) what might have encouraged her to be taking on this challenge at her age.
“I always dreamed of having a university education and now I’m getting one!” she told me. We became friends. Every day we would talk nonstop after class. I always enjoyed listening to this “time machine” as she shared her wisdom(智慧) and experience with me. And Rose easily made friends wherever she went.
At the end of the term we invited Rose to make a little speech. She cleared her throat and began, “We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. I’ve learned a few 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.”
“There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up. Anybody can grow older. That doesn’t take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding the opportunity in change...”
【小题1】When the author and Rose first met, they began their conversation in a ________ manner.