The first day our professor challenged us to get to know someone we didn’t know. I looked around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder. I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady smiling at me.
She said, “Hi, handsome. My name is Rose. I’m 87. Can I give you a hug?” I laughed, “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, and have a couple of children.” “No seriously,” I said. “I want to realize my dream!” she told me. Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and everyone liked to listen to this “time machine”.
At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet and I’ll never forget what she taught us. “There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up. If you are 19 and lie in bed for one full year and don’t do one productive thing, you will turn 20. If I am 87 and stay in bed for a year and never do anything I will turn 88. We have less time to live on. Anybody can grow older. That doesn’t take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding opportunity in change. The elderly usually don’t have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do.”
At the year’s end, Rose finished the college degree she had dreamed about all those years. One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep. Over 2,000 students attended her funeral honoring the wonderful woman who taught us such an important message.
小题1:Rose made herself known to the author in a _____ manner.
A．serious
B．cold
C．crazy
D．humorous小题2:Rose was considered a “time machine” because she _____.
A．always followed a strict time schedule
B．was never late for any of her classes
C．had lived a long and rich life
D．always appeared in time whenever she was needed小题3:According to Rose, growing up is different from growing older because _____.
A．growing up doesn’t need as much effort or talent as growing older
B．growing up means young people have enough time to waste
C．there is no need for one to worry about death
D．growing up means one has more chances or time to choose what one likes小题4:Rose came to study in college at such an old age for the purpose of _____.
A．challenging her old age
B．realizing her long dream about college education
C．meeting someone rich and attractive
D．not having any regrets in her life
