A
One rainy night, Mark decided to end his life. Having undergone a lot of sufferings and frustrations, he walked the street, feeling desperate.
On that same night, I was sitting in my room when I heard the doorbell rang. My mom opened the door, finding herself face-to-face with a very disheveled-looking man, Mark, with tears running down his face. My mom, overcome by pity, invited him inside.
Curious, I went downstairs to get a better look. The sight of the man, holding his head in his hands and crying, made my chest ache. I raced back upstairs to my room, pulled out my only half-dollar coin from my money jar and ran back downstairs.
When I reached the door of the living room, I walked right in and quickly made my way over to the stranger- I put the half-dollar in his hand and told him that I wanted him to have it. Then I gave him a hug and turned and ran as fast as I could out of the room and back up the stairs.
Downstairs, tears streamed down Mark’s face as he tightly held that coin. Finally he said, “It’s just that I thought nobody cared. For the last twenty years, I have been so alone. That was the first hug I have gotten. It’s hard to believe that somebody cares.”
Before Mark left, my parents asked him why he had knocked on our door, Mark said that as he was walking the streets that rainy night, hopeless and ready to die, he noticed a bumper sticker (车贴) on our car reading SOMEBODY LOVES YOU.
It’s hard to imagine that a bumper sticker and fifty cents could change a person’s life. Mark’s life did change that night. When he left our house, he was ready to live instead of die.
21. Mom let Mark inside our house because she .
A. was hospitable to anyone B. was ready to help others
C. wanted to educate me D. felt sorry for him
22. Why did Mark cry when he tightly held the coin?
A. Because he realized he was not abandoned by the world.
B. Because he was worried about whether he could pay it back.
C. Because he finally got money when he was in great need of it.
D. Because he felt ashamed that he should get money from a child.
23. Which of the following can best describe the author?
A. Curious and desperate. B. Sympathetic and nice.
C. Miserable and kind. D. Brave and thoughtful.
