Exercises
A. Choose the best answer. Do not refer to the text.
The main idea of the story is that _______. ( D )
(a) a little girl nearly died from severe cold
(b) bringing a little girl back to life was a wonder and a surprise
(c) all the doctors and nurses did their best to rescue a little girl who was frozen stiff
(d) a little girl was frozen stiff and brought back to life miraculously on Christmas Day
B. Comprehending the text.
Choose the best answer.
1. When Melinda couldn't find her daughter Brittany she thought that _______. ( D )
(a) Brittany was sleeping under a blanket
(b) Brittany was hiding in the hall closet
(c) Brittany was playing outside
(d) Brittany was playing a joke with her
2.As soon as Steve found Brittany, _________. ( C )
(a) he carried the girl to the hospital
(b) he took a taxi and rushed to the hospital emergency room
(c) a neighbor came and began CPR to make her come to
(d) he was shocked and did not know that to do
3. When Brittany was in the emergency room, for some time ______. ( C )
(a) the doctors were certain that the little girl could be saved but the parents were in despair
(b) the parents were sure that their daughter could be saved but the doctors thought it was a hopeless cause
(c) both the parents and doctors felt doubtful whether the little girl could be brought back to life
(d) both the doctors and parents were sure the little girl would come to soon
4. The well-known rule in cases of severe cold is that ______. ( A )
(a) victims are really dead when they are warm and dead
(b) victims are really dead when they are no longer warm
(c) victims are really dead when they are cold and dead
(d) victims are not really dead when they are still warm
5. Brittany began to show some sign of life when ______. ( B )
(a) her father performed CPR
(b) she was in the emergency room
(c) she was in Children's Hospital
(d) it was Christmas morning
6. The town was very far away from the house and Pa did not return until ______. ( A )
(a) Melinda
(b) Steve
(c) Kristin
(d) Her doll
7. The author's primary purpose in telling this story is to _______. ( C )
(a) make the reader understand the whole process of how doctors and nurses rescue a little girl who is suffering from severe cold
(b) warn the reader to take good care of little children, especially in cold winter
(c) show that, by making untiring efforts, people can sometimes create miracles in very difficult situations
(d) encourage the reader to love and help others in difficult situations
C. Understanding vocabulary.
Choose the correct definition according to the context.
1. Melinda Eichelberger, seven months pregnant, pulled a tray of Christmas cookies from the oven. ( C )
(a) ill in bed
(b) overworked
(c) with child
(d) out of a job
2. The cold weather outside made the trailer a cozy place on this night of December 23, 1990. ( B )
(a) cold and damp
(b) warm and comfortable
(c) wet but warm
(d) quiet and warm
3. Steve, laid off from his discount-store the week before, would also be home. ( B )
(a) tired
(b) dismissed temporarily
(c) quitted
(d) busy working
4. Oh, I don't have to work today, she realized with relief. ( C )
(a) excitement
(b) understanding
(c) feeling of no anxiety
(d) pleasant thought
5. Her eyes were frozen open, wide and staring, her mouth agape. ( A )
(a) open
(b) closed
(c) cold
(d) watering
6. The cold wind took their breath away. ( B )
(a) surprised them very much
(b) made it difficult for them to breathe
(c) made them feel very cold
(d) made it difficult for them to see things
7. Then she spotted something between two trailers. ( D )
(a) stepped on
(b) felt
(c) picked up
(d) saw
8. Soon the heart monitor showed a subtle change─an uneven curve instead of a flat line. ( B )
(a) large
(b) slight
(c) exciting
(d) obvious
9. Against all odds, the little girl's heart was beating on its own. ( D )
(a) In an unusual way
(b) Step by step
(c) Despite the great difficulties
(d) Quite unexpectedly
10. The doctor shook his head; such unfortunate things were always wrenching. ( B )
(a) worrying
(b) painful
(c) annoying
(d) exacting
11. When Brittany arrived at 4:30 p.m., Venkataraman tried to assess the child's condition. ( B )
(a) exam
(b) evaluate
(c) understand
(d) sum up
D. Discussing the following topics.
1. Describe the process of how Brittany was rescued.
答案
Immediately after Brittany was taken back home, a neighbor rushed in and began CPR for her. Then the emergency crew arrived and they took some emergent measures to rescue Brittany before sending her to the hospital. At the hospital, the little girl was given intensive care and her heart started to beat again. Then she was flown to Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh where she finally recovered after careful treatment.
2. Do you think it was a miracle that the little girl survived such severe freezing? Why?
Yes. When the little was found by her parents in snow, she had been in a death-like state for a long time. Her breath lost. Her heart stopped beating. No one believed that she could survive. If she had been found a few minutes later by her parents, or if she had not been given immediate emergent treatment, she might not have recovered in the end.
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