I sat in the all-too-quiet waiting room of the cancer center, counting the minutes until my treatment. I thought I'd 1 it two years ago, but it was back. After my 2 diagnosis, Mom and Dad had driven more than l,200 miles from their home to be with me for three 3 while I was getting over from 4 and chemotherapy(化疗). When the cancer returned last, they, once again, 5 it here, too. They waited for hours while I received my treatments---Dad with his 6 and Mom with a magazine.
But now, they were 7 in Westlake.
My children are 8 and my four brothers live far from my home outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I knew 9 of them would come if asked, but I didn't want to 10 them, even with the intense 11 I felt.
I 12 picked one of the magazines on the end table beside me and couldn't help wishing my 13 were there inside. One publication caught my 14 , a magazine I liked best and had 15 to ages ago. I couldn't tell you the last time when I'd read an issue. I 16 it up and I started right in with the letters to the 17 .
"I love 18 my copy every month," the first letter began. The author mentioned a daughter who 19 in Clinton, Pennsylvania. Huh, that's funny. I thought. That's my town! I read the letter to the end, where my 20 fell upon the author's signature
"Thank you, Margie and Tom Parrish, Westlake, Louisiana"
Alone? Hardly. Margie and Tom---or as I call them, Mom and Dad were right beside me, even now.
1. A. treated B. beaten C. infected D. operated
2. A. first B. terrible C. invisible D. last
3. A. days B. months C. years D. minutes
4. A. illness B. hospital C. work D. surgery
5. A. made B. put C. hoped D. arrived
6. A. pen B. glasses C. Bible D. smile
7. A. in hospital B. back home C. at work D. in town
8. A. young B. caring C. struggling D. full-grown
9. A. any B. some C. none D. both
10. A. scare B. disappoint C. surprise D. trouble
11. A. loneliness B. pride C. happiness D. anger
12. A. halfheartedly B. carefully C. seriously D. anxiously
13. A. brothers B. children C. friends D. parents
14. A. thought B. mind C. eye D. hand
15. A. referred B. subscribed C. turned D. contributed
16. A. put B. picked C. set D. broke
17. A. editor B. writer C. producer D. reader
18. A. editing B. sending C. receiving D. organizing
19. A. studied B. worked C. died D. lived
20. A. gaze B. touch C. thought D. sense
