It was Sunday. I had one last patient to see. I approached her room in a hurry and stood at the doorway. She was an old woman, sitting at the edge of the bed, struggling to put socks on her swollen(肿胀的)feet. I entered, spoke quickly to the nurse and examined her chart. She was getting better.
I looked down at her. She asked if I could help put on her socks. Instead, I said something like this:“ How are you feeling? Your sugars and blood pressure were high but they’re better today. The nurse mentioned you were anxious to see your son who’s visiting you today. I bet you really look forward to seeing him.”
She stopped me with a serious voice, as if she was giving an order. “ Sit down,Doctor.This is my story,not your story. ”
I was surprised and embarrassed. I sat down. I helped her with the socks. She began to tell me that her only son lived around the corner from her, but she had not seen him in five years. She believed that her health problems really had something to do with it. After hearing her story and putting on her socks, I asked if there was anything else I could do for her. She shook her head and smiled. All she wanted me to do was to listen.
Later on, I often thought of what that woman taught me. Everyone has a story and each story is different. Some have a beginning, middle and end. Others wander without a clear conclusion. Yet all those things do not really matter. What matters to the storyteller is that the story is heard—without interruption or judgment.
The writer went to visit the older woman to .
A.1isten to her story | B.tell her good news |
C.help her put on her socks | D.see if she was getting better |
What problem did the old woman have?
A.She ate too much sugar. |
B.She had high blood pressure. |
C.She had too many visits. |
D.She liked telling others stories. |
The underlined word “it” in Paragraph 4 refers to the older woman’s .
A.not having seen her son for long | B.having no one to look after her |
C.serious voice when giving orders | D.struggling to put socks on her feet |
What does the story mainly tell us?
A.Everyone should learn to listen to others. |
B.Children had better stay with their parents. |
C.We all have a story and each one is different. |
D.Older women are good at telling their stories. |