Yesterday, our teacher asked us when a man could be referred as an old man.David stood up and said people with wrinkles could be called old people. However, Mary didn't __21__， for some people may gain wrinkles at an earlier age owing to their __22__ work.Then Lily expressed her idea that those reaching their 60s or more could be called old people.This time, Emily expressed her __23__ that some old people may still be energetic and trying to pursue their dreams, which makes them appear __24__. The class was over and we still didn't reach any __25__， so the teacher asked us to think about it after class.
The __26__ has reminded me of the saying of J．Barrymore that a man isn't old as long as he is __27__ something.
My grandma is such a woman who pursues her dream __28__ when she's 70 now.She has __29__ her dream of being a painter since she was a little child. __30__， because her family was poor, she had to __31__ her dream and stepped into __32__ to raise money so as to support her family.Though she has __33__ abandoned her dream, she could hardly find any __34__ to realize it because of the tough work. __35__， chance came when she retired from her work.She began taking her painting lessons __36__ she had allwhite hair and lots of wrinkles.At first, I was __37__ her idea of attending school at so old an age, but after seeing her paint happily and enjoyably, I __38__ feeling it a good choice.She seems energetic and __39__ fine.
So if we have our dreams and seek for them, we aren't old.It's when we don't know what we want and let __40__ be the centre point of our lives that we can finally be regarded as the old.
21．A. respond B. agree
C. identify D. understand
22．A. negative B. boring
C. tough D. challenging
23．A. certainty B. wish
C. theory D. doubt
24．A. attractive B. young
C. intelligent D. ambitious
25．A. conclusion B. contract
C. decision D. destination
26．A. embarrassment B. obstacle
C. question D. confusion
27.A. preserving B. seeking
C. treasuring D. possessing
28.A. even B. nearly
C. only D. hardly
29．A. realized B. changed
C. promoted D. kept
30．A. However B. Instead
C. Moreover D. Therefore
31．A. give up B. search for
C. put aside D. stick to
32．A. reality B. society
C. world D. nature
33．A. seldom B. occasionally
C. already D. never
34．A. time B. energy
C. help D. money
35．A. Suddenly B. Finally
C. Soon D. Fortunately
36． A. because B. once
C. though D. unless
37．A. against B. for
C. at D. with
38．A. risked B. rejected
C. continued D. began
39．A. feels B. proves
C. looks D. grows
40．A. achievements B. regrets
C. dreams D. difficulties