After my brother's serious heart attack, he lay in a coma(昏迷) in the hospital. Tubes and wires 1 him up to machines that kept him alive. The only sound in his room was the 2 whoosh(呼呼声) of the pump forcing air into his lungs. My sister-in-law stood by, 3 .
As a minister I had been with families in similar 4 . I had searched for the right 5 , a phrase of hope, trying to 6 them. But this was a new 7 .
During these difficult days, my sister- in- law and I were 8 between hope and resignation. We 9 every visitor. We were grateful for their stories of people who had 10 comas and return to 11 . We listened when they talked knowledgeably about the stages of grief. We knew they cared. But many visitors came 12 the door talking, and kept talking. Was that how I had dealt with my nervousness when I didn't know 13 to say?
Then a/n 14 friend came to visit. He stood with us around the bed, looking at my brother's body. There was a long silence. Suddenly 15 with emotion, he said, "I'm sorry." There was another long pause. 16 , he hugged my sister-in-law and then turned to shake my hand. He held it a 17 longer than necessary and squeezed a little harder than 18 . As he looked at me, tears came to his eyes. And then he left. One week later, my brother died.
Years 19 passed and I still remember that visitor. I do not recall his name, but I'll never forget how he shared our grief, quietly and 20 and without awkwardness. His few words spoke volumes.
1. A. added B. hooked C. put D. held
2. A. rhythmical B. loud C. irregular D. harmonious
3. A. careful B. hopeful C. helpless D. useless
4. A. conversations B. considerations C. locations D. situations
5. A. words B. places C. roles D. choices
6. A. convince B. teach C. comfort D. serve
7. A. challenge B. adventure C. experience D. opportunity
8. A. filled B. torn C. worn D. settled
9. A. appreciated B. expected C. depended D. evaluated
10. A. suffered from B. shaken off C. come down with D. kept out
11. A. reality B. origin C. function D. normal
12. A. in B. across C. over D. through
13. A. why B. what C. how D. when
14. A. casual B. expected C. close D. familiar
15. A. concentrated B. controlled C. overcome D. disappointed
16. A. However B. Therefore C. Besides D. Finally
17. A. second B. lot C. great deal D. period
18. A. before B. possible C. usual D. past
19. A. had B. have C. are D. were
20. A. extraordinarily B. desperately C. nervously D. sincerely