（山东省淄博市2010届高三上学期期末考试）

A

After 21 years of marriage my wife wanted me to take another woman out to dinner and a movie. The other woman my wife wanted me to visit was my mother who has been a widow for 19 years but the demands of my work and my three children had made it possible to visit her only occasionally.

That Friday after work when I arrived at her house my mother waited in the door with her coat on. She had curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate her last wedding anniversary.

We went to a restaurant that although not elegant was very nice and cozy. My mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady.

During the dinner we had an agreeable conversation nothing extraordinary but catching up on recent events of each other’s life. We talked so much that we missed the movie.

As we arrived at her house later she said “I’ll go out with you again but only if you let me invite you.” I agreed.

A few days later my mother died of a massive heart attack. It happened so suddenly that I didn’t have a chance to do anything for her.

Some time later I received an envelope with a copy of a restaurant receipt from the same place Mother and I had dined. An attached note said: “I paid this bill in advance. I wasn’t sure that I could be there; but nevertheless I paid for two plates—one for you and the other for your wife. You will never know what that night meant for me. I love you son.”

At that moment I understood the importance of saying in time: ‘I love YOU’ and to give our loved ones the time that they deserve.

Nothing in life is more important than your family. Give them the time they deserve because these things cannot be put off till some “other” time.

56. From the passage we can see _________.

A. the mother was happy to have dinner with her son

B. the author doesn’t like his work and his three children

C. the author and his mother went to a high-class restaurant

D. the author saw a movie with his mother after dinner

57. What can we know about the author’s mother according to the passage?

A. She wanted to celebrate her last wedding anniversary.

B. She wanted to invite her son to have dinner again.

C. She died of a massive heart attack very suddenly.

D. She wrote a letter to tell her son about her illness.

58. During the dinner what did they talk about?

A. Extraordinary things.

B. Some national events.

C. Each other’s daily life.

D. Movies and dishes.

59. It can be inferred from the passage that_________.

A. the author regretted for not showing much love to his mother

B. the author was satisfied to do something for his mother

C. the mother felt happy to pay for the bill in advance

D. the mother was sorry for inviting her son to have dinner

60. The author of the passage tends to agree that _________.

A. family should be as important as work

B. work is more important than family

C. we can show our love till some other time

D. we should spend more time with our family