A
Perfect
The eyeliner makes the dark circles less visible. The lip gloss hides the trembling. The ponytail hides missing patches of hair. The Abercrombie sweater covers bruises (伤痕). I might look a bit thinner, but everyone will ask about my new diet. My hair might not shine the way it used to, but the pink ribbon will distract curious eyes. One hour of preparation and I look like myself. One hour of preparation and no one will know. One hour out of 24. Sometimes I wonder if it's worth — wasting a twentyfourth of my day on a lie. But then I see my wispy hair and baggy eyes, and I have to do it.
Checking my makeup one last time, I push my sleeves up, though not past my elbows. I slip on a cute pair of flat shoes — heels are too dangerous with shaky legs — and grab my Hollister bag. Padding downstairs, I breathe in the scent of waffles and syrup.
“Morning, Mom，” I call.
“Morning, baby，” she chirps. “Did you sleep well？”
“Better than I have been.”
She sighs, and her eyes look a hundred years old for a minute. “Any improvement is good，” she says halfheartedly.
“Of course.”
“I made waffles.” Her offering.
“Thanks, Mom. Smells delicious.” My offering.
I sit at the table and she hands me a plate. The thought of all that food turns my stomach, but I force a smile and thank my mother again. She busies herself at the sink and fills the silence with chatter. When she turns around, she takes in the waffles still on my plate, only missing a few bites. I smile apologetically.
“I'm not very hungry this morning.”
“You'll need your strength for this afternoon.” She bites her lip. She doesn't like to bring it up over breakfast. I eat another bite.
“I packed your lunch.”
“I'm 18, Mom. I can pack my own lunch. You have more important things to do.”
She reaches for the paper sack. “But now I know you'll have something to eat. And you need to eat, okay? You have to keep your strength up.”
Sighing, I take the bag. I know this peanut butter and jelly sandwich won't be eaten, not any more than the one yesterday or the day before. Anything consumed after 11 ends up in a plastic basin at 4：07. It's just the way it works.
“Hon, have you thought about what I said the other day？” she asks.
I_shrug_noncommittally.
“Sweetheart, you can't hide this forever. Eventually you're going to miss school and people will start asking questions.”
“Mom, I have two months left of high school. I can make it till then. I'm class president and probably will make a graduation speech. I was voted‘Most popular’，‘Most fun to be around’，‘Best smile’ and‘Most likely to succeed’.I'm the girl who's got it all together. People don't want to know that the girl who's got it all together, doesn't have it all together. People don't want to know that girl is dying！”
“Honey, don't say that. You're not dying.”
“Yes, I am. You heard Dr. Morrison. I have maybe a year left. Mom, listen to me. I don't want to be the girl everyone looks at and whispers, ‘Look at her. Poor thing！’ I can't handle that. I want to be normal. Just for these last two months.”
“Okay，” she whispers. “Okay. Just remember, it's okay if you don't have it all together. Sometimes things just fall apart and there's nothing we can do.”
“Thanks, Mom.” I grab my bag and lunch and kiss her on the cheek. “I love you.” “I love you too，” my mom replies. This exchange, once taken for granted, is now a vital part of every morning, every afternoon, every night. Three little words, followed by four more, have come to mean more than an entire conversation. They bridge all gaps and disagreements, because we both know there is now a finite number left.
Keys in hand, I open the door and blink in the early morning sun. My silver car waits in the driveway and as I walk toward it, I check my reflection in the tinted window. Perfect.
语篇解读：本文讲述了因病而时日不多的作者早上上学前和母亲的对话，作者坚持要开完毕业典礼，以最好的面貌和同学们告别。
1．Why does the author doubt her makeup time is spent on a lie?
A．Because she is going on a new diet.
B．Because she is pretending to look normal.
C．Because she tries to look prettier than she actually is.
D．Because she has to deal with her wispy hair and baggy eyes.
解析：选B 推理判断题。根据第一段的“One hour of preparation and I look like myself.”以及“dark circles, trembling, missing patches of hair”等词和倒数第四段中的“I want to be normal. Just for these last two months.”等信息可以看出，作者身体状况不好，作者认为她的化妆时间花在谎言上是因为她是假装正常，即想让她自己看起来正常些。
2．The author doesn't eat much breakfast because ________.
A．she is not hungry in the morning
B．she doesn't like waffles
C．she is in terrible health condition
D．she just likes a few bites
解析：选C 细节理解题。根据第十段的“The thought of all that food turns my stomach, but I force a smile and thank my mother again.”及下文信息可知，作者不多吃早餐是因为她的健康状况很糟糕。
3．What will happen if she forces herself to eat some food for lunch?
A．She will throw it up later.
B．It will build up her strength.
C．She will eventually miss school.
D．It will make her work better.
解析：选A 推理判断题。根据第十六段的“Anything consumed after 11 ends up in a plastic basin at 4：07.”可知，作者如果强迫自己吃午饭，下午就会呕吐。throw up意为“呕吐”，故A项正确。
4．The underlined sentence “I shrug noncommittally” most probably means “________”．
A．the author boards with her Mom
B．the author gives no clear answer
C．the author has already considered it
D．the author is indifferent about the issue
解析：选B 句意理解题。根据画线句下一段中的“Sweetheart, you can't hide this forever.”可以推测，作者似乎没有考虑过母亲所说的话，故B项正确。
5．The exchange of greetings has become vital for the author and her mom because ________.
A．she wants to be normal
B．they disagree with each other
C．she is running out of time
D．there is a generation gap between them
解析：选C 细节理解题。根据倒数第二段的“They bridge all gaps and disagreements, because we both know there is now a finite number left.”可知，之所以问候在作者和母亲之间变得十分重要，是因为作者在与时间赛跑。
6．What adjectives can we use to describe the author?
A．Polite but stupid.
B．Hardworking and successful.
C．Popular but stubborn.
D．Understanding and considerate.
解析：选D 推理判断题。本题可采用排除法，纵观全文可知，文中没有反映出作者的“stupid, successful, stubborn”的性格。从她对母亲的态度来看，作者是一个十分宽容和懂得体谅的人，故D项正确。
