As a teenager, I terrorized my mother. We often quarreled about whether or not I would empty the dishwasher, take out the trash, or clear the dinner plates. My brothers referred to these infamous screaming matches as World War III every time a battle began. The fights lasted as long as my mother could put up with my sharp tongue and snide remarks, after which I was sent to my room without dinner.
Now we don’t argue anymore. It’s not because I’ve matured, gotten married, and left my parents, house, but because my mother cannot utter enough words to form sentences. Her brain is a mess that cannot communicate like a room full of people speaking different languages with no interpreter.
At fifty-four, she was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease and now, four years later, she is completely dependent on my family and me to function. We feed her, dress her, bathe her, drive her around, and pray that the disease progresses slowly.
Alzheimer’s has changed both the relationship we share as a mother and daughter and the fundamental beliefs that guide my life. I now believe that I am fortunate to have the opportunity to give back to my mother with the same love and devotion she always shared with me.
I visit her as often as my schedule permits. Sometimes I share stories with her, reducing any details to basic terms that she can understand. Sometimes we sit in silence and comment every now and then about how good the coffee is. “Makes you feel good,” she tells me, talking about the coffee, and I want to say the same thing about the time spent with her. I am so grateful for these moments, for the experiences we share, and for the chance to make up for the way I treated her years earlier. The funny thing is that she may never remember those arguments.
【小题1】What does the underlined word “matches” probably refer to?| A．Games. | B．Remarks. | C．Arguments. | D．Moments. |
| A．Her basic beliefs. | B．Her mother’s disease. |
| C．Her being mature. | D．Her mother’s devotion. |
| A．Sad. | B．Funny. | C．Anxious. | D．Thankful. |
