《2025年点津英语天天练英语时文阅读八年级》

Warm calls
温暖的电话
Throughout my childhood, my mother had a special routine in the evenings. Sometimes she would knit (编织) hats for us, and other times, she baked cookies. But one day, she surprised us all by announcing, "I'm going to call one neighbour every night." I was 16 then and couldn't understand why she would spend her evenings talking to people she barely knew. One evening, I overheard her conversation with an elderly lady. She asked about the lady's dinner and even discussed the blooming (盛放的) roses in the park. When she hung up, I questioned her choice of topics, finding them trivial (琐碎的). With a kind smile, she explained, "I might be the only person she talked to today. So even the simplest conversations can make her feel cared for."
It wasn't until nearly 30 years later that I realized the true impact (影响) of my mother's nightly calls.
The elderly often feel lonely for different reasons. As people grow older, they may experience the loss of friends and family members. This leads to a smaller social circle. Health problems can make it harder for the elderly to join in social activities. Retirement can also take away daily interactions that were once provided by work.
The lonely feeling can be very strong for the elderly. They might feel like they are being forgotten or no longer valued. Without regular social interactions, they may experience sadness, boredom and a sense of emptiness. Long periods of feeling lonely can even lead to feelings of depression and anxiety.
My mother's conversations were more than just friendly talks—they were lifelines for lonely seniors. Her calls connected them to the outside world. Her determination and social skills in keeping these connections were more than I could understand, and I wish I could do better.
(C) 1. What did the mother do to surprise the writer's family?
A. She started to knit hats for her family.
B. She took lessons to learn how to bake cookies.
C. She planned to call a different neighbour every night.
D. She wanted to spend more time talking to her family.
(B) 2. What might the writer say about the conversation between her mother and the elderly lady at first?
A. It covered a large range of topics. B. It was about nothing important.
C. It focused only on nature. D. It appeared to be interesting.
(D) 3. Why did the writer introduce the living conditions of the elderly in paragraphs 3 and 4?
A. To describe their lonely lives.
B. To explain changes in their social circles.
C. To show their mental health problems.
D. To highlight the value of her mother's nightly calls.

答案： 1. C 根据第一段中的“But one day, she surprised us all by announcing, ‘I'm going to call one neighbour every night.’”可知，作者的母亲决定每晚给一个邻居打电话，这让作者一家很惊讶。故选 C。
2. B 根据第一段中的“When she hung up, I questioned her choice of topics, finding them trivial.”可知，作者最初认为母亲和那位老太太的对话内容琐碎，没有什么重要的事情。故选 B。
3. D 通读第三、四段内容可知，这两段介绍了老年人的生活状况，特别是他们社交圈的变化，以此来强调母亲每晚打电话的重要性。故选 D。