I believe listening is powerful medicine. Studies have shown it takes a ___36___ about 18 seconds to interrupt a patient after he begins talking.
It was a Sunday. I had one last patient to see. I ___37___ her room in a hurry and stood at the doorway. She was an old woman, sitting at the edge of the bed, ___38___ to put socks on her swollen（肿胀）feet. I crossed the threshold（门槛）, spoke quickly to the nurse, and scanned her chart noting she was in stable condition. I was almost in the clear.
I ___39___ on the bedrail（床的栏杆）looking down at her. She asked if I could help put on her socks. Instead, I launched into a monologue（独白） that went ___40___ like this, “How are you feeling? Your sugars and blood pressure were high ___41___ they’re better today. The nurse mentioned you’re ___42___ to see your son who’s visiting you today. It’s nice to have family visit from far away. I bet you really look forward to seeing him.”
She ___43___ me with a serious, authoritative voice. “Sit down, doctor. This is my story, not your story.”
I was surprised and embarrassed. I sat down. I helped her with the socks. She began to tell me that her only son lived ___44___ from her, but she had not seen him in five years. She believed that the stress of this ___45___ greatly to her health problems. After hearing her story and putting on her socks, I asked if there was anything else I could do for her. She ___46___ her head no and smiled. All she wanted me to do was to listen.
Each story is different. Some are detailed; others are vague. Some have a beginning, middle and end; others wander ___47___ a clear conclusion. Some are true; others not. Yet all those things do not really matter. What matters to the storyteller is that the story is heard without ___48___, assumption or judgment.
Listening to someone’s story costs ___49___ expensive diagnostic testing but is key to healing and diagnosis.
I often thought of ___50___ that woman taught me, and I ___51___ myself of the importance of stopping, sitting down and truly listening. And, not long after, in a(n) ___52___ twist, I became the patient, with a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis（多发性硬化症） at age 31. Now, 20 years later, I sit all the time in a wheelchair.
For ___53___ I could, I continued to see patients from my chair, but I had to resign when my hands were affected. I still teach medical students and other health care professionals, but now from the perspective(角度) of physician and patient.
I tell them I ___54___ the power of listening. I tell them I know firsthand that immeasurable healing ___55___ within me when someone stops, sits down and listens to my story.
| 小题1: | | A．professor | B．teacher | C．musician | D．physician |
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| 小题2: | | A．approached | B．examined | C．passed | D．observed |
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| 小题3: | | A．hoping | B．expecting | C．waiting | D．struggling |
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| 小题4: | | A．sat | B．leaned | C．lay | D．stood |
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| 小题5: | | A．nothing | B．anything | C．something | D．everything |
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| 小题6: | | A．so | B．but | C．though | D．because |
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| 小题7: | | A．anxious | B．nervous | C．worried | D．upset |
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| 小题8: | | A．urged | B．begged | C．stopped | D．persuaded |
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| 小题9: | | A．far away | B．around the corner | C．next door | D．in the distance |
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| 小题10: | | A．referred | B．attached | C．stuck | D．contributed |
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| 小题11: | | A．lowered | B．hung | C．shook | D．waved |
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| 小题13: | | A．distinction | B．interruption | C．Instruction | D．attention |
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| 小题14: | | A．rather than | B．other than | C．more than | D．less than |
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| 小题16: | | A．reminded | B．recalled | C．required | D．informed |
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| 小题17: | | A．expected | B．irregular | C．regular | D．unexpected |
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| 小题18: | | A．as soon as | B．as fast as | C．as far as | D．as long as |
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| 小题19: | | A．admit to | B．appreciate | C．believe in | D．realize |
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| 小题20: | | A．turns out | B．takes place | C．comes up | D．takes charge |
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