OnedayIwenttoseemylastpatientanoldwoman.InthedoorwayIsawshewastryingtoputsocksonherfeet.Isteppedinandspokequicklytothenurse.Iwasalmostintheclearthatshewasnotinseriouscondition.

IaskedCouldIhelpputonyoursocks?Howareyoufeeling?Yoursugarsandbloodpressurewerehighbuttheyarebettertoday.Thenursementionedyou’reanxioustoseeyourson.He’svisitingyoutoday.It’snicetohaveafamilyvisit.Ithinkyoureallylookforwardtoseeinghim."

“Sitdowndoctor.Thisismystorynotyours.”Shesaidinaseriousvoice.

IwassurprisedasIhelpedherwiththesocks.Shetoldmethatheronlysonlivedaroundthecomerfromherebutshehadnotseenhiminfiveyears.Shebelievedthatwasthemaincauseofherhealthproblems.AfterhearingherstoryandputtingonhersocksIaskediftherewasanythingelseIcoulddoforher.Sheshookherheadandsmiled.Allshewantedmetodowastolisten.

Eachstoryisdifferent.Somearedetailed;othersaresimple.Somehaveabeginningmiddleandend;othersdon’thaveclearends.Somearetrue;othersnot.Yetallthosethingsdonotreallymatter.Whatmattertothestorytelleristhatthestoryisheard—withoutinterruption(打断)orjudgment(评价).

Itwasthatwomanwhotaughtmetheimportanceofstoppingsittingdownandtrulylistening.AndnotlongafterinanunexpectedaccidentIbecameapatient.20yearslaterIsitallthetime—inawheelchair.

ForaslongasIcould.Icontinuedtoseepatientsfrommychair.Ibelieveinthepoweroflistening.

1.Howdidthedoctorknowthattheoldwoman’ssonwasvisitingher?

A.Thedoctorgotitfromherchartnoting.

B.Theoldwomantoldhim.

C.Thewoman’ssontoldhim.

D.Thenursetoldhim.

2.Whatdidtheoldwomanthinkcausedherhealthproblems?

A.Herson’snotseeingher.

B.Noonelisteningtoherstory.

C.Themedicalcareofthehospital.

D.Thedistancebetweenherhouseandherson’s.

3.Whenthepatienttoldthedoctorherstorieswhatsheneededmightbe___________.

A.keepingsmiling

B.interruptionorjudgment

C.beinglistenedwithoutinterruption

D.communicatingwitheachother