A
The scars that Pat Pribble carried through life were formed nearly 50 years ago, caused by fellow students in Woodland, who picked on him because he was different.
Pat's parents had held him back in the seventh grade in secondary school, so he ended up in the same class as his younger brother, Leo. Forever the oldest kid in the class, Pat tried to fit in. He played sports. He went on dates. But he was always just not good enough for this; just not smart enough for that. Pat Pribble was a target.
After graduating, Pat drifted and lost his way. He was homeless, and he never married or had children. From a distance, with his long gray hair and beard, Pat appears tough, the kind of man you might cross the street to avoid. When talking with others, he shows a gentle side. He speaks quietly, measuring his words, careful to hide what he is thinking and feeling, as those were the very things others once seized upon to laugh at him.
Last November, as Carey planned for the 45th reunion in 2021, he decided to personally invite Leo. As the two men caught up on each other’s lives, Carey learned that Leo had terminal (晚期的）brain cancer and had only months to live. Leo then made one more request—everyone should also call Pat. And so they did. ‘*Never underestimate (低估）people,” said Leo. “We’re all different now than when we were kids.'* Leo passed away this past January. His former classmates had promised him that after he was gone they wouldn't lose track of Pat, and they have kept that promise. Healing wounds from the past has allowed Pat to look to the future. “I’ll be at the next reunion,” he says.
21. What does the underlined words “picked on him” mean in paragraph 1 ?
A. treated him unkindly B. encouraged him enthusiastically
C. avoided him deliberately D. trusted him entirely
22. Pat Pribble was a target during his school time because of_.
A. his family background B. his limited ability
C. his way of speaking D. his economic condition
23. What can we imply from Leo's words in the last paragraph?
A. People have the potential for change.
B. People’s ability should be overestimated.
C. Kids tend to behave more badly than adults.
D. What his classmates had done was never forgiven.
B
