At 99 years old, Nita Draut shows us that it’s never too late to start something new and find a passion that moves others.

Nearly 30 years ago, when Draut was 70, she picked up a pencil for the first time out of simple curiosity. She had never tried drawing before, but this small and brave start soon turned into a wonderful artistic journey that brought her much joy.

Draut mainly uses graphite (石墨) to draw, and her inspiration comes from the people around her. When she sees someone whose face she wants to draw, she politely asks for permission. Surprisingly, she has never been refused. For her, each person in her drawings is special and meaningful.

Over the years, drawing has become more than just her hobby. It’s a way to connect with people. With the help of staff (工作人员) at Ascend Healthcare, her works are now shown in Fusion Art Gallery to celebrate her 100th birthday. Jason Fewin said her story inspires people who think they are too old to start new things.

1.1.When did Nita begin to learn drawing?

A At age 99.

B At age 70.

C At age 100.

D At age 30.

解析：选B。B 细节理解。文章第二段明确提到“when Draut was 70, she picked up a pencil for the first time”，由此可直接得知她开始学画是在70岁，故选B。A选项“At 99”是她举办画展的年龄，C选项“At 100”是庆祝百岁生日的年龄，D选项“At 30”在文中完全没有提及，因此均不符合文意。故选 B。

2.2. Why did Nita start drawing at first?

A For fun.

B For money.

C Out of curiosity.

D To join a club.

解析：选C。C 细节理解题。第二段指出“she picked up a pencil for the first time out of simple curiosity”，说明她最初拿起画笔是出于单纯的好奇心，故选C。A选项“为了乐趣”虽看似接近，但原文明确使用“curiosity”一词，B选项“为了金钱”和D选项“为了加入俱乐部”在文中均未出现，故不选。故选C。

3.3. How do people react when Nita asks to draw them?

A They all agree.

B They often refuse.

C They feel angry.

D They take no notice.

解析：选A。A 推理判断题。根据第三段“Surprisingly, she has never been refused”可知，她请求为他人画像时从未被拒绝，这意味着所有人都同意了，故选A。B选项“经常拒绝”与原文“从未被拒绝”直接相反，C选项“感到生气”和D选项“不予理会”在文中均无依据，故予以排除。故选A。

4.4. What helped Nita have her works shown in the gallery?

A Her family’s help.

B Healthcare staff’s support.

C Her own effort.

D Other artists’ advice.

解析：选B。B 细节理解题。第四段有明确说明“With the help of staff at Ascend Healthcare, her works are now shown in Fusion Art Gallery”，可见是医护人员的支持帮助她实现了画展，故选B。A选项“家人的帮助”、D选项“其他艺术家的建议”在文中均未提及，C选项“她自己的努力”虽然是她坚持画画的原因，但题干问的是“什么帮助她让作品在画廊展出”，针对的是直接促成展览的因素，原文指向的是staff的帮助，不选C。故选 B。

5.5. What does Nita advise people to do?

A Learn art young.

B Stay at home.

C Visit galleries.

D Try new things.

解析：选D。D推理判断题。最后一段中Nita希望自己的故事能鼓励他人“take the first step bravely, no matter how old they are or what they want to try”，这是在建议人们勇敢地尝试新事物，与D选项“Try new things”完全吻合，故选D。A选项“年轻时学艺术”与她的“永远不晚”的观点相悖，B选项“待在家里”和C选项“参观画廊”均不是她提出的核心建议，故予以排除。故选D。