阅读理解

　　A few years ago, I took a sightseeing trip to Washington D．C．I saw many of our nation’s treasures, and I also saw a lot of unfortunate people like beggars and homeless folks in the streets．

　　Standing outside the Ronald Reagan Center, I heard a voice say, “Can you help me?” When I turned around, I saw an elderly blind woman with her hand reached out in front of me．In a natural reaction, I reached into my pocket, pulled out all of my small money and placed it in her hand．I didn’t even look at her．I was annoyed at being bothered by a beggar．But the blind woman smiled and said, “I don’t want your money．I just need help finding the post office．” Immediately, I realized what I had done．I acted with prejudice(偏见)－I judged another person simply for what I thought she was．

　　The thing I had forgotten about myself is that I am an immigrant．I left Honduras and arrived in America at the age of 15．Through the years, I have been a dishwasher, cashier, mechanic and driver among many other jobs, and finally I became a network engineer．In my own life, I have experienced many open acts of prejudice．I remember a time, at age 17－I was a busboy, and I heard a father tell his little boy that if he did not do well at school, he would end up like me．

　　But now, living in my American middle-class lifestyle, it is too easy to forget my past, to forget who I am and where I have been, and to lose sight of where I want to be going．That blind woman on the street of Washington D．C．cured me of my blindness．She reminded me to always keep my eyes and heart open．