I was parked in front of the mall wiping off my car. Coming my way from across the parking lot was what society would consider a bum (乞丐). “I hope he doesn’t ask me for any money,” I thought.
He didn’t. He came and sat on the curb (路边) in front of the bus stop but he didn’t look like he could have enough money to even ride the bus.
After a few minutes he spoke,“That’s a very pretty car.” He was ragged (衣衫褴褛的) but he had an air of dignity.
I said “Thanks” and continued wiping off my car. He sat there quietly as I worked. “Do you need any help?” I asked.
He answered in three simple but profound words that I shall never forget.
“Don’t we all?” he said.
I was feeling high and mighty, successful and important, above a bum in the street, until those three words hit me like a shotgun.
Don’t we all?
I needed help. Maybe not for bus fare or a place to sleep, but I needed help. I reached in my wallet and gave him not only enough for bus fare, but enough to get a warm meal and shelter for the day.
Maybe the man was just a homeless stranger wandering the streets. Maybe he was more than that. Maybe he was sent by a power that is great and wise, to minister to a soul too comfortable with himself.
Don’t we all? Those three little words still ring true. No matter how much you have, no matter how much you have accomplished, you need help too. And you never know when you may see someone that appears to have it all. They are waiting for you to give them what they don’t have.
1. What was the writer doing when he met the homeless person?
A. Shopping.       B. Cleaning his car.       C. Admiring his car.      D. Parking his car.
2. What does the underlined phrase “high and mighty” mean?
A. Tall.   B. On top of the world.C. Strong and powerful.  D. Filled with false pride.
3. Which of the following can best describe the writer’s feelings about himself after the encounter?
A. He felt a new sense of pride.                  B. Inspired and humble.
C. Great and wise.                            D. Successful and important.
4. What does the article tell us?
A. We should help those less fortunate than ourselves.
B. Helping a person indirectly is preferable to direct, obvious help.
C. All of us, at certain moments of our lives, need help from others and should offer help ourselves.
D. Money is all important in life.

I was parked in front of the mall wiping off my car. Coming my way from across the parking lot was what society would consider a bum (乞丐). “I hope he doesn’t ask me for any money,” I thought.

He didn’t. He came and sat on the curb (路边) in front of the bus stop but he didn’t look like he could have enough money to even ride the bus.

After a few minutes he spoke,“That’s a very pretty car.” He was ragged (衣衫褴褛的) but he had an air of dignity.

I said “Thanks” and continued wiping off my car. He sat there quietly as I worked. “Do you need any help?” I asked.

He answered in three simple but profound words that I shall never forget.

“Don’t we all?” he said.

I was feeling high and mighty, successful and important, above a bum in the street, until those three words hit me like a shotgun.

Don’t we all?

I needed help. Maybe not for bus fare or a place to sleep, but I needed help. I reached in my wallet and gave him not only enough for bus fare, but enough to get a warm meal and shelter for the day.

Maybe the man was just a homeless stranger wandering the streets. Maybe he was more than that. Maybe he was sent by a power that is great and wise, to minister to a soul too comfortable with himself.

Don’t we all? Those three little words still ring true. No matter how much you have, no matter how much you have accomplished, you need help too. And you never know when you may see someone that appears to have it all. They are waiting for you to give them what they don’t have.

1. What was the writer doing when he met the homeless person?

 A. Shopping.       B. Cleaning his car.       C. Admiring his car.      D. Parking his car.

2. What does the underlined phrase “high and mighty” mean?

A. Tall.   B. On top of the world.C. Strong and powerful.  D. Filled with false pride.

3. Which of the following can best describe the writer’s feelings about himself after the encounter?

A. He felt a new sense of pride.                  B. Inspired and humble.

C. Great and wise.                            D. Successful and important.

4. What does the article tell us?

A. We should help those less fortunate than ourselves.

B. Helping a person indirectly is preferable to direct, obvious help.

C. All of us, at certain moments of our lives, need help from others and should offer help ourselves.

D. Money is all important in life.

I was parked in front of the mall wiping off my car. Coming my way from across the parking lot was what society would consider a bum (乞丐). “I hope he doesn’t ask me for any money,” I thought.
He didn’t. He came and sat on the curb (路边) in front of the bus stop but he didn’t look like he could have enough money to even ride the bus.
After a few minutes he spoke,“That’s a very pretty car.” He was ragged (衣衫褴褛的) but he had an air of dignity.
I said “Thanks” and continued wiping off my car. He sat there quietly as I worked. “Do you need any help?” I asked.
He answered in three simple but profound words that I shall never forget.
“Don’t we all?” he said.
I was feeling high and mighty, successful and important, above a bum in the street, until those three words hit me like a shotgun.
Don’t we all?
I needed help. Maybe not for bus fare or a place to sleep, but I needed help. I reached in my wallet and gave him not only enough for bus fare, but enough to get a warm meal and shelter for the day.
Maybe the man was just a homeless stranger wandering the streets. Maybe he was more than that. Maybe he was sent by a power that is great and wise, to minister to a soul too comfortable with himself.
Don’t we all? Those three little words still ring true. No matter how much you have, no matter how much you have accomplished, you need help too. And you never know when you may see someone that appears to have it all. They are waiting for you to give them what they don’t have.

1. 1.

   What was the writer doing when he met the homeless person?

   1. A.
      Shopping.      
   2. B.
      Cleaning his car.      
   3. C.
      Admiring his car.     
   4. D.
      Parking his car.
2. 2.

   What does the underlined phrase “high and mighty” mean?

   1. A.
      Tall.  
   2. B.
      On top of the world.
   3. C.
      Strong and powerful. 
   4. D.
      Filled with false pride.
3. 3.

   Which of the following can best describe the writer’s feelings about himself after the encounter?

   1. A.
      He felt a new sense of pride.                 
   2. B.
      Inspired and humble.
   3. C.
      Great and wise.                           
   4. D.
      Successful and important.
4. 4.

   What does the article tell us?

   1. A.
      We should help those less fortunate than ourselves.
   2. B.
      Helping a person indirectly is preferable to direct, obvious help.
   3. C.
      All of us, at certain moments of our lives, need help from others and should offer help ourselves.
   4. D.
      Money is all important in life.

It was a spring day for end-of-the-year conferences(会议). Mrs. Lake reminded everyone that both parents and students should take part in these important reports, 20 minutes for each family.

Lauri’s name was at the end of the list. But it didn’t matter much to her. Despite the many phone calls her teacher had made, Lauri knew her parents would not be coming. Her father always got drunk, and her mother could do nothing but cry and quarrel with him.

Now Lauri watched all day long as each child went to the door leading into Mrs. Lake’s office, where parents would greet their sons and daughters with proud smiles. Lauri imagined how it might feel to have her parents greet her at the door.

When at last everyone else’s name had been called, Mrs.Lake opened the door and signed for Lauri to come in. Silently Lauri went in and sat down on a chair. As she felt rather uneasy that her parents had not come, she looked down. Mrs Lake had Lauri raise her face so she could see her in the eye. “First of all,” the teacher began, “I want you to know how much I love you.” Lauri saw things she’d never seen: kindness.

   “Second,” the teacher continued, “you need to know it is not your fault that your parents are not here today.” Again Lauri looked into Mrs Lake’s face. No one had ever talked to her like this. No one.

“Third,” she went on, “you deserve to hear how well you are doing and how wonderful I think you are.” In the following minutes, Mrs Lake held a conference just for Lauri. She showed Lauri her grades, papers and projects, praising her efforts. She had ever saved a pile of watercolors Lauri had painted.

Lauri didn’t know exactly when, but at some point in that conference she heard the voice of hope in her heart. And somewhere a change started. It was then that Lauri realized, for the first time in her life, that she was lovable. 

41. Why were parents required to come to the conferences?

   A. To see how important it was to encourage their children.

   B. To learn how their children had performed in their studies.

   C. To report to the teacher how their children were doing at home.

   D. To see how their children were getting along with their classmates.

42. How did Lauri feel at the end of the conference?

   A. Encouraged     B. Ashamed     C. Challenged    D. Disappointed

43. What does the underlined word “deserve” mean?

   A. 必需　　　　　B. 得到　　　  C.　应该　　　　D.　可能

44. We learn from the text that Mrs. Lake ____________.

   A. disliked Lauri’s parents    

B. filled Lauri with hope and self-respect.

   C. was worried about her poor performance

   D. was dissatisfied with the end-of-the-year conferences.

45. What is the best title of this text?

   A. A Parents’ Meeting                  B. Mrs Lake’s Kindness

   C. Lauri’s Spring Day                  D. A Progress Reports Meeting

I made a pledge(发誓) to myself on the way down to the vacation beach cottage. For two weeks I would try to be a loving husband and father. 

   The idea had come to me as I listened to a talk on my car radio. The speaker was quoting a Biblical (圣经的) passage about husbands being thoughtful of their wives. Then he went on to say, “Love is an act of will. A person can choose to love.” To myself, I had to admit that I had been a selfish husband. Well, for two weeks that would change.

   And it did. Right from the moment I kissed Evelyn at the door and said, “That new yellow sweater looks great on you.”

   “Oh, Tom, you noticed,” she said, surprised and pleased. Maybe a little puzzled.

After the long drive, I wanted to sit and read. Evelyn suggested a walk on the beach. I started to refuse, but then I thought, “Evelyn’s been alone here with kids all week and now she wants to be alone with me.” We walked on the beach while the children flew the kites.

So it went. Two weeks of not calling the Wall Street firm where I am a director; a visit to the shell museum though I usually hate museums. Relaxed and happy, that’s how the whole vacation passed. I made a new pledge to keep on remembering to choose love.

There was one thing that went wrong with my experiment, however. Evelyn and I still laugh about it today. On the last night at our cottage, preparing for bed, Evelyn stared at me with the saddest expression. “What’s the matter?” I asked her.

“Tom, ” she said in a voice filled with sadness, “do you know something I don’t?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well…..that checkup(体检) I had several weeks ago….. our doctor ….. did he tell you something about me? Tom, you’ve been so good to me….. am I dying ?”

It took a moment for it all to sink in. Then I burst out laughing.

“No, honey,” I said, wrapping her in my arms. “You’re not dying; I’m just start to live.”

1.The writer thought he was a _______ husband in the past.

A. lovely   B. loyal      C. strict               D. selfish

2. From the story we may infer that Tom drove to the beach cottage _______.

A. with his family     B. with Evelyn C. alone    D. with his children

3. The underlined words “one thing” in the text refer to the fact that _______.

A. he praised her sweater, which puzzled her

B. she insisted on visiting a museum, which he hated

C. he knew something about her illness but didn’t tell her

D. he was so good to her that she thought she must be dying