The young boy saw me, or rather, he saw the car and quickly ran up to me, eager to sell his bunches of bananas and bags of peanuts. Though he appeared to be about twelve, he seemed to have already known the bitterness of life. “Bananas 300 naira. Peanuts 200 naira.” He said in a low voice. I bargained him down to 200 total for the fruit and nuts. When he agreed, I handed him a 500 naira bill. He didn’t have change, so I told him not to worry. He said thanks and smiled a row of perfect teeth.
When, two weeks later, I saw the boy again, I was more aware of my position in a society where it’s not that uncommon to see a little boy who should be in school standing on the corner selling fruit in the burning sun. My parents had raised me to be aware of the advantage we had been afforded and the responsibility it brought to us. I pulled over and rolled down my window. He had a bunch of bananas and a bag of peanuts ready. I waved them away. “What’s up?” I asked him. “I … I don’t have money to buy books for school.” I reached into my pocket and handed him two fresh 500 naira bills. “Will this help?” I asked. He looked around nervously before taking the money. One thousand naira was a lot of money to someone whose family probably made about 5,000 naira or less each year. “Thank you, sir,” he said．“Thank you very much!”
When driving home, I wondered if my little friend actually used the money for schoolbooks. What if he’s a swindler? And then I wondered why I did it. Did I do it to make myself feel better? Was I using him? Later, I realized that I didn’t know his name or the least bit about him, nor did I think to ask.
Over the next six months, I was busy working in a news agency in northern Nigeria. Sometime after I returned, I went out for a drive. When I was about to pull over, the boy suddenly appeared by my window with a big smile ready on his face.
“Oh, gosh! Long time.”
“Are you in school now?” I asked. He nodded. “That’s good,” I said. A silence fell as we looked at each other, and then I realized what he wanted. “Here,” I held out a 500 naira bill. “Take this.” He shook his head and stepped back as if hurt. “What’s wrong?” I asked. “It’s a gift.” He shook his head again and brought his hand from behind his back. His face shone with sweat. He dropped a bunch of bananas and a bag of peanuts in the front seat before he said, “I’ve been waiting to give these to you.”
【小题1】It can be inferred from the first paragraph that _________.

The young boy saw me, or rather, he saw the car and quickly ran up to me, eager to sell his bunches of bananas and bags of peanuts. Though he appeared to be about twelve, he seemed to have already known the bitterness of life. “Bananas 300 naira. Peanuts 200 naira.” He said in a low voice. I bargained him down to 200 total for the fruit and nuts. When he agreed, I handed him a 500 naira bill. He didn’t have change, so I told him not to worry. He said thanks and smiled a row of perfect teeth.

When, two weeks later, I saw the boy again, I was more aware of my position in a society where it’s not that uncommon to see a little boy who should be in school standing on the corner selling fruit in the burning sun. My parents had raised me to be aware of the advantage we had been afforded and the responsibility it brought to us. I pulled over and rolled down my window. He had a bunch of bananas and a bag of peanuts ready. I waved them away. “What’s up?” I asked him. “I … I don’t have money to buy books for school.” I reached into my pocket and handed him two fresh 500 naira bills. “Will this help?” I asked. He looked around nervously before taking the money. One thousand naira was a lot of money to someone whose family probably made about 5,000 naira or less each year. “Thank you, sir,” he said．“Thank you very much!”

When driving home, I wondered if my little friend actually used the money for schoolbooks. What if he’s a swindler? And then I wondered why I did it. Did I do it to make myself feel better? Was I using him? Later, I realized that I didn’t know his name or the least bit about him, nor did I think to ask.

Over the next six months, I was busy working in a news agency in northern Nigeria. Sometime after I returned, I went out for a drive. When I was about to pull over, the boy suddenly appeared by my window with a big smile ready on his face.

“Oh, gosh! Long time.”

“Are you in school now?” I asked. He nodded. “That’s good,” I said. A silence fell as we looked at each other, and then I realized what he wanted. “Here,” I held out a 500 naira bill. “Take this.” He shook his head and stepped back as if hurt. “What’s wrong?” I asked. “It’s a gift.” He shook his head again and brought his hand from behind his back. His face shone with sweat. He dropped a bunch of bananas and a bag of peanuts in the front seat before he said, “I’ve been waiting to give these to you.”

1.It can be inferred from the first paragraph that _________.

A．the boy was greedy

B．the boy had suffered a lot

C．the boy was in bad need of money

D．the boy was good at bargaining

2.The second time the author met the boy, the boy _________.

A．told him his purpose of selling fruit and nuts

B．wanted to express his thanks

C．asked him for money for his schoolbooks

D．tried to take advantage of him

3.The author gave his money to the boy because _________.

A．he wanted to make himself feel better

B．he had learnt to help others since childhood

C．he held a higher position in the society

D．his parents asked him to do so

4.What does the underlined word “swindler” mean?

A．troublemaker      B．beggar            C．thief             D．cheat

5.Which of the following best describes the boy?

A．Brave and polite．                      B．Kind and smart.

C．Honest and thankful．                   D．Shy and nervous.

The students at Sandy’s high school were badly shaken by the news that a classmate had  11 himself. On the suicide note was written: “It’s hard to  12 when nobody cares if you die.”

Glen, a teacher, realized this was a  13 moment about the importance of making people feel

 14 . He asked his class to imagine they were about to  15  and to write a note “telling someone how and why you  16 him or her.”

Sandy, who had a  17  relationship with her mother, decided to write her mother. Her letter  18  “We’ve had some  19  times and I haven’t always been a very good 20 ,but I know I’m lucky to have you in my life. You’re the  21 person I’ve ever known, And even when I disagree with you, I never  22 you love me and want what’s best for me. Thanks for not  23 up on me”.

When her mom read the note, she cried and hugged Sandy  24 but said little.

The next morning, Sandy found a 25  on her mirror: “Dearest Sandy, I want you to know being your mother is ,by far, the most important thing in my life.  26 I got your note, I thought I had lost your love and  27 . I felt like such a failure. I intended to 28 it all last night. Your note saved my  29 .”

Be careful not to underestimate the  30 of expressed appreciation. It won’t always save a life, but it will always make someone’s life better.

6..

12..

William Franklin came to my class half a year ago. But from his first day here, he   36   himself in his own world and he never spoke to others. As his teacher, I tried to start a talk with him but   37  . It seemed as if he just didn’t want to break his   38  .
After the Thanksgiving holiday, we received the news of the   39   Christmas collection of money for the   40   in our school. “Christmas is a season of   41   ,” I told my students. “Some poor students in our school might not have a   42   holiday. By giving a little money, you will help   43   some toys, food and clothing for these needy students. We will   44   the collection tomorrow.”
The next morning,   45   , I found out almost everyone had   46   this matter except Willard Franklin. He came up to my desk with his head down.   47   , he dropped two coins into the small box. “I don’t need milk for lunch,” he said in a   48   voice.
After school I couldn’t help sharing what had   49   in the morning with our headmaster. “I may be wrong, but I   50   Willard might be ready to become part of our class.” “ I am   51   to hear that,” he nodded. “And I just received a list of the poor families in our school who most need   52  . Here, take a look at it.”
As I sat down to   53   , I found Willard Franklin was at the top of the list. At that moment, I felt I really   54   Willard for the first time: a cold face with a warm heart. From this   55   , I also learnt that whether rich or poor, every child has a kind heart.

William Franklin came to my class half a year ago. But from his first day here, he   36   himself in his own world and he never spoke to others. As his teacher, I tried to start a talk with him but   37  . It seemed as if he just didn’t want to break his   38  .

After the Thanksgiving holiday, we received the news of the   39   Christmas collection of money for the   40   in our school. “Christmas is a season of   41   ,” I told my students. “Some poor students in our school might not have a   42   holiday. By giving a little money, you will help   43   some toys, food and clothing for these needy students. We will   44   the collection tomorrow.”

The next morning,   45   , I found out almost everyone had   46   this matter except Willard Franklin. He came up to my desk with his head down.   47   , he dropped two coins into the small box. “I don’t need milk for lunch,” he said in a   48   voice.

After school I couldn’t help sharing what had   49   in the morning with our headmaster. “I may be wrong, but I   50   Willard might be ready to become part of our class.” “ I am   51   to hear that,” he nodded. “And I just received a list of the poor families in our school who most need   52  . Here, take a look at it.”

As I sat down to   53   , I found Willard Franklin was at the top of the list. At that moment, I felt I really   54   Willard for the first time: a cold face with a warm heart. From this   55   , I also learnt that whether rich or poor, every child has a kind heart.