There is famous story about British poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge.He was writing a poem when he was interrupted by a knock at the door.
This was an age before telephones.Someone was delivering a message.When Colcridge got back to his poem, he had lost his inspiration.His poetic mood had been broken by the knock on his
door.His unfinished poem, which could otherwise have been a masterpiece, would now never be more than a fragment(碎片,片段).
This story tells how unexpected communication can destroy an important thought, which brings us to the cell phone.
The most common complaint about cell phones is that people talk on them to the annoyance of people around them.But marc damaging may be the cell phone’s disruption of our thoughts.
We have already entered a golden age of little white lies about our call phones, and this is by and large a healthy, productive development." I didn't hear it ring" or " I didn't realize my cell phone had shut off" arc among the lies we tell to give ourselves space where we’re beyond reach.
The notion or idea of being unreachable is not a new concept-we havoc "Do Not Disturb" signs on the doors of hotel rooms. So why must we feel guilty when it comes to cell phones? Why must we apologize if we decide to shut off the phone for a while?
The problem is that we come from a long-established tradition of difficulty with distance communication.Until the recent mass deployment of cell phones, it was easy to communicate with someone next to us or a few feet away, but difficult with someone across town, the country or the
globe.We came to take it for granted.
But cell phones make long-distance communication common, and endanger our time by ourselves.Now time alone, or conversation with someone next to us which cannot be interrupted by a phone, is something to be cherished.Even cell phone devotees, myself usually included, can't help at times wanting to throw their cell phone away, or curse the day they were invented.
But we don't and won't, and there really is no need.All that's required to take back our private time is a general social recognition that we have the right to it.
In other words, we have to develop a healthy contempt for the rings of our phones.Given the case of making and receiving cell phone calls, if we don-t talk to the caller right now, we surely will shortly later.
A cell phone call deserves no greater priority than a random word from a person next to us.Though the call on my cell phone may be the one-in-a-million from Steven Spielberg-who has  finally read my novel and wants to make it his next movie.But most likely it is not, and I'm better
off thinking about the idea I just had for a new story, or the pizza I’ll eat for lunch.

1. 1.

   What's the point of the anecdote about poet Coleridge in the first three paragraphs?

   1. A.
      To direct readers' attention to the main topic.
   2. B.
      To show how important inspiration is to a poet.
   3. C.
      To emphasize the disadvantage of not having a cell phone.
   4. D.
      To encourage readers to read the works of this poet.
2. 2.

   What does the writer thinks about people telling "white lies" about their cell phones?

   1. A.
      It is a way of signaling that you don-t like the caller.
   2. B.
      It is natural to tell lies about small things.
   3. C.
      It is basically a good way to protect one's privacy.
   4. D.
      We should feel guilty when we can't tell the truth.
3. 3.

   According to the author, what is the most annoying problem caused by cell phones?

   1. A.
      People get so bothered by the cell phone rings that they fail to notice anything else.
   2. B.
      People feel guilty when they are not able to answer their cell phones.
   3. C.
      Cell phones interrupt people’s private time.
   4. D.
      With cell phones it is no longer possible to be unreachable.
4. 4.

   What does the underlined word “contempt” probably mean?

   1. A.
      Habit.
   2. B.
      Disrespect.
   3. C.
      Like.
   4. D.
      Value.
5. 5.

   What does last paragraph suggest?

   1. A.
      A person who calls us from afar deserves more of our attention.
   2. B.
      Steven Spielberg once called the author to talk about the author’s novel.
   3. C.
      You should always finish your lunch before you answer a call on the cell phone.
   4. D.
      Never let cell phones interfere too much with your life.

A few years ago, I took a sightseeing trip to Washington, D.C．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 extended．In a natural reflex, I reached into my pocket, pulled out all of my loose change and placed it on her hand without even looking 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.”
In an instant, I realized what I had done．I judged another person simply for what I assumed she had to be．I hated what I saw in myself．This incident re-awakened my belief in humility(谦恭), even though I’d lost it for a moment．
The thing I had forgotten about myself is that I am an immigrant．I left Honduras and arrived in the U.S．at the age of 15．I started my new life with two suitcases, my brother and sister, and a strong, serious-minded mother．Through the years, I have been a dishwasher, mechanic and pizza delivery driver among many other humble jobs, and eventually I became a network engineer．
In my own life, I have experienced many open acts of prejudice (偏见)．I remember a time, at age 17 —— I worked as a waiter, and I heard a father tell his little boy that if he did not do well in school, he would end up like me．I have also witnessed the same treatment of my family and friends, so I know what it’s like, and I should have known better．
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 streets of Washington, D.C., cured me of my blindness．She reminded me of my belief in humility and to always keep my eyes and heart open．By the way, I helped that lady to the post office．And in writing this essay, I hope to thank her for the priceless lesson．
【小题1】We can learn from the first two paragraphs that _______．