A few months ago, I was picking up the children at school. Emily, another mother that I knew well, rushed up to me. She was full of __41__.
“Do you know __42__ you and I are?” she asked. __43__ I could answer, she gave out the reason for her question. She had just returned from renewing her driver’s license at a government office. The woman __44__ desk asked her what her “occupation” was. Emily hesitated, __45__ how to answer it. “What I mean is,” explained the woman, “do you have a job, or are you just a ...?”“Of course I have a job,” answered Emily. “I’m a (an) __46__.”“We don’t __47__ ‘mother’ as an occupation ... ‘housewife’ covers it,” she said.
I forgot all about her story __48__ one day I found myself in the same situation. This time it was at our own Town Hall. The clerk was a woman.
“And what is your occupation?” she asked. What __49__ me say it, I do not know. The words simply jumped out. “I’m ... a (an) ___50___ in the field of Child Development and Human Relations.”
The clerk stopped, her ball-point pen ___51__ in mid-air. She looked up __52__ she had not heard right. I repeated the title slowly.
“Might I ask,” said the clerk with new interest, “just what you do in your ___53__?” Coolly, I heard myself ___54__, “I have a continuing program of research in the
laboratory and in the field. I’m working for my masters (the whole family) and already have __55__ credits (令人增光的人或事物) (all daughters). I often work 14 hours a day (24 is more like it). The job is more challenging than most jobs and the __56__ are in satisfaction rather than just money.”
There was an increasing note of __57__ in the clerk’s voice as she __58__ in the form. As I drove into our driveway(私家车道), I was __59__ by my lab assistants — ages 13, 7, and 3. Inside the house I could hear our new experimental model (six months) in the child-development program.
I felt successful. Motherhood...what a great __60__.

【小题1】
A.surpriseB.anxietyC.angerD.excitement
【小题2】
A.whoB.whatC.howD.why
【小题3】
A.WhenB.AsC.BeforeD.Since
【小题4】
A.atB.afterC.byD.around
【小题5】
A.nervousB.sureC.anxiousD.uncertain
【小题6】
A.motherB.workerC.teacherD.doctor
【小题7】
A.thinkB.listC.expectD.give
【小题8】
A.sinceB.unlessC.until D.when
【小题9】 
A.gotB.causedC.permitD.made
【小题10】
A.researcherB.managerC.expertD.scholar
【小题11】
A.droppedB.floatedC.frozenD.broke
【小题12】
A.so thatB.even thoughC.as thoughD.because of
【小题13】
A.familyB.subjectC.studyD.field
【小题14】
A.wordsB.replyC.shoutD.whisper
【小题15】
A.twoB.threeC.fourD.five
【小题16】
A.rewardsB.awardsC.profitsD.benefits
【小题17】 A. interest           B. respect              C. doubt            D fear
【小题18】
A.explainedB.passedC.completedD.filled
【小题19】
A.acceptedB.greetedC.recognizedD.refused
【小题20】
A.personB.awardC.careerD.business


C
On a BA flight from Johannesburg, a middle-aged, well-off white South African Lady has found herself sitting next to a black man. She called a stewardess (女乘务员) over to complain about her seating.
“What seems to be the problem, Madam?” asked the stewardess. “Can’t you see?” she said, “You’ve sat me next to a kafir(异教徒). I can’t possibly sit next to this disgusting man. Find me another seat!” “Please calm down, Madam,” the stewardess replied. “The flight is very full today, but I’ll tell you what I’ll do — I’ll go and check to see if we have any seats available in club or first class.”
The woman cocked a snooty look at the black man beside her.
A few minutes later the stewardess returned with the good news, which she delivered to the lady, who could not help but look at the people around her with a smug and self-satisfied grin. “Madam, unfortunately, as I suspected, economy is full. I’ve spoken to the cabin services director, and club is also full. However, we do have one seat in first class.”
Before the lady had a chance to answer, the stewardess continued, “It is the most extraordinary to make this kind of upgrade, however, and I have had to get special permission from the captain. But, given the circumstances, the captain felt that it was outrageous(令人不能容忍的) that someone should be forced to sit next to such an obnoxious(讨厌的) person.” Having said that, the stewardess turned to the black man sitting next to the lady, and said, “So if you’d like to get your things, sir, I have your seat ready for you.”
At that point, the surrounding passengers stood up and gave an ovation(喝彩) while the black man walked up to the front of the plane.
64. Why did the middle-aged lady complain about her seating?
A. Because her seat was not near a window.
B. Because she sat next to a black man.
C. Because she wanted to have a seat in first class.
D. Because the stewardess didn’t answer her question.
65. The underlined words “an obnoxious person” in Paragraph 5 refers to “__________”.
A. the middle-aged lady              B. the black man
C. the stewardess                         D. the captain
66. From the passage we can infer that _________.
A. the middle-aged lady got a seat in first class
B. both the middle-aged lady and the black man got seats in first class
C. neither the middle-aged lady nor the black man got a seat in first class
D. the black man got a seat in first class
67. What can we conclude from the passage?
A. The white people always prefer seats in first class on a plane.
B. More and more passengers travel by plane.
C. The black people are still looked down upon by some whites.
D. Only whites are served well on a plane.

During my many contacts with people in China, I have been asked by two different people what I would recommend to them so that they could be happy. One of these people was my student and friend who began her question by saying I always appeared happy to her. She then asked how I could be this way and if I could teach her how to be happy all the time. The other inquiry was basically the same and came from the secretary of a company for which I was doing some work.

The first one to ask was my student and in thinking about an answer I even explored in class the idea of optimism and pessimism, of people who feel the glass is always half full and those who think it is half empty. It was easy to show that different people react differently to the same situations and conditions but that didn’t bring me much closer to understanding why.

About two months later I was riding to the airport in a taxi with the company secretary who asked me the same question and it made me think. Why did both these ladies feel they needed help to become happy? Indeed, why did either of them think they were not happy? Why did they choose to ask this question of me? Why are some people generally happy while others are not?

Certainly if someone is healthy, it might be expected that they are happy, and this is probably true. However, some people have money and health but have a miserable disposition that makes it difficult for them to have friends and meaningful relationships. Similarly, one would expect those who have little to complain about their fate and many do, but others are able to enjoy what they have and enjoy life. It seems the difference must lie within the people. What we may be looking at is acceptance of a personal set of circumstances and the contentment which flows from that. It should not mean, however, that those people cannot wish for something better.

If the difference between people who are happy and those who are not lies within the people themselves, can happiness be learned? I think there are things we can do, such as dreaming of the future, which can give us the sort of positive outlook which will generally make us happy people.

 

1. According to the passage, which of the following is true?

A. The author was once asked how to be healthy and wealthy by two people.

B. The author came to realize why people responded differently to happiness. 

C. Those who think the glass is always half empty are optimistic. 

D. Those who feel the glass is always half full are pessimistic. 

2.. The underlined word “disposition” in the fourth paragraph means         .

A. character         B. habit            C. reputation       D. fate

3. The underlined word “it” in the fourth paragraph refers to         .

A. the idea of pessimism                 B. the attitude towards happiness 

C. the satisfaction within               D. the appearance of happiness

4.. What will the author most probably talk about after the last paragraph?  

A. Learning how to be happy.                 B. Accepting the present situation.

C. Developing meaningful relationships. D. Going after the dream.

 

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