I was stopped at a red light only a mile or so from my goal of my brother’s house. We were planning to drive down together to North Carolina to be with my father who was badly ill.

As I waited at the stop light experiencing this forced slowdown, I noticed Sharper’s Florist over to the left. It was the same place where I had experienced many things— floods of memories went through my mind as the light seemed a blessing. I noticed the wine store straight ahead where my father and I had been many times before, picking out the beer of the week. We both liked German beer.

The light finally became green and I made my left turn and drove through the poor section of our hometown. I remembered how each thanksgiving my family would be together. I also remembered how my father would take some time out of each thanksgiving to make sure there was no one hungry in the neighborhoods surrounding where we lived. I can remember as a young boy going with him to deliver some food. I was scared. I had never been into this part of town this deeply before.

My father seemed unfazed (不受困扰的) by this and went about his business. The people we went to seemed to know him and gratefully accepted what he came to offer. My father seemed able to give away the food in a way that honored those he was giving to. This was not an arrogant act. He would stop at each place and talk a little, which I can remember totally pissing me off (使…厌烦). I wanted to get the hell out of there. My father wanted to be sure everyone had food. If there were people he found who didn’t have food, he would take the time to go back and get more. That’s the kind of man he was.

1.When the father was ill, he _______.

A. lived in North Carolina

B. gave away food to the poor

C. came to help the poor in his hometown

D. stayed at the home of the author’s brother

2.The author mentions the wine store to tell us _______.

A. the same taste as his father

B. the life in his childhood

C. the experience with his father

D. the birthplace of his father

3.The author was afraid of giving away food to the poor probably because _______.

A. his father didn’t stay with him then

B. his father didn’t take good care of him

C. he was unfamiliar with the surroundings

D. he had never met with so many poor people

4.The underlined word “arrogant” in the last paragraph probably means _______.

A. angry B. proud C. careless D. wild

Last year, I lived in Chile(智利)for half a year. I lived with a Chilean family and had the responsibilities of any Chilean teenager. I had good days and bad days I didn’t understand.

Chuquicamata, my host community, is a mining camp. When I arrived there, I was scared. It was so different from what I was used to. There were lots of dogs in the streets, and there was no downtown, few smoothly paved(铺砌的)streets, and little to do for entertainment. Rain was not seen very often, earthquakes and windstorms were frequent.

I had studied Spanish for two and a half years and was always one of the best students in my class. But in my first week in Chile I was only able to communicate and needed one person to whom I could explain my shock. I couldn’t speak the thoughts in my head and there were so many.

Most exchange students experienced this like me. Culture shock presents(呈现)itself in everything from increased aggression(攻击)towards the people to lack of appetite(食欲). I was required(要求)to overcome all difficulties.

As time passed, everything changed. I began to forget words in English and to dream in Spanish and love Chilean food. I got used to not depending on expensive things for fun. Fun in Chuquicamata was being with people. And I took math, physics, chemistry, biology, Spanish, art, and philosophy.

But the sacrifices(牺牲)were nothing compared to the gain. I learned how to accept and to succeed in another culture. I now have a deeper understanding of both myself and others.

1. The author came to Chile last year with the purpose of ________.

A. paying a visit to Chile as a tourist

B. experiencing Chilean life as a teacher

C. studying Chilean culture as a college student

D. studying knowledge as an exchange student

2. On arriving in Chile, why did the author feel frightened?

A. Because he did not know how to get along with the local people.

B. Because it was full of dangers like earthquakes and windstorms.

C. Because its living conditions were worse than what he was used to.

D. Because it was not convenient for him to shop there.

3.What did the author most probably think of his life in Chile?

A. Wonderful and worthwhile

B. Difficult but meaningful

C. Difficult and meaningless

D. Boring and disappointing

4. According to the passage, which of the following statements about Chile is TRUE?

A. Its official language is Spanish and English.

B. It is a developing country without foreign students.

C. It seldom rains and natural disasters often happen.

D. Most Chileans are not friendly to foreigners.

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