A few days ago I asked my sons’ governess(女家庭教师)Julia to come into my study. “Be seated, Julia, ”I said, “Let’s settle our accounts. I guess you most likely need some money, but maybe you’re too polite to mention it. Now then, we agreed on thirty dollars a month...”

  “Forty.”

  “No, thirty. I made a note of it. I always pay our governess thirty. Well, um, you’ve been here two months, so...”

  “Two months and five days.”

  “Exactly two months. I made a special note of it. That means you have sixty dollars coming to you. Take off nine Sundays... you know you didn’t work with Tom on Sundays, you only took walks. And three holidays... ”Julia was biting her finger nail nervously, her face red, but - not a word.

  “Three holidays, therefore take off twelve dollars. Four days Tom was sick and there were no lessons, as you were occupied only with Dick. Three days you had a toothache and my wife gave you permission not to work after lunch. Twelve and seven - nineteen. Take nineteen off ... that leaves. hmm.... forty one dollars. Correct?”

  Julia’s left eye reddened with tears welling up. Her chin trembled; she coughed nervously and blew her nose, but - still not a word.

  “Around New Year’s Day you broke a teacup and a saucer; take off two dollars. The cup cost more, it was a treasure of the family, but- forget it. When didn’t I take a loss! Then, due to your neglect (疏忽), Tom climbed a tree and tore his jacket; take away ten. Also due to your carelessness the maid stole Dick’s shoes. You ought to watch everything! You get paid for it. So, that means five more dollars off. The tenth of January I gave ten dollars.”

  “You didn’t. ”sobbed Julia.

  “But I made a note of it.”

  “Well... if you say so.”

  “Take twenty seven from forty one -that leaves fourteen.”

  Both her eyes were filled with tears. Beads of sweat stood on the thin pretty little nose. Poor girl!

  “Only once was I given any money,” she whispered, her voice trembling, “and that was by your wife. Three dollars, nothing more.”

  “Really? You see now, and I didn’t know that! Take three from fourteen.. leaves eleven. Here’s your money, my dear. Three, three, three, one and one. Here it is !”

  I handed her eleven dollars. She took them and pocketed them.

  “Merci (法语: 谢谢),”she whispered.

  I jumped to my feet and started pacing the room. I was overcome with anger. “For what, this - ‘merci’?” I asked.

  “For the money. ”

  “But you know I’ve cheated you - robbed you ! I have actually stolen from you ! Why this‘merci’?”

  “In my other places they didn’t give me anything at all.”

  “They didn’t give you anything? No wonder! I played a little joke on you, a cruel lesson, just to teach you... I m going to give you all the eighty dollars! Here they are in the envelope all ready for you... Is it really possible to be so spineless (懦弱)?Why didn’t you protest? Why were you silent? Is it possible in this world to be without teeth and claws(爪)—to be such a fool?”

  Embarrassed, she smiled. And I could read her expression,“It is possible.”

  I asked her pardon for the cruel lesson and, to her great surprise, gave her the eighty dollars. She murmured her little“merci”several times and went out. I looked after her and thought,“How easy it is to crush the weak in this world !”

  While talking to Julia, the wrier expected from her ________.

  A. a protest           B. gratitude

  C. obedience           D. an explanation

  What shocked the writer was Julia’s ________.

  A. nervousness in front of her boss

  B. acceptance of injustice

  C. shyness when talking about money

  D. reluctance to express herself

  The writer said, “Is it possible in this world to be without teeth and claws?” He was actually telling the governess ________.

  A. to be more aggressive

  B. to be more careful in her work

  C. to protect her right

  D. to live independently

  At the end of the story, the writer said,“ How easy it is to crush the weak in this world!”to show ________.

  A. his understanding of Julia’s anxiety

  B. his worry about Julia’s future

  C. his concern on the living condition of working - class people

  D. his sympathy for the mental state of those exploited

Every year Chris Brogan posts his three words for a new year. many others and I have followed his lead for the past three or four years. They helped me a lot. My words for last year were “passion”, “focus” and “delegate” and I stayed true to them. This year, 2013, my goals are more personal and less professional.
FOCUS
Focus is making a repeat appearance on my list this year because I’m too much of a multitasker. The problem is that I have trouble finishing one thing with so many things calling me. When I was working as a writer, all my projects were handled via a schedule, I’m putting a fitness and housekeeping routine into my schedule.
HEALTH
I get so busy taking care of everyone else, and I forget to take care of myself and this has to change. My health suffers and my weight suffers. I have to get my health in check , not only for me but because I promised my 9-year-old son. I’ll make good food and lifestyle choices. I miss being thin, and it’s time to get it back.
CELEBRATE
What good is having it if I’m not taking time to enjoy it? I have a wonderful job, a happy family, and so much to be thankful for. So how come I spend all my time working? Last summer my family took our first vacation in four years, the best thing I’ve done for myself and my family in a long time. This year, I’m making sure to take time to enjoy life and celebrate its many blessings.
Do you have any words for 2013?
【小题1】The underlined word “multitasker” probably refers to a person who          .

A.makes a living by writing
B.always fails to finish a task on time
C.has several things to do at the same time
D.pays more attention to fitness and housekeeping
【小题2】Why does the writer have “HEALTH” as one of his three words?
A.He wants to take better care of others.
B.He’s gaining weight and feeling bad.
C.He did not take any exercise in the past.
D.He got the idea from his son.
【小题3】What can we learn from the passage?
A.The word “CELEBRATE” can remind the writer to enjoy life.
B.The writer has a vacation with his family every four years.
C.The word “FOCUS” can help the writer focus on his family.
D.The writer used to be overweight for lack of exercise.
【小题4】The best title for the passage might be      .
A.Three Words for 2013B.Health Should Go First
C.Keep OrganizedD.Goals for 2013

Pete took his seat this day on his usual bench in Union Square.Every Thanksgiving Day for nine years Pete had taken this same seat exactly at one o'clock, and each time the same pleasant thing had happened.But this time Pete had come here more from habit than from hunger.Certainly today Pete was not hungry.Two rich old ladies gave him a Thanksgiving dinner of everything he could eat.

       Pete sat on the bench now, hardly able to move.The buttons on his ragged shirt and coat were about to burst.The November breeze and the first light fall of snow felt cool and pleasant to his face.He happened to look to the left and there in the distance he saw the old Gentleman coming toward him.He wanted to get up and run, but he was so full of food he stayed right there.Every Thanksgiving Day for nine years, the Old Gentleman had come there, found Pete on this same bench, and then taken him to a restaurant and bought him a Thanksgiving dinner.It was a kind of tradition which the Old Gentleman, who had no family and lived alone, had tried to continue.

       "How do you do' "said the Old Gentleman." Glad to see that the changes of another year have permitted you to move in health through this beautiful world."

       Each time the Old Gentleman had said exactly this same thin? It was part of the tradition.Pete, too, began to feel as though he himself was now a part of the tradition, and he therefore did not have the courage to tell the old man that he had already eaten.This dinner seemed to mean so much to the Old Gentleman.

       "Thank you, sir, " said Pete at last. “I’ll go with you gladly. I’m very hungry, sir.” Together the Old Gentleman and Pete walked south to the same restaurant where each year Pete had his Thanksgiving dinner. The Old Gentleman seemed pleased and happy. When the waiter brought dish after dish of food to Pete, the Old Gentlenman sat quietly and smiled.Under the circumstances, Pete had to eat.It was part of the tradition, and so he ate like a hero, although when he entered the restaurant even the smell of food almost made him sick.At last Pete leaned back with the battle won.

       " Thank you, sir, " he said, with some effort, " for a fine dinner."

       They parted as they did each year at the door, the Old Gentlemen going south, Pete north.

       Around the corner, Pete stopped for a moment, felt a terrible pain in his stomach, and then fell to the sidewalk unconscious.A little time later an ambulance came.In the hospital they discovered that he had had an attack of indigestion (消化不良).

       An hour later, another ambulance brought the Old Gentleman to the same hospital.At first they thought it was also indigestion but later one of the nurses said, "That nice old gentleman over there—you wouldn't think that it was a case of hunger."

1.Where did Pete and the Old Gentleman meet every Thanksgiving Day?

       A.In the restaurant.           

       B.In Union Square.

       C.At the Old Gentleman's house.

       D.At the hospital.

2.Which of the following sentences in the passage doesn't show Pete was full?

       A.Pete sat on the bench now, hardly able to move.

       B.The buttons on his ragged shirt and coat were about to burst.

       C.Glad to see that the changes of another year have permitted you to move in health through this beautiful world.

       D.When he entered the restaurant even the smell of food almost made him sick.

3.The underlined sentence "I'm very hungry, sir." in Paragraph 5 implies that        .

       A.Pete didn't have the heart to refuse the offer

       B.Pete was so greedy that he wanted to have another dinner

       C.Pete was suffering from hunger

       D.Pete enjoyed having the Thanksgiving dinner for free

 

4.Which of the following words can best describe the Old Gentleman?

       A.Self-centred.                                       B.Mosdest.  

      C.Stubborn.                                        D.Generous

 

Dear Editor,

I’m now busy in preparing for the Postgraduate (研究生) Entrance Exam. A few days ago, I happened to see some new guidebooks for those who want to take next year’s exam. With too many hopes and without taking it into too much consideration, I bought several that were written by some known for helping candidates (应试者) for master’s degrees.

What made me really angry was the starting discovery that the contents of those books were almost exactly the same as some I had bought before. There were only superficial (外表的) changes in their covers, with more attractive new titles and better designs. The contents were the same.

People say that the publishing industry is in a state of chaos (混乱) these days but I used to be doubtful abut that. I was of the opinion that only people of noble character, prestige (威望), and exceptional talent would produce books for higher education. But these editors are caring little about their readers.

I hope that authors and publishing houses will be more responsible for their readers. Don’t destroy the image that you have with your readers.

1.The writer bought some guidebooks in order to ___________________________.

A.write an essay on guidebooks

B.prepare for the entrance exam

C.give his students a lecture

D.send them to his good friends

2.The writer was angry because _________________________________________.

A.there were a lot of printing mistakes in the books that he had bought

B.the books were so expensive that he couldn’t afford any of them

C.he found the books he had bought were thin but of poor quality

D.the books had the same contents as what he had bought before

3. In the writer’s opinion, publishers should be _____________________________.

A.responsible

B.kind-hearted

C.hard-working

D.creative

 

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