When I was in college twenty-five years ago, I spent
four summers working in 36 at a luxury hotel in downtown Chicago. 37 ,
I was a maid.
I did not enter the world of housekeeping
enthusiastically. My friends had 38 jobs such as making ice cream,
selling goods at the mall, or life guarding at the outdoor pool. I had been
hoping to get a job as an office lady for a famous company: 39 pay,
air-conditioned office, the gold standard for summer jobs, as most of us
dreamed of. When that 40 , the only option left was to take a train ride
downtown each morning to work as a maid.
It was tiring work, cleaning up to eighteen rooms a
day. My 41 attitude reflected my disdain(鄙视) for
cleaning toilets, 42 bed sheets, dusting, eight hours a day for the
comfort of total strangers who 43 left a tip. I thought it was
beneathme. My maid work was average 44 the day I was assigned
to the eighteenth floor.
That was Lorena’s regular floor. The only time another
maid set foot on it was on Lorena’s day off. If you left any water 45 on
the mirror, or a hair on the bed, Lorena would hunt you down when she 46 ,
as I found out firsthand. She’d ended her lecture to me with “ 47 some
pride in your work.”
She did. And so did Rosalie, Helen, Annette, and all
the other experienced maids. Their devotion to doing a good job and their
belief that their work was a 48 of their character stuck with me
throughout my 49 career after graduation. I learned a lot from them
during those four summers.
Not a week would go without one of them 50 some
firm but friendly advice: “Where’s your commode brush? You don’t have one? How
do you expect to get that bowl clean?”
Their pride in a job well done was reflected in how
they treated 51 . They left the building at the end of the day in nice
dresses and 52 makeup. They looked like they could have been attending
an afternoon tea. And, 53 often, they were smiling and laughing,
cheerfully greeting their co-workers a good evening. When you work with
happiness and 54 , a job will be well done. I believe there is 55 in
any job if you work hard and try your best.
1. A．cleaning B．housekeeping C．serving D．managing
2. A．In short B．In brief C．In other
words D．On the other
hand
3. A．winter B．summer C．awful D．permanent
4. A．extra B．poor C．average D．good
5. A．fell over B．fell through C．fell down D．fell off
6. A．negative B．right C．excellent D．casual
7. A．making B．spreading C．changing D．doing
8. A．frequently B．rarely C．occasionally D．willingly
9. A．when B．after C．until D．before
10. A．drops B．signs C．tracks D．marks
11. A．visited B．arrived C．left D．returned
12. A．take B．obtain C．reject D．make
13. A．reflection B．truth C．gratitude D．award
14. A．special B．general C．different D．professional
15. A．taking B．following C．offering D．refusing
16. A．others B．themselves C．customers D．co-workers
17. A．expensive B．cautious C．cheap D．careful
18. A．more B．least C．most D．less
19. A．frustration B．regret C．prejudice D．satisfaction
20. A．respect B．aspect C．challenge D．failure
