I still clearly remember that day. I was on the side
of the road for close to four hours with my big Jeep. I put signs in the
windows that said, “NEED A JACK(千斤顶)”.
Right as I was about to give up, a truck stopped and a
man got off. He sized up the situation and went back to take a jack. After
about two hours, we finished the job with sweats. We were both dirty. His wife
produced a large water jug for us to wash our hands in.
I tried to put $20 in the man’s hand, but he wouldn’t
take it, so instead I went up and gave it to his wife as quietly as I could. I
thanked them up one side and down the other. I asked the little girl, their
daughter, where they lived, thinking maybe I’d send them a gift. She said they
lived in Mexico. They were in Oregon now so Mommy and Daddy could pick cherries
for the next few weeks. After that, they were going to pick peaches, and then
go back home.
After I said my goodbyes and started walking back to
the Jeep, the girl called out and asked if I’d had lunch. When I told her no,
she ran up and handed me a tamale(玉米粽子). I
thanked them again and walked back to my car. When I opened the tamale, what
did I find inside? My 20bill!Irantothevanandtheguyrolleddownhiswindow.Hesawthe20 in my hand, started shaking his head smiling, and with
what looked like great concentration said in English: “Today you, tomorrow me.”
Then he rolled up his window and drove away, with his daughter waving to me
from the back.
This family, working on a seasonal basis where time is
money, took a couple of hours to help a stranger while others passed by
quietly.
Since then I’ve helped many people like the Mexican
family. I didn’t accept money. But every time I was able to help, I felt as if
I was putting something in the bank.
1.From the passage we know that __________.
A.the Mexican
man couldn’t speak English
B.the author’s car broke down on the road
C.the Mexican
family came to Oregon for a visit
D.$20 was a
small amount for the Mexican family
2.Why did the author give the money quietly to the
man’s wife?
A.Because the
man had refused to accept it.
B.Because the
man’s wife needn’t wash
her hands.
C.Because the
author thought the Mexican family was poor.
D.Because the
author thought the man’s wife would take it.
3.The Mexican man helped the author because he tended
to think that ___________.
A.it was
completely wrong for others to pass by quietly
B.it was quite
easy to help the author mend the jeep
C.it was
possible that everyone might get into trouble
D.the author
was a polite stranger and deserved the help
4.Which of the following is TRUE about the author?
A.He hated
those who didn’t offer help.
B.He would send
a present to the family soon.
C.He wondered
why they didn’t take the money.
D.He considered
helping others as saving money in the bank.
5.What can we infer from the passage?
A.The Mexican
family lived a richer life than the author.
B.The Mexican
family did seasonal work in Oregon each year.
C.The author
was inspired to help others by the Mexican family.
D.What made the
writer moved was the tamale given by the girl.