It’s a sad and familiar sentence from a beggar that we often hear. Usually, when asked “Can you spare some 36 ?” I’ve been struck with a feeling of 37 if I passed by without giving a coin or two.
My conscience was hurt again when I was making a 38 in Venice in 2006. I was sitting in a quiet café. Outside the café on the street was an old woman on her knees, 39 . Steady streams of 40 were walking past her. A young backpacker stood away from the crowd drinking something, but I noticed he was also 41 the woman.
She knelt motionlessly, her head almost touching the ground, a worn blanket providing little protection 42 the cold. The sight was especially 43 when compared with the signs of the 44 city around her.
A tourist group hurried along the street, 45 at the woman and walked on. Another group of tourists arrived, 46 again, walked past her. The backpacker watched. Then, as I prepared to leave, I stopped at the sight of the backpacker 47 and placing some money in the woman’s cup. He did this rather 48 , just before the arrival of another tourist group. I watched 49 the leader of the group stopped and put some money in the cup. With the young man 50 the way, other tourists followed.
The young backpacker 51 this process in front of the next tour party going past. Once again, the subtle peer(同伴) pressure 52 on the tourists, who all added coins to the cup. His work 53 , the young man walked over to the old beggar woman and said, “I hope that helps a bit.”
I placed some money in the woman’s cup and 54 my tour, light-hearted after witnessing such a 55 act of caring.
36. A. time | B. effort | C. change | D. reward |
37. A. satisfaction | B. guilt | C. anger | D. pleasure |
38. A. lecture | B. report | C. study | D. tour |
39. A. crying | B. begging | C. singing | D. dancing |
40. A. passengers | B. customers | C. tourists | D. foreigners |
41. A. ignoring | B. serving | C. observing | D. following |
42. A. against | B. for | C. with | D. in |
43. A. frightening | B. touching | C. fascinating | D. interesting |
44. A. peaceful | B. noisy | C. wealthy | D. primitive |
45. A. glanced | B. laughed | C. shouted | D. stared |
46. A. unless | B. so | C. but | D. or |
47. A. looking around | B. stepping forward | C. getting about | D. breaking in |
48. A. secretly | B. carelessly | C. deliberately | D. eagerly |
49. A. since | B. before | C. after | D. as |
50. A. showing | B. showed | C. pointing | D. pointed |
51.A. stopped | B. valued | C. made | D. repeated |
52. A. moved | B. replied | C. worked | D. carried |
53. A. done | B. was done | C. has been done | D. had been done |
54. A. cancelled | B. continued | C. started | D. delayed |
55. A. funny | B. smart | C. simple | D. modest |