A lesson in caring
It was a cold evening. My daughter and I were walking up Broadway. I didn’t notice a guy sitting inside a cardboard box. But Nora    36    . She wasn’t even four, but she   37    at my coat and said, “That man’s cold. Daddy, can we take him home?”
I don’t remember my   38    . But I do remember a sudden   39    feeling inside me. I had always been delighted at how much my daughter noticed in her   40     , whether it was     41    flying or children playing. But now she was noticing   42    and beggary.
A few days later, I saw an article in the newspaper about volunteers who picked up a food package from a nearby school on a Sunday morning and   43     it to an elderly person. It was quick and easy. I signed us up. Nora was   44    about it. She could understand the importance of food, so she could easily see how   45    our job was. When Sunday came, she was ready, but I had to    46    myself to leave the house to fetch the food package. On my way to the school, I fought an urge (强烈愿望) to turn    47    . The Sunday paper and coffee were waiting for me at home. Why do this?   48    , we phoned the elderly person we’d been appointed. She   49    us right over.
The building was in a bad state. Facing us was a silver-haired woman in an old dress. She took the package and asked us to come in. Nora ran inside. I unwillingly followed.   50     inside, I saw that the department belonged to someone poor. Our hostess showed us some photos. Nora played and when it came time to say goodbye, we three hugged. I walked home    51    .
Professionals call such a(n)   52    “a volunteer opportunity”. They are opportunities and I’ve come to see. Where else but as volunteers do you have the opportunity to do something    53     that’s good for others as well as for yourself? Nora and I regularly serve meals to needy people and   54     clothes for the homeless. Yet, as I’ve    55     her grow over these past four years, I still wonder—which of us has benefited more?

A friend of mine met with an accident driving in darkness. His legs were so hurt that he couldn’t move. What was the   1  was that he found himself unable to ask for help—his mobile phone went out of   2   as a result of exhausted battery (无电) . Nothing could be done but to   3   in cold wilderness (荒野). It was eight hours later that day broke, and then   4   of the rescue (援救).
It is almost   5   that he could stand （忍受）the horror in the darkness for so long. Even more surprising was his   6  : “First of all, I checked up my   7     conditions and found myself not in mortal (致命的) danger. As there was no   8   to call for help, I leaned back in my seat trying my best to keep the wound from   9  . In this way I dozed (瞌睡) off.”
His story put an end to my regret (遗憾) for the   10   of an exploration adventure (探险) that happened last year. A group of young men   11   to explore a mountain cave and got lost.   12   to find a way out in the dark cave they were frightened and ran anxiously without a sense of   13  . Finally they felt dead in fear and exhaustion. According to the   14   people that found them, the place where they got lost was only about 10 meters away from the   15   of the cave. If they stayed on the spot when they lost their way and tried to   16   themselves, they would probably sense a faint light glimmering (闪烁) not far away.
Don’t you think you can compare it with   17   itself? When you meet with difficulty in life and work, you are lost in darkness.   18   you it’s unclear yet and you needn’t put up struggle   19 . It seems to be a negative （消极）attitude,   20   a person who can afford to do so must have foresight (远见) as well as a great courage in the first place.

A fried of mine named Paul received an automobile from his brother as a Christmas present. On Christmas Eve when Paul came out of his office, a naughty street boy was walking around the shiny new car, admiring it. “Is this your car, Mister?” he asked..
Paul nodded, “My brother gave it to me for Christmas.” The boy was surprised. “You mean your brother gave it to you and it didn’t cost you anything? I wish…” He hesitated（犹豫）.
Of course Paul knew what he was going to wish for. He was going to wish he had a brother like that. But what the boy said made Paul think all the way.
“I wish ,” the boy went on, “that I could be a brother like that.”
Paul looked at the boy in surprise, adding, “Would you like to take a ride in my automobile?”
“Yes, I’d love that.” After a short ride, the boy turned and said, “Mister, would you mind driving in front of my house?”
Paul smiled, He thought he knew what the boy wanted. But Paul was wrong again. “Will you stop where those two steps are?” the boy asked.
He ran up the steps. Then in a while Paul heard him coming back, but he didn’t come fast. He was carrying his little crippled（伤残） brother. He pointed to the car and said, “There it is, Buddy, just like I told you up stairs. His brother gave it to him for Christmas. And some day I’m going to give one just like it and then you can see for yourself all the pretty things in the Christmas windows that I’ve been trying tell you about. ”
Paul got out and lifted the boy to the front seat. The shining-eyed older brother climbed in beside him and the three of them began a memorable holiday ride.
That Christmas Eve, Paul learned what “It is more blessed to give” means.
【小题1】The naughty street boy wished to _____________ .

A fried of mine named Paul received an automobile from his brother as a Christmas present. On Christmas Eve when Paul came out of his office, a naughty street boy was walking around the shiny new car, admiring it. “Is this your car, Mister?” he asked..

Paul nodded, “My brother gave it to me for Christmas.” The boy was surprised. “You mean your brother gave it to you and it didn’t cost you anything? I wish…” He hesitated（犹豫）.

Of course Paul knew what he was going to wish for. He was going to wish he had a brother like that. But what the boy said made Paul think all the way.

“I wish ,” the boy went on, “that I could be a brother like that.”

Paul looked at the boy in surprise, adding, “Would you like to take a ride in my automobile?”

“Yes, I’d love that.” After a short ride, the boy turned and said, “Mister, would you mind driving in front of my house?”

Paul smiled, He thought he knew what the boy wanted. But Paul was wrong again. “Will you stop where those two steps are?” the boy asked.

He ran up the steps. Then in a while Paul heard him coming back, but he didn’t come fast. He was carrying his little crippled（伤残） brother. He pointed to the car and said, “There it is, Buddy, just like I told you up stairs. His brother gave it to him for Christmas. And some day I’m going to give one just like it and then you can see for yourself all the pretty things in the Christmas windows that I’ve been trying tell you about. ”

Paul got out and lifted the boy to the front seat. The shining-eyed older brother climbed in beside him and the three of them began a memorable holiday ride.

That Christmas Eve, Paul learned what “It is more blessed to give” means.

1.The naughty street boy wished to _____________ .

A．have a brother like Paul’s

B．get a present from his brother

C．become a brother like Paul’s

D．take a ride in his automobile

2.When the boy asked for a ride home, Paul thought the boy wanted to ______________.

A．play a trick on him

B．own a car like Paul’s

C．pick up someone important to him.

D．show off by riding home in a car

3.What did the boy want to show to his crippled brother?

A．His pride.         B．His bravery.        C．His love.          D．His generosity.

4.What would be the best title for text?

A．A brother like that

B．A Christmas present

C．A boy’s crippled brother

D．An unforgettable Christmas

5.(Originally created)  The last sentence “It is more blessed to give” in this story means following EXCEPT____.

A．It is better to help than to get helped.

B．The more help you give to others, the happier you will feel.

C．To help other people is a way to make a person to become a true man.

D．To give away all your wealth, otherwise, you won’t be blessed by God.

A lot of us lose life's tougher battles by starting a frontal(正面的)attack-when a touch of humor might well enable us to win. Consider the case of a young friend of mine, who hit a traffic jam on his way to work shortly after receiving an ultimatum(最后通牒)about being late on the job. Although there was a good reason for Sam's being late-serious illness at home-he decided that this by-now-familiar excuse wouldn't work any longer. His supervisor was probably already pacing up and down preparing a dismissal speech. Yes, the boss was, as Sam entered the office at9:35. The place was as quiet as a locker room(更衣室);everyone was hard at work. Sam's supervisor came up to him. Suddenly, Sam forced a grin and stretched out his hand. "How do you do!" he said. "I'm Sam Maynard. I'm applying for a job. Which, I understand, became available just 35 minutes ago. Does the early bird get the worm?"

　　The room exploded in laughter. The supervisor clamped off a smile and walked back to his office. Sam Maynard had saved his job-with the only tool that could win, a laugh.

　　Humor is a most effective, yet frequently neglected(忽略), means of handling the difficult situations in our lives. It can be used for patching up differences, apologizing, saying "no," criticizing, getting the other fellow to do what you want without his losing face. For some jobs, it's the only tool that can succeed. It is away to discuss subjects so sensitive that serious dialogue may start a quarrel. For example, many believe that comedians(喜剧演员)on television are doing more today for racial and religious tolerance(忍受力)than people in any other forum.

1.WhywasSamlateforhisjob?

　A. Because he was ill.　　 B. Because he got up late.

C. Because he was caught in a traffic jam. 　 D. He was busy applying for a new job.

2.The main idea of this passage is ____.

　A. Sam Maynard saved his job with humor 　 B. humor is important in our lives

　C. early bird gets the worm 　　　　 D. humor can solve racial discriminations.

3.The phrase "clamped off" n paragraph 3 means____.

　A. tried to hold back　 B. tried to set　 C. charged　 D. gave out

4.Which of the following statements can we infer from the passage?

A. Many lose life's battles because they are lacking in a sense of humor.

B. It wasn't the first time that Sam came late for work.

C. Sam was supposed to arrive at his office at8:30.

D. Humor is the most effective way of solving problems