In a book called Magnificent Obsession, by Lloyd C. Douglas, a description is given of people helping others but doing it secretly. When difficult problems worried an individual, friends nearby would meet to discuss possible solutions without the individual knowing their actions. When a solution was agreed upon, one or two of the friends would carry out the plan and solve the problem secretly, to the great delight of the worried individual. The helpers would stand by privately, content with their success. No reward was given to the problem solvers, not even a sincere “thank you”, because they were never known.
This concept is popular today but in a different way. The phrase “pay it forward” is now used when one person helps another. However, the person helped may not be able to repay the person or group that helped them. So rather than return the favor to their helpers, they are supposed to help someone else in the future, which means they pay it forward. It is a sense of responsibility which makes us want to give back in equal measure to the one who has helped us. But, in this case, the responsibility turns to helping someone in the future.
Suppose your elderly grandmother pays part of your schooling. She may tell you there is no need to repay her because it is a gift from someone who loves you very much. Nothing would please her more than to have you use her money to get a good education.
You may never be able to repay her for such a gift. However, she not only gave you some money, but she provided you with an example that you should also help other people who need it.
People with serious needs are everywhere. Many are children who need better clothes, more books and even better schools. Some are elderly people who can’t afford their medicine or a doctor’s care. Consider how you can “pay it forward” rather than pay money back to your grandmother.
【小题1】The helpers in the book “Magnificent Obsession” were not rewarded because ________.

In a book called Magnificent Obsession, by Lloyd C. Douglas, a description is given of people helping others but doing it secretly. When difficult problems worried an individual, friends nearby would meet to discuss possible solutions without the individual knowing their actions. When a solution was agreed upon, one or two of the friends would carry out the plan and solve the problem secretly, to the great delight of the worried individual. The helpers would stand by privately, content with their success. No reward was given to the problem solvers, not even a sincere “thank you”, because they were never known.
This concept is popular today but in a different way. The phrase “pay it forward” is now used when one person helps another. However, the person helped may not be able to repay the person or group that helped them. So rather than return the favor to their helpers, they are supposed to help someone else in the future, which means they pay it forward. It is a sense of responsibility which makes us want to give back in equal measure to the one who has helped us. But, in this case, the responsibility turns to helping someone in the future.
Suppose your elderly grandmother pays part of your schooling. She may tell you there is no need to repay her because it is a gift from someone who loves you very much. Nothing would please her more than to have you use her money to get a good education.
You may never be able to repay her for such a gift. However, she not only gave you some money, but she provided you with an example that you should also help other people who need it.
People with serious needs are everywhere. Many are children who need better clothes, more books and even better schools. Some are elderly people who can’t afford their medicine or a doctor’s care. Consider how you can “pay it forward” rather than pay money back to your grandmother.

1. 1.

   The helpers in the book “Magnificent Obsession” were not rewarded because ________.

   1. A.
      they hadn’t solved the problems thoroughly
   2. B.
      they expected to be paid back in the future.
   3. C.
      they were friends of the worried individual
   4. D.
      they had solved the problems secretly
2. 2.

   The underlined word “pay it forward” means ________.                    

   1. A.
      to repay someone who has helped you
   2. B.
      to help someone else who needs help
   3. C.
      to help someone who has helped you
   4. D.
      to pay someone else who needs help
3. 3.

   What does the writer suggest with the example of “your elderly grandmother”?

   1. A.
      We should also lend a hand to other people in need of help.
   2. B.
      We should work hard to get a good education.
   3. C.
      We should learn to respect our grandparents.
   4. D.
      We should never forget to repay people for their help.
4. 4.

   By writing the passage, the author wishes people in the world to be ________.

   1. A.
      honest
   2. B.
      mysterious
   3. C.
      unselfish
   4. D.
      unforgettable

Growing up on a tobacco farm, Emma Avery was used to hard times. When she was seven, her family’s farmhouse burned to the ground. Her father made a temporary (临时的) shelter, where eight people had to sleep in two beds. As soon as Emma and her four brothers and two sisters were big enough, they were out in the fields.

     Emma would find her comfort in school, even as a C student, thanks to one teacher. When she moved on to middle school, Emma was alarmingly far behind her classmates. She kept her head down, trying not to be noticed, struggling to catch up, and feeling like an outsider.

     Then one day, when Emma was 16, a teacher named Mr. Potts changed everything. Looking his students in the eye, Mr. Potts said, "Being a C student does not mean you do not have a valuable contribution to make. Some of you have to work in the fields in the evening and do not have time to study. But if you do your best, you have a gift to give."

     The teacher’s words made Emma believe she could do well, and she worked harder. In the end she won a scholarship to St. Paul’s College, graduated with a degree in elementary education in 1967, and got a job in the public-school system. Then, at George Washington University, she received a master’s in education in 1970, and afterwards in the same year she married Ron Smothers.

     Over the next six years, Emma taught in public schools in Miami. In 1976, after saving $10,000, she opened her first restaurant in Los Angeles. Eventually Emma stopped teaching, and her business expanded (扩展) to six restaurants.

     In gratitude (感激) for what she has been able to achieve, Emma donates a lot. She has no idea how much money she’s given away. She says, "Those I want to help are the C students who just need help, direction and confidence."

1.The first paragraph serves to show that Emma ______.

A．was poor and had no time to study          B．was born on a tobacco farm C．was sad to lose her house D．was kind enough to help support the family

2.From the text we learn that Emma ______.  

A．won a scholarship to George Washington University                 B．was unsuccessful as a businesswoman C．was thankful to Mr. Potts             D．disliked teaching, and gave up the job

3.From the second paragraph we can infer that Emma was ______.

A．unintelligent       B．unconfident        C．hard-working       D．Considerate

4.The text mainly wants to tell us ______.

A．confidence is the first step to success        B．memory of the past is the teacher of the future C．something attempted, something done       D．nothing is impossible to a willing heart

Some people bring out the best in you in a way that you might never have fully realized on your own．My mother was one of those people．

       My father died when I was one-year-old．While I was growing up, we led a very hard life, but my mom gave me a lot of love．Each night, she seated me on her lap and, spoke the words that would change my life, "Kemmons, you are sure to be a great man and you can do anything in life if you work hard enough to get it．"

       At fourteen, I was hit by a car and the doctors said that I would never walk again．Every night my mother spoke to me in her gentle, loving voice, telling me whatever those doctors said, I could walk again if I wanted to．She drove that message so deep into my heart that I finally believed her．A year later, I walked on my own to school!

       When the Great Depression broke out, my mother lost her job．Then I left school to support the two of us．At that moment I decided never to be poor again．

       Over the years, I experienced a lot of business success．But the real turning point happened on a vacation I took with my wife and five kids in 1951．I was dissatisfied with the second-class hotels available for families and was very angry that they charged an extra $2 for each child．That was too expensive for an ordinary American family．I told my wife that I was going to open a motel （汽车旅馆） for families that would never charge extra money for children．Many people did not believe me at that time．

       Not surprisingly, mom was my strongest supporter．As in any business, I experienced a lot of difficulties．But with my mom's words in my heart, I never doubted I would succeed．Fifteen years later, I had the largest hotel system in the world—Holiday Inn．In 1979 my company had 1,759 inns in more than fifty countries with an income of $l billion a year．

       You may not have started out life in the best situations．But if you find a task in life worth working for and believe in yourself, nothing can stop you．

What Kemmon's mother often told him during his childhood was____．

       A．caring      B．moving  C．encouraging         D．interesting

Who played the most important role in making the author walk back to school again?

       A．Doctors．       B．Nurses．  C．His friend．     D．His mom．

What caused Kemmon to start a motel by himself?

       A．His terrible experience in the hotel．    B．His wife's suggestion．

       C．His previous business success．        D．His mom's support．

Which of the following best describes Kemmon's mother?

       A．Modest, helpful and hard-working． 

     B．Loving, supportive and strong-willed．

       C．Careful, beautiful and helpful．      

     D．Strict, sensitive and supportive．

Which of the following led to Kemmon's success?

       A．Self-confidence, hard work, higher education and a poor family．

       B．Mom's encouragement, clear goals, self-confidence and hard work．

       C．Clear goals, mom's encouragement, a poor family and higher education．

       D．Mom's encouragement, a poor family, higher education and opportunities．