I found myself a little while ago in one of the largest American prisons. It was like a stone castle, its high towers watched by guards with guns. I had been there several times before, on earlier visits to the USA. But this time I had come to see one particular prisoner, He was nineteen and after two years by himself in one room was awaiting execution for murder. He bad just heard the result of a fresh trial. He was to serve life imprisonment instead. He was white -faced and talkative, a boy who had failed in high school and had all too easily got caught up in a night's adventure that had ended with burning down buildings, two deaths and those two years awaiting death.

This prison is no worse than many others and it is certainly better than some. After

you have passed through the complicated series of gates and doors and the electronic instruments have checked that you have no metal on your person--that you have no gun in fact--you enter within the walls. At once you are astonished at the difference between the strict controls outside and curiously easy--going way of life inside. Here are men walking about, often smoking cigars; the football team is being trained on the field~ there is a good deal of standing around waiting for something to happen. And of course things do happen: a sudden shout, a rush to the water tower, a mad climb to its top, senseless disobedience for days. But this is somehow a symbol for a bigger senselessness than that.

This time I was wondering what twenty years(and that would be the minimum)might mean for one boy pushed into this organized idleness.

1. This was _____.

A. the writer's first visit to the prison but not to America

B. not his first visit to the prison or to America

C. his second visit to America but not to the prison

D. his first visit both to America and to the

2. In this passage the word "execution" means

A. life imprisonment　　 B. the decision of the judge

C. punishment by death　 D. another trail

3. Which of the following is true?

A. They were taking the prisoner out to kill him.

B. The punishment had been changed from life imprisonment to death.

C. The punishment had been changed from death to life imprisonment.

D. They were talking him out for a fresh trial.

4. The writer thinks that the prison system is ___

A. a very good one　 B. good but could be even better

C. fairly bad but might be even worse　 D. foolish

5. Here "a bigger senselessness" refers to.

A. a sudden rush to the water tower　 B. a mad climb to the tower's top

C. disobedience for days　 D. anything more serious than all of the above

One of the most wonderful things about having a positive attitude is that it can touch many people in the course of everyday life.

Recently I stopped by a store to get a newspaper and a bottle of juice. The young woman at the check-out counter said, “That’ll be three dollars in all please.” And as I reached into my wallet，the thought occurred to me that a newspaper and a bottle of juice didn’t quite make it to three dollars.

When I looked up to get a “re-quote”(重说一遍), she had a big smile on her face and said，“I got to get my tip in there somehow!” I laughed when I knew what she meant. She then glanced down at the paper I was buying and said, “I’m sick and tired of all the negative material on the front pages. I want to read some good news for a change.” She then said, “In fact, I think someone should publish a Good News newspaper —a paper with wonderful, inspirational stories about people overcoming difficulties and doing good things for others. I’d buy one every day!” She then thanked me for coming in and said, “Maybe we’ll get lucky tomorrow; maybe we’ll get some good news!” We both laughed，and I thought: she just made my day.

The following day after work I dropped by the same store again to pick up bottled water and a newspaper, but a different young lady was behind the counter. As I checked out I said, “Good afternoon”, and handed her my money. She said nothing，and didn’t smile or make a gesture. She just handed me my change and said in a bored voice, “Next!”

It hit me right between the eyes. Two people, the same age; one had made me feel great, while the other had made me feel that I had inconvenienced her by showing up.

The choices we make and attitudes we show influence lives every day in positive or negative ways…our peers, our friends，and even strangers we’ve never met before and will never meet again. So every morning you should ask yourself：“Who do I want to be today—‘The Grouch’(好抱怨的人) or ‘The Good News Girl?” Your answer will go a long way toward determining the quality of your life and that of those around you.

From the first salesgirl’s words we know that __________.

A. she was sick and tired of people with bad manners

B. she didn’t like the bad news in the newspaper

C. she liked reading all kinds of stories

D. she thought it was boring to sell newspapers

After the author bought the newspaper the first day，he _________.

A. had a sad day

B. kept thinking about what the girl had said

C. read the newspaper carefully

D. was in a pleasant mood all day

The other salesgirl’s attitude towards the author the next day was __________.

A. humorous     B. enthusiastic     C. cold      D. positive

The author learned from his experience that __________.

A. a Good News newspaper would be very popular

B. a positive attitude creates warmth and happiness

C. good relationships matter a lot

D. he needed to change the quality of his life

One of the most wonderful things about having a positive attitude is that it can touch many people in the course of everyday life.

Recently I stopped by a store to get a newspaper and a bottle of juice. The young woman at the check-out counter said, “That’ll be three dollars in all please.” And as I reached into my wallet，the thought occurred to me that a newspaper and a bottle of juice didn’t quite make it to three dollars.

When I looked up to get a “re-quote”(重说一遍), she had a big smile on her face and said，“I got to get my tip in there somehow!” I laughed when I knew what she meant. She then glanced down at the paper I was buying and said, “I’m sick and tired of all the negative material on the front pages. I want to read some good news for a change.” She then said, “In fact, I think someone should publish a Good News newspaper —a paper with wonderful, inspirational stories about people overcoming difficulties and doing good things for others. I’d buy one every day!” She then thanked me for coming in and said, “Maybe we’ll get lucky tomorrow; maybe we’ll get some good news!” We both laughed，and I thought: she just made my day.

The following day after work I dropped by the same store again to pick up bottled water and a newspaper, but a different young lady was behind the counter. As I checked out I said, “Good afternoon”, and handed her my money. She said nothing，and didn’t smile or make a gesture. She just handed me my change and said in a bored voice, “Next!”

It hit me right between the eyes. Two people, the same age; one had made me feel great, while the other had made me feel that I had inconvenienced her by showing up.

The choices we make and attitudes we show influence lives every day in positive or negative ways…our peers, our friends，and even strangers we’ve never met before and will never meet again. So every morning you should ask yourself：“Who do I want to be today—‘The Grouch’(好抱怨的人) or ‘The Good News Girl?” Your answer will go a long way toward determining the quality of your life and that of those around you.

1. From the first salesgirl’s words we know that __________.

A. she was sick and tired of people with bad manners

B. she didn’t like the bad news in the newspaper

C. she liked reading all kinds of stories

D. she thought it was boring to sell newspapers

2. After the author bought the newspaper the first day，he _________.

A. had a sad day

B. kept thinking about what the girl had said

C. read the newspaper carefully

D. was in a pleasant mood all day

3.The other salesgirl’s attitude towards the author the next day was __________.

A. humorous     B. enthusiastic     C. cold      D. positive

4.The author learned from his experience that __________.

A. a Good News newspaper would be very popular

B. a positive attitude creates warmth and happiness

C. good relationships matter a lot

D. he needed to change the quality of his life

One of the most wonderful things about having a positive attitude is that it can touch many people in the course of everyday life.

Recently I stopped by a store to get a newspaper and a bottle of juice. The young woman at the check-out counter said, “That’ll be three dollars in all please.”She then glanced down at the paper I was buying and said, “I’m sick and tired of all the negative material on the front pages. I want to read some good news for a change.”She then said, “In fact, I think someone should publish a Good News newspaper——a paper with wonderful, inspirational stories about people overcoming difficulties and doing good things for others. I’d buy one every day!”She then thanked me for coming in and said, “Maybe we’ll get lucky tomorrow; maybe we’ll get some good news!”We both laughed, and I thought: she just made my day.

The following day after work I dropped by the same store again to pick up bottled water and a newspaper; but a different young lady was behind the counter. As I checked out I said, “Good afternoon”, and handed her my money . she said nothing, and didn’t smile or make a gesture. She just handed me my change and said in a bored voice, “Next!”

It hit me right between the eyes. Two people, the same age; one had made me feel great , while the other had made me feel that I had inconvenienced her by showing up.

The choices we make and attitudes we show influence lives every day in positive or negative ways. So every morning you should ask yourself:“Who do I want to be today—‘The Grouch(不高兴的人)’or ‘The Good News Girl’?”Your answer will go a long way toward determining the quality of your life and that of those around you.

1.From the first salesgirl’s words we know that       .

    A. she was sick and tired of people with bad manners

    B. she didn’t like the bad news in the newspaper

    C. she liked reading all kinds of stories

    D. she thought it was boring to sell newspapers

2.After the author bought the newspaper the first day, he          .

    A. had a sad day        B. kept thinking about what the girl had said

    C. read the newspaper carefully

    D. was in a pleasant mood all day

3.The other salesgirl’s attitude towards the author the next day was        .

    A. humorous     B. enthusiastic     C. cold     D. positive

4.The author learned from his experience that           .

    A. a Good News newspaper would be very popular

    B. a positive attitude creates warmth and happiness

    C. good relationships matter a lot

    D. he needed to change the quality of his life