It’s easy to see how to help others, but what about those whose needs aren’t so obvious? This story may have happened a while back, but it was a lesson which has stayed with me and helped me ever since.
It was Thanksgiving and I was volunteering with my parents at a shelter for the poor. We stood behind the counter dishing out hot food to whoever came in. most of our dinners looked like they had been having hard times, their clothes old, worn and dry. In short, they looked poor!
Then, a man came in, who looked anything but poor. He was well dressed, wearing an expensive suit. I wondered what he was doing there and my jaw dropped in amazement when he joined the line for food. The closer he came to my service station, the more I muttered. What was this man doing? I wanted to know. Surely he wasn’t gong to take food.
Then my mother quietly took me to one side. She said, “You have assumed that the needs of the people who come here must be purely physical: hunger, inadequate shelter and needs are emotional? What if he needs comfort, friends, or just to be among other human beings?” her words hit me like a ton of bricks! I felt like I should apologize to the man, but I didn’t.
About a week later the shelter received a large donation from an anonymous source. I can’t help but wonder if it came from that man.
Now, whether I meet others, I remember my mother’s words and try to send kindness and blessings to them, regardless of how they look.
Needs aren’t always visible. But kindness always makes a difference.

1. 1.

   The task of the author at the shelter was to_______.

   1. A.
      decide whether dinners looked poor
   2. B.
      learn life experience there
   3. C.
      serve hot food to the poor
   4. D.
      help parents order dishes
2. 2.

   When the man waited in line, how did the author feel?

   1. A.
      Surprised
   2. B.
      Pitiful
   3. C.
      Excited
   4. D.
      Angry
3. 3.

   The author felt he should apologize to the man, because he_______.

   1. A.
      was asked to do so by his mother
   2. B.
      gave the man food much less than others
   3. C.
      realized something was wrong with the man
   4. D.
      knew later that the man went there to donate
4. 4.

   What can we infer from the last paragraph?

   1. A.
      We should show others kindness whatever their needs are
   2. B.
      Some needs can’t be known clearly at times
   3. C.
      Needs can always be met by kindness
   4. D.
      We should find out others’ needs

It was a party. I was 18 and it was fresher(大一新生) week. I was at the beginning of a course in English Literature and full of enthusiasm for my subject. She was also 18 and enrolled in a course in physics.

“Your major is of no use to society. What will you do with it when you graduate, other than teach? Plus, you’re going to be poor your whole life,” she said. “You have no soul and your degree is boring. I don’t care how much money you’re going to earn. I’d rather be poor and don’t mind being a teacher. If I love my work I’ll have something far more meaningful than a big bank account!” came the reply.

And so it went, back and forth, neither of us giving the other an inch, each of us stubbornly committed to our prejudice. We were both ignorant, but our ignorance was also society’s ignorance. It had always been that way. Scientists mocked(嘲笑) humanists; humanists laughed at scientists. Back in the 1960s, the physicist-turned novelist C. P. Snow labeled the sciences-humanities divide “a problem of ‘the two cultures’” . He said it was bad for society. The modern world needed well-rounded people.

I think I know better now, but it would have helped if we had been encouraged to think a little more outside our science and arts “boxes”.

That’s why I believe it is healthy that China is beginning a debate on whether it’s wise for young people to have to choose which direction their careers – and lives – will take at such an early age. At the moment, in their second year of high school, students must choose either the sciences or the humanities. After making the choice, they focus their energies on passing the appropriate college entrance exam.

But now, people in China are asking: Is this forced, early decision good for young people or society? Young people need time to explore, to discover where their real talents and interests lie. There are more than just a few middle-aged people out there, stuck in jobs they hate because they made the wrong choice at the wrong time.

And from the point of view of society, isn’t it better for students to delay a while before they decide what to study? Scientists can benefit from learning to develop the critical skills associated with the humanities; students in the humanities, surely, only stand to gain by finding out a little more about science and technology, which are so important to the future of a developing country like China.

With any luck, in the future young people fresh to college will be better informed about the possibilities of education than people of my generation.

The author describes what happened at a fresher party to ________.

A. show that he was ready to defend the subject he enjoyed

B. lead up his argument that the sciences-humanities divide is harmful

C. prove that doing something meaningful is better than having a lot of money

D. describe how fierce students of different majors can be when arguing with each other

What was C. P. Snow’s attitude towards the sciences-humanities divide?

A. Indifferent.         B. Uncertain.         C. Positive.          D. Negative.

In the sixth paragraph, an example mentioning middle-aged people is used to show that ________.

A. students should not make decisions too early

B. not all people have a talent for or are interested in the sciences

C. these people did not have the chance to make a choice earlier in life

D. the earlier young people make a decision, the better it will be for them

According to the text, it is safe to say that ________.

A. sciences are more practical in the modern world

B. C. P. Snow was a novelist who became a physicist

C. future generations will be able to get more out of education

D. a command of both the sciences and humanities is important to society

What’s the best title for the article?

A. The sciences or the humanities, which to choose?

B. High school education in China

C. Isn’t it better to delay the choice of the career direction?

D. A better time to decide what to study

Are you happy? Do you remember a time when you were happy? Are you seeking happiness today?

Many have sought a variety of sources for their feelings of happiness．Some have put their heart and efforts into their work．Too many have turned to drugs and alcohol．Meanwhile, untold numbers have looked for it in the possession of expensive cars, exotic（异国的）vacation homes and other popular “toys”. Most of their efforts have a root in one common fact: people are looking for a lasting source of happiness.

Unfortunately, I believe that happiness escapes from many people because they misunderstand the journey of finding it. I have heard many people say that, “I’ll be happy when I get my new promotion,” or “I’ll be happy when I lose that extra 20 pounds.” It is dangerous because it accepts that happiness is a “response” to having, being or doing something.

       In life, we all experience stimulus（激励） and response．Today, some people think that an expensive car is stimulus．Happiness is a response．A great paying job is stimulus．Happiness is a response．A loving relationship is stimulus．Happiness is a response．This belief leaves us thinking and feeling：“I’ll be happy when…”

It has been my finding that actually the opposite is true．I believe that happiness is a stimulus and response is what life brings to those who are truly happy．When we are happy, we tend to have more success in our work．When we are happy, people want to be around us and enjoy loving relationships．When we are happy, we more naturally take better care of our bodies and enjoy good health．Happiness is not a response but a stimulus．

Happiness is a conscious choice we make every day of our lives．For unknown reason to me, many choose to be painful, unsuccessful and angry most of the time．Happiness is not something that happens to us after we get something we want—we usually get things we want AFTER we choose to be happy．

From the second paragraph, we know too many people           .

       A．are not happy when they work hard

       B．are not happy when they drink or take drugs

       C．are happy when they possess their own expensive cars

       D．all desire exotic vacation homes

Generally speaking, most people feel happy because          .

       A．they think happiness is rooted in their deep heats

       B．they get what they want to have

       C．they get a great paying job

       D．they get an expensive car

Which f the following is right according to the author?

      A．If you want to get what you want, you first choose to be happy.

       B．We should try to get more and then we’ll be happy.

       C．Most people today are happy.

       D．Work is a necessary part in our daily life.

From the viewpoint of the author, happiness is        .

       A．based on our needs  B．unconditional

       C．out of reach            D．linited 

Are you happy? Do you remember a time when you were happy? Are you seeking happiness today?

Many have sought a variety of sources for their feelings of happiness．Some have put their heart and efforts into their work．Too many have turned to drugs and alcohol．Meanwhile, untold numbers have looked for it in the possession of expensive cars, exotic（异国的）vacation homes and other popular “toys”. Most of their efforts have a root in one common fact: people are looking for a lasting source of happiness.

Unfortunately, I believe that happiness escapes from many people because they misunderstand the journey of finding it. I have heard many people say that, “I’ll be happy when I get my new promotion,” or “I’ll be happy when I lose that extra 20 pounds.” It is dangerous because it accepts that happiness is a “response” to having, being or doing something.

       In life, we all experience stimulus（激励） and response．Today, some people think that an expensive car is stimulus．Happiness is a response．A great paying job is stimulus．Happiness is a response．A loving relationship is stimulus．Happiness is a response．This belief leaves us thinking and feeling：“I’ll be happy when…”

It has been my finding that actually the opposite is true．I believe that happiness is a stimulus and response is what life brings to those who are truly happy．When we are happy, we tend to have more success in our work．When we are happy, people want to be around us and enjoy loving relationships．When we are happy, we more naturally take better care of our bodies and enjoy good health．Happiness is not a response but a stimulus．

Happiness is a conscious choice we make every day of our lives．For unknown reason to me, many choose to be painful, unsuccessful and angry most of the time．Happiness is not something that happens to us after we get something we want—we usually get things we want AFTER we choose to be happy．

61．From the second paragraph, we know too many people           .

         A．are not happy when they work hard

         B．are not happy when they drink or take drugs

         C．are happy when they possess their own expensive cars

         D．all desire exotic vacation homes

62．Generally speaking, most people feel happy because          .

         A．they think happiness is rooted in their deep heats

         B．they get what they want to have

         C．they get a great paying job

         D．they get an expensive car

63．Which f the following is right according to the author?

        A．If you want to get what you want, you first choose to be happy.

         B．We should try to get more and then we’ll be happy.

         C．Most people today are happy.

         D．Work is a necessary part in our daily life.

64．From the viewpoint of the author, happiness is        .

         A．based on our needs   B．unconditional

         C．out of reach                 D．linited 

It was Sunday. I had one last patient to see. I approached her room in a hurry and stood at the doorway. She was an old woman, sitting at the edge of the bed, struggling to put socks on her swollen(肿胀的)feet. I entered, spoke quickly to the nurse and examined her chart. She was getting better.

    I looked down at her. She asked if I could help put on her socks. Instead, I said something like this:“ How are you feeling? Your sugars and blood pressure were high but they’re better today. The nurse mentioned you were anxious to see your son who’s visiting you today. I bet you really look forward to seeing him.”

    She stopped me with a serious voice, as if she was giving an order. “ Sit down，Doctor．This is my story，not your story. ”

    I was surprised and embarrassed. I sat down. I helped her with the socks. She began to tell me that her only son lived around the corner from her, but she had not seen him in five years. She believed that her health problems really had something to do with it. After hearing her story and putting on her socks, I asked if there was anything else I could do for her. She shook her head and smiled. All she wanted me to do was to listen．

    Later on, I often thought of what that woman taught me. Everyone has a story and each story is different. Some have a beginning, middle and end. Others wander without a clear conclusion. Yet all those things do not really matter. What matters to the storyteller is that the story is heard—without interruption or judgment．

The writer went to visit the older woman to     .

 A. 1isten to her story        B．tell her good news

    C. help her put on her socks   D．see if she was getting better

What problem did the old woman have?

A. She ate too much sugar．

B. She had high blood pressure．

C. She had too many visits. 

D. She liked telling others stories．

The underlined word “it” in Paragraph 4 refers to the older woman’s     .

A. not having seen her son for long       B. having no one to look after her

C. serious voice when giving orders       D. struggling to put socks on her feet

What does the story mainly tell us?

    A. Everyone should learn to listen to others.

    B. Children had better stay with their parents．

    C. We all have a story and each one is different.

    D. Older women are good at telling their stories.