B
Compassion (同情) is a desire within us to help others. With effort, we can translate compassion into actions. An experience last weekend showed me this is true. I work part—time in a supermarket across from a building for the elderly. These old people are our main customers，and it’s easy to lose patience over their slowness. But last Sunday，one aged gentleman appeared to teach me a valuable lesson. This untidy marl walked up to my register with a box of biscuits. He said he was out of cash，had just moved into his room，and had nothing in his cupboards. He asked if we could let him have the food on trust. He promised to repay me the next day.
I couldn’t help staring at him. I wondered what kind of person he had been ten or twenty years before，and what he would be like if luck had gone his way. I had a hurt in my heart for this kind of human soul，all alone in the world. I told him that I was sorry，and the store rules didn’t allow me to do so. I felt stupid and unkind saying this，but I valued my job.
Just then，another man，standing behind the first，spoke up. if anything，he looked more pitiable, “Charge it to me,” was all he said.
What I had been feeling was pity. Pity is soft，safe and easy. Compassion，on the other hand，is caring in action. I thanked the second man but told him that was not allowed，either. Then I reached into my pocket and paid for the biscuits myself I reached into my pocket because these two men had reached into my heart and taught me compassion.
59．The aged gentleman who wanted to buy the biscuits            .
A．promised to obey the store rules          
B．forgot to take any money with him
C．hoped to have the food first and pay later
D．could not afford anything more expensive
60．Which of the following best describes the old gentleman?
A．kind and lucky        B．poor and lonely
C．friendly and helpful D．hum and disappointed
61．The writer followed the store rules because        .
A．he wanted to keep his present job
B．he felt no pity for the old gentleman
C．he considered the old gentleman dishonest
D．he expected someone else to pay for the old gentleman
62．What does the writer 1earn from his experience?
A．Wealth is most important than anything else.
B．Helping others is easier said than done.
C．Experience is better gained through practice.
D．Obeying the rules means more than compassion.

B

    Compassion (同情) is a desire within us to help others. With effort, we can translate compassion into actions. An experience last weekend showed me this is true. I work part—time in a supermarket across from a building for the elderly. These old people are our main customers，and it’s easy to lose patience over their slowness. But last Sunday，one aged gentleman appeared to teach me a valuable lesson. This untidy marl walked up to my register with a box of biscuits. He said he was out of cash，had just moved into his room，and had nothing in his cupboards. He asked if we could let him have the food on trust. He promised to repay me the next day.

I couldn’t help staring at him. I wondered what kind of person he had been ten or twenty years before，and what he would be like if luck had gone his way. I had a hurt in my heart for this kind of human soul，all alone in the world. I told him that I was sorry，and the store rules didn’t allow me to do so. I felt stupid and unkind saying this，but I valued my job.

Just then，another man，standing behind the first，spoke up. if anything，he looked more pitiable, “Charge it to me,” was all he said.

What I had been feeling was pity. Pity is soft，safe and easy. Compassion，on the other hand，is caring in action. I thanked the second man but told him that was not allowed，either. Then I reached into my pocket and paid for the biscuits myself I reached into my pocket because these two men had reached into my heart and taught me compassion.

59．The aged gentleman who wanted to buy the biscuits            .

     A．promised to obey the store rules          

       B．forgot to take any money with him

     C．hoped to have the food first and pay later

       D．could not afford anything more expensive

60．Which of the following best describes the old gentleman?

       A．kind and lucky        B．poor and lonely

       C．friendly and helpful D．hum and disappointed

61．The writer followed the store rules because        .

     A．he wanted to keep his present job

     B．he felt no pity for the old gentleman

     C．he considered the old gentleman dishonest

     D．he expected someone else to pay for the old gentleman

62．What does the writer 1earn from his experience?

     A．Wealth is most important than anything else.

     B．Helping others is easier said than done.

     C．Experience is better gained through practice.

       D．Obeying the rules means more than compassion.

For a long time, a boy wondered why his next-desk-pal was always the first in the class, whereas he could only rank the 21st. At home, he asked his mom, “Am I more stupid than other kids? How come I always lag behind? I just can’t come up with an answer.” Mom was aware that her son’s self-respect had been damaged by the ranking system, but she didn’t know what to say to help.
　 She was tempted (想要) to say that intelligence differs and that yes, her son’s friend really was the smarter boy. But that would have so upset her son. Thank goodness she resisted the temptation to say it.

Her son and his friend went on to high school that year, but despite trying as hard as he could, her son’s friend still outdid him. But she was proud of her boy for his hard work, sincerely proud. It was around this time she decided to take him on a trip to the seaside. On the trip, she at last found an answer for him.
　 Today her son no longer cares about rankings. He doesn’t have to, for he himself is now the top of the class – at the top national university he attends. Invited to speak to his old high school, he mentioned a valuable childhood experience: “Once, on a trip to the sea, my mother and I were lying on the beach. She pointed to the sea and said to me: ‘Do you see the seabirds fighting for food out there? When a wave comes near, the little birds rise quickly. The “clumsy” seagulls (海鸥) are far less agile (灵活的) and have to struggle to get away from the wave. But these “clumsy” birds prove to have the biggest, strongest wings, which open the widest and allow the bird to travel the furthest. When the season changes, they leave for foreign shores, leaving the little birds behind. Son, I have a feeling that you are one of those seagulls.”

56. From the first paragraph, we could conclude the mother ______.
A. knew her son was not bright enough
B. saw the negative effects of the ranking system

C. decided to help with her son’s school work

D. was troubled by her son’s low rankings

57. The mom was glad she didn’t give an answer at first because ______.
　 A. she knew her son would forget his rankings soon
　 B. she felt intelligence doesn’t mean everything
　 C. she knew he was not strong enough for the truth
　 D. she wanted to avoid another blow to her son’s self-respect
58. The story conveys the message that ______.
　 a. only rankings show intelligence
　 b. hard work and confidence can lead to a change in rankings
　 c. parents should see children’s strengths and encourage them
　 d. competition between students is good for society
　 A. bc 　　　　　　 B. cd 　　　　　

C. abc 　　　　　 D. bcd
59. Which of the following would be the best title for the story?
　 A. How important are rankings?
　 B. Little birds and seagulls
　 C. The answer Mom gave
　 D. Hard work pays off!

For a long time, a boy wondered why his next-desk-pal was always the first in the class, whereas he could only rank the 21st.

At home, he asked his mom:“Am I more stupid than other kids? How can I always fall behind? I just can’t come up with an answer.”Mom was aware that her son’s self-respect had been damaged by the ranking system, but she didn’t know what to say to help.

She tended to say that intelligence differs and that yes, her son’s friend really was the smarter boy. But that would so upset her son. Thank goodness she resisted the temptation to say it.

Her son and his friend went on to high school that year, but despite trying as hard as he could, her son’s friend still outdid him. But she was proud of her boy for his hard work, sincerely proud. It was around this time that she decided to take him on a trip to the seaside. On the trip, she at last found an answer for him.

Today her son no longer cares about rankings. He doesn’t have to, for he himself is now the top of the class at the top national university he attends. After university his teachers and peers fully expect him to have a promising career.

Invited to speak to his old high school, he mentioned a valuable childhood experience. It concerned that holiday his mother had prepared for them:“Once, on a trip to the sea, my mother and I were lying on the beach. She pointed to the sea and said to me: Do you see the seabirds fighting for food out there? When a wave comes near, the little birds rise quickly. The clumsy seagulls are far slower and have to struggle to get away from the wave. But these clumsy birds prove to have the biggest, strongest wings, which allow the bird to travel the furthest. When the season changes, they leave for foreign shores, leaving the little birds behind. Son, I have a feeling that you are one of those seagulls. ”

56. The story mainly conveys the message that        .

  A. competition between students is good for society

  B. only rankings show intelligence of a child

  C. parents should build up children’s self-respect

  D. children take competition among them to heart

57. From the 2nd paragraph, we can see that the mother        .

  A. saw the negative effects of the ranking system

  B. decided to help with her son’s homework

  C. knew her son was weak in his study

  D. felt sorry for her son’s bad behavior.

58. We can infer from the passage that        .

  A. the son knew intelligence didn’t mean anything

  B. the mother was not strong enough to face the truth

  C. the mother was careful to protect her son’s self-respect

  D. the son would forget his rankings soon after leaving high school

59.Which of the following has the similar meaning with the underlined word“outdid”?

  A. was equal to                          B. did better than

  C. laughed at                            D. worked harder than

Compassion is a desire within us to help others. With effort, we can translate compassion into actions. An experience last weekend showed me this is true. I work part-time in a supermarket across from a building for the elderly. These old people are our main customers, and it’s not hard to lose patience over their slowness. But last Sunday, one aged gentleman appeared to teach me a valuable lesson. This untidy man walked up to my register (收款机) with a box of biscuits. He said he was out of cash, had just moved into his room, and had nothing in his cupboards. He asked if we could let him have the food on trust. He promised to repay me the next day.

I couldn’t help staring at him. I wondered what kind of person he had been ten or twenty years before, and what he would be like if luck had gone his way. I had a hurt in my heart for this kind of human soul, all alone in the world. I told him that I was sorry, but store rules didn’t allow me to do so. I felt stupid and unkind saying this, but I valued my job.

Just then, another man, standing behind the first, spoke up. If anything, he looked more pitiable. “Charge it to me,” was all he said.

What I had been feeling was pity. Pity is soft and safe and easy. Compassion, on the other hand, is caring in action. I thanked the second man but told him that was not allowed either. Then I reached into my pocket and paid for the biscuits myself. I reached into my pocket because these two men had reached into my heart and taught me compassion.

What does the word “compassion” underlined in Paragraph 1 mean?

A. pity for the sufferings of others

B. feeling or expression of sorrow

C. liking for each other produced in people who have similar opinions or tastes

D. something for which to be thankful

The aged gentleman who wanted to buy the biscuits _____.

A. promised to obey the store rules        

B. forgot to take any money with him

C. hoped to have the food first and pay later

D. could not afford anything more expensive

Which of the following best describes the first old gentleman?

A. kind and lucky            B. poor and lonely

C. friendly and helpful        D. hurt and disappointed

The writer acted upon the store rules because _____.

A. he wanted to keep his present job    

B. he felt no pity for the old gentleman

C. he considered the old man dishonest

D. he expected someone else to pay for the old man

What does the writer learn from his experience?

A. Wealth is more important than anything else.

B. Helping others is easier said than done.

C. Experience is better gained through practice.

D. Obeying the rules means more than compassion.