A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack(裂缝) in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master’s house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.
This went on daily. The perfect pot was proud of its accomplishment. Of course, the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection. After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream.
“I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologise to you.”
“Why?” asked the bearer. “What are you ashamed of?”
“I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back. And you do no get full value for your efforts” the pot explained.
The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, “As we return to the master’s house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path.”
As they went up the hill, the cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it a little.
The bearer said, “Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot’s side?” That is because I have known about you, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walked back from the stream, you have watered them. For two years, I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master’s table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house.”
【小题1】Why did the cracked pot feel ashamed?

A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack(裂缝) in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master’s house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

This went on daily. The perfect pot was proud of its accomplishment. Of course, the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection. After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream.

         “I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologise to you.”

         “Why?” asked the bearer. “What are you ashamed of?”

         “I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back. And you do no get full value for your efforts” the pot explained.

         The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, “As we return to the master’s house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path.”

         As they went up the hill, the cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it a little.

The bearer said, “Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot’s side?” That is because I have known about you, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walked back from the stream, you have watered them. For two years, I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master’s table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house.”

1.Why did the cracked pot feel ashamed?

         A．Because it didn’t hold water.

         B．Because the water bearer didn’t like it.

         C．It couldn’t water the flowers well.

         D．Because it could only accomplish half of its load.

2.How would the cracked pot feel at the end of the story?

         A．Delighted with itself.          B．Disappointed with itself.

         C．Prouder than the other pot.      D．Still ashamed of itself.

3.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

         A．There were flowers on both sides of the path.

         B．The cracked pot was more useful than the perfect one.

         C．We sometimes don’t have to mind too much the way we are.

         D．The water bearer preferred the perfect pot to the cracked one.

A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack(裂缝) in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master’s house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

This went on daily. The perfect pot was proud of its accomplishment. Of course, the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection. After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream.

　 “I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologise to you.”

　 “Why?” asked the bearer. “What are you ashamed of?”

　 “I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back. And youdo no get full value for y our efforts” the pot explained.

　 The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, “As we return to the master’s house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path.”

　 As they went up the hill, the cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it a little.

The bearer said, “Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot’s side?” That is because I have known about you, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walked back from the stream, you have watered them. For two years, I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master’s table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house.”

1．Why did the cracked pot feel ashamed?

　 A．Because it didn’t hold water.

　 B．Because the water bearer didn’t like it.

　 C．It couldn’t water the flowers well.

　 D．Because it could only accomplish half of its load.

2．How would the cracked pot feel at the end of the story?

　 A．Delighted with itself.　　　 B．Disappointed with itself.

　 C．Prouder than the other pot. D．Still ashamed of itself.

3．Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

　 A．There were flowers on both sides of the path.

　 B．The cracked pot was more useful than the perfect one.

　 C．We sometimes don’t have to mind too much the way we are.

　 D．The water bearer preferred the perfect pot to the cracked one.

4．Which of the following proverbs can best go with this passage?

　 A．Every dog has his day.　　　 B．Every man has his price.

　 C．Every picture tells a story. D．Who laughs last is the best.

Mikio Tanaka is a devoted father----and prove it by taking three months off to care for his baby boy. That makes Tanaka __36__ of a revolutionary in Japan, where men are __37__ known for working long hours and __38__ in the bars with clients than mixing baby milk and changing diapers (尿布).

“It was __39__, but it was also a lot of fun,” Tanaka said, sitting __40__ the living room floor with his 4-month-old son, Daiki, __41__ on his back. “ I saw the first time he __42__. It was a great experience.”

Tanaka, 31, is one of a __43__ number of fathers in Japan who are taking a bigger __44__ inside the home. Men are a __45__ sight with kids at parks and zoos at weekends, though often __46__ yawning. Books and magazines __47__ fathers on how to play with and care for their kids. For Japan’s __48__ housewives, the changing is too late. In Tanaka’s case, his wife, Ayako, 28, was __49__ to take a full year of leave , for she was a school teacher.

__50__ for Tanaka, a department chief at his company had taken the __51__ leave a few years before, so his plan to __52__ three months unpaid leave was not a total shock to his __53__. Ayako took three months off for Daiki, then it was Tanaka’s __54__ when she went back to work. Daiki started day care full-time at __55__ month. Tanaka said at that time he was able to work again.

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