A TAXI driver taught me a million dollar lesson in customer satisfaction and expectation. Inspiring speakers charge thousands of dollars to give his kind of training to corporate directors and staff.  It cost me only a ＄12 taxi ride.

I had flown into Dallas just for the purpose of calling on a client. Time was important and my plan included a quick turn – around trip from and back to the airport. A clean taxi pulled up.

The driver rushed to open the passenger door for me and made sure I was comfortably seated before he closed the door. As be got in the driver’s seat, he mentioned that the neatly folded Wall Street Journal next to me for my use. He then showed me several tapes and asked me what type of music I would enjoy.

Well! I looked around for a “Candid Camera!” Wouldn’t you? I could not believe the service I was receiving! I took the opportunity to say, “Obviously you take great pride in you work. You must have a story to tell.”

“You bet,” he replied, “I used to be in Corporate America. But I got tired of thinking my best would never be good enough. I decided to find my right position in life, somewhere I could feel proud of being the best I could be.

I knew I would never be a rocket scientist, but I love driving cars, being of service and feeling like I have done a full day’s work and done it well. I evaluated my personal property and, I became a taxi driver!

One thing I know for sure, to be good in my business I jus have to meet the expectations of my passengers. But, to be GREAT in my business, I have to EXEED the customer’s expectations! I like the sound of being ‘great’ better than just being ‘average’. ”

Did I tip him big time? You bet!

 The taxi driver taught me a great life lesson: Go an extra mile when providing any service to others. And there is no good or bad job you can make any job good.

What lesson did the author learn from the taxi driver?

    A．How to make the best use of time.

    B．How to do better in the service business.

    C．How to turn an interest into your career.

    D．How to become a motivational speaker.

Why did the author look around for a “Candid Camera”?

    A．Because he was afraid he would be photographed in the cab.

    B．Because he was worried what the driver could be up to.

    C．Because he was amazed by the way the driver was treating him.

    D．Because he wasn’t interested in the tapes offered by the driver

It can be inferred from the story that          .

    A．the taxi driver couldn’t accept just being average

    B．the author was anxious to get back to meet a client

    C．when the author waited for a taxi at the airport, he was not in a rush

    D．the taxi driver loved to play his favorite music during rides

According to the story, the taxi driver        .

    A．was dissatisfied wit his present job

    B．was once often rewarded for being a model worker

    C．enjoyed offering his customers more than they expected

    D．was forced to become a taxi driver to support his family

They were going to Fort Lauderdale — three boys and three girls — and when they boarded the bus, they were carrying sandwiches and wine in paper bags, dreaming of golden beaches and sea tides as the gray, cold spring of New York went behind them.
As the bus passed through New Jersey, they began to notice Vingo. He sat in front of them, completely in silence.
Deep into the night, outside Washington, the bus pulled into Howard Johnson’s, and everybody got off except Vingo. The young people began to wonder about him. When they went back to the bus, one of the girls sat beside him and introduced herself.
“Want some wine?” she said. He smiled and took a swig from the bottle. He thanked her and became silent again. After a while, she went back to the others, and Vingo nodded in sleep.
In the morning, they awoke outside another Howard Johnson’s, and this time Vingo went in. The girl insisted that he join them. He ordered black coffee and some cookies as the young people talked about sleeping on beaches. When they returned to the bus, the girl sat with Vingo again, and after a while, slowly and painfully, he began to tell his story. He had been in prison in New York for the past four years, and now he was going home.
“Are you married?”
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?” she said.
“Well, when I was in prison I wrote to my wife,” he said, “I told her that I was going to be away for a long time, and that if she couldn’t stand it, if the kids kept asking questions, and if it hurt her too much, well, she could jus forget me. I’d understand. Get a new man, I said — she’s a wonderful woman. I told her she didn’t have to write me. And she didn’t. Not for three and a half years.”
“And you’re going home now, not knowing?”
“Yeah. Well, last week, when I was sure the parole (假释) was coming through, I wrote her again. We used to live in Brunswick, just before Jacksonville, and there’s a big oak (橡树) just as you come into town. I told her that if she didn’t have a new man and if she’d take me back, she should put a yellow handkerchief on the tree, and I’d get off and come home. If she didn’t want me, forget it — no handkerchief and I’d go on through.”
“Wow,” the girl exclaimed, “Wow.”
She told the others, and soon all of them were in it, looking at the pictures Vingo showed them of his wife and three children.
Now they were 20 miles from Brunswick, and the young people took over window seats on the right side, waiting for the approach of the great oak. Vingo stopped looking, tightening his face, as if protecting himself against still another disappointment.
Then Brunswick was ten miles, and then five. Then, suddenly, all of the young people were up out of their seats, shouting and crying.
Vingo sat there astonished, looking at the oak. It was covered with yellow handkerchiefs — 20 of them, 30 of them, maybe hundreds, flying in the wind. As the young people shouted, Vingo slowly rose from his seat and made his way to the front of the bus to go home.
【小题1】At the beginning of the story, the young boys and girls ______.

Carlos Gardel was born on Dec. 11, 1890, just at the right time. The recording and film industries were jus starting to impact the world. Carlos had good looks and a pleasant voice. His death occurred at the peak of his career and popularity in a tragic accident.

Carlos Gardel was the first great singer of tango and to this day remains an icon (崇拜对象) in Argentina, Uruguay and much of the world. As a result of his important role in tango, there are three countries that claim him as their own: France, Uruguay and Argentina.

Carlos’s mother, Berthe, was an unmarried mother and his father did not recognize him. His mother took Carlos to Buenos Aires in 1893. They lived in a poor part of town and Carlos spent his time in the streets; he dropped out of school in 1906 at the age of 15 and started singing in bars.

For the next few years, Carlos toured the clubs and theaters of Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil. His most constant singing partner was Jose Razzano, a folk singer Carlos had met earlier during a singing match. In 1915, after playing in a club in Brazil, Carlos was shot in the left lung, where the bullet stayed for the rest of his life. “Mi Noche Triste” was the hit song that sent Carlos skyrocketing in popularity. It became the first recorded vocal tango and the public was grabbed by the recording of the song. Carlos and Rozzano spent the next years touring through Latin America. In 1923, they left the continent and struck out for Europe. In 1935, Carlos decided to go on tour through the Caribbean and northern South America. On June 24, a plane he was a passenger in was hit by another plane on the runway. Everyone on board was killed.

     Carlos may be gone, but he is far from forgotten.

6. The passage was mainly written to ______.

         A. show us the history of tango                          B. introduce the first singer of tango

         C. teach us how tango developed                      D. advertise a tango class

7. We can infer from the passage that _____.

         A. Carlos lived a poor life with his mother in Buenos Aires

         B. Carlos had only been to France, Uruguay and Argentina

         C. Carlos died at the age of 54.

         D. Carlos was born when the film industry began to fail

8. What’s the RIGHT time order of the following events?

         a. Carlos toured through Latin America.

         b. Carlos was shot after playing in a club in Brazil.

         c. Carlos toured the clubs and theaters of Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil.

         d. Carlos moved to Buenos Aires.

         A. cbad                                 B. dcba                                 C. cabd                                 D. dcab

9. The underlined word “grabbed” in Paragraph 4 can be replaced by _____.

         A. lied                                   B. frightened                      C. cheated                          D. attracted

10. Which of the following statements about Carlos in NOT  true?

         A. His singing partner Jose was his brother.

         B. He is an important figure in the world of tango.

         C. His father did not recognize him

         D. He died in a plane accident.

A TAXI driver taught me a million dollar lesson in customer satisfaction and expectation. Inspiring speakers charge thousands of dollars to give his kind of training to corporate directors and staff.  It cost me only a ＄12 taxi ride.

I had flown into Dallas just for the purpose of calling on a client. Time was important and my plan included a quick turn – around trip from and back to the airport. A clean taxi pulled up.

The driver rushed to open the passenger door for me and made sure I was comfortably seated before he closed the door. As be got in the driver’s seat, he mentioned that the neatly folded Wall Street Journal next to me for my use. He then showed me several tapes and asked me what type of music I would enjoy.

Well! I looked around for a “Candid Camera!” Wouldn’t you? I could not believe the service I was receiving! I took the opportunity to say, “Obviously you take great pride in you work. You must have a story to tell.”

“You bet,” he replied, “I used to be in Corporate America. But I got tired of thinking my best would never be good enough. I decided to find my right position in life, somewhere I could feel proud of being the best I could be.

I knew I would never be a rocket scientist, but I love driving cars, being of service and feeling like I have done a full day’s work and done it well. I evaluated my personal property and, I became a taxi driver!

One thing I know for sure, to be good in my business I jus have to meet the expectations of my passengers. But, to be GREAT in my business, I have to EXEED the customer’s expectations! I like the sound of being ‘great’ better than just being ‘average’. ”

Did I tip him big time? You bet!

 The taxi driver taught me a great life lesson: Go an extra mile when providing any service to others. And there is no good or bad job you can make any job good.

1.What lesson did the author learn from the taxi driver?

    A．How to make the best use of time.

    B．How to do better in the service business.

    C．How to turn an interest into your career.

    D．How to become a motivational speaker.

2.Why did the author look around for a “Candid Camera”?

    A．Because he was afraid he would be photographed in the cab.

    B．Because he was worried what the driver could be up to.

    C．Because he was amazed by the way the driver was treating him.

    D．Because he wasn’t interested in the tapes offered by the driver

3.It can be inferred from the story that          .

    A．the taxi driver couldn’t accept just being average

    B．the author was anxious to get back to meet a client

    C．when the author waited for a taxi at the airport, he was not in a rush

    D．the taxi driver loved to play his favorite music during rides

4.According to the story, the taxi driver        .

    A．was dissatisfied wit his present job

    B．was once often rewarded for being a model worker

    C．enjoyed offering his customers more than they expected

    D．was forced to become a taxi driver to support his family

(C)
Everyone gathered around and Paddy read out loud, skowly, his tone growing sadder and sadder. The little  headline said: BOXER  RECEIVFS LIFF SENTENCE.
Frank Cleary.aged 26,professional baxer. was today found guilty of the murder of Albert  Cumming . aged 32,laborer ,last July. The jury (陪审团)reached its decision after only ten minutes, recommending the most sever punishment the court could give out.It was, said the judge.a simple case. Cummjng and Cleary had quarreled violently at  the Harbour Hotel on July 23rd and police saw Cleary kicking at the head of the unconscious cumming.  When arrested  Cleary was drunk but clear-thinking…
Cleary was sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labour .Asked if he had anything to say , Cleary answered，“Jusr don't tell my mother.”
It happened over three years ago, " Paddy said helplessly.  No one answered him or moved.for no one knew  what to do. "Jus  don't tell my mother. said  Fee numbly. "And no one did!Oh. God! My poor. poor Frank!"
Paddy wiped the tears from his face and said. 'Fee dear, pack your things. We'll go to see him.
She half-rose before sinking back. her eyes in her small white face stared as if dead. "I can't  go . she said without a hint of pain . yet making evcryone feel that the pain was there.  "It would kill him to see me. I know him so well - his pride. his ambition. Let him bear the shame alone.it's what he wants.  We've got to help him keep his secret.  What good will it do him keep his secret what good will it do him to see us? "
Paddy was still weeping. buL not for Frank,  for the life which had gone from Fee's face .for the dying in her eyes. Frank had always brougt bitterness and misfortune ,always stood between Fee and himseLf.  He was the cause of her withdrawal from his hart and the hearts of his children.
Every time it lookcd as if there might be happinegs for Fee . Frank took it away.  But Paddy's love for her was as deep and impossibile to wipe out as hers was for Fiank.
So he said.  " Well,  Fee,  we won't  go  But we must make sure he is taken care of.  How about if l write to Father Jones and ask him to look out for Frank?
The eyes didn't liven .  but a faint pink stole into her cheeks  " Yes.  Paddy.  
Do that .  Only make sure he knows not to tell Frank we found out .Perhaps it would ease Frank to think for certain that we don't know"
51. Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A. Frank was found guilty Of murder because he was a professional boxer.
B. The family didn't find out what happened to Frank until three years later
C. The jury and the judge disagreed on whether Frank had committed murder.
D. Frank didn't want his family to find out what happened because Paddy disliked him.
52. Paddy didn't cry for Frank because he thought
       A. Frank did kill someone and deserved the punishment
B .Frank should have told Fce what had happened
C. what had happened to Frank was killing Fee
D. Frank had always been a man of bad moral character
53. Which of the following suggests that Fee was deeply shocked by what happened to Frank?
A.  " Her eyes in her small white face stared as if dead. "
B.  " Let him bear the shame alone . its what he wants. "
C.  " Every time it looked as if there miLhL be happiness for Fee , Frank took it away "
D.  " The eyes didn't liven .  but a faint pink stole into her cheeks "
54. "She half-rose before sinking back…" (in Paragraph 6) shows that
A. Fee was so heart-broken that she could hardly stand up
B .Fee didn'e want to upset Paddy by visiting Frank
C .Fee couldn't leave her family to go to see Frank
D Fee struggled betwccn wanting to See Frank and respecting his wish
55.  What is Fee's probable relationship with Frank and Paddy?
A Son and brother   B Son and husband
C Brothcr and lover  D Lover and husband