70.It can be inferred from the passage that praise gladdens _______ .

    A.the heart of the giver                 B.the heart of the receiver

    C.the heart of the investor            D.the hearts of the givers

E

IS THERE LIFE ON EARTH

   There was great excitement on the planet of Venus this week. For the first time Venusian scientists managed to land a satellite on the planet Earth, and it has been sending back signals as well as photographs ever since.

    The satellite was directed into an area known as Manhattan (named after the great Venusian astronomer Prof. Manhattan, who first discovered it with his telescope 20,000 light years ago).

    Because of excellent weather conditions and extremely strong signals, Venusian scientists were able to get valuable information as to the feasibility(可行性)of a manned flying saucer landing on Earth. A press conference was held at the Venus Institute of Technology.

    “We have come to the conclusion, based on last week’s satellite landing,” Pro. Zog said, “that there is no life on the Earth.”

    “How do you know this?” the science reporter of the Venus Evening Star asked.

    “For one thing, Earth’s surface in the area of Manhattan is composed of solid concrete(混凝土) and nothing can grow there. For another, the atmosphere is filled with carbon monoxide(一氧化碳) and other deadly gases and nobody could possibly breathe this air and survive.”

    “What does this mean as far as our flying saucer program is concerned?”

    “We shall have to take our own oxygen with us, which means a much heavier flying saucer than we originally planned.”

    “Are there any other hazards that you discovered in your studies?”

    “Take a look at this photo. You see this dark black cloud hovering over the surface of Earth? We call this the Consolidated Edison Belt. We don’t know what it is made of, but it could give us a lot of trouble and we shall have to make further tests before we send a Venus Being there.”

    “If what you say is true, won’t this set back the flying saucer program several years?”

    “Yes, but we shall proceed as soon as the Grubstart gives us the added funds.”

    “Prof. Zog, why are we spending billions and billions of zilches to land a flying saucer on Earth when there is no life there?”

    “Because if we Venusians can learn to breathe in an Earth atmosphere, then we can live anywhere.”

66.According to paragraph 2, most of the Continental people are _________ .

    A.honest people                           B.criminals  

    C.either criminals or honest people      D.neither criminals nor honest people

D

  It was the end of my exhausting first day as waitress in a busy New York restaurant. My cap had gone awry, my apron was stained, my feet ached. The loaded trays I carried felt heavier and heavier. Weary and discouraged, I didn’t seem able to do anything right. As I made out a complicated check for a family with several children who had changed their ice-cream order a dozen times, I was ready to quit.

    Then the father smiled at me as he handed me my tip. “Well done,” he said. “You’ve looked after us really well.”

    Suddenly my tiredness vanished. I smiled back, and later, when the manager asked me how I’d liked my first day, I said, “Fine!” Those few words of praise had changed everything.

    Praise is like sunlight to the human spirit; we cannot flower and grow without it. And yet, while most of us are only too ready to apply to others the cold wind of criticism, we are somehow reluctant to give our fellows the warm sunshine of praise.

    Why - when one word can bring such pleasure? A friend of mine who travels widely always tries to learn a little of the language of any place she visits. She’s not much of a linguist, but she does know how to say one word - “beautiful” - in several languages. She can use it to a mother holding her baby, or to a lonely salesman fishing out pictures of his family. The ability has earned her friends all over the world.

    It’s strange how chary (谨慎小心的) we are about praising. Perhaps it’s because few of us know how to accept compliments gracefully. Instead, we are embarrassed and shrug off the words we are really so glad to hear. Because of this defensive reaction, direct compliments are surprisingly difficult to give. That is why some of the most valued pats on the back are those which come to us indirectly, in a letter or passed on by a friend. When one thinks of the speed with which spiteful (恶意的) remarks are conveyed (传达), it seems a pity that there isn’t more effort to relay pleasing and flattering comments.

    It’s especially rewarding to give praise in areas in which effort generally goes unnoticed or unmentioned. An artist gets complimented for a glorious picture, a cook for a perfect meal. But do you ever tell your laundry (洗衣店) manager how pleased you are when the shirts are done just right? Do you ever praise your paper boy for getting the paper to you on time 365 days a year?

    To give praise costs the giver nothing but a moment’s thought and a moment’s effort - perhaps a quick phone call to pass on a compliment, or five minutes spent writing an appreciative letter. It is such a small investment - and yet consider the results it may produce. “I can live for two months on a good compliment,” said Mark Twain.

    So, let’s be alert to the small excellences around us - and comment on them. We will not only bring joy into other people’s lives, but also, very often, added happiness into our own.

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