A Lesson from the Elder

Grandfather was an elder Cherokee Native American who had a wrinkled, nut brown face and kind dark eyes. His grandson often came in the evening to sit on his knee and asked the many questions that children would ask.

One day the grandson came to his grandfather with a look of anger on his face and the following story. “Father and I went to the store today and because I helped him, he bought me a present---a jack-knife. I went outside to wait for father and to admire my new knife in the sunlight. Some town boys came by and saw me. They surrounded me and started saying bad things. They called me dirty and stupid and said that I should not have such a fine knife. The largest of these boys pushed me back and I fell over one of the other boys. I dropped my knife and one of them picked it up and they all ran away laughing. I hate them. I hate them all."

The elder Cherokee, with eyes that had seen too much, lifted his grandson's face so his eyes looked into the boy's face. Grandfather said, "Let me tell you a story. I, too, at times, have felt a great hate for those who have taken so much with no sorrow for what they do. But hate wears you down and does not hurt your enemy. It is like drinking poison and wishing your enemy would die. I have struggled with these feelings many times. It is as if two wolves are inside me.... It is a terrible fight.

One wolf is good and does no harm. He lives in harmony with all around him and does not take offense when no offense was intended. It will only fight when it is right to do so and in the right way. This wolf stands for joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, modesty, kindness, friendship, sympathy, generosity, truth, and faith.

The other wolf is full of anger. The least thing will set off his fiercest temper. He fights everyone, all the time, for no reason. He cannot think because his anger and hate are so much. It is helpless anger, for his anger will change nothing. This wolf represents fear, envy, greed, self-pity, guilt, lies, false pride and superiority.

Sometimes, it is hard to live with these two wolves inside me for both of them try to control my spirit. This same fight is going on inside you and inside every other person too.”

The boy looked into his grandfather's eyes and asked, "Which wolf will win?" The old Cherokee simply replied.... "The one you feed."

1.The boy was angry because __________.

A. he was not satisfied with his present

his back was badly injured in a fight

he had waited for his father for too long

his jack-knife had been taken away by some boys

2.How does the good wolf do things in the story?

A. He never fights against others.

B. He tries to get on well with others.

C. It is hard for him to live with other wolves.

D. Sometimes he had a terrible fight because some one hit him.

3.We can learn from the third paragraph that _________.

A.  “hate” is healthy

B.  “hate” hurts oneself

C.  “hate” is complicated

D.  “hate” harms one’s enemies

4.What did Grandfather mean by saying "The one you feed" in the last paragraph?

A. We should feed the two wolves equally.

B. Living in harmony with others is important.

C. Our feelings should be expressed at the right time.

D. The choices we make determine who we will become.

Choose the words or expressions and complete the passage
Exam time is the most stressful (最有压力的) period of the year. You’ve worked all the term on your classes and now it’s the time to prove what you have learned. With so much at stake, it is easy to get stressed about your exams. However, with the right amount or hard work and focus you can pass your tests    1!
When I was in school, I used to get very stressed over my examinations. So did my friends. Some people stopped eating and others ate too much! Some     2 and others burned themselves out! The most important thing to remember when studying is not to panic! Take the middle path---stay calm, eat healthy food and get your rest. Stressing out and _3___yourself too hard is just as dangerous as not studying enough. A tired, overworked brain is just as useless as a stupid, empty one!
So, what do you do? Set aside a time each day for study and a time For __4 . You may have less time to relax than usual, but you still need to let your brain rest for a few moments. Get plenty of sleep. If you are_ 5  , information will not stick in your memory. Finally, eat healthy food that fuels your body and mind.
It does no good to look at your exams like the rest of your life   6  them. Instead, just view them as another obstacle (障碍物) you will overcome. You have overcome all kinds of obstacles in your life so far. With the right amount of work and focus, you will pass your examinations with flying colors! High school is right around the corner.