题目内容
B. contradictory
C. contemporary
D. conventional
One day in my class,Maria shared her feelings about money,“Money worries me.I think I want to live without money because I hate it.I HATE MONEY.”We were all touched by Maria's words as they reminded us of the spiritual burdens that money managing can bring to us.After class I offered to help Maria deal with her financial problems.She hesitated to accept my offer,and I could see from the expression on her face that she was afraid of what it might involve.I quickly promised her that I wouldn't make her do more than she was able to.I told her frankly that I didn't enjoy managing my money any more than she did hers and wouldn't burden her with guilt,judgments,or impossible tasks.All I would ask her to do was to let me help her look at her fears and try to make some sense of them.
Maria still resisted my offer,and I can remember the excuses she gave me as they were the repeated complaints I had heard from so many people.“I'll never understand money,”she said.“My facts are meaningless.”“I don't deserve to have money.”“I never have enough.”“I have too little to manage.”“My financial position isn't worth looking at.”and the most devastating one of all,“I just can't do it.”
Going home that day,I couldn't get Maria out of my mind:her attitude conveyed the same negativity and fear that I believed annoyed many people.I was sure it was this attitude that prevented people from managing their money effectively.My counseling(咨询)has taught me that these anxieties are inseparably connected to our selfdoubts and fear for survival.Many of us are terrified of handling our money because we don't believe we can do it well,and to do it wrong would put our very existence at risk.
On a deeper level we know that money is not the source of life,but sense of worth drives us to act as if it were.It locks us up in selfdoubts and prevents us from tapping into the true source of our management power,our spirit.
【小题1】The underlined word“devastating”in Paragraph 2 probably means ________.
| A.convincing | B.interesting | C.shocking | D.valuable |
| A.in the same financial trouble | B.in the same financial condition |
| C.of the same family background | D.of the same feeling over the issue |
| A.overcome her fears | B.make wise decisions |
| C.avoid making mistakes | D.learn the necessary skills |
| A.being forced to share her money with others |
| B.having to do something beyond her reach |
| C.being found guilty of making impossible errors |
| D.showing her judgment about money |
| A.life | B.values | C.spirit | D.power |
The first time I saw Carlos I would never have believed he was going to change my life.I had my arms full of books and I was rushing into the classroom when 1 ran into something solid. It was Carlos.
"My... you're tall," he said. The whole class burst out laughing .
“Take that seat,” Mr. McCarthy told the cocky(骄傲自大的) newcomer Carlos,pointing to the only empty one , in the back of the room.
Carlos laughed widely. "But I need a couple of dictionaries."
The bell rang for classes. As I stood up to go, I saw Carlos coming toward me. "I'm sorry I embarrassed you," he said . I looked straight ahead over the top of his black hair. "That's all right."
"I ought to know better." He was still blocking my way. "What's your name?" "Karen Forbes." He held out his hand. Unwillingly, I shook hands with him. He looked up at me seriously with his brown eyes. " I am Carlos . I don't see why you're so touchy."
It was the school elections that made me think of Carlos again. Carlos was voted vice-president.“How come ?”I kept asking myself, "How come this shrimp(虾)who’s only been in town for a little over a month gets to be so popular?"
So on that morning,I stopped Carlos and said,“It doesn't seem to bother you — being short.” He looked up at me, "Of course I mind being short.But there isn’t anything I can do about it. When I realized I was going to have to spend my life in this undersized skin, I just decided to make the best of it and concentrate on being myself." "You seem to get along great,” I admitted, "But what about me? The trouble with you is you’re afraid to be yourself. You’re smart. And you could be pretty. In fact, you might be more than pretty.” I felt myself turning red…
【小题1】It is a story about a short boy who .
| A.won the school election | B.is ashamed of his height |
| C.has learned to accept his size | D.is embarrassed by his class |
| A.handsome and proud | B.humorous and confident |
| C.diligent but shy | D.honest but sensitive |
| A.moved | B.cheerful | C.curious | D.annoyed |
| A.The author didn’t want to make friends with Carlos |
| B.Carlos and the author argued with each other. |
| C.The author changed her attitude towards Carlos. |
| D.Carlos was elected president of the student committee. |