While I was having dinner with a well-known author and lecturer, our conversation drifted to money. “I have enough money,” he told me casually. “I don’t need any more money.”
“Of course you can say that,” I thought to myself. “You get fifteen thousand dollars for a lecture.”
Then I caught my thought process, and pondered(仔细考虑)more deeply on his statement. Is he satisfied because he has a lot of money, or does he have a lot of money because he chooses to be satisfied?
I know people with more money than this man, and they still don’t have enough. And I know people with very little money, and they always have enough. So is enoughness something that happens to us when we reach a certain level, or is it an experience we can choose and celebrate at any time?
My friends Adrian and Carey live in a humble cottage in the rainforest. They have quite a modest income, no telephone, and they walk around naked most of the time. I think they are the happiest people I know. They wake up with the sun, love each other very much, and welcome guests with a full and open heart. They appreciate every moment of their lives, have no distraction games going, and are not waiting for the big break around the corner. When I am with them, the predominant(主要的)feeling I have is, “It’s all right here—why would anyone want anything more?”
Ram Dass used to say, “There are three kinds of people in the world: those who say, ‘Too much!’; those who say, ‘Not enough!’; and those who say, “Ah, just right!’”; Since “too much” of one thing implies “not enough” of another, there are really only two approaches to life: lack or contentment.
【小题1】From the first paragraph, we can infer that the lecturer ___________.
| A.was living a happy life | B.was careless about his money |
| C.was satisfied with his life | D.was rich enough to live a happy life |
| A.it’s money that is of importance | B.it’s not money but the attitude that matters |
| C.we don’t have to have much money | D.we won’t have enough money in life |
| A.They have no guests. | B.They have all they want. |
| C.They live a very hard life. | D.They live a very happy life. |
| A.not enough or too much | B.lack or too much |
| C.lack or contentment | D.just right or enough |
| A.Nothing is better than a contented mind. |
| B.Where there is a will, there is a way. |
| C.Practice makes perfect. |
| D.Better late than never. |
Green is an important color in nature. It is the color of grass and the leaves on trees. It is also the color of most growing plants. ![]()
Sometimes, the word green means young, fresh and growing. Sometimes, it describes something that is not yet ripe(成熟) or finished. For example, a greenhorn is someone who has no experience, who is new to a situation. In the fifteenth century, a greenhorn was a young cow or ox whose horns(角) had not yet developed. A century or so later, a greenhorn was a soldier who had not yet had any experience in battle. By the eighteenth century, a greenhorn had the meaning it has today—a person who is new in a job.
Someone who has the ability to grow plants well is said to have a green thumb. The expression comes from the early nineteen hundreds. A person with a green thumb seems to have a magic touch that makes plants grow quickly and well. You might say that the woman next door has a green thumb if her garden continues to grow long after your plants have died.
The Green Revolution is the name given some years ago to the development of new kinds of rice and other grains. The new plants produced much larger crops. The Green Revolution was the result of hard work by agricultural scientists who had green thumbs.
Green is also the color used to describe the powerful feeling, jealousy(嫉妒). The green-eyed monster is not a frightening creature from outer space. It is an expression used about four hundred years ago by British writer William Shakespeare in his play “Othello”. It describes the unpleasant feeling a person has when someone has something he wants. A young man may suffer from the green-eyed monster if his girlfriend begins going out with someone else. Or, that green-eyed monster may affect your friend if you get a pay rise and she does not.
【小题1】Greenhorn now refers to ____.
| A.a person who is new in a job | B.a new solider | C.a young horse | D.a thumb |
| A.whose garden is greener than others’ | B.whose thumbs are in green color |
| C.who is good at growing plants | D.who is younger than his neighbors |
| A.colors | B.language | C.politics | D.agriculture |
| A.In about the 16th century, a greenhorn meant an experienced soldier |
| B.The Green Revolution may have some connection with green thumbs |
| C.The green-eyed monster was probably created by William Shakespeare |
| D.The green-eyed monster can be used to describe a person who is jealous |
Milan, the second largest city of Italy, has won an undesirable world record. Of the 54 big cities studied by the World Health Organization and the United Nations, Milan is considered to have the worst air pollution. According to these two10-year studies, the level of air pollution in Milan is twice as high as the levels in Paris and Beijing and three times those in Tokyo and London, and four times that in New York. The reason for Milan's bad pollution, to some experts, is that the city lies in a valley that holds back the poisonous gases. Though Milan has taken some measures to lower the level of pollution, the situation is still worrying. People joke to each other, "If you are traveling to Milan, be sure to bring your gas mask." In order to reduce the use of private cars, in 1979, the government in Milan began an interesting experiment: passengers in the city buses did not have to pay for their tickets.
【小题1】Which of the following statements is NOT mentioned in the text?
| A.Milan's air is considered to be worst polluted in Europe. |
| B.Experts think that the air in Milan is badly polluted. |
| C.The reason for the air pollution in Milan. |
| D.Measures have been taken by Milan to reduce the air pollution. |
| A.London. | B.Tokyo. |
| C.New York. | D.Paris. |
| A.Because too many cars are being driven in the city every day. |
| B.Because the city lies in a place where there are some mountains near it. |
| C.Because Milan has taken some measures to encourage people to buy private cars. |
| D.Because the city lies in a place where it is difficult for polluted air to move away. |
| A.Milan has taken some measures and the air pollution is being reduced. |
| B.Milan has taken some action, but the air pollution is still troublesome. |
| C.Milan has made no effort so far to lower the level of pollution. |
| D.Milan will taken every step to reduce the air pollution |