1 . Standing on the shore of a lake. I can’t help but marvel at the tens or hundreds of thousands of small rocks that surround my boots. They were all created from hard surfaces, their edges softening over time.
And I wonder, can we learn from a pile of rocks?
Even the tallest mountains have worn down; none are as tall as they were 1.000 years ago. And much like a rock, I’ve found my attitude has softened and my desire to better understand others has expanded with each trip around the sun.
Once I too was a sharp rock covered in pointy edges. Today, after decades of the waters of life coursing over me, my edges are softer and more understanding. I’m less likely to judge and more interested in learning how we can exist together.
But I’m not a rock. I’m a human being filled with all the drama built into my DNA.
Two years ago, while traveling in the Pacific Northwest, I watched a restaurant owner ask several people to leave for not wearing masks. Not forceful and not rude. On the door read a sign: “Please wear a mask before entering our restaurant. We don’t like it either, but let’s all do what we can to get through this together.”
The group of young men wished to argue about the note.
I sat watching, understanding both sides. I’ve been those guys before, using my youthful edges to chip away at the world. What I lost, however, was the ability to grow from experiences by looking through the eyes of others. In learning to be more open, I’ve also found more happiness and success.
You can fit more rounded rocks in a jar than those with sharp edges. The former look for ways to adjust and make room for others; the latter never give an inch to accommodate others.
Time, like the waters rolling against once sharp stones, changes us by washing away our resistance to seeing the world from another’s point of view.
I placed a rounded stone into my jacket pocket. Mother Nature is holding class again.
1. What does the author compare the rocks to?| A．People’s abilities. | B．People’s personalities. |
| C．What nature offers us. | D．Challenges we come across. |
| A．They were dissatisfied with the owner’s attitude to them. |
| B．They were unwilling to do what the owner wished them to. |
| C．They intended to skip out on the bill due to the poor service. |
| D．They were not allowed to leave the restaurant for their rudeness. |
| A．We should adjust to new conditions. |
| B．Be brave when in the face of difficulties in life. |
| C．It’s necessary to consider the feelings of others. |
| D．Being open and understanding brings you more happiness. |
| A．Changing with Time | B．Learning from Nature |
| C．Growing from Experiences | D．Seeing from a Different Angle |
2 . It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you’re eager for, and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s desire.
It doesn’t interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dream, for the adventure of being alive.
It doesn’t interest me what planets are squaring your moon. I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow, if you have been opened by life’s betrayals(背叛) or have become depressed and closed from fear of further pain! I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own, without moving to hide it or fade it, or fix it. I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own, if you can dance with wildness and let the wild joy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without warning us to be careful, to be realistic, to remember the limitations of being human.
It doesn’t interest me if the story you are telling me is true. I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself; if you can bear the scolding of betrayal and not betray your own soul; if you can be faithless and therefore trustworthy. I want to know if you can see beauty even when it’s not pretty every day, and if you can gain your own life from its presence. I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine, and still stand on the edge of the lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, “___________” while failed.
It doesn’t interest me to know where you live or how much money you have. I want to know if you can get up, after the night of sorrow and despair, tired and hurt to the bone, and do what needs to be done to feed the children.
It doesn’t interest me who you know or how you came here. I want to know if you will stand in the center of the fire with me and not shrink(退缩) back.
It doesn’t interest me where or what or with whom you have studied. I want to know what makes you continue from the inside when all else is away. I want to know if you can be alone with yourself, and if you truly like the company(伙伴) you keep in the empty moments.
1. The author repeats the sentence “It doesn’t interest me...” to________.| A．arouse interest and emphasize his opinion | B．present his opinions one after another |
| C．show his disinterest in others’ life attitude | D．display his excellent writing skills |
| A．No, it’s not fair. | B．No, it can’t be true. |
| C．Yes, I can! | D．Yes, nothing is impossible! |
| A．Even if you’re laughed at, you’ll explore the possibilities of life. |
| B．Even if you suffer a lot, you can live with suffering and still enjoy life. |
| C．Even if you are betrayed, you still like the company you have kept. |
| D．Even if you experience pain and sorrow, you still bear your responsibilities. |
