Henry once worked in a middle school in a remote area. He loved to teach the teenagers. He worked to understand what his students were thinking and feeling in order to meet their needs. When a student was struggling, he would work harder to show the child that he or she was capable and cared for. He would try everything in order to help every student achieve success in and out of the classroom. But he would never discover that the effect his small act of kindness had on one student after he left the profession to join the navy.
Henry was teaching science then, there was one girl who sat at the front of the class and was filled with normal middle school pain and anxiety. Her name was Mary. She was a new-comer then. She wasn’t accepted by the classmates that soon. She was quiet and kept to herself and always writing a journal during lessons. Henry was looking for a chance to give her a hand but had realized this task was tough.
That class Henry decided to look over her shoulder and see what she was writing. On a small piece of paper, he saw the painful words “I am not good enough. I’m ugly. I’m stupid. No one likes me. I hate myself.” The girl was absorbed in her loneliness and sadness and didn’t realize she was overseen (监督).
This task was more challenging because he had never seen a young girl was so disappointed and sad. Great teachers knew that putting extra effort, a kind heart and soul into caring for his students made all the difference. Without thinking Henry snatched (一把抓起) the notebook from her and started writing in it “You’re great. You’re beautiful. You’re intelligent. You’re loved.” The opposite of everything she wrote, then handed it back. He smiled at her with encouragement, saying nothing.
Mary was surprised at her teacher’s behavior. But when she read the words he wrote, tears welled down her face.
Several weeks later, Henry had to left the school to join the navy.
Several years later, when Henry was walking, a woman asked him whether he remembered her.
| A．Henry made his dream come true. As it happened, a teacher who lived near Henry’s home resigned. The school needed someone to help teach students. Henry realized it was time to take action. He began work as a teacher’s assistant in a third grade class, helping children with spelling and grading papers. He spent a lot of time with the students, playing games and singing songs with them. As a result, all the students like getting along with him. |
| B．Before he left, he had found that Mary slowly started opening up to her classmates. He was happy to see the changes but he didn’t think too much of it. He hoped that his words could help the girl become more outgoing and confident. However, what made him disappointed was that he couldn’t see more changes from Mary from then on. |
| C．Henry was doing his routine when he heard an unexpected knock. It was Mary with a plate covered with plastic wrap. Henry smile with enthusiasm and opened the door with an excited greeting. Mary presented the plate and said, “I brought biscuits made from my grandmother’s recipe to thank you for helping my study.” Henry happily accepted the gifts and has become a good friend of Mary since then. |
| D．In front of him was a young lady, who looked sunny and confident. When he was reminded that she was a student in the middle school where he worked, Henry thought of her name. Mary told Henry that she had graduated from the university and was serving in the navy, too. It was Henry’s small act of encouragement in the class years ago that continued to have a big effect on Mary. Henry felt proud that he had done something good. |
A funny thing happened to Arthur when he was on the way to work one day. As he walked along Park Avenue near the First National Bank, he heard the sound of someone trying to start a car. He tried again and again but couldn’t get the car moving. Arthur turned and looked inside at the face of a young man who looked worried. Arthur stopped and asked. “It looks like you’ve got a problem,” Arthur said.
“I’m afraid so. I’m in a big hurry and I can’t start my car.”
“Is there something I can do to help?” Arthur asked. The young man looked at the two suitcases in the back seat and then said, “Thanks. If you’re sure it wouldn’t be too much trouble, you could help me get these suitcases into a taxi.”
“No trouble at all. I’d be glad to help.”
The young man got out and took one of the suitcases from the back seat. After placing it on the ground, he turned to get the other one. Just as Arthur picked up the first suitcase and started walking, he heard the long loud noise of an alarm.
It was from the bank. There had been a robbery!
Park Avenue had been quiet a moment before. Now the air was filled with the sound of the alarm and the shouts of people running from all directions. Cars stopped and the passengers joined the crowd in front of the bank. People asked each other, “What happened?” But everyone had a different answer.
Arthur, still carrying the suitcase, turned to look at the bank and walked right into the young woman in front of him.
She looked at the suitcase and then at him. Arthur was surprised. “Why is she looking at me like that?” He thought. “The suitcase! She thinks I am the bank thief!”
Arthur looked around at the crowd of people. He became frightened, and without another thought, he started to run.
As he was running, Arthur heard the young man shouting behind, “Stop, stop!”
The taxi stopped in front of the police station and Arthur
| A．So scared was Arthur that he ran faster with that suitcase. He continued to rush among the people and the cars with the purpose of handing in the suicase to the policeman no matter how hard the young man shouted to him behind. Just at this moment he saw a taxi and jumped into it. Nervously, he told the driver the young man shouting behind was a bank thief and asked him to drive to the nearest police station. The driver followed what Arthur said and drove away quickly. |
| B．Zarina found it interesting to see her mother at work. “It’s really strange seeing Mum at work-running around, getting serious and telling people what to do.” She has always liked this idea of going into law and thinks it likely that she will follow in her mother’s footsteps. Having a chance to see how her mother works has given her more self-confidence. |
| C．Avoiding a handshake may have been considered impolite a couple of years ago, but it is now getting more and more common, especially because of the outbreak of COVID-19. |
| D．jumped off with the suitcase, running to the police office. He handed it to a policeman and reported what had happened on the Park Avenue. Arthur insisted that the suitcase be opened to make sure the money in it was not lost. Much to Arthur’s surprise, there was no money except some clothes and many books. Immediately, Arthur realized that he mistook the young man for the bank thief. Arthur felt embarrassed but quite relieved. What a funny thing it was for Arthur! |
