1 . Thomas was a well-known wise man. One day, he wandered in a beautiful small town. Because of his fame, people from nearby towns who heard of his arrival all came to visit and seek his advice.
Many who came sought help with difficulties in daily life, and Thomas, unable to bear turning them away, patiently offered suggestions. Word spread quickly, and more and more people came to see Thomas for guidance.
One day, dozens of people crowded outside Thomas’s door, all clamoring (大声地要求) that their problems were the most serious and urgent, each insisting that Thomas address their concerns first, with no one willing to yield (让步).
After a moment of thought, Thomas took out some paper and a pen and said, “I can’t hear clearly with everyone talking at once. How about everyone write down your problem on a piece of paper and place it in this basket beside me?”
Once everyone had placed their notes in the basket, Thomas shook the basket and said, “Please each take a piece of paper from the basket and read what it says.”
As everyone read a note from someone else, they all realized that indeed, each person has their own troubles, and every household has its own challenges. Then Thomas spoke up, “Now, whose problem is the most urgent to solve?” Hearing that question, no one spoke again, because now no one dared to claim that their problem was the most severe.
Often, we are bound by our immediate feelings. When difficulties and problems strike, it feels as though we are caught in a vortex of pain. But if we shift our focus from ourselves and look towards others, we might discover that the problems we face are not so significant. Perhaps others are the ones who need help more urgently, or maybe there is something within our power that we can do for them.
1. Why did people visit Thomas?A.For advice. | B.For a meeting. |
C.For a competition. | D.For introductions. |
A.He ignored them. | B.He listened to each one individually. |
C.He prioritized the problems himself. | D.He asked them to write down their problems. |
A.The complexity of their difficulties. | B.The similarity of their situations. |
C.Their need for more advice. | D.Their living conditions. |
A.Competition. | B.Sympathy. | C.Prioritization. | D.Self-confidence. |
2 . It was June 15, and in two days I would be turning thirty. I was insecure about entering a new decade of my life and feared that my best years were now behind me.
My daily routine included going to the gym for a workout before going to work. Every morning I would see my friend Nicholas at the gym. He was seventy-nine years old and in terrific shape. As I greeted Nicholas on this particular day, he noticed I wasn’t full of my usual vitality and asked if there was anything wrong. I told him I was feeling anxious about turning thirty. I wondered how I would look back on my life once I reached Nicholas’ sage, so I asked him, “What was the best time of your life?”
Without hesitation, Nicholas replied, “Well, Joe, this is my philosophical answer to your philosophical question.”
“When I was a child in Austria and everything was taken care of for me and I was nurtured by my parents, that was the best time of my life.”
“When I was going to school and learning the things I know today, that was the best time of my life.”
“When I got my first job and had responsibilities and got paid for my efforts, that was the best time of my life.”
“When I met my wife and fell in love, that was the best time of my life.”
“The Second World War came, and my wife and I had to flee Austria to save our lives. When we were together and safe on a ship bound for North America, that was the best time of my life.”
“When we came to Canada and started a family, that was the best time of my life.”
“When I was a young father, watching my children grow up, that was the best time of my life.”
“And now, Joe, I am seventy-nine years old. I have my health, I feel good and I am in love with my wife just as I was when we first met. This is the best time of my life.”
1. Why did the author feel anxious according to the article?A.He would be 30 in two days. |
B.He was worried about getting old. |
C.He didn’t go to the gym to exercise. |
D.Nicholas asked questions he didn’t want to answer. |
A.He spent his childhood with his grandparents in Austria. |
B.He dropped out of school, found a job and got paid. |
C.He took part in the Second World War and met his wife. |
D.He started a family and became a young father in Canada. |
A.Casual. | B.Anxious. | C.Positive. | D.Negative. |
A.Live a day at a time. | B.You get what you pay for. |
C.Every man has his price. | D.Strike while the iron is hot. |
3 . Once there was a farmer with a wife and two sons. He became quite
After some time, his wife died and
So he thought about this for a long time and he
And he called his neighbors and said, “I’m going to
So the neighbors provided them with
Certainly the brothers didn’t want to be robbed of the
So the brothers sat down and one
But the other brother said, “No, I think our father was saying that the
So like all the other
A.rich | B.strong | C.clever | D.busy |
A.hard | B.easy | C.different | D.ordinary |
A.always | B.often | C.never | D.sometimes |
A.also | B.thus | C.ever | D.still |
A.work | B.move | C.study | D.play |
A.healthy | B.sick | C.foolish | D.wise |
A.brothers | B.friends | C.children | D.relatives |
A.showed | B.taught | C.visited | D.called |
A.lost | B.hidden | C.planted | D.put |
A.harvest | B.find | C.buy | D.use |
A.leave | B.travel | C.die | D.disappear |
A.look at | B.look out | C.look after | D.look for |
A.relief | B.money | C.water | D.food |
A.gold | B.silver | C.oil | D.coal |
A.dug | B.piled | C.operated | D.searched |
A.advised | B.asked | C.followed | D.doubted |
A.loved | B.cared | C.understood | D.cheated |
A.gardening | B.fishing | C.building | D.farming |
A.roots | B.stones | C.fields | D.pipes |
A.farmers | B.workers | C.fishers | D.builders |
Are you facing a situation that looks impossible to fix?
In 1969, the pollution was terrible along the Cuyahoga River Cleveland, Ohio. It
But the river wasn’t changed in a few days
Maybe you are facing an impossible situation. Maybe you leave a habit
While there are amazing
5 . There was a gardener who looked after his garden with great care. To water his flowers,he used two buckets(水桶).One was a shiny and new bucket. The other was a very old and dilapidated one,which had seen many years of service,but was now past its best.
Every morning,the gardener would fill up the two buckets. Then he would carry them along the path,one on each side,to the flowerbeds. The new bucket was very proud of itself. It could carry a full bucket of water without a single drop spilled. The old bucket felt very ashamed(惭愧的)because of its holes: before it reached the flowerbeds,much water had leaked(渗漏)along the path.
Sometimes the new bucket would say,"See how capable I am! How good it is that the gardener has me water the flowers every day! I don’t know why he still uses you. What a waste of space you are!"
And all that the old bucket could say was,"I know I am not very useful,but I can only do my best. I am happy that the gardener still finds a little bit of use in me ,at least.’’
One day,the gardener heard that kind of conversation. After watering the flowers as usual,he said,"You both have done your work very well. Now I am going to carry you back,and I want you to look carefully along the path."
Then the two buckets did so. All along the path, they noticed,on the side where the new bucket was carried,there was just bare earth;on the other side where the old bucket was carried,there was a joyous row of wild flowers,leading all the way to the garden.
1. What was the old bucket ashamed of?A.Its past. | B.Its aging. | C.Its manner. | D.Its leaking. |
A.Dirty. | B.Dark. | C.Worn out. | D.Ordinary-looking. |
A.take pity on the old one | B.laugh at the old one |
C.show off its good look | D.praise the gardener's kindness |
A.Because it was used to keep a balance. |
B.Because it stayed in its best condition. |
C.Because it had its own advantage. |
D.Because it was thought of as a treasure. |