1 . I was cutting up lettuce (生菜) in the kitchen when I suddenly remembered watching a video about putting the lettuce stub (残余部分) in water to grow a whole new vegetable. So I took out a wide-mouthed mug (大杯) and placed the stub into it, gave it a little water, and placed it by the window.
On a snowy morning, I noticed the first sign. A first small leaf from its heart spread out. A tiny green flag of hope. Beaten, but not defeated. Within days, it was impossible to see the cuts where I had removed the leaves. The growth was explosive. And when I lifted the blossoming head out of the mug, tiny root threads fell down, seeking for the earth. What is growing here? Lettuce or hope?
If I were a lettuce in a similar condition, I’d want to doubtfully assess where I found myself before being devoted to full growth. Yet for this lettuce, my inadequate offering of water and a place by a window was enough for it to decide to reclaim itself again. It grew in a mug of water, in faith. This is the heart of this lettuce: alive, strong and fearless. It deserved a name. I decided to call it Monty.
Monty wanted to grow, as we all do. I think I gave him a little love and freedom. Those two ingredients were all he needed to return to himself. I see joy in this lettuce. The return to self is always an expression of joy, which is life itself. With the right ingredients, this is the tendency of all living things.
Monty still lives in a mug, but I’m going to transplant him outside. He deserves to become his full self. The only problem I see now is my capacity to support Monty. I hope I have enough of a green finger.
I’m surprised to find myself where I am. Maybe Monty is, too. I have the same choice as he does: give in and decay (腐烂), or start again. The prospect of starting again is discouraging. But my lettuce-friend, Monty, leads the way. I can only hope to be as brave.
1. Why did the author put the stub in water?| A．To hope that it would grow. | B．To decorate the nice mug. |
| C．To conduct an experiment. | D．To remove his bad mood. |
| A．The remaining stub. | B．The small leaf. |
| C．The disappearing cuts. | D．The tiny root threads. |
| A．Hesitant. | B．Fearless. | C．Confident. | D．Annoyed. |
| A．Enjoy your own life to the fullest. | B．Believe in yourself when in trouble. |
| C．Never be afraid to restart yourself. | D．Give freedom to the heart in a way. |
2 . Life comes in a package. This package includes happiness and sorrow, success and failure, hope and despair (绝望). Life is a learning process.
Love
Love plays a key role in our life. Love makes you feel needed. Without love a person could die and also become cruel and angry. In the early stage of our life, our parents are the ones who shower us with unconditional love and care, and they teach us about what is right and wrong, good and bad.
Happiness and Sorrow
Materialistic happiness is short-lived，but happiness achieved by bringing smiles on others，faces gives a certain level of fulfillment (满足感).
Success and Failure
Failure is the path to success. It helps us to touch the sky, teaches us to survive (生存) and shows us a specific way. Success brings in money, fame, pride and self-respect.
Hope is what keeps life going. Parents always hope their children will do well. Hope makes us dream. Hope builds in patience. Life teaches us not to despair even in the darkest hour, because after every night there is a day. Nothing remains the same. We have only one choice — keep moving on in life and be hopeful.
Life teaches us not to regret over yesterday, for it has passed and is beyond our control. Tomorrow is unknown, for it could either be bright or dull.
| A．Love and Care |
| B．Hope and Despair |
| C．But we always take this for granted |
| D．Success is a constant theme of humankind |
| E．Peace of mind is the main link to happiness |
| F．Experiences in life teach us new lessons and make us a better person |
| G．So the only choice is to work hard today, so that we will enjoy a better tomorrow |
3 . A few years ago, I took a sightseeing trip to Washington D. C.. I saw many of our nation’s treasures, and I also saw a lot of unfortunate people like beggars and homeless folks in the streets.
Standing outside the Ronald Reagan Center, I heard a voice say, "Can you help me?" When I turned around, I saw an elderly blind woman with her hand extended. In a natural reaction, I reached into my pocket, pulled out all of my loose change and placed it in her hand. I didn’t even look at her. I was annoyed at being bothered by a beggar.
But the blind woman smiled and said, "I don’t want your money. I just need help finding the post office."
Immediately, I realized what I had done. I acted with prejudice—I judged a person simply for what I thought she was.
The thing I had forgotten about myself is that I am an immigrant. I left Honduras and arrived in America at the age of 15. Through the years, I have been a dishwasher, cashier, mechanic and pizza delivery driver among many other jobs, and finally I became a network engineer.
In my own life, I have experienced many open acts of prejudice. I remember a time, at age 17—I was a busboy, and I heard a father tell his little boy that if he did not do well at school, he would end up like me.
But now, living in my American middle-class lifestyle, it is too easy to forget my past, to forget who I am and where I have been, and to lose sight of where I want to be going. That blind woman on the street of Washington D. C. cured me of my blindness. She reminded me to always keep my eyes and heart open.
1. When the author came to America at first________.| A．he usually did some work with a little payment. | B．he used to beg for some money on the street. |
| C．he lived a comfortable life as a network engineer. | D．he was respected by others all the time. |
| A．That he gave all his change to the blind woman. |
| B．That he came to Washington D. |
| C．That he didn’t tell the woman the way to the post office. |
| D．The way he treated the blind woman. |
| A．to encourage his son to make a living by himself | B．his son to become a busboy in the future |
| C．his son to work harder at school | D．to remind his son to depend on himself at school |
| A．He disliked being bothered by beggars. |
| B．He once suffered a lot. |
| C．The blind woman didn’t beg for money at that time. |
| D．He was happy to give away his money to beggars. |
