1 . One night many years ago when I was on the bridge of a ship that passed one of our large cities on a quiet night, I saw its lights reflected in the sky and heard the rumblings of the city's noises. As I looked to my other side, I could see nothing but open space of darkness and endless water. I realized how small I was and that my own problems of life did not seem great.
I have spent twenty—five years on boats. Now I am a docking pilot. My job is to bring in the large luxury liners and stay with them until they are safely anchored in their berths. Sometimes this requires two tugs(拖船）, sometimes many more, depending on the tide, the weather, and the draft of the vessel.
Most of you no doubt have seen these tugs pushing and pulling at the big liners. What they are doing doesn't seem to make much sense at first, but presently the big boat is alongside her landing stage, her ropes made fast, and the job is done.
These tugs, whether one or ten, move about in accord with whistle signals I send them from the bridge of the big liner. These signals make up a language that is just as dependable as the spoken word; or even more so, because our docking signals are rarely misunderstood. The captain of each tug does his work according to the signals he receives. He never asks questions. He takes everything on faith, and it always works out.
I fell very important the first time I ever docked a big liner, thinking that I was in control of a great ship worth millions of dollars and the owners were depending on me to bring her safely to her berth. After I had docked several of the large liners, I realized I was not important, but simply the quarterback who called the signals.
Working around tugboats has had its effect on what I believe. The great transatlantic liners depend on the help of the little tugs to bring them safely to port, and it is with one's success.
1. According to paragraph 3, originally, the job of a tugboat was .| A．important | B．humble |
| C．tough | D．complex |
| A．To give a detailed description. | B．To display the characteristics. |
| C．To make a comparison. | D．To help reveal the theme. |
| A．diligence | B．mutual assistance |
| C．learning | D．individual excellence |
| A．Tugboats and the Pilot | B．The Significance of Teamwork |
| C．The Workings of Tugboats | D．Philosophy from Tugboats |
2 . Lunch hour is crazy at SAME Café, the restaurant my husband, Brad, and I run in Denver.
One day a woman dressed in a business outfit (套装) stepped in. “Hi, Libby.” she said. I recognized her. The first time she came two years ago, she had no money to pay for a meal. No problem. Like many customers, she volunteered to work. After her meal, she washed dishes. Look at her now. I stole a glance at Brad, in the kitchen. Wasn’t this what we’d hoped for?
In 2015, on a flight home from Texas, we’d hatched this crazy dream. We’d both done a lot of volunteering at soup kitchens. It was something we felt called to do, feeding the poor.
“I wish we could start our own place,” I said. “No cash register (收银机). Just a donation box on the counter.”
“Why don’t we?” Brad said.
It would be a charity, but we didn’t want our diners to think of it as a charity. “If they can’t pay.” Brad said, “they can help wash dishes or sweep the floor. We must treat people with dignity.”
Our first customer was a woman in her forties. She told me she was recently divorced and she and her two kids had no place of their own. “Could I have a salad?” she asked. I brought her a plate of greens with fresh fruit and nuts. Her eyes grew wide. “These are the first fresh vegetables I’ve had in four months,” she exclaimed. That alone made our struggles to open the café worth it.
SAME is short for our belief: So All May Eat. Customers came for Brad’s cooking. But they also liked what our café stood for.
“What do I owe you?” one customer asked. “Whatever you think the meal’s worth,” I said, “and whatever you can afford.” Most customers gave what they could, even if it was just a dollar.
Something was different about the woman that day. Something besides her outfit. She stopped at the counter and ordered greens with sun-dried tomatoes, and a ham and pineapple pizza
“I have something to tell you.” she said. “The last time I was here, I started talking to a woman I’d met here before. She said. ‘There’s an opening in my office. Why don’t you come in and apply?” I did—I got the job!” I knew what was different about her—confidence.
She opened her purse. “I can pay now. How can I ever thank you?”
“You just did,” I said.
1. What did the author and her husband do at soup kitchens in Texas?| A．They learned how to cook. | B．They helped feed the hungry. |
| C．They trained the volunteers. | D．They made a living there. |
| A．With respect. | B．With pity. | C．With care. | D．With effort |
| A．Customers can pay as they like. | B．Customers needn’t pay for a meal. |
| C．Customers help with charity work. | D．Customers get paid for what they do. |
| A．The woman paid for her meal. |
| B．The woman expressed her thanks. |
| C．The woman helped to wash dishes. |
| D．The woman gave her what she had hoped for. |
