I had an experience some years ago, which taught me something about the ways in which people make a bad situation worse by blaming themselves. One January, I had to hold two funerals on successive days for two elderly women in my community. Both had died “full of years”, as the Bible would say. Their homes happened to be near each other, so I paid condolence (吊唁) calls on the two families on the same afternoon.
At the first home, the son of the deceased (已故的) woman said to me, “If only I had sent my mother to Florida and gotten her out of this cold and snow , she would be alive today. It’s my fault that she died.” At the second home, the son of the other deceased woman said, “If only I hadn’t insisted on my mother’s going to Florida, she would be alive today. That long airplane ride, the sudden change of climate, was more than she could take. It’s my fault that she’s dead.”
You see that any time there is a death, the survivors will feel guilty. Because the course of action they took turned out badly, they believe that the opposite course — keeping Mother at home, putting off the operation — would have turned out better. After all, how could it have turned out any worse?
There seem to be two elements involved in our willingness to feel guilty. The first is our pressing need to believe that the world makes sense, that there is a cause for every effect and a reason for everything that happens. That leads us to find patterns and connections both where they really exist and where they exist only in our minds.
The second element is the view that we are the cause of what happens, especially the bad things that happen. It seems to be a short step from believing that every event has a cause to believing that every disaster is our fault. The roots of this feeling may lie in our childhood.
A baby comes to think that the world exists to meet his needs, and that he makes everything happen in it. He wakes up in the morning and summons the rest of the world to its tasks. He cries, and someone comes to attend to him. When he is hungry, people feed him, and when he is wet, people change him. Very often, we do not completely outgrow that childish view that our wishes cause things to happen.The author had to hold the two women’s funerals probably because .
| A．he wanted to comfort the two families | B．he was an official from the community |
| C．he had great pity for the deceased | D．he was priest of the local church |
People feel guilty for the deaths of their loved ones because .
| A．they couldn’t find a better way to express their sorrow |
| B．they believe that they were responsible |
| C．they had neglected the natural course of events |
| D．they didn’t know things often turn out in the opposite direction |
According to the passage, the underlined part in paragraph 4 probably means that .
| A．everything in the world is predetermined |
| B．the world can be interpreted in different ways |
| C．there’s an explanation for everything in the world |
| D．we have to be sensible in order to understand the world |
What’s the main idea of the passage?
| A．Life and death is an unsolved mystery. |
| B．Every story should have a happy ending. |
| C．Never feel guilty all the time because not every disaster is our fault. |
| D．In general, the survivors will feel guilty about the people who passed away . |
阅读下列短文，根据短文内容填空。在未给提示词的空白处仅填写1个恰当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号内所给词的正确形式填空。
One day, I saw a boy walking along George Street with an armful of books. I thought （1） myself, “Why would he carry all his books? ” Just then, some kids ran at him, （2） （knock）his books out of his arms. His glasses went flying and landed in the grass. My heart went out to him, and I （3） （jog）over to him. As I handed him the glasses, he looked at me and said, “Thanks!”
阅读下列短文，根据短文内容填空。在未给提示词的空白处仅填写1个恰当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号内所给词的正确形式填空。
On April 5, 2024, John Tinniswood （1） （name）the world’s oldest living man. And when （2） （ask）about his new title, he shared the secret: moderation（适度）. Tinniswood, （3） doesn’t smoke and rarely drinks, credited moderation for helping him stay healthy during his long life. “If you eat too much or do too much of anything, you’re going to suffer eventually,” he said.
阅读下列短文，根据短文内容填空。在未给提示词的空白处仅填写1个恰当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号内所给词的正确形式填空。
Slowing down can contribute significantly to personal growth. Taking the time （1） （rest）allows us to develop a deeper sense of （2） （self-aware）. When we slow down, we create space to reflect on our thoughts and emotions, which helps us identify important areas of our lives and （3） （give）us the opportunity to make right choices. To practise this, we need to establish clear （4） （boundary）in our personal and professional life.
阅读下列短文，根据短文内容填空。在未给提示词的空白处仅填写1个恰当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号内所给词的正确形式填空。
When （1） （travel）, we engage with cultures and experiences. However, according to a report by the World Wildlife Fund, tourists （2） （leave）over 1.3 billion tons of food waste last year, （3） accounted for about 8% of the total global gas release in 2024. To reduce our impact, we can take simple steps: empty the fridge before heading out, and choose sustainable dining options. These efforts help us travel more responsibly. After all, exploring the world shouldn’t come （4） the planet’s expense.
阅读下列短文，根据短文内容填空。在未给提示词的空白处仅填写1个恰当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号内所给词的正确形式填空。
When was the last time you took on a tough choice? Maybe this morning you debated whether to get up or stay in bed slightly （1） （long）. Making choices is part of life. By the time you brushed your teeth, you （2） （make）several decisions even without noticing. Some choices are quick, while others take more thought. Usually, better outcomes （3） （achieve）through a thorough understanding of strategies like risk tolerance.