People like to tell me rubbish. Not just friends, but strangers ,too.
Once, at the airport, my husband stepped off an escalator(自动扶梯) before me. When he realized I wasn’t with him, he looked back and saw me hugging ( 拥抱) a stranger.
I’d asked the man behind me: “Did you have fun in Vegas?”
His answer broke me heart. After 50 years away, I’d come to say goodbye to the lover of his life, who was dying of cancer.
“I should have married her 50 years ago,” he said. I hugged him, and then he was gone.
Moments later, my husband said: “He told you all that on the escalator?” I nodded.
“Maybe he just needed to tell somebody, And I happened to ask.”
When someone wants to talk, you just need to ask a question. The words don’t matter. It’s the tone (语调) in your voice and the look in your eyes and the caring in your heart that count.
Sometimes I think the whole world is crying out to be heard.
And yet, we don’t ask the question or say the things we need to say to those who matter most to us while there is still time, and a chance, to do so.
Recently I heard from a reader who shared with me the eulogy(悼词) she’d written after losing her mother.
I wish her mother could have read it. I can only hope her mother knew all the things her daughter wrote about her—that she was known so well and loved so much.
I like to think people will say a few nice things about me when I’m gone. But given a choice, I would rather hear those things before I go. Wouldn’t we all?
That started me thinking. I need to tell my children I am proud of them. They know it, but it can’t hurt to say it again.
I need to tell my sister I will forever in her debt(欠她的情). I was the one who left. She was the one who stayed, who’s “been there” for our family—for our mother, our dad, our brothers and me.
And to my husband, I need to say, well, he puts up with a lot.
In fact, I need to say a lot of things to whole lot of people. Maybe you do, too. You can tell me, if you want. But maybe you should tell them first.What happened to the writer at the airport in Los Vegas?
| A．She developed a friendship with a stranger. |
| B．She helped a stranger with cancer on the escalator. |
| C．She listened to a stranger’s story and hugged him. |
| D．She told a stranger the story of her stay in Los Vegas |
According to the writer, what matters least when someone wants to talk?
| A．The question you ask. |
| B．The way you speak. |
| C．The way you look at someone. |
| D．the caring in your heart. |
What does the underlined word “who” stand for in the article?
| A．A woman the stranger loved very much but failed to marry. |
| B．A woman the stranger married 50 years ago and left for some reason. |
| C．A woman the stranger loved very much and succeeded in marrying. |
| D．The writer’s sister whose debt the writer will be forever in. |
What does the writer want to tell us with the article?
| A．It’s never too late to express your love. |
| B．It’s better to say what you need to say before it’s too late. |
| C．We should care about strangers to make the world better. |
| D．We should be careful about what we say to our beloved ones. |
The students were having their chemistry class. Miss Li was telling the children what water was like. After that, she asked her students, “What is water?” No one answered for a few minutes. Miss Li asked again, “Why don’t you answer my question? Didn’t I tell you what water is like?”
Just then, a boy put up his hand and said, “Miss Li, you told us that water has no color and no smell. But where to find such kind of water? The water in the river behind my house is always black and it has a bad smell.” Most of the children agreed with him.
“I’m sorry, children,” said the teacher, “Our water is getting dirtier and dirtier. That’s a serious problem.”
Answer the questions according to the passage. Why didn’t the children answer the teacher’s question at first?
Please use a sentence to describe what water is.
Why does the water in the river have color and smell?
Do you think the boy who answered the teacher’s question is stupid?
Is water important for us? Why?
I have always loved cars. After graduating from college, I got one, which I regarded as my favourite friend. I called it Victor. For the next three years, everything I did was connected with (与……有关) Victor.I lived a happy life. But because of money problems, I had to sell Victor. Then my life broke down. Without Victor, I was like a fish out of water. Three months later, with the encouragement of my friends, I decided to start a new life. I tried and made it. Everything went well again. Losing my car made me grow up. I have learned that life won’t always go our way, but we can choose to be positive(积极)and make the best of it.
Fill in the blanks according to the passage. Only one word for each blank.
| VV Victor |
|
| Time of getting the car |
|
| Reason for |
B Because of money problems |
| Feelings of losing the car |
Li Like a fish out of |
| Improvement from the experience |
Tom arrived at the bus station quite early for Paris bus. The bus for Paris would not leave until five to twelve. He saw a lot of people waiting in the station. Some were standing in line, others were walking around. There was a group of schoolgirls. Their teacher was trying to keep them in line. Tom looked around but there was no place for him to sit.
He walked into the station cafe. he looked up at the clock there. It was only twenty to twelve. He found a seat and sat down before a large mirror on the wall. Just then, Mike, one of Tom’s workmates came in and sat with Tom.
“What time is your bus?” asked Mike.
“There’s plenty of time yet,” answered Tom.
“Well, I’ll get you some more tea then,” said Mike.
They talked while drinking. Then Tom looked at the clock again. “Oh! It’s going backward(倒行)!” he cried. “A few minutes ago it was twenty to twelve and now it’s half past eleven.”
“You’re looking at the clock in the mirror.” said Mike. Tom was so sad. The next bus was not to leave for another hour. Since then Tom has never liked mirrors.
Choose the best answer from A、B or C according to what you read.Tom went into the station cafe because ______.
A．it was quite early and he could find a seat there
B．he didn’t like to stay with the schoolgirls
C．he wanted to have a drink with his workmate thereWhat time was it in fact when Tom looked at the clock in the mirror?
A．Half past eleven.
B．Twenty to twelve.
C．Half past twelve.From the story we know that when we look at a clock in a mirror, we will find _________.
A．the time is right
B．it’s going backward
C．it’s going slowerWhich of the following is true?
A．Tom arrived in Paris on time.
B．The next bus would leave in half an hour
C．Tom looked at the clock in the mirror only once.Which of the following is the title of the story?
A．The Mirror of the Station
B．The Clock In The Mirror
C．Missing A Bus
1970 was World Conservation(保护) Year. The United Nations wanted everyone to know that the world is in danger. They hoped that governments would act quickly to conserve nature(保护自然). Here is one example of the problem. At one time there were 1,300 different plants, trees and flowers in Holland but now only 866 remain. The others have been destroyed by modern man and his technology. We are changing the earth, the air, the water and everything that grows and lives. We can’t live without these things. If things go like this, we shall destroy ourselves.
What will happen in the future? Perhaps it is more important to ask, “What must we do now?” The people who will be living in the world of tomorrow are the young of today. A lot of them know conservation is necessary. Many are helping to save our world. They plant trees, build bridges across rivers in forests, and so on. In a small town in the United States, a large number of girls cleaned the banks of 11 kilometers of their river. Young people may hear about conservation through a record called “No one is going to change our world.” It was made by the Beatles, Cliff Richard and other singers. The money from it will help to conserve animals.
Judge the following sentences true(T) or false(F)。The United Nations wanted everybody to know that the world is in danger.
There are fewer plants, trees and flowers in Holland because many kinds of plants, trees and flowers can’t grow there any more.
The most important thing for us to do is to clean the banks of our rivers.
“No one is going to change our world” is a name of a song.
From this passage we know that we must conserve nature.
Have you ever had an embarrassing experience? Last week we asked readers to tell us about embarrassing experiences. We received thousands of letters! Here is a selection.
Tony:
My most embarrassing experience happened when I had just left university. I had just started teaching in a Liverpool middle school. One morning my alarm clock didn’t ring. I woke up at half past eight and school began at nine. I quickly washed, dressed, jumped into my car and rushed to school. When I arrived, the students had already gone into class. I didn’t go to the office, but went straight into class. After two or three minutes the students began laughing, and I couldn’t understand why! Suddenly I looked down and understood. I had put on one black shoe and one brown shoe!
Henry:
The most embarrassing experience I’ve ever had happened two years ago. After seeing a film, my wife and I had lunch in our favorite restaurant in town. Then we decided to take a walk along the street. The street was very busy and we started holding hands. Suddenly my wife saw a dress that she liked in a shop window, and stopped. I started looking at some watches in the next window. After a minute or two I reached for my wife’s hand. There was a loud scream, and a woman slapped my face. I hadn’t taken my wife’s hand. I’d taken the hand of a complete stranger（陌生人）!Tony arrived at school late that morning because.
| A．he couldn’t find hid shoes |
| B．his alarm clock didn’t ring |
| C．he washed and dressed slowly |
| D．his car went wrong on the way |
The students began laughing when they saw Tony.
| A．wearing a wrong shoe |
| B．his alarm clock didn’t ring |
| C．looking down suddenly |
| D．rushing into the classroom |
Henry and his wife held hands.
| A．at the cinema | B．in the shop |
| C．at the restaurant | D．along the street |
What does the underlined word “scream” mean in Chinese?
| A．尖叫声 | B．笑声 | C．哭声 | D．呼救声 |
Henry was embarrassed because he.
| A．slapped the woman in the face |
| B．took the hand of a complete stranger |
| C．heard hid wife screaming in the street |
| D．knocked over some watches in the shops |