Life is often like a game of cards—you can't help the hand you're dealt，but you can help the way you play it. It's easy for us to do something without careful thinking，but it's hard for us to take back what we have done.
There was once a who repeated a bit rumor(谣言)about a neighbor. Within a few days the whole community the story. The person it concerned，was deeply and annoyed. Later，the woman responsible for the rumor learned that it was completely . She was very sorry and went to a old man to find out what she could do to the damage.
“Go to the marketplace，”he said，“and a chicken，and have it . Then on your way home，pluck its feathers and drop them along the road.” surprised by this advice，the woman did she was told.
The next day the wise man said，“Now，go and collect all those you dropped yesterday and them back to me.”
The woman the same road，but to her disappointment，the wind all the feathers away. After searching for ，she returned with only three in her hand. “You see，” said the old man，“it's easy to drop them， it's impossible to get them back. So it is with rumor. doesn't take much to spread a rumor，but you do，you can never completely make up for the wrong.”
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From my second grade on, there was one event I feared every year: the piano recital(独奏演唱会). A recital I had to practice a boring piece of music and perform before strangers. Each year I would ask my father if I could skip the recital “just this once”. And each year he would shake his head, saying something about building and working toward a goal.
One recent Sunday I stood in church, video camera in hand, and my 68-year-old father play the piano in his very first recital.
My father had longed to play music since childhood, but his family was poor and couldn’t lessons. He could have gone on regretting it, too many of us do. But he wasn’t stuck in the past. When he retired three years ago, he his church music director to take him as .
For a moment after my father sat down at the keyboard, he stared down at his fingers. Has he forgotten the ? I worried. But then came the beautiful melody (旋律). And I he had been doing what music teachers always stress: the notes and pretend the others aren’t there.
“I’m of him for starting something new at his age,” I said to my son Jeff.
“Yeah, and doing it so ,” Jeff added.
With his first recital, my father taught me more about self-confidence and the life goal than all the words he used those 30-plus years ago.
A．reflected B．meant C．explained D．proved
A．self-confidence B．self-control C．self-defense D．self-discipline
A．kept B．sent C．watched D．felt
A．miss B．afford C．select D．understand
A．as B．once C．if D．while
A．allowed B．invited C．inspired D．persuaded
A．a teacher B．an old man C．a student D．a singer
A．words B．videos C．notes D．lessons
A．predicted B．realized C．imagined D．insisted
A．pass over B．turn up C．bring in D．concentrate on
A．ashamed B．aware C．tired D．proud
A．nicely B．anxiously C．casually D．frequently
“When we feel love and kindness toward others, it not only makes others feel loved and cared for, but it helps us also to develop inner happiness and peace.”
As we live through life, we tend to get caught up in our individual world, our problems — our life. When we our world to include others in a meaningful way, by making a difference in their life, we increase our experience at the same time.
Think back on a time when someone made a difference in your life.
Here is one of mine: I was going to college, working part-time, and just getting by financially. Standing in line at a local supermarket, I a woman in the same line, thinking that she was not very attractive. As I was , I discovered that I did not have enough money to pay; without , that same woman I had been judging offered to the difference. It wasn’t , but what that person did made a lasting impression on me. She was a beautiful, caring soul who was willing to help a stranger in a(an) situation. That happened over forty years ago and I remember it as as if it was yesterday.
Other examples are the numerous times I have had people smile at me, which my day. I've often wondered if it was because I was smiling, which I to do all the time, or because they were smiling to be , which encouraged me to smile as well. It has probably been some of both. In case, that simple gesture (a smile) makes a difference in my day.
There are ways to make a significant difference in another's life. The question is: Are we doing it? It does not anything, but it does require some effort on our part. I have found that as I do this consistently, the go far beyond the energy required to do the deed. Looking for ways to brighten another person's day raises our vibration(共鸣),and when we act on it, we the other person to raise their vibration as well — it is to each other.
Make a difference in someone's life today, and doing so every day. Today is a perfect time to start! If you are already doing so. bravo!
A．rebuild B．establish C．expand D．develop
A．direct B．minor C．remarkable D．positive
A．thoroughly B．smoothly C．barely D．actually
A．observed B．witnessed C．inspected D．accompanied
A．hanging out B．checking out C．setting out D．working out
A．expectation B．hesitation C．assumption D．intention
A．deal with B．take in C．make up D．cut down
A．much B．enough C．little D．awful
A．urgent B．absurd C．hopeless D．embarrassing
A．roughly B．clearly C．correctly D．dimly
A．brightens B．ruins C．begins D．influences
A．undertook B．tried C．promised D．failed
A．dynamic B．appealing C．friendly D．merciful
A．neither B．either C．no D．another
A．limited B．vital C．necessary D．countless
A．deserve B．charge C．determine D．cost
A．efforts B．achievements C．returns D．consequences
A．assist B．remind C．permit D．persuade
A．similar B．beneficial C．fundamental D．appropriate
A．admit B．prefer C．recommend D．consider
I still remember it was in the winter of 1990 that, together with the help of my older sister, I down my wishes for Christmas onto a piece of paper. How I wished on Christmas Eve my grandest wish would be and placed under the Christmas tree — a puppy. When we were done, our wish-lists were collected by our parents with the promise to be to Santa's hard- working helpers.
The next day, our parents sat us down in the living-room, with expressions on their faces. As it , they had seen our wishes, now wanting to talk to us about one wish — the puppy. For a moment, I held my breath, but was when they told us that they weren't against a puppy. What they against was putting it under the Christmas tree. That was not a good idea.
They taught us that an animal was not a gift that belonged to the same as our toys. Animals were creatures with that we should decide to have one, and it would be a(n) to our family. An animal a lot of responsibilities. It wasn’t anything one bought out of a mood. An animal could not be exchanged or when we didn't feel like it. An animal wasn’t a toy. An animal was a family member that needed lots of love and attention. An animal was not a , but a family decision. A serious decision. And a big decision.
, my parents share my love for animals, so the decision came reasonably . After our grandparents had given their up for taking care of the dog, while we were on future vacations, the answer was yes. Yes, we would get a puppy.
The following days and weeks, there was only one : our new family member! Yes, a family member, because animals have their rights. They are not simply food or gifts. We humans must attend, love and protect them.
A．left B．got C．set D．pulled
A．rejected B．declined C．challenged D．fulfilled
A．given away B．passed on C．taken on D．put up
A．dangerous B．curious C．serious D．mysterious
A．turned out B．taken out C．run out D．held out
A．in peace B．in order C．in particular D．in return
A．pardoned B．frightened C．inspired D．relieved
A．protested B．objected C．opposed D．resisted
A．patiently B．hurriedly C．anxiously D．roughly
A．arrangement B．routine C．schedule D．category
A．feelings B．secrets C．stains D．sufferings
A．convenience B．facility C．extension D．heritage
A．signed B．meant C．attained D．guaranteed
A．put forward B．put up C．put aside D．put off
A．native B．original C．responsible D．precious
A．riddle B．gift C．servant D．victim
A．Negatively B．Ridiculously C．Particularly D．Luckily
A．difficult B．easy C．contradictory D．concrete
A．thumbs B．toes C．noses D．eyes
A．theme B．argument C．prejudice D．topic
“I wouldn’t buy that woman a Mother’s Day card, even if my life depended upon it,” said the woman standing by the card shelf at Wal-Mart. I looked up and saw a(n) of total complaint and dislike.
Having been at a Florida orphanage at age four, I never knew what it felt like to have a mother or a father. Never once had I received a hug or a kiss from my parents. That part of my life is a total .
She looked up, saw me looking at her and angrily, “Just what are you looking at, you fool?”
“Sorry Ma’am. I never had a mother, and I was by your words.” I reached over and picked up a nice-looking , opened it and began to read, “Thank you for being my mother.”
“Do you think your mother would like that card? Mine would, I think,” I said.
“Do you know what it is like to be at for years, and never be told that you are loved?” she asked.
“My mother didn’t me, let alone shout. She just took me to the orphanage where I stayed until I grew up,” I replied.
“Don’t you her?” she asked.
“Oh, I can’t. She’s my mother. Being a mother is a position to be , even if she is not a very nice person,” I told her. The woman stood there her head.
I looked down at the floor and said, “I know your mother might have done a lot of things that you. It appears as if you hate her. But I can tell you this from my that disliking her, or even hating her, feels nowhere near as as never having known a mother at all—good or bad. At least, you feel . For me, it’s all just a large blank of loneliness inside my heart, and that’s I’ll feel until I die.”
The woman stood there for a moment. , she reached out, took the card from my hand, smelled it, and placed it in her cart.
After she left, I a nice card for my mother. I took it home, it, and placed it with the other Mother and Father’s Days cards bought all these years, each marked “Address Unknown”.
A．idea B．appearance C．expression D．impression
A．deserted B．lost C．reserved D．rescued
A．dark B．pain C．misfortune D．blank
A．requested B．considered C．screamed D．refused
A．relieved B．annoyed C．disappointed D．shocked
A．cart B．card C．book D．magazine
A．simply B．largely C．originally D．basically
A．shouted B．glared C．laughed D．pointed
A．set aside B．leave behind C．care about D．know about
A．miss B．love C．accuse D．hate
A．depended B．obeyed C．respected D．observed
A．shaking B．dropping C．raising D．nodding
A．hurt B．blamed C．disturbed D．punished
A．conscience B．efforts C．experiences D．nature
A．fragile B．lonely C．hateful D．anxious
A．anything B．everything C．nothing D．something
A．whether B．how C．where D．why
A．Cheerfully B．Eagerly C．Hesitantly D．Seriously
A．picked out B．packed up C．brought out D．took up
A．mended B．exposed C．addressed D．signed
One afternoon，the high school boy Clay Jensen received a mysterious package with no return address. When he opened it，he was to find seven tapes，which were by Hannah Baker，his classmate who had committed suicide (自杀)two weeks earlier. Clay had secretly been in love with her but never had the to tell her about it.
On the tapes，Hannah had thirteen reasons for ending her own and Clay was one of the reasons. Hannah had even left him a marking places with dots for him to visit. Clay walked out of his home and with her voice in his ;he wandered all over the town trying to uncover the reasons why she felt her life had to end so tragically(悲剧地).
Hannah and Clay’s story，American author Jay Asher wove(编织)a sad story of confusion and desperation in novel，Thirteen Reasons Why，which had on The New York Times best-selling list for eight weeks.
When Clay anxiously how he played a part in her suicide, he noticed how a number of little, seemingly unimportant can add up to a terrible high school existence for someone else.It us all that sometimes when something is said or done to another, it can have effects and can even lead to other major events in that person’s life.
The theme of the story is that we are all our own actions. Hannah admitted it was her to end her life. However, if someone had differently，she could have changed her decision.
it is an imaginary story, many of us will connect parts of Hannah’s high school career with something in our life and may know someone showing warning signs of suicide. And we can act and prevent such a tragedy.
A．delighted B．shocked C．disturbed D．excited
A．brought B．delivered C．recorded D．bought
A．time B．courage C．atmosphere D．mood
A．stated B．told C．found D．expressed
A．love B．schooling C．story D．life
A．tape B．map C．note D．number
A．eyes B．heart C．face D．ears
A．In B．For C．Through D．With
A．left B．stayed C．kept D．continued
A．found out B．gave away C．hung out D．thought of
A．accidents B．incidents C．events D．affairs
A．informs B．proves C．reminds D．encourage
A．praise B．hurt C．damage D．comfort
A．lasting B．important C．different D．instant
A．concerned about B．careful of C．devoted to D．responsible for
A．task B．rule C．choice D．dream
A．thought B．replied C．said D．acted
A．As though B．Even though C．In case D．Now that
A．even B．also C．still D．ever
A．thankfully B．hopefully C．equally D．similarly
