In a book called Magnificent Obsession, by Lloyd C. Douglas, a description is given of people helping others but doing it secretly. When difficult problems worried an individual（个人）, friends nearby would meet to discuss possible solution without the individual knowing their actions. When a solution was agreed upon, one or two of the friends would carry out the plan and solve the problem secretly , to the great delight of the worried individual. The helpers would stand by privately, content（满足的） with their success. No reward was given to the problem solvers, not even a sincere “thank you”, because they were never known.
This concept is popular today but in a different way. The phrase “pay it forward” is now used when one person helps another. However, the person helped may not be able to repay the person or group that helped them. So rather than return the favor to their helpers, they are supposed to help someone else in the future, which means they pay it forward. It is a sense of responsibility which makes us want to give back in equal measure to the one who has helped us. But , in this case, the responsibility turns to helping someone in the future.
Suppose your elderly grandmother pays part of your schooling. She may tell you there is no need to repay her because it is a gift from someone who loves you very much. Nothing would please her more than to have you use her money to get a good education.
You may never be able to repay her for such a gift. However, she not only gave you some money , but she provided you with an example that you should also help other people who need it.
People with serious needs are everywhere. Many are children who need better clothes, more books and even better schools. Some are elderly people who can’t afford their medicine or a doctor’s care. Consider how you can “pay it forward” rather than pay money back to your grandmother.
1.The helpers in the book “Magnificent Obsession” were not rewarded because ______________.
A. they hadn’t solved the problems thoroughly
B. they had solved the problems secretly
C. they were friends of the worried individual
D. they expected to be paid back in the future
2.The underlined word “pay it forward” means ____________________.
A. to repay someone who has helped you B. to pay someone else who needs help
C. to help someone who has helped you D. to help someone else who needs help
3.What does the writer suggest with the example of “your elderly grandmother”?
A. We should learn to respect our grandparents.
B. We should work hard to get a good education.
C. We should also lend a hand to other people in need of help.
D. We should never forget to repay people for their help.
4.From the passage we know_________________.
A. everybody needs help B. more children need help than elderly people
C. it costs a lot of money to “pay it forward”
D. nowadays many people help others without being repaid
5.By writing the passage, the author wishes people in the world to be _____________.
A. unselfish B. mysterious C. honest D. unforgettable
At the end of a party，he invited her to have coffee with him．In a nice coffee shop，he was too nervous to say anything，and she felt uncomfortable，thinking，“Please let me go home．’’
Suddenly he asked the waiter，“Would you please give me some salt? I'd like to put it in my coffee．’’
Everybody，stared at him—so strange! His face turned red，but，still，he put the salt in his coffee and drank it．
She asked him curiously，“Why do you have this hobby?”
He replied，“When I was a little boy，I was living near the sea．I liked playing in the sea，and I could feel the taste of the sea，just like the taste of the salty coffee．Now every time I have the salty coffee，I always think of my childhood．I miss my hometown and my parents so much．’’
She was deeply touched．A man who can tell out his-homesickness must be a man who loves home，cares about home，and has responsibility for home．
They continued to date．She found that actually he was such a good person，but she almost missed him!
Thanks to his salty coffee! Then the story went just like every beautiful love story．．．And，every time she made coffee for him，she put some salt in the coffee．
After 40 years，he passed away，leaving her a letter which said，“My dearest，please forgive my whole life lie．This was the only lie I told to you—the salty coffee．
“Remember the first time we dated? I was so nervous at that time．Actually I wanted some sugar，but I said salt．It was hard for me to change，so I just went ahead．
“I tried to tell you the truth many times in my life，but I was too afraid to do that，as I have promised not to lie to you for anything．
“Now I'm dying，I'm afraid of nothing so I tell you the truth：I don’t like the salty coffee．What a strange bad taste! But I have had the salty coffee in my whole life!…”
Her tears made the letter totally wet．Someday，someone asked her，“What’s the taste of salty coffee?” “It’s sweet.” she replied．
1.After ordering some salt for his coffee，the young man must have felt ．
A．excited B．satisfied C．embarrassed D．displeased
2.Why did the man have salty coffee all his life?
A．To change lifestyle． B．To please his wife．
C．To keep his word． D．To remember the past．
3.What did the writer mean by saying “she almost missed him” in Paragraph7 ?
A．She meant to leave him on their first date。
B．She thought of him every now and then．
C．She nearly misunderstood his explanation．
D．She could hardly believe this simple fact．
4.It is implied in the passage that the woman when reading the letter left by her husband．
A．was confused about his behavior B．was touched by his white lie
C．felt sorry to know the truth too Late D．felt angry about his dishonesty
阅读下面短文，从各题所给的四个选项中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
He was 11 years old and went fishing every chance he got from the dock（码头） at his family’s cabin on an island in the middle of a New Hampshire lake. On the day __1__ the bass (鲈鱼) season opened, he and his father were fishing early in the evening, __2__ sunfish with worms. Then he tied on a small lure (鱼饵) and practiced casting. When his pole（竿） __3__, he knew something huge was __4__. His father watched __5__ as the boy skilfully worked the fish alongside the dock. Finally, he very carefully lifted the __6__ fish from the water. It was the largest one he had ever seen, __7__ it was a bass. It was 10 P.M.-- two hours before the season opened. The father looked at the fish, then at the boy.
“You’ll have to __8__, son,” he said.
“Dad!” cried the boy.
“There will be other fish,” said his father.
“Not as big as this one,” cried the boy.
__9__ no one had seen them, nor could anyone ever know what time he caught the fish, the boy could __10__ by his father’s firm voice that the decision was __11__. He slowly worked the hook out of the lip of the huge bass and lowered it into __12__. The creature moved its powerful body and __13__. The boy thought that he would never again see such a great fish.
That was 34 years ago. Today, the boy is a successful architect in New York City. And he was __14. He has never again landed such a big fish as the one he __15that night long ago. But he does see __16fish again and again every time he comes up against a question of principles. As his father taught him, principles are simple matters of right and wrong. It is only the practice of principles__17difficult. Do we __18_when no one is looking?
We would if we __19__ to put the fish back when we were young. For we would have learned the truth. The decision to do right remains __20__ in our memory. It is a story we will proudly tell our friends and grandchildren.
1.A．until B．when C．after D．before
2.A．providing B．catching C．feeding D．supplying
3.A．bent over B．came up C．turned over D．broke down
4.A．on the other end B．on the other hand C．on one hand D．at the either side
5.A．with anxiety B．in surprise C．with admiration D．for fear
6.A．delighted B．frustrated C．frightened D．exhausted（精疲力竭的）
7.A．and B．but C．however D．yet
8.A．bring it home B．put it aside C．put it back D．pick it up
9.A．Even though B．Now that C．Ever since D．In case
10.A．tell B．say C．speak D．talk
11.A．passed B．changed C．fixed D．refused
12.A．the wide container B．the broad sea C．the black water D．the small river
13.A．fled B．disappeared C．floated D．swam
14.A．wrong B．right C．satisfactory D．pleased
15.A．caught B．saw C．cast D．threw
16.A．a different B．many big C．even bigger D．the same
17.A．which is B．it is C．that is D．this is
18.A．do wrong B．do right C．do harm D．do good
19.A．were taught B．told C．were let D．ordered
20.A．freshly B．fresh C．clearly D．strongly
------Is it OK if I have another cup of coffee?
------Of course, .
A. don’t worry B. no problem C. no hurry D. help yourself
When and where to build a new factory to deal with rubbish .
A. hasn’t been decided B. haven’t decided
C. isn’t being decided D. aren’t decided
was most important to her, she told me, was her family.
A. It B. This C. What D. As
