Compassion is a desire within us to help others. With effort, we can translate compassion into action. An experience last weekend showed me this is true. I work part-time in a supermarket across from a building for the elderly. These old people are our main customers, and it’s not hard to lose patience over their slowness. But last Sunday, one aged gentleman appeared to teach me a valuable lesson. This untidy man walked up to my register(收款机) with a box of biscuits. He said he was out of cash(现金), had just moved into his room, and had nothing in his cupboards. He asked if we could let him have the food on trust. He promised to repay me the next day.
I couldn’t help staring at him. I wondered what kind of person he had been ten or twenty years before, and what he would be like if luck had gone his way. I had a hurt in my heart for this kind of human soul, all alone in the world. I told him that I was sorry, but store rules didn’t allow me to do so. I felt stupid and unkind saying this, but I valued my job.
Just then, another man, standing behind the first, spoke up. If anything, he looked more pitiable. “Charge it to me,” was all he said.
What I had been feeling was pity. Pity is soft and safe and easy. Compassion, on the other hand, is caring in action. I thanked the second man but told him that was not allowed either. Then I reached into my pocket and paid for the biscuits myself. I reached into my pocket because these two men had reached into my heart and taught me compassion.
1.The aged gentleman who wanted to buy the biscuits ______.
A. promised to obey the store rules
B. forgot to take any money with him
C. hoped to have the food first and pay later
D. could not afford anything more expensive
2.Which of the following best describes the old gentleman?
A. kind and lucky B. poor and lonely
C. friendly and helpful D. hurt and disappointed
3.The writer acted upon the store rules because ______.
A. he wanted to keep his present job
B. he felt no pity for the old gentleman
C. he considered the old man dishonest
D. he expected someone else to pay for the old man
4.What does the writer learn from his experience?
A. Wealth is more important than anything else.
B. Helping others is easier said than done.
C. Experience is better gained through practice.
D. Obeying the rules means more than compassion.
It was raining. I went into a café and asked for a coffee. 1I was waiting for my drink, I realized there were other people in the place, but I sensed 2. I saw their bodies, but I couldn’t feel their souls 3their souls belonged to the 4.
I stood up and walked between the tables. When I came to the biggest computer, I saw a thin, small man 5in front of it. “I’m Steve,” he finally answered after I asked him a couple of times what his name was. “I can’t talk with you. I’m 6,”he said. He was chatting online and, 7, he was playing a computer game—a war game. I was 8.
Why didn’t Steve want to talk with me? I tried 9to speak to that computer geek(怪人), 10not a word came out of his mouth. I touched his shoulder, but no reaction(反应). I was 11. I put my hand in front of the monitor, and he started to shout, “ 12!”
I took a few steps back, wondering if all those people in the café were looking at me. I 13, and saw nobody showed any interest.
14, I realized that the people there were having a nice conversation with their machines, not with people. They were more 15having a relationship with the 16, particularly Steve. I wouldn’t want to 17the future of human beings if they preferred sharing their lives with machines 18with people.
I was worried and sank in my thoughts. I didn’t even 19that the coffee was bad, 20Steve didn’t notice there was a person next to him.
1.A. Before B. Since C. Although D. While
2.A. pain B. loneliness C. sadness D. fear
3.A. because B. when C. until D. unless
4.A. home B. world C. Net D. Café
5.A. sleeping B. laughing C. sitting D. learning
6.A. busy B. thirsty C. tired D. sick
7.A. first of all B. just then C. at the same time D. by that time
8.A. surprised B. delighted C. moved D. frightened
9.A. once B. again C. first D. even
10.A. but B. so C. if D. or
11.A. excited B. respected C. afraid D. unhappy
12.A. Shut up B. Enjoy yourself C. Leave me alone D. Help me out
13.A. walked about B. walked out C. raised my hand D. raised my head
14.A. From then on B. At that moment C. In all D. Above all
15.A. interested in B. tired of C. careful about D. troubled by
16.A. computer B. soul C. shop D. geek
17.A. tell B. plan C. imagine D. design
18.A. other than B. instead of C. except for D. as well as
19.A. pretend B. understand C. insist D. realize
20.A. as if B. just as C. just after D. even though
High way and air transport will have to compete with _____ service for passangers nowadays.
A. good B. better C. best D. the best
Yang Jiazheng_____a book about Shuangqiao village last year but I don't know whether she has finished it.
A. has written B. wrote C. had written D. was writing
____ much advice I gave him, he did exactly what he wanted to.
A. How B. Whatever C. No matter D.However
Huang Yan left word with my secretary ___ she would call again in the evening.
A. who B. that C. as D. which
