Question

We’ve all heard the quote, ‘Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.’

My husband and son died within two years of each other. From my personal experience, I believe that if we aren't careful, grief can become a rather self-involved process in which we can become so focused on our own suffering that we miss the opportunity to connect with, and possibly bring comfort to, someone else who may be going through a similar experience.

Six months after my husband died, I was sinking in the quicksand of grief. I could not pull myself out of the misery. In that moment, I actually believed that my life was more difficult than anyone else around me. Life handed me a perfectly wrapped lesson that opened my eyes to the fact that through my suffering I had allowed myself to become blinded by my self-pity.

The lesson presented itself in a health crisis. I had complications (并发症) from a surgical procedure and ended up being hospitalized for four days. I was in an extreme amount of pain during this time. Between the physical pain and the emotional pain of grief, I was an absolute mess.

I should also tell you that I am a Registered Nurse. As a nurse, it is hard to be on the receiving end of medicine as the patient. The first three nights that I was in the hospital, the same nurse took care of me. She was young, maybe in her mid to late 20s, and she hardly interacted with me at all the first two nights, other than to give my medications as scheduled. She obviously had no idea how much emotional pain I was in. How hard is it to ask your patient how she's feeling? I wrote her off as a bad nurse who had little sympathy, and remained absorbed in my own emotional and physical pain. The third night the young nurse was a little more talkative. She asked me how I was feeling (finally!). I told her that I was struggling with depression and grief because my husband had died in an airplane accident. She looked at me and told me that her husband had died too, just two months earlier. I was stunned. Speechless. Shocked.

Never, in any of the possibilities that my mind entertained of why this nurse was so unfriendly to me, did I even consider that she might be in the same pain I was. Not only was she grieving as I was, but she was having to take care of me, instead of caring for herself and her family.

We went on to talk and share our stories about our late husbands and children. I like to think that we helped each other a bit that night. We had much more in common than I would have believed. We were both widowed single moms with young children, and nurses. But, that was where the similarities ended. Her husband had no insurance policy. She had very little family support. She was working paycheck to paycheck to support her boys. I was humbled. I realized how much I had to be grateful for. And, frankly, I never saw life the same way after this experience.

This experience was a life-changing event for me. I had always prided myself on being a sympathetic person, but I realize now that I had not really understood what being sympathetic meant. To truly be sympathetic, you must be able to see beyond your own pain to be witness to the pain. I never looked at another person in the same way after this experience. I thank death for very few things. The gift of sympathy for my fellow man, and understanding that we all suffer in ways that aren't always visible, are presents from death that I will always be grateful for.

Always take the time to be kind even when you’re suffering with your own pain. And don't assume that someone else has it easier than you. You never know the battles someone else is fighting.

1.What can we conclude from the author’s personal experience in para2?

A. We can always comfort people who experienced the similar suffering.

B. We become more concentrated on ourselves once hurt.

C. We never get through what we suffered any more.

D. People self-centered won’t have the chance to be hurt.

2.What can be learned from the underlined sentence in para3?

A. Self-pity always brings about selflessness.

B. Selflessness often brings out blindness.

C. Self-pity always results in selfishness.

D. Selfishness can prevent self-pity.

3.Why did the author regard the nurse as a bad one at first?

A. The nurse treated her abruptly.

B. The nurse didn’t offer medications on time.

C. The nurse seldom communicated with her.

D. The nurse was irresponsible.

4.Which one is closest to the meaning of the word ‘humbled’?

A. ashamed   B. beaten

C. defeated  D. depressed

5.Which of the following can best serve as the title of the passage?

A. Every bean has its black.

B. Let bygones be bygones.

C. Misfortunes never come singly.

D. Stand in others’ shoes.

Answer

1.B

2.C

3.C

4.A

5.D

【解析】

试题分析：作者通过自己痛苦的经历告诉读者：学会理解别人的痛苦和挣扎，自己小小的善行也会还来对方的理解和尊重。

1.B考查判断推理题。根据第二段的第二句话From my personal experience, I believe that if we aren't careful, grief can become a rather self-involved process in which we can become so focused on our own suffering that we miss the opportunity to connect with, and possibly bring comfort to, someone else who may be going through a similar experience从我的个人经验来看，我相信我们一不小心就会被伤痛左右，以自己为中心，我们会变得过于关注自己的痛苦，而错失和正经历相似痛苦的人接触的机会，也无法给予他们安慰。由此推断我们一旦受到伤害都会变得只关注自己。故选B。

2.2】C考查句意猜测题。根据I actually believed that my life was more difficult than anyone else around me我真的认为自己的生活要比身边任何人都不容易，可知顾影自怜会导致更加自私。故选C。

3.C考查判断推理题。根据文章第五段的She was young, maybe in her mid to late 20s, and she hardly interacted with me at all the first two nights, other than to give my medications as scheduled住院的前三个晚上同一位护士护理我。她挺年轻，可能快30岁。头两个晚上几乎不怎么跟我说话，除了定期来给我送药。由此推断作者认为该护士不好就是因为她不善于和作者交流。故选C。

4.A考查词义猜测题。A. ashamed害羞的；B. beaten被打的；C. defeated被击败的；D. depressed压抑的。根据前文Her husband had no insurance policy. She had very little family support. She was working paycheck to paycheck to support her boys她丈夫没有保险，家里经济来源很少，她就靠着一点工资养活家里的男孩儿们。和她相比，作者感到自愧弗如了。故选A。

5.D 考查主旨大意题。通读全文，并根据文章的第一句话和最后两句话And don't assume that someone else has it easier than you. You never know the battles someone else is fighting不要假定别人比你的生活更容易，你永远不会知道别人正在挣扎着什么。A. Every bean has its black. 凡人各有其短处；B. Let bygones be bygones既往不咎，忘掉旧嫌；C. Misfortunes never come singly福无双至，祸不单行；D. Stand in others’ shoes站在别人的角度想问题。故选D。

【名师点睛】

社会生活类阅读理解题备考方略

【题型说明】社会生活类阅读文章在高考中的出现频率较高。它涉及人们衣、食、住、行等方面的社会万象、生活经历、饮食、饮食与健康、休闲与娱乐、旅游、生态旅游、服装、住房等等内容。这类文章同学们读起来感觉轻松，试题做起来也比较得心应手。在高考阅读理解题中，这类文章属搭配类材料，所以，它的命题多数属于中低等难度的送分题，如事实细节题、计算题、识图题等。遇到这类文章时，我们一定要抓住得分机遇，尽量不要失分。

【答题方法】读这类文章要特别注意做好事实细节题。对于细节试题，同学们要先从题干中找到关键性词语，然后采用略读或跳读，快速在文章中寻找相关细节，找到后再把这一部分内容仔细阅读一遍，细心比较所给选项与文中细节的区别，在准确理解了细节的前提下，最终确定最佳答案。具体解题步骤如下：

1. 读题干：阅读题干，发现关键词和起主导作用的内容。一般情况下，问题出现的前后顺序与文章中细节和事实出现的先后顺序是一致的。

2. 找细节：阅读文章内容，寻找与题干相符合的具体细节。要注意的是，对作者使用的同义词或与之相关的词语和句子千万不能忽略。如：6.B考查判断推理题。根据第二段的第二句话From my personal experience, I believe that if we aren't careful, grief can become a rather self-involved process in which we can become so focused on our own suffering that we miss the opportunity to connect with, and possibly bring comfort to, someone else who may be going through a similar experience从我的个人经验来看，我相信我们一不小心就会被伤痛左右，以自己为中心，我们会变得过于关注自己的痛苦，而错失和正经历相似痛苦的人接触的机会，也无法给予他们安慰。由此推断我们一旦受到伤害都会变得只关注自己。故选B。

3. 巧答题：根据前两步所得到的信息回答问题。阅读问题所给的四个选项，检查文中的细节与哪一项相符。当题干中有诸如“NOT”或“except”时，同学们一定要特别小心，力求在文章中找到相关的有力证据。

考点：社会生活类阅读理解