A lot of us lose life's tough battles by starting a frontal  attack - when a touch of humor might
well enable us to win. Consider the case of a young friend of mine, who was trapped in a traffic
jam on his way to work shortly after receiving a warning about being late for the job. Although
there was a good reason for Sam's a being late - serious illness at home - he decided that this by
now-familiar excuse wouldn't work any longer. His boss was probably already pacing up and dow
n preparing a dismissal speech.
     Yes, the boss was. Sam entered the office at 9:35. The place was as quiet as a locker room
(更衣室); everyone was hard at work. Sam's boss came up to him. Suddenly, Sam smiled and
stretched out his hand. "How do you do!" he said. "I'm Sam Maynard. I'm applying for a job,
which, I understand, became available just 35 minutes ago. Does the early bird get the worm?"
     The room exploded in laughter. However, the boss clamped off a smile and walked back to
his office. Sam Maynard had saved his job - with the only tool that could win, a laugh.
     Humor is a most effective, yet frequently neglected, means of handling the difficult situations
in our lives. It can be used for patching up differences, apologizing, saying "no", criticizing, getting
the other fellow to do what you want without his losing face. For some jobs, it's the only tool that
can succeed. It is a way to discuss subjects so sensitive that serious dialogue may start a quarrel.
For example, many believe that comedians  on television are doing more today for racial and
religious tolerance than people in any other field.

1. Why was Sam late for his job?

A. He was ill.                        
B. He was caught in a traffic jam.
C. He was busy applying for a new job.  
D. He got up late.

2. The underlined phrase "clamped off" in the third paragraph probably means __________.

A. burst into          
B. tried to set up  
C. tried to hold back    
D. gave out

3. Which of the following statements can we infer from the text?

A. Sam was supposed to come to his office at 8:30.
B. It wasn't the first time that Sam came late for his work.
C. Humor is the most effective way of solving problems.
D. All people lose life's battles for they are lacking in a sense of humor.

     The old man walked with a cane (拐杖) slowly into the restaurant. His poor jacket, patched(打補丁的) trousers, and worn-out shoes made him stand out from the usual Saturday morning breakfast crowd. Unforgettable were his pale blue eyes that shone like diamonds, large rosy cheeks, and thin lips held in a
steady smile.
     He walked toward a table by the window. A young waitress watched him and ran over to him, saying, "Here, Sir. Let me give you a hand with that chair."
  Without a word, he smiled and nodded a thank you. She pulled the chair away from the table.
Supporting him with one arm, she helped him move in front of the chair, and get comfortably seated.
Then she pushed the table up close to him, and leaned his cane against the table where he could reach it.
     In a soft, clear voice he said, "Thank you, Miss."
     "You are welcome, Sir." She replied. "My name is Mary. I'll be back in a moment. If you need
anything, just wave at me!"
     After he had finished a hearty meal of pancakes, bacon, and lemon tea, Mary brought him the change,
helping him up from his chair and out from behind the table. She handed him his cane, and walked with
him to the front door. Holding the door open for him, she said, "Come back and see us, Sir!"
     He nodded a thank you and said softly with a smile, "You are very kind!"
     When Mary went to clean his table, she was shocked. Under his plate she found a business card and
a note written on the napkin(餐巾紙), under which was a $100 bill.
     The note on the napkin read, "Dear Mary, I respect you very much, and you respect yourself, too. It
shows by the way you treat others. You have found the secret of happiness. Your kind gestures will shine
though those who meet you."
     The man she had served was the owner of the restaurant. This was the first time that she, or any of
his workers, had seen him in person.

1. Mary ran over to the old man because___________. 

A. the old man was the boss of the restaurant
B. She was worried that the old man might cause trouble to the restaurant
C. the old man had asked her to wait on him
D. she saw the old man had some difficulty moving and taking a seat

2. The man came to the restaurant___________.

A. to have breakfast        
B. to see his workers
C. to find out how the workers in his restaurant were working
D. to see how Mary served customers

3. The words the man left on the napkin showed that___________.  

A. Mary's kind service would bring in more money for her
B. respecting others means respecting oneself
C. serving others is a respectable job
D. Mary would get a rise as a result of her kindness

4. Which of the following titles goes best with the story?

A. Shining Kindness            
B. A Kind-hearted Girl
C. Kindness Means Chances      
D. A Waitress and Her Boss

     Many years ago,when I was fresh out of school and working in Denver,I was driving to my parents'
home in Missouri for Christmas. I stopped at a gas station about 50 miles from Oklahoma City,where I
was planning to stop and visit a friend. While I was standing in line at the cash register(收款臺)I said
hello to an older couple who were also paying for gas.
     I took off,but had gone only a few miles when black smoke poured from the back of my car. I
stopped and wondered what I should do. A car pulled up behind me. It was the couple I had spoken to
at the gas station. They said they would take me to my friend's. We chatted on the way into the city,and
when I got out of the car,the husband gave me his business card.
     I wrote him and his wife a thank-you note for helping me. Soon afterward,I received a Christmas
present from them. Their note that came with it said that helping me had made their holidays meaningful.
Years later,I drove to a meeting in a nearby town in the morning. In late afternoon I returned to my car
and found that I'd left the lights on all day,and the battery(電池)was dead. Then I noticed that the
Friendly Ford dealership一a shop selling cars一was right next door. I walked over and found two
salesmen in the showroom.
     "Just how friendly is Friendly Ford?"I asked and explained my trouble. They quickly drove a pickup
truck to my car and started it. They would accept no payment,so when I got home,I wrote them a note
to say thanks. I received a letter back from one of the salesmen. No one had ever taken the time to write
him and say thank you,and it meant a lot,he said.
     Another few years had passed when a friend's husband died. Pat had been a well-respected doctor
at a big hospital, and hundreds of cards were sent to the family. Among them was a sympathy card from
a plumber who had once worked at their house. He wrote that when Pat had paid the bill, he wrote on
the invoice(發(fā)票), "Thank you for a good job."
     "Thank you"一two powerful words. They're easy to say and mean so much.

1. Where did the writer meet with the old couple for the first time? 

A.  About  50 miles from Denver.  
B. On the way to his friend's.
C. In his parents' home.            
D. At a certain gas station.

2. From this passage we know that_______.

A. the writer didn't visit his friends in the end
B. the writer sent the old couple a Christmas package
C. the old couple received thanks from the writer
D. the old couple helped the writer repair his car

3.One of the salesmen in the Friendly Ford wrote back to the  writer probably because______.

A. only a few customers would write him for his help
B. the writer's thanks note was meaningful to him
C. the writer was humorous and friendly
D. he wanted to make friends with the writer

4. How many stories did the writer tell in the passage? 

A. Two    
B. Three    
C. Four    
D. Five

     Uncle Tom gave little Vicki Black a birthday gift one week before her birthday. He told her not to open it until her birthday. She knew her mother wouldn't tolerate any disrespect to the kind man who helped them out after Vicki's father passed away. Besides, Vicki didn't want Uncle Tom to get angry. But little Vicky didn't want to just hold it and guess what was in it. After all, she looked forward to his coming to show her interesting things, like how to turn an old sock into a doll.
     All the day, Vicki couldn't stop thinking about the gift. While her teacher was giving a lecture? Vicki sat still in her seat, drawing paper dolls inside the box. When school was done, she raced home. Walking into the room, again, she shook the present, but she heard nothing. Holding her breath, she opened the box and looked inside. Seconds later, she cried. When Mrs. Black saw the box, she said angrily, "Didn't I tell you to leave it alone?" Vicki sobbed and said, "Mommy, you don't understand."
     "Don't cry to me. You have missed everything now, just because you couldn't wait," Mrs. Black accused. "What will Uncle Tom think now?"
     "Uncle Tom gave me nothing," Vicki cried and handed the empty box to her mother. "He played a trick on me."
     Mrs. Black said doubtfully, "Uncle Tom is not like that. You must have dropped it."
    Vicki kept crying. Only a rapid knock on the door made the house quiet. It was Uncle Tom. He looked at the empty box. "You have already done it? I told you to wait for your birthday."
     "You didn't give me a gift." Fresh tears filled her eyes.
     "I try to give you something. I know your birthday is a special day. I tell myself to give you something valuable to last your whole life. I think hard and get the idea to give you an important lesson. If you open it on birthday, I see you learn. Then I will make a big party to celebrate. Maybe next year you listen and then you will understand the gift better."
     Vicki's cheeks flushed(臉紅).

1. We can learn from the text that Vicki_______.

A. often received gifts from her father          
B. expected Uncle Tom to give her a doll
C. was sad because of her father's death        
D. liked and respected Uncle Tom

2. What do the underlined words "done it" refer to?

A. Guessed the result                      
B. Opened the box
C. Realized Uncle Tom's purpose            
D. Known what her birthday gift was

3. What kind of person is Uncle Tom?

A. Thoughtful        
B. Humorous        
C. Mysterious        
D. Funny

4. What did Uncle Tom want to teach Vicki?

A. How to respect others                  
B. The meaning of gifts
C. How to deal with gifts                  
D. The value of a promise

     It had been some time since Jack had seen the old man. College, career, and life itself got in the way.
In fact, Jack moved clear across the country in pursuit of his dreams. There, in the rush of his busy life,
Jack had little time to think about the past and often no time to spend with his wife and son. He was
working on his future, and nothing could stop him.
     Over the phone, his mother told him, "Mr. Belser died last night. The funeral is Wednesday."
Memories flashed through his mind like an old newsreel as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days.
     "Jack, did you hear me?"
      "Oh, sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. It's been so long since I thought of him. I'm sorry, but I honestly
thought he died years ago," Jack said.
      "Well, he didn't forget you. Every time I saw him he'd ask how you were doing. He'd reminisce(回
憶) about the many days you spent over 'his side of the fence' as he put it," Mom told him. 
     "I loved that old house he lived in," Jack said.
     "You know, Jack, after your father died, Mr. Belser stepped in to make sure you had a man's
influence in your life," she said.
     "He's the one who taught me carpentry. I wouldn't be in this business if it weren't for him. He spent
a lot of time teaching me things he thought were important… Mom, I'll be there for the funeral," Jack
said.
     Busy as he was, he kept his word. Jack caught the next flight to his hometown. Mr. Belser's funeral
was small and uneventful. He had no children of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away.
     The night before he had to return home, Jack and his Mom stopped by to see the old house next
door one more time, which was exactly as he remembered. Every step held memories. Every picture,
every piece of furniture… Jack stopped suddenly.
     "What's wrong, Jack?" his Mom asked.
     "The box is gone," he said. 
     "What box?" Mom asked.
      "There was a small gold box that he kept locked on top of his desk. I must have asked him a
thousand times what was inside. All he'd ever tell me was 'the thing I value most'," Jack said.
     It was gone. Everything about the house was exactly how Jack remembered it, except for the box,
He figured someone from the Belser family had taken it.
"Now, I'll never know what was so valuable to him," Jack said sadly.
Returning to his office the next day, he found a package on his desk. The return address caught his
attention.
     "Mr. Harold Belser" it read.
Jack tore open the package. There inside was the gold box and an envelope. Jack's hands shook as he
read the note inside.
      "Upon my death, please forward this box and its contents to Jack Bennett. It's the thing I valued
most in my life. " A small key was taped to the letter. His heart racing, and tears filling his eyes, Jack
carefully unlocked the box. There inside he found a beautiful gold pocket watch. Running his fingers
slowly over the fine cover, he opened it.
     Inside he found these words carved: "Jack, Thanks for your time! Harold Belser. "
     " Oh, My God! This is the thing he valued most…Jack held the watch for a few minutes, then called
his assistant and cleared his appointments for the next two days. "Why?" his assistant asked.
     "I need some time to spend with my son," he said.

1.  What can be inferred from the conversation between Jack and his mother?

A. Mr. Belser died.
B. Jack's mother was grateful to Mr. Belser.
C. Before his mother's call, Jack often thought of Mr. Belser.
D. Jack moved clear across the country in pursuit of his dreams.

2. Why did Jack think Mr. Belser died years ago?

A. College and career prevented him from remembering Mr. Bleser.
B. Jack was too busy with his business and family to think about Mr. Belser.
C. Jack was too busy realizing his dreams to think about Mr. Belser.
D. His present busy life washed away his childhood memories.

3. Jack's mother told him on the phone about Mr. Belser EXCEPT that ______.

A. Mr. Belser often asked how Jack was doing
B. Mr. Belser's funeral would take place on Wednesday
C. Mr. Belser had asked for Jack's mailing address
D. Mr. Belser had pleasant memories of their time together

4. Why did Belser send Jack his gold watch?

A. Because he was grateful for Jack's time with him.
B. Because he had no children or relatives.
C. Because he thought he had to keep his word.
D. Because Jack had always wanted it during his childhood.

5. Why did Jack say he needed some time to spend with his son?

A. He was very tired of his work and wanted to have a good rest.
B. He had promised to spare more time to stay with his son.
C. He had missed his son and his family for days.
D. He came to realize the importance of the time with his family.

6. Which of the following is the most suitable title for this passage?

A. The Good Old Times                      
B. What He Valued Most
C. An Old Gold Watch                        
D. The Lost Childhood Days