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, friends nearby would meet to discuss possible solutions 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 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.
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
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
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.
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
By writing the passage, the author wishes people in the world to be ________.
A. unselfish B. mysterious C. honest D. unforgettable
科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
My mother-in-law, Dorothy, is showing me the red notebook that’s almost as precious to her as my husband’s baby pictures. Inside the notebook is a list of the books she has read since 2007. For some people waking up in the middle of the night is a terrible thing. But for my mother-in-law, that time is a gift. At 87, she is getting the education she never had by working her way through great literature. She has now read close to 100 books, including every single novel by Anthony Trollope, Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Edith Wharton, Henry James and Thomas Mann.
My mother-in-law discusses her passion with the enthusiasm of a young girl, although she can also be a very tough critic, writing “VG’ for “ very good” in the margins next to her favorites. So far, only a handful of books have received the top prize.
Born in Ridgefield, Conn, Dorothy was the youngest daughter of an Italian gardener. She taught herself English by reading The New York Times. Eager to come to Manhattan, she became a nurse, married a dentist and spent the next several decades keeping the house and raising a family. In her later years, she put her nursing skills to good use by taking care of my father-in-law, who had lung cancer. There were many trips to the emergency room in the middle of the night and then a long hospital stay. She stayed awake to watch over him for 15 hours a day. Always a light sleeper, she developed sleeplessness as a result of the stress.
It worsened after he died. Deeply sad and lonely for the first time in her life, she began waking up around 2am. Julian and Sylvia, the elderly couple next door suggest she read literature. And so Julian, a great lover of literature, became her “professor”, providing books from his large library. Suddenly the terrifying hole turned onto a world of amazing characters.
Why is Dorothy considered a tough critic?
A. Because no books are inspiring enough in her eyes.
B. Because only a few books are thought highly of by her.
C. Because she only reads books by famous writers.
D. Because she finds fault with every book she reads.
It can be inferred from the passage that _____.
A. the books Dorothy has read were bought by her husband.
B. the couple next door are college professors.
C. the author loves literature too.
D. Dorothy was a great wife.
The underlined part “the terrifying hole” in the last paragraph refers to _____.
A. the frightening death
B. Dorothy’s lack of education
C. waking up in the middle of the night
D. a hole in a book that Dorothy read
What helped Dorothy get over the sadness and loneliness of losing her husband?
A. Living with her son.
B. Reading literature.
C. Seeing her son’s baby pictures.
D. Talking with neighbors.
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科目:高中英语 来源:2016届浙江省高一上学期期中英语试卷(解析版) 题型:其他题
The people below are all looking for books to help themselves. After the description of these people, there is information about six books A---F. Decide which book would be most suitable for the person mentioned in questions 1---5 and mark the correct letter (A---F) on your answer sheet. There is one extra paragraph which you do not need to use.
1. Jim bought a home computer earlier this year and he’s become very enthusiastic about it, spending hours each evening ‘playing’ with it as his wife says. Unfortunately, he’s getting a bit forgetful about things he’s promised to do!
2. Freda prefers action to reading or watching TV. She is planning to redecorate the lounge and she isn’t expecting any help from others!
3. Susan Laughton is taking ‘A’ Levels in English, History and Art next year and if she passes, she’s hoping to become a teacher.
4. Tony is very interested in animals and at the moment he wants to be a vet (a doctor for animals) when he grows up.
5.Jessica loves flowers, though, as her family lives in a second floor flat, there’s no garden for her to grow anything in.
A: Book One
By Rachel Lawson
Over 100 color photographs, $ 22.00
Written to accompany an exciting new 13-part ITV television series, Nature Watch, this book describes the people who spend their lives working with the birds, animals and plants in various parts of the world. Their enthusiasm is brought to life with their own outstanding color photographs. Hints on nature watching for the amateur are found throughout.
B: Book Two
By Bob Dillard
150 color photographs and 490 color pictures, $ 16.50
Just the book for the job! With over 600 color photographs and pictures it covers the most popular DIY tasks around the home---painting, wall coverings, finishing furniture and woodwork, and putting up shelves. Full of handy tips and clear instructions
C: Book Three
By Will Smith, $ 7.5
Week to a page. A truly delightful family science magazine, each issue brings to light new software to make time before the screen interesting. This pocket diary provides a wide range of information for the enthusiast. Try it for 3 weeks for just 6.6. You can save 0.9.
D: Book Four
By Martin Ferguson
Color throughout, Paperback $ 9.5
Another title in the popular and practical Learn to Paint series, this beautifully illustrated book show you how to paint animals, birds, fish and butterflies in the studio and in the field. Every issue contains plenty of usable samples and provides a free photography page.
E: Book Five
By Cynthia Wildman
12 double-page color paintings 170 line drawings, $ 17.8
A fresh and useful approach to indoor gardening. A month-by-month guide to jobs to do, plants to look for, planning ahead and enjoying seasonal variations---to give year-round color in the home. Illustrated by original paintings for each month.
F: Book Six
By Conrad Ellis & Richard Hopkins, Paperback $ 9.8
A guide to success in written work, study and examinations for students in all subjects at colleges, and universities. Topics covered include: grammar, punctuation, and spelling; sentence and paragraph structure; research and library work; charts and diagrams; essays, reports, and exams; letters and application forms; listening and note-taking; talking and reading skills.
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科目:高中英语 来源:2012-2013学年陕西宝鸡中学高三高考模拟考试英语卷(解析版) 题型:阅读理解
A serious problem for today's society is who should be responsible for our elderly and how to improve their lives. It is not only a financial problem but also a question of the system we want for our society. I would like to suggest several possible solutions to this problem.
First, employers should take the responsibility for their retired employees. To make this possible, a percentage of profits should be set aside for this purpose. But when a company must take life-long responsibility for its employees, it may suffer from a commercial disadvantage due to higher employee costs.
Another way of solving the problem is to return the responsibility to the individual. This means each person must save during his working years to pay for his years of retirement. This does not seem a very fair model since some people have enough trouble paying for their daily life without trying to earn extra to cover their retirement years. This means the government might have to step in to care for the poor.
In addition, the government could take responsibility for the care of the elderly. This could be financed through government taxes to increase the level of pensions. Furthermore, some institutions should be created for senior citizens, which can help provide a comfortable life for them. Unfortunately, as the present situation in our country shows, this is not a truly viable answer. The government can seldom afford to care for the elderly, particularly when it is busy trying to care for the young.
One further solution is that the government or social organizations establish some working places especially for the elderly where they are independent.
To sum up, all these options have advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, it is reasonable to expect that some combination of these options may be needed to provide the care we hope to give to our elderly generations.
1.What is the passage mainly about?
A.The problems faced by the old in society.
B.Why we should take responsibility for the old.
C.How we can improve the lives of the old.
D.Where the old can go to get their pensions.
2. The underlined word "viable" most probably means" ".
A.impossible B.practical C.useful D.important
3.What is the writer's main purpose in writing this article?
A.To point out the need for government support for old people.
B.To make general readers aware of the problems of retired people.
C.To discuss some possible solutions to an important social problem.
D.To instruct retired people on how they can have a happier life.
4.The text is most likely to be found in a book about____.
A.social science B.historical events
C.political problem D.political systems
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科目:高中英语 来源:2010年绥滨一中高二下学期期末考试英语卷 题型:阅读理解
My mother-in-law, Dorothy, is showing me the red notebook that’s almost as precious to her as my husband’s baby pictures. Inside the notebook is a list of the books she has read since 2007. For some people waking up in the middle of the night is a terrible thing. But for my mother-in-law, that time is a gift. At 87, she is getting the education she never had by working her way through great literature. She has now read close to 100 books, including every single novel by Anthony Trollope, Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Edith Wharton, Henry James and Thomas Mann.
My mother-in-law discusses her passion with the enthusiasm of a young girl, although she can also be a very tough critic, writing “VG’ for “ very good” in the margins next to her favorites. So far, only a handful of books have received the top prize.
Born in Ridgefield, Conn, Dorothy was the youngest daughter of an Italian gardener. She taught herself English by reading The New York Times. Eager to come to Manhattan, she became a nurse, married a dentist and spent the next several decades keeping the house and raising a family. In her later years, she put her nursing skills to good use by taking care of my father-in-law, who had lung cancer. There were many trips to the emergency room in the middle of the night and then a long hospital stay. She stayed awake to watch over him for 15 hours a day. Always a light sleeper, she developed sleeplessness as a result of the stress.
It worsened after he died. Deeply sad and lonely for the first time in her life, she began waking up around 2am. Julian and Sylvia, the elderly couple next door suggest she read literature. And so Julian, a great lover of literature, became her “professor”, providing books from his large library. Suddenly the terrifying hole turned onto a world of amazing characters.
1.Why is Dorothy considered a tough critic?
A. Because no books are inspiring enough in her eyes.
B. Because only a few books are thought highly of by her.
C. Because she only reads books by famous writers.
D. Because she finds fault with every book she reads.
2. It can be inferred from the passage that _____.
A. the books Dorothy has read were bought by her husband.
B. the couple next door are college professors.
C. the author loves literature too.
D. Dorothy was a great wife.
3.The underlined part “the terrifying hole” in the last paragraph refers to _____.
A. the frightening death
B. Dorothy’s lack of education
C. waking up in the middle of the night
D. a hole in a book that Dorothy read
4. What helped Dorothy get over the sadness and loneliness of losing her husband?
A. Living with her son.
B. Reading literature.
C. Seeing her son’s baby pictures.
D. Talking with neighbors.
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科目:高中英语 来源:20102011学年广东省高一下学期期中考试英语试题 题型:单项填空
______ the scene, he couldn’t help thinking of the description in a book ____ by a British novelist.
A. Seeing; written B. Seen; written
C. Being seen; writing D. Being seeing; written
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