I am a mother
of three children and have recently completed my college degree. The last class
I had to take was social study. The last project of the term was called “Smile”.
The last class was asked to go out and smile at three people and document their
reactions.
Soon after we
were given the project, my husband, my youngest son, and I went out to McDonald’s
one cold March morning. It was just our way of sharing special playtime with
our son.
We were
standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of a sudden everyone around us
began to back way. I turned around and found there standing behind me were two
poor homeless men with a horrible “dirty body” smell. The short gentleman,
close to me, was “smiling”. His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of light as
he searched for acceptance. The second man played with his hands uneasily as he
stood behind his friend. I realized the second man was mentally challenged and
the blue-eyed gentleman was his salvation (救赎). The short man just asked for a coffee because that
was all they could afford.
I smiled and
asked the young lady behind the counter to give me two more breakfast meals on
a separate tray. I then walked around the corner to the men’s table. I put the
tray on the table and laid my hand on the blue-eyed gentleman’s cold hand. He
looked up at me with tears in his eyes and said “Thank you”.
I started to
cry as I walked away to join my husband and son. When I sat down my husband
smiled at me and said, “That’s why God gave you to me, Honey. To give me hope.”
On the last evening
of class, I turned in “my project” and the instructor read it. Then she looked
up at me and said, “Can I share this?” I slowly nodded as she got the attention
of the class. She began to read and we
all knew that we need to heal people and to be healed.
I graduated
with one of the biggest lessons I would ever learn: UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE. “LOVE
PEOPLE AND USE THINGS---NOT LOVE THINGS AND USE PEOPLE.”
1. Why did the
people around the author back away?
A. Because both men
were poorly dressed and mentally ill.
B. Because the short
gentleman was smiling to everyone around.
C. Because two
homeless men were also waiting in line, with a bad smell.
D. Because the
second man stood playing with his hands.
2.After the author
handed the meals to the homeless men, she _________.
A. talked with them
for a while. B. went back to her
husband and son
C. turned in her
project
D. regretted and cried
3. What kind of
woman do you think the author is?
A.
Over-curious B.
Caring C.
Mature D. Lovely
4. What does the
author try to tell us with the last sentence?
A. Giving is a
gesture of love, which people will understand and appreciate.
B. If you need help
from others, you’d better present them with gifts.
C. If you want to
get something from somebody, you should please him with gifts.
D. Don’t be greedy
with money or ask people to do things for you.
5. According to the passage,
which of the following is NOT true?
A. The author’s
husband was very proud of her.
B. What the author
did to the men touched many people.
C. Poor as the
homeless men were, they had their dignity.
D. The author felt
we should know how to heal people.
