I had an experience some years ago, which taught me something about the ways in which people make a bad situation worse by blaming themselves. One January, I had to hold two funerals on successive days for two elderly women in my community. Both had died “full of years”, as the Bible would say. Their homes happened to be near each other, so I paid condolence (吊唁) calls on the two families on the same afternoon.

At the first home, the son of the deceased (已故的) woman said to me, “If only I had sent my mother to Florida and gotten her out of this cold and snow , she would be alive today. It’s my fault that she died.” At the second home, the son of the other deceased woman said, “If only I hadn’t insisted on my mother’s going to Florida, she would be alive today. That long airplane ride, the sudden change of climate, was more than she could take. It’s my fault that she’s dead.”

You see that any time there is a death, the survivors will feel guilty. Because the course of action they took turned out badly, they believe that the opposite course — keeping Mother at home, putting off the operation — would have turned out better. After all, how could it have turned out any worse?

There seem to be two elements involved in our willingness to feel guilty. The first is our pressing need to believe that the world makes sense, that there is a cause for every effect and a reason for everything that happens. That leads us to find patterns and connections both where they really exist and where they exist only in our minds.

The second element is the view that we are the cause of what happens, especially the bad things that happen. It seems to be a short step from believing that every event has a cause to believing that every disaster is our fault. The roots of this feeling may lie in our childhood.

A baby comes to think that the world exists to meet his needs, and that he makes everything happen in it. He wakes up in the morning and summons the rest of the world to its tasks. He cries, and someone comes to attend to him. When he is hungry, people feed him, and when he is wet, people change him. Very often, we do not completely outgrow that childish view that our wishes cause things to happen.

1.The author had to hold the two women’s funerals probably because     .

A．he wanted to comfort the two families

B．he was an official from the community

C．he had great pity for the deceased

D．he was priest of the local church

2.People feel guilty for the deaths of their loved ones because     .

A．they couldn’t find a better way to express their sorrow

B．they believe that they were responsible

C．they had neglected the natural course of events

D．they didn’t know things often turn out in the opposite direction

3.According to the passage, the underlined part in paragraph 4 probably means that     .

A．everything in the world is predetermined

B．the world can be interpreted in different ways

C．there’s an explanation for everything in the world

D．we have to be sensible in order to understand the world

4.What’s the main idea of the passage?

A．Life and death is an unsolved mystery.

B．Every story should have a happy ending.

C．Never feel guilty all the time because not every disaster is our fault.

D．In general, the survivors will feel guilty about the people who passed away .

 

【答案】

1.D

2.B

3.C

4.C

【解析】略

 

練習(xí)冊(cè)系列答案
相關(guān)習(xí)題

科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源： 題型：閱讀理解

A jobless man wanted very much to have the position of “office boy” at Microsoft. The HR manager interviewed him and then watched him cleaning the floor as a test. “You have passed the test,” he said. “Give me your e-mail address and I’ll send you the form to fill in and the date when you may start.” The man replied, “But I don’t have a computer, neither an e-mail.” “I’m sorry,” said the HR manager. “If you don’t have an e-mail, that means you are not living. And anyone who isn’t living cannot have the job.”

The man left with no hope at all. He didn’t know what to do with only $10 in his pocket. He thought and thought. Then he went to the supermarket and bought 10 kilos of tomatoes. He sold the tomatoes from door to door. In less than two hours, he had 20 dollars. He repeated the operation three times, and started to go early every day, and returned home late. Shortly, he bought a cart , then a truck, then he had his own fleet of delivery vehicles(運(yùn)貨車隊(duì)). Five years later, the man was one of the biggest food retailers (零售商)  in the US.

One day, one of his friends asked him for his e-mail. He said, “I haven’t got one.” His friend couldn’t believe his ears. “Can you imagine what you could have been if you had an e-mail?” The man thought for a while and replied, “Yes, I’d be an office boy at Microsoft!”

What did the man do for the test?

     A. He sent e-mails.                     B. He did the cleaning

     C. He sold computers.                   D. He filled in forms.

The man didn’t get the job because he_____________.

    A. disliked such a job             B. didn’t pass the test

    C. didn’t have an e-mail           D. knew nothing about computers

The man ______after he left Microsoft.

   A. went to look for another job       B. asked for food from door to door

   C. thought of an idea to make money  D. bought a computer and got an e-mail

Why could the man become one of the biggest food retailers in the US?

A. Because he had many friends to help him.

B. Because he was smart and worked very hard.

C. Because he had his own fleet of delivery vehicles.

D. Because he wanted to show Microsoft he was living.

What does the story want to tell us?

A. Computers are very important in our daily life.

B. Everyone can make a lot of money with only$10.

C. The HR manager didn’t find the ability of the man.

D. Nothing in the world is impossible if we work hard.

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：2013屆山東省臨沭一中高三學(xué)情調(diào)查英語(yǔ)卷（帶解析） 題型：閱讀理解

A jobless man applied for the position of “office boy” at Microsoft. The HR manager interviewed him and then watched him cleaning the floor as a test.
“You are employed,” he said. “Give me your e-mail address and I’ll send you the application to fill in, as well as date when you may start. ”
The man replied, “But I don’t have a computer, neither an e-mail. ”
“I’m sorry,” said the HR manager. “If you don’t have an e-mail, that means you do not exist. And who doesn’t exist cannot have the job. ”
The man left with no hope at all. He didn’t know what to do, with only ten dollars in his pocket. He then decided to go to the supermarket and buy 10kg tomatoes. He then sold the tomatoes from door to door. In less than two hours, he succeeded to double his capital. He repeated the operation three times, and returned home happily with 60 dollars.
The man realized that he can survive in this way, and started to go every day earlier, and return late. Thus, his money doubled or tripled every day. Shortly, he bought a cart, then a truck, and then he had his own fleet of delivery vehicles. Five years later, the man is one of the biggest food retailers in the US.
He started to plan his family’s future and decided to have a life insurance. He called an insurance broker and chose a protection plan.
When the conversation was concluded the broker asked him his e-mail. The man replied, “I don’t have an e-mail. ”
The broker answered curiously, “You don’t have an e-mail, and yet have succeeded to build an empire. Can you imagine what you could have been if you had an e-mail?” The man thought for a while and replied, “Yes, I’d be an office boy at Microsoft!”
【小題1】Why can’t the man have the job at Microsoft?

A．Because he was lazy.B．Because he didn’t pass the test.
C．Because he didn’t have an e-mail.D．Because he didn’t have a computer.
【小題2】The underlined word “triple” can be replaced by ______.
A．become largeB．become 3 times
C．increase quicklyD．decrease quickly
【小題3】According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?
A．The man is one of the biggest food retailers in the world.
B．The man didn’t give up though he failed the interview.
C．He started his career by selling tomatoes in the supermarket.
D．Those who have e-mails can work at Microsoft.
【小題4】The man can be described as _______.
A．helpful and considerateB．positive and generous
C．smart and hardworkingD．stubborn and unselfish
【小題5】Which proverb can best describe the story?
A．Misfortune may be an actual blessing.
B．Where there is a will, there is a way.
C．Accidents will happen.
D．No pains , no gains.

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：2012-2013學(xué)年江蘇省如皋中學(xué)高一第一次階段練習(xí)英語(yǔ)試卷（帶解析） 題型：填空題

根據(jù)中文和首字母填空（共18題20空，每空0.5分，共10分）
【小題1】____________ (游泳) for sometime after a tiring day is very enjoyable and exciting for me in summer.
【小題2】Almost no high school students are  __________（滿意）with the school hours in china.
【小題3】On  ___________ （平均）, he works seven hours a day.
【小題4】This gold watch was passed down from one ________________（一代）to another.
【小題5】The news that was _________________（廣播）on the radio surprised us all.
【小題6】It is impossible for him to be ________（專心于）to his studies as he is __________(狂熱)about computer games
【小題7】Our students are busy _________________（準(zhǔn)備）for the final exams.
【小題8】I know from my own  _____________（經(jīng)歷）how difficult this kind of work can be.
【小題9】The book tells us m____________ about English culture.
【小題10】After g_________________ from university, he once worked as a newspaper reporter.
【小題11】It’s the first time the painting has been displayed in the e____________ room
【小題12】She is gaining weight because she likes eating d   ______too much.
【小題13】The policeman told me to go s____________ on and turn left at the second crossing.
【小題14】I can tell them we had an e___________, and then they won’t be angry any more.
【小題15】The money for dog food is gone, but Spot looks like he is s________.
【小題16】Much to my surprise, the young girl takes c________ of a big company.
【小題17】The best way to earn r__________ at school is to work hard and a________ high grades.
【小題18】You are s_________ to hand in your homework next Tuesday morning.

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：2014屆遼寧省分校高二上學(xué)期12月月考英語(yǔ)試卷（解析版） 題型：閱讀理解

A jobless man applied for the position of “office boy” at Microsoft. The HR manager interviewed him and then watched him cleaning the floor as a test.

“You are employed,” he said. “Give me your e-mail address and I’ll send you the application to fill in, as well as date when you may start.”

The man replied，“But I don’t have a computer, neither an e-mail.”

“I’ m sorry，” said the HR manager.“If you don’t have an e-mail，that means , you do not exist. And who doesn’t exist cannot have the job.”

 The man left with no hope at all. He didn't know what to do with only ten dollars in his pocket. He then decided to go to the supermarket and buy 10 kg tomatoes. He then sold the tomatoes from door to door. In less than two hours, he managed to double his capital. He repeated the operation three times, and returned home happily with 60 dollars.

The man realized that he could survive in this way, and started to go every day earlier, and return late. Thus, his money doubled or tripled every day. Shortly, he bought a cart, then a truck, and then he had his own fleet of delivery vehicles. Five years later, the man is one of the biggest food retailers(銷售商) in the US.

He started to plan his family’s future and decided to have a life insurance. He called an insurance broker（經(jīng)紀(jì)人）and chose a protection plan.

When the conversation was concluded the broker asked him his e-mail. The man replied, “I don’t have an e-mail.”

The broker answered curiously,“You don’t have an e-mail, and yet have managed to build an empire. Can you imagine what you could have been if you had an e-mail?" The man thought for a while and replied,“Yes，I’d be an office boy at Microsoft!”

1.The underlined word “tripled” can be replaced by              .

A. became large                             B. became 3 times

C. increased quickly                        D. decreased quickly

2.According to the passage，which of the following is TRUE?

A. The man is one of the biggest food retailers in the world.

B. The man didn’t give up though he failed the interview.

C. He started his career by selling tomatoes in the Supermarket.

D. Those who have e-mails can work at Microsoft.

3.The man can be described as                .

A. helpful and considerate                                    B. positive and generous

C. smart and hardworking                                       D. stubborn and unselfish

4.Which proverb can best describe the story?

A. Misfortune may be an actual blessing.       B. Where there is a will, there is a way.

C. Accidents will happen.                   D. No pains, no gains.

 

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：2014屆江西省吉安市高一下學(xué)期期末教學(xué)質(zhì)量評(píng)價(jià)英語(yǔ)試卷（解析版） 題型：閱讀理解

A jobless man applied for the position of "office boy" at Microsoft. The manager interviewed him and then watched him cleaning the floor as a test.

"You are employed," he said. "Give me your e-mail address and I'll send you the application to fill in, as well as the date when you may start."

The man replied, "But I don't have an e-mail."

"I'm sorry," said the manager. "If you don't have an e-mail, that means you do not exist. And who doesn't exist cannot have the job."

The man left with no hope at all. He didn't know what to do, with only ten dollars in his pocket. He then decided to go to the supermarket and buy 10kg tomatoes. He then sold the tomatoes from door to door. In less than two hours, he succeeded to double his money. He repeated the practice three times, and returned home happily with 60 dollars.

The man realized that he can survive in this way, and started to go every day earlier and return late. Thus, his money doubled or tripled every day. Shortly, he bought a cart, then a truck, and then he had his own fleet of delivery vehicles. Five years later, the man is one of the biggest food retailers in the US.

He started to plan his family's future and decided to have a life insurance. He called an insurance broker (代理人) and chose a protection plan.

When the conversation was concluded, the broker asked him his e-mail. The man replied, "I don't have an e-mail."

The broker answered curiously, "You don't have an e-mail, and yet have succeeded to build an empire. Can you imagine what you could have been if you had an e-mail?" The man thought for a while and replied, "Yes, I'd be an office boy at Microsoft!"

1.Why can't the man have the job at Microsoft?

A．Because he was lazy.

B．Because he didn't pass the test.

C．Because he didn't have an e-mail.

D．Because he didn't have a computer.

2.The underlined word "triple" in the passage can be replaced by "____".

A．become twice

B．become 3 times

C．decrease twice

D．decrease 3 times

3.Which of the following is TRUE?

A．The man is one of the biggest food retailers in the world.

B．The man didn't give up though he failed the interview.

C．He started his career by selling tomatoes in the supermarket.

D．Those who have e-mails can work at Microsoft.

4.The man can be described as ____.

A．helpful and thoughtful

B．positive and generous

C．smart and hardworking

D．stubborn and selfish

5.Which of the following can best describe the story?

A．Misfortune may be an actual blessing.

B．A good beginning is half done.

C．Accidents will happen.

D．No pains, no gains.

 

查看答案和解析>>

同步練習(xí)冊(cè)答案