Compassion is a desire within us to help others. With effort, we can translate compassion into actions. An experience last weekend showed me this is true. I work part-time in a supermarket across from a building for the elderly. These old people are our main customers, and it's not hard to lose patience over their slowness. But last Sunday, one aged gentleman appeared to teach me a valuable lesson. This untidy man walked up to my register(收款机) with a box of biscuits. He said he was out of cash(现金), had just moved into his room, and had nothing in his cupboards. He asked if we could let him have the food on trust. He promised to repay me the next day.
I couldn't help staring at him. I wondered what kind of person he had been ten or twenty years ago, and what he would be like if luck had gone his way. I had a hurt in my heart for this kind of human soul, all alone in the world. I told him that I was sorry, but the store rules didn't allow me to do so. I felt stupid and unkind saying this, but I valued my job.
Just then, another man, standing behind the first, spoke up. If anything, he looked more pitiable. “Change it to me, ” was all he said.
What I had been feeling was pity. Pity is soft, safe and easy. Compassion, on the other hand, is caring in action. I thanked the second man but told him that was not allowed either. Then I reached into my pocket and paid for the biscuits myself. I reached into my pocket because these two men had reached into my heart and taught me compassion.
16.The aged gentleman who wanted to buy the biscuits________ .
A.hoped to have the food first and pay later
B. promised to obey the store rules
C. forgot to take any money with him
D. could not afford anything more expensive
17.Which of the following best describes the old gentleman?
A.Kind and lucky.
B.Friendly and helpful.
C.Poor and lonely.
D.Hurt and disappointed.
18.The writer acted upon the store rules because ________.
A.he felt no pity for the old gentleman
B.he considered the old man dishonest
C.he expected someone else to pay for the old man
D.he wanted to keep his present job
19.What does the writer learn from his experience?
A.Wealth is more important than anything else.
B. Experience is better gained through practice.
C. Obeying the rules means more than compassion.
D. Helping others is easier said than done.
【文章大意】 本文是一篇记叙文，主要讲述了作者如何把对老人的同情转化为行动的故事。
16.A 推理判断题。根据文章第一段的最后一句“He promised to repay me the next day.” 可推知，老人当时想赊账，之后再来还钱，故选A项。
17.C 推理判断题。根据文章第一段的倒数第三句“He said he was out of cash(现金), had just moved into his room, and had nothing in his cupboards.”并结合第二段的第三句“I had a hurt in my heart for this kind of human soul, all alone in the world.”可推知，那个老人又穷又孤独，故选C项。
18.D 推理判断题。根据文章的第二段的最后一句“I felt stupid and unkind saying this, but I valued my job.”可推知，作者遵守超市规定是想保住自己目前作为收银员的工作，故选D项。
19.D 推理判断题。根据文章最后一段第二句和第三句“Pity is soft, safe and easy. Compassion, on the other hand, is caring in action.”可推知，同情很容易，而怜悯并付出行动并不易，故选D项。
