Diane Ray was completely self-centered and very spoilt. Her parents gave her1she wanted, knowing that she would throw a temper tantrum(耍小孩脾气)if they did not. She would scream and kick and2on the floor drumming her heels. Her parents always3.
That was why she was alone on the4, wearing an expensive swimsuit. It has taken a massive tantrum to5her parents to buy it. They were back at the beach-house,6from the tantrum she had thrown when they told her that it was too dangerous to go diving7. “Dangerous?” she had said. “You just don't want me to have8. I'm going and if you try to stop me, I'll scream.”
“What are you doing ?” a voice asked. Diane jumped. She did not know that the man was there9 he spoke .
“I'm going diving, ” she answered.
“You shouldn't swim that day, ” the man10. “There is a storm coming up.”
“You should mind your own11!” Diane replied and walked into the gentle waves.
“If you go out there you'll be12,” the man called after her. She did not bother to reply.
Diane slipped into the water and dived13until white caps began rolling in and it became harder to14against the current (水流). Saltwater hit against her face, making it15to breathe. Oh, why had she not listened to advice.
Panicking, she began to16. Then, just as it seemed as if she would slip beneath the surface, she heard a17voice. “Hold on ! I'm coming.” With18, she saw the old man rowing an ancient-looking boat towards her. “I hope you've learned a lesson. You put us both in19, ” he shouted angrily, as he dragged her over the side of the20. Gratefully, Diane thanked him and ran towards the beach-house.
The light from the campfire brightened the darkness, but it could not prevent the damp cold of Dennis's Swamp (沼泽地) creeping into their bones. It was a strange place. Martin and Tom wished that they had not accepted Jack's dare. They liked camping, but not near this swamp.
“So,” Martin asked as they sat watching the hot coals. “How did this place get its name ? ”
“Are you sure you want to hear it ? It's a scary story,” warned Jack.
“Of course!” cried out Tom. “If there were anything to be scared of, you wouldn't have chosen this place!”
“Ok, but don't say I didn't warn you,” said Jack, and he began this tale.
“Way back in time, a man called Dennis tried to start a farm here. He built that cottage over there to live in . In those days, the area looked quite different — it was covered with tall trees and the swamp was a crystal-clear river. After three hard years, Dennis had cleared several fields and planted crops. He was so proud of his success that he refused to listen to advice.
“ 'You are clearing too much land, ' warned one old man. ' The land is a living thing. It will hit back at you if you abuse it. '
“ ' Silly fool,' said Dennis to himself. 'If I clear more land, I can grow more crops. I'll become wealthier. He's just jealous!'”
“Dennis continued to chop down trees. Small animals that relied on them for food and shelter were destroyed. He was so eager to expand his farm that he did not notice the river flowing slowly towards his door. He did not notice salt seeping to the surface of the land. He did not notice swamp plants choking all the native plants.”
“What happened? ” Martin asked. It was growing colder. He trembled, twisting his body closer to the fire.
“The land hit back —- just as the old man warned, ” Jack shrugged. “Dennis disappeared Old folks around here believe that swamp plants moved up from the river and dragged him underwater. His body was never found.”
“What a stupid story, ” laughed Tom. “Plants can't …” Before he had finished speaking, he screamed and fainted (晕倒). The other two boys jumped up with fright, staring at Tom. Suddenly, they burst out laughing. Some green swamp ivy (常春藤) had covered Tom's face. It was a while before Tom could appreciate the joke.
When international aid is given, steps must be taken to ensure (确保)that the aid reaches the people for whom it is intended. The way to achieve this may not be simple. It is very difficult for a nation to give help directly to people in another nation. The United Nations Organization (UNO) could undertake to direct the distribution of aid. Here however rises the problem of costs. Also tied with this is time. Perhaps the UNO could set up a body of devoted men and women in every country who can speedily distribute aid to victims of floods and earthquakes.
More than the help that one nation can give to another during a disaster; it would be more effective to give other forms of help during normal times. A common proverb says, “Give me a fish and I eat for day, teach me to fish and I eat for a lifetime.” If we follow this wise saying, it would be right to teach people from less developed nations to take care of themselves. For example, a country could share its technology with another. This could be in simple areas like agriculture or in more complex areas like medical and health care or even in building satellites. Even small country is able to help less developed nations. Sometimes what is take for granted, like the setting up of a water purification plant or the administration of a school, could be useful for countries which are looking about to solve common problems. It does not cost much to share such simple things. Exchange students could be attached for a number of months or years and learn the required craft while on the site. They can then take their knowledge back to their homelands and if necessary come back form time to time to clear doubts or to update themselves. Such aid will be truly helpful and there is no chance of it being temporary or of it falling into the wrong hands.
Many countries run extensive courses in all sorts of skills. It will not cost much to include deserving foreigners in these courses. Besides giving effective help to the countries concerned, there is also the build-up of friendships to consider. Giving direct help by giving materials may be effective in the short run and must continue to be given in the event of emergencies. However, in the long run what is really effective would be the sharing of knowledge.
Many people think that listening is a passive business. It is just the opposite. Listening well is an active exercise of our attention and hard work. It is because they do not realize this, or because they are not willing to do the work, that most people do not listen well.
Listening well also requires total concentration upon someone else. An essential part of listening well is the rule known as 'bracketing'. Bracketing includes the temporary giving up or setting aside of your own prejudices and desires, to experience as far as possible someone else's world from the inside, stepping into his or her shoes. Moreover, since listening well involves bracketing, it also involves a temporary acceptance of the other person. Sensing this acceptance, the speaker will seem quite willing to open up the inner part of his or her mind to the listener. True communication is under way and the energy required for listening well is so great that it can be accomplished only by the will to extend oneself for mutual growth.
Most of the time we lack this energy. Even though we may feel in our business dealings or social relationships that we are listening well, what we are usually doing is listening selectively. Often we have a prepared list in mind and wonder, as we listen, how we can achieve certain desired results to get the conversation over as quickly as possible or redirected in ways more satisfactory to us. Many of us are far more interested in talking than in listening, or we simply refuse to listen to what we don't want to hear.
It wasn't until toward the end of my doctor career that I have found the knowledge that one is being truly listened to is frequently therapeutic(有疗效的) In about a quarter of the patients I saw, surprising improvement was shown during the first few months of psychotherapy(心理疗法), before any of the roots of problems had been uncovered or explained. There are several reasons for this phenomenon, but chief among them, I believe, was the patient's sense that he or she was being truly listened to, often for the first time in years, and for some, perhaps for the first time ever.
[1] Fishing is probably the world's most popular sport. People spend many dollars each year on items like boats and four-wheel-drive vehicles. In addition, they spend money on fishing equipment, bait, fuel and boat repairs. And you can see that fishing can be an expensive pastime. Fishing lovers believe that their hobby is worth it. Others say that fishing is spoiling the environment and that it is a cruel hobby.
[2] Supporters of fishing say that it is a nice hobby. Firstly, of the millions of people who fish for fun, most only catch enough fish to feed their families. They catch fish that are found in large numbers, so there is little danger to the species (种类).
[3] Secondly, recreational fishermen contribute to the economy. They spend money on equipment and other items, and they also spend it indirectly by paying taxes on their equipment and fuel. Those who travel to fishing spots pay for accommodation (食宿) and airfares. This money keeps people in work and provides new jobs each year.
[4] Thirdly, fishing is relaxing and fun so it lessens stress. Instead of turning to drugs or alcohol, it is far better to go fishing. People who are relaxed are generally healthier and much nicer to be near —-- except for the smell of the bait!
[5] Those who _________________ say that there are too many fish thoughtlessly taken from rivers, lakes, streams and oceans. This could lead to the dying out of some species. Modern cars and boats mean that people can fish in remote areas of the world, so no place is safe from greedy fishermen who take both males and females, leaving few fish to produce young.
[6] Those against fishing also say that it is a blood sport, which means that an animal must die so that a human can have fun. Many of the fish caught for sport are not suitable for eating, so they are thrown away. Once hooked, fish have no chance of escape.
Those who say that there are too many fish thoughtlessly taken from rivers, lakes, streams and oceans.