Around twenty years ago I was living in Seattle and going through hard times. I could not find a satisfying job and I found this especially difficult as I had a lot of experience and a Master’s degree.

To my shame I was driving a school bus to make ends meet and living with friends. I had been through five interviews with a company and one day between bus runs they called to say I did not get the job.

Later that afternoon, while doing my rounds through a quiet neighborhood I had an internal(inside)wave—like a scream(尖叫)—come up from deep inside me and I thought “Why has my life become so hard?”...

Immediately after this internal scream I pulled the bus over to drop off a little girl and as she passed she handed me an earring saying I should keep it in case somebody looked for it. The earring was stamped with words “BE HAPPY”.

At first I got angry. Then it hit me. I had been putting all of my energies into what was wrong with my life rather than what was right! I decided then and there to make a list of 50 things I was thankful to.

At first it was hard, then it got easier. One day I decided to up it to 75. That night there was a phone call for me, asking if I would do a one-day training for 200 hospital workers. I said yes and got the job.

My day with the hospital workers went very well. I got a standing welcome and many more days of work. To this day I KNOW that it was because I changed my attitude(態(tài)度)to gratitude.

By chance, the day after I found the earring the girl asked me if anyone had looked for it. I told her no and she said “I guess it was meant for you then.”

I spent the next year doing training workshops all around the Seattle area and then decided to risk everything and go back to Scotland where I had lived before. I closed my one man business and bought a plane ticket. One month later I met my wonderful English wife and best friend of 15 years now. We live in a small beautiful house in Scotland.

“THE ONLY ATTITUDE IS GRATITUDE” has been my motto(座右銘) for years now and yes, it completely changed my life.

1.What is the underlined word it in the passage?

A.To make a list of things he was thankful to.

B.The words“ BE HAPPY”.

C.To forget that his life became so hard.

D.The special earring the girl gave to the writer.

2.The word gratitude means “being ________”.

A.thankful B.open

C.careful D.kind

3.Which of the following is NOT TRUE according to the passage.?

A.The writer made a list of 75 things he was thankful to.

B.The writer’s wife has been his best friend for 15 years.

C.The writer has lived in Seattle since 20 years ago.

D.The writer did the training for 200 hospital workers.

4.What would be the best title for the passage?

A.Attitude and Gratitude B.The Girl and I

C.Be Happy D.The Earring

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