A TAXI driver taught me a million dollar lesson in customer satisfaction and expectation. Inspiring speakers charge thousands of dollars to give his kind of training to corporate directors and staff.  It cost me only a ＄12 taxi ride.

I had flown into Dallas just for the purpose of calling on a client. Time was important and my plan included a quick turn – around trip from and back to the airport. A clean taxi pulled up.

The driver rushed to open the passenger door for me and made sure I was comfortably seated before he closed the door. As be got in the driver’s seat, he mentioned that the neatly folded Wall Street Journal next to me for my use. He then showed me several tapes and asked me what type of music I would enjoy.

Well! I looked around for a “Candid Camera!” Wouldn’t you? I could not believe the service I was receiving! I took the opportunity to say, “Obviously you take great pride in you work. You must have a story to tell.”

“You bet,” he replied, “I used to be in Corporate America. But I got tired of thinking my best would never be good enough. I decided to find my right position in life, somewhere I could feel proud of being the best I could be.

I knew I would never be a rocket scientist, but I love driving cars, being of service and feeling like I have done a full day’s work and done it well. I evaluated my personal property and, I became a taxi driver!

One thing I know for sure, to be good in my business I jus have to meet the expectations of my passengers. But, to be GREAT in my business, I have to EXEED the customer’s expectations! I like the sound of being ‘great’ better than just being ‘a(chǎn)verage’. ”

Did I tip him big time? You bet!

 The taxi driver taught me a great life lesson: Go an extra mile when providing any service to others. And there is no good or bad job you can make any job good.

What lesson did the author learn from the taxi driver?

    A．How to make the best use of time.

    B．How to do better in the service business.

    C．How to turn an interest into your career.

    D．How to become a motivational speaker.

Why did the author look around for a “Candid Camera”?

    A．Because he was afraid he would be photographed in the cab.

    B．Because he was worried what the driver could be up to.

    C．Because he was amazed by the way the driver was treating him.

    D．Because he wasn’t interested in the tapes offered by the driver

It can be inferred from the story that          .

    A．the taxi driver couldn’t accept just being average

    B．the author was anxious to get back to meet a client

    C．when the author waited for a taxi at the airport, he was not in a rush

    D．the taxi driver loved to play his favorite music during rides

According to the story, the taxi driver        .

    A．was dissatisfied wit his present job

    B．was once often rewarded for being a model worker

    C．enjoyed offering his customers more than they expected

    D．was forced to become a taxi driver to support his family

A small man with a fat stomach got on the train at the last station before the frontier (邊境). He carried a paper bag. And four feet ducks could be seen under the cover. The man found an empty seat, put the bag in the middle of the floor, took out a newspaper and began to read. Then a policeman came in. Of course he saw the bag with ducks' legs at once and said, "Whose is that bag?" Nobody answered. The policeman repeated the question, and said, "I'll have to take it away from the owner. Food mustn't be taken out of the country." "Well, then," said the small man with a fat stomach. "Hurry up and take it. We want to go home." The policeman took the bag and went on to the next carriage.

At the next station, when they were safely across the frontier, the small man got up, smiled at the other passengers and said, "I hope they'll enjoy the ducks' feet. The rest of the bag had nothing but rubbish in it." Then he opened his coat and pointed to another bag he was carrying under it. It was tied tightly (緊緊地) over the stomach, which was not really fat. "I have the rest of the two ducks here," he said. With these words, he got off the train. But while he was happily walking to the exit with the bag in his hands, a policeman came up to him, saying, "Hey, man! Foreign food mustn't be brought in."

The small man put the bag in the middle of the floor ___ .

A. so that he could make more room for himself

B. so that the policeman could find it easily

C. because the other passengers didn't like it

D. because there was not an empty seat in the carriage

The first policeman took the paper bag away because ___ .

A. he wanted to find the owner of the bag

B. he enjoyed the ducks feet in the bag

C. the bag was put in a wrong place in the carriage

D. food can't be taken abroad

The bag the policeman took away had nothing in it except ___ .

A. two ducks               B. rubbish

C. the ducks' feet and rubbish  D. the ducks' feet

In the end the small man ___ .

A. failed to take his food home

B. crossed the frontier with two paper bags

C. took the ducks safely home

D. hid his ducks under his coat again

A few years ago I was at an international conference with nearly 700 participants. One afternoon I_31  a very crowded talk by a famous author. The hall filled quickly and soon there were no  32   left , so many dozens of people were standing around the edges.

I saw a very elderly man, stooped(駝背的) slightly with age,   33   against the wall. I immediately got up, told those sitting beside me to   34   the place for him and made my way to him. When I offered my seat to him , he looked  35    and started to refuse , but I would have   36   of that. He asked me my name and thanked me deeply, and then made his  37   back into my row and sat comfortably. Many people who  38   our exchange turned to say what a kind thing I had done. I kept saying , “it’s nothing  39  . I m from Canada, it’s normal for us to help other people!” 

A few minutes later, the man sitting next to the elderly man  40   to leave the hall for another talk and the elderly man   41   to me to return and sit beside him.   42   I resisted, thinking someone else might need it more, but people sitting around him started to repeat my  43 , asking me to come and sit! So I returned and sat beside the gentleman for the  44  .

when the talk was over ,the man thanked me again and  45   asked if I knew who he was . I had no idea. He then looked quite delighted and  46  me a household name that I recognized immediately!

I was astonished to have been sitting next to him,  47  he was excited to think I had given up my seat for him  48   knowing who he was! Again I had to tell him where I come from , and it’s the  49   thing to do! I have felt more blessed to be a Canadian since that day, for seeing how easy it is to  50  someone and how rare it seemed to so many people.

31. A. missed            B. gave           C. expected         D. attended

32. A. seats              B. rooms         C. topics            D. rows

33. A. turning            B. walking        C. leaning           D. lying

34. A. move             B. spare          C. take              D. hold

35. A. glad              B. satisfied        C. disappointed       D. surprised

36. A. nothing           B. none           C. something         D. anything

37. A. living            B. fortune           C. direction           D. way

38. A. witnessed         B. confirmed         C. remembered        D. experienced

39. A. easy             B. popular            C. special            D. funny

40. A. agreed           B. refused             C. chose             D. forgot

41. A. sent             B. signaled            C. rolled             D. said

42. A. At last           B. At least             C. At most           D. At first

43. A. action            B. name              C. dream            D. address

44. A. game            B. discussion           C. course            D. talk  

45. A. quietly           B. loudly.              C. proudly           D. angrily  

46. A. shared            B. told                C. asked             D. answered  

47. A. as if              B. even if             C. so                D .but  

48. A. by               B. without              C. through           D. after

49. A. strange           B. secret               C. normal            D. hard  

50. A. help              B. accept              C. praise            D. trust   

A man hired a taxi outside the airfield．The cab had a woolen carpet with  36 lace edges．On the glass partition that  37 the driver's seat was a copy of a famous painting．Its windows were all clean．The customer was very much  38 and said to the driver，“I've never seen a nicer  39 ．”“Thank you for your praise．”the driver answered  40 ．
“The car isn't mine，”said the driver．“It belongs to the company．I used to be a  41 of cabs．When they returned，all of them were as  42 as garbage cans with cigarette butts and rubbish  43 here and there．On the seats and door-handles could be found something  44  like peanut sauce or, chewing gum．Why so? I thought if the car itself were very clean the passengers would most  45 be considerate and refrain from littering．”
“So when I got a  46 to be a taxi-driver，I began  47 my idea into practice-to tidy and  48 the car． Now before a new passenger gets on my car，I'd make a cheek and be sure it is in good order．When my car  49 after a day's work，it always remains  50 ．”
When doing a thing，one makes efforts and wants to see the result．To change others，one has to make twice the  51 but get half the result．To change oneself is the other way round-more fruit with less effort．One had better ask oneself why one makes  52 on others much more than on oneself．  53 you take enough care to do as best you can for other people's sake，your efforts will yield results，If you  54 the inner world of your own，examine yourself and wipe out the dust and dirt，instead of fixing your eyes on other people，you will find a cheerful  55 for yourself and create a pleasant environment for others．

A small man with a fat stomach got on the train at the last station before the frontier (邊境). He carried a paper bag. And four feet ducks could be seen under the cover. The man found an empty seat, put the bag in the middle of the floor, took out a newspaper and began to read. Then a policeman came in. Of course he saw the bag with ducks' legs at once and said, "Whose is that bag?" Nobody answered. The policeman repeated the question, and said, "I'll have to take it away from the owner. Food mustn't be taken out of the country." "Well, then," said the small man with a fat stomach. "Hurry up and take it. We want to go home." The policeman took the bag and went on to the next carriage.
At the next station, when they were safely across the frontier, the small man got up, smiled at the other passengers and said, "I hope they'll enjoy the ducks' feet. The rest of the bag had nothing but rubbish in it." Then he opened his coat and pointed to another bag he was carrying under it. It was tied tightly (緊緊地) over the stomach, which was not really fat. "I have the rest of the two ducks here," he said. With these words, he got off the train. But while he was happily walking to the exit with the bag in his hands, a policeman came up to him, saying, "Hey, man! Foreign food mustn't be brought in."
1. The small man put the bag in the middle of the floor ___ .
A. so that he could make more room for himself
B. so that the policeman could find it easily
C. because the other passengers didn't like it
D. because there was not an empty seat in the carriage
2. The first policeman took the paper bag away because ___ .
A. he wanted to find the owner of the bag
B. he enjoyed the ducks feet in the bag
C. the bag was put in a wrong place in the carriage
D. food can't be taken abroad
3. The bag the policeman took away had nothing in it except ___ .
A. two ducks               B. rubbish
C. the ducks' feet and rubbish  D. the ducks' feet
4. In the end the small man ___ .
A. failed to take his food home
B. crossed the frontier with two paper bags
C. took the ducks safely home
D. hid his ducks under his coat again