Passage 2

Like most people,I was brought up to look upon life as a process of getting.It was not until in my late thirties that I made this important discovery:giving–away makes life so much more exciting.You need not worry if you lack money.This is how I experimented with giving–away.If an idea for improving the window display of a neighborhood store flashes to me,I step in and make the suggestion to the storekeeper.One discovery I made about giving–away is that it is almost impossible to give away anything in this world without getting something back,though the return often comes in an unexpected form.One Sunday morning the local post office delivered an important special delivery letter to my home,though it was addressed to me at my office.I wrote the postmaster a note of appreciation.More than a year later I needed a post–office box for a new business I was starting.I was told at the window that there were no boxes left,and that my name would have to go on a long waiting list.As I was about to leave,the postmaster appeared in the doorway.He had overheard(无意中听到)our conversation.“Wasn’t it you that wrote us that letter a year ago about delivering a special delivery to your home?”I said yes.“Well,you certainly are going to have a box in this post office if we have to make one for you.You don’t know what a letter like that means to us.We usually get nothing but complaints.”

16.From the passage,we understand that __________.

A.the author did not understand the importance of giving until he was in late thirties

B.the author was like most people who were mostly receivers rather than givers

C.the author received the same education as most people during his childhood

D.the author liked most people as they looked upon life as a process of getting

17.According to the author __________.

A.giving means you will lack money

B.the excitement of giving can bring you money

C.you don’t have to be rich in order to give

D.when you give away money,you will be rich

18.The author would make the suggestion to the storekeeper __________.

A.in writing B.in person

C.in the window display D.about the neighborhood

19.When the author needed a post–office box,__________.

A.he had to put his name on a waiting list

B.he wrote the postmaster a note of appreciation

C.many people had applied for post–office boxes before him

D.he asked the postmaster to make one for him

20.In reply to the postmaster’s question,the author said __________.

A.it was the special delivery

B.it was the post–office box

C.it was the note of appreciation he wrote

D.it was he who wrote him a letter a year ago