Sometimes a small gift is priceless.
一件小禮物有時候會是無價的。
When Sheila showed up to do some volunteer work in Africa, she was automatically in awe of the place. She had never experienced the extreme poverty or the constant sandstorms and blistering heat. After a few weeks, she had gotten used to almost everything except for the beggars. Everywhere she went, people were sticking their hands in her face and asking for money. Sheila was trying to help out the local village by building an orphanage, but she couldn't possibly give everyone everything they wanted.
One day, as Sheila was getting her backpack from a jeep, two men came up behind her on a scooter, snatched her bag, and quickly rode off. Her passport, cash, and credit cards were inside. Sheila broke down and started crying because she knew that it would be weeks before she could get out of Africa and all she wanted to do was go home.
The next day, Sheila went to the embassy to get a temporary passport. She spent six hours in the office and came away with nothing. They said it would be at least a month before she would receive her new passport. On the steps outside, Sheila was quietly weeping when an old woman came over and begged her for money. Sheila lost it and started screaming at the woman, who didn't understand a word that was said but who was shocked about being yelled at. Still, the woman could feel Sheila's pain and reached into her pocket and gave Sheila her only coin. It wasn't much, but Sheila realized that it was all the woman could do to help. Sheila got up, gave the woman a hug, and realized that everything would be all right.
1. How did Sheila feel once she got to Africa?
(A) She wanted to leave at once.
(B) She enjoyed the weather.
(C) She was astonished by the place.
(D) She asked her boss if she could stay longer.
2. What tragedy happened to Sheila?
(A) She was robbed of her backpack with all of her valuables inside.
(B) She was robbed at gunpoint.
(C) She got injured while she was building an orphanage.
(D) She got into an altercation with a beggar.
3. Which event happened last in the story?
(A) Sheila's belongings were stolen.
(B) Sheila was cheered up by a stranger.
(C) Sheila was told she couldn't leave Africa right away.
(D) Sheila was harassed by a woman that wanted money.
4. What is the moral of the story?
(A) People that live in poverty are much kinder than the rich.
(B) A hungry person knows nothing else.
(C) Those who are kind to the poor will end up rich.
(D) Sometimes little things can make you feel better.
精解字詞片語
1.show up 出席，出現
Max didn't show up for the important meeting, which pissed off the manager.
麥克斯沒有出席這場重要會議，這讓經理非常生氣。
2.volunteer n. 義工 & vt. & vi. 自願做
volunteer to V 自願去做……
Hank volunteered to take care of the plants in my garden while I was away.
在我外出時，漢克自告奮勇要去照顧我花園裡的植物。
3.in awe of... 敬畏……
awe n. 敬畏
I couldn't help but stand in awe of those powerful people.
我在那些權威人士面前忍不住心生敬畏。
4.poverty n. 貧窮
live in poverty 生活在貧困中
Lisa lived in poverty as a child, but thanks to hard work and determination, she became a successful entrepreneur.
麗莎小時生活貧困。但由於努力奮鬥和決心，她成為了一位成功的企業家。
5.get used to + N/V-ing 習慣於……
After living in Taipei for five years, Mindy finally got used to the local weather.
明蒂住在台北 5 年後，終於適應了當地的天氣。
6.except (for) + N 除了……之外
No one could answer the question except (for) Larry.
除了賴瑞以外，沒人能回答出這個問題。
7.break down 崩潰
Erin broke down in tears when she heard that her parents had been killed.
當艾琳聽到她父母被殺害的消息時，她泣不成聲。
8.come away with... 帶著……離開
The investors came away with the impression that the company was very well run.
投資人帶著這間公司經營良善的印象離開。
9.beg (sb) for sth （向某人）乞求某事
Dexter begged for his wife's forgiveness after he was caught being unfaithful.
戴斯特在被抓到出軌之後乞求太太的寬恕。
10.lose it 失控
Amy completely lost it with one of the naughty kids in class.
艾咪因為課堂上其中一位頑皮的小朋友而完全失控了。
11.shock vt. 使震驚
be shocked about... 對……很震驚
Grace was so shocked about winning the beauty contest that she was speechless.
贏得選美比賽使葛莉絲震驚到連話都說不出來。
12.yell at... 對著……吼叫
Don't yell at me! I'm not deaf.
不要對著我大吼大叫！我又不是聾子。
13.reach into... 伸進……
Alice reached into her bag to look for her business cards.
愛麗絲把手伸進她的包包裡找她的名片。
14.astonish vt. 使震驚
I was astonished at Ray's wild behavior.
我對雷的瘋狂行徑感到很震驚。
15.at gunpoint 在槍口的威脅下
The hostage was held at gunpoint for two days waiting for ransom.
該人質這兩天都在槍口的威脅下等待贖金。
16.altercation n. 爭論，爭鬥
The best way to solve a problem is not to engage in physical altercations but to talk things out.
解決這個問題最好的方法不是肢體衝突而是把事情講開。
17.cheer (sb) up （使某人）鼓舞∕振作起來
I have some news that will cheer you up!
我這裡有些能讓你振奮的消息!
18.harass vt. 騷擾
One woman claimed that the judge had sexually harassed her.
一名女子宣稱她遭到法官的性騷擾。
單字小舖
1.automatically adv. 不自覺地；無意識地
2.extreme a. 極端的
3.constant a. 持續的，不斷的
4.sandstorm n. 沙塵暴
5.blistering a. 酷熱得要燙出水泡似的
6.beggar n. 乞丐
7.orphanage n. 孤兒院
8.backpack n.（指登山或健行者所用的）背包
9.snatch vt. 搶奪
10.embassy n. 大使館
11.temporary a. 臨時的，暫時的
12.weep vi.（因悲傷而）哭泣
13.tragedy n. 悲劇
14.valuables n. 貴重物品（恆用複數）
15.belongings n. 財產；所有物（恆用複數）
16.moral n. 寓意，教訓
片語小舖
1.help sb out 幫助某人解決難題
2.scream at... 朝著……大吼大叫
3.at once 立刻，馬上
= right away
= immediately adv.
4.end up + V-ing 到頭來卻……
中文翻譯
希拉出現在非洲擔任志工時，她不自覺地就對這個地方起了敬畏之情。她從未經歷過極端的貧困或是不間斷的沙塵暴以及酷熱。經過幾個星期之後，除了乞丐之外希拉幾乎已經習慣了所有的事。希拉所到之處，都有人當著她的面向她伸手討錢。希拉努力想要藉由建造一座孤兒院來幫助當地的村落渡過難關，但是她不可能給所有人任何他們所要的東西。
有一天當希拉從吉普車上拿出她的背包，兩名男子騎著一輛小摩托車從她身後出現，將她的包包搶走，並迅速地騎車離開。希拉的護照、現金和信用卡都在裡面。希拉瞬間崩潰，開始哭了出來，因為她知道還要隔幾週她才能離開非洲，而她現在唯一想做的事就是回家。
隔天，希拉來到了大使館想要領取臨時護照。她花了 6 個小時在辦公室裡等待，卻徒勞而返。大使館人員說要 1 個月後她才能收到新護照。希拉在大使館外的臺階上默默哭泣時，有一名老婦人走過來向希拉討錢。希拉失控並開始對著這婦人吼叫，這名婦人不懂希拉所吼的每一句話，但她仍因為被吼叫而感到震驚。儘管如此，婦人還是能夠感受到希拉的痛苦，婦人把手伸進口袋，給了希拉她身上唯一一枚銅板。數目雖然不是很多，但是希拉了解到這是婦人唯一能幫的忙。希拉起身給了婦人一個擁抱，她知道一切都會釋懷了。
1. 希拉一抵達非洲時有什麼感受？
(A) 她想要馬上離開。
(B) 她很喜歡那裡的天氣。
(C) 她對這個地方感到很震驚。詳見文章第 1 段
(D) 她詢問老闆她是否可以待久一點。
題解：根據本文第 1 段文章所述，只有 (C) 選項被提及，故為正選。
2. 在希拉身上發生了什麼樣的悲劇？
(A) 裝著她身上所有貴重物品的包包被搶走了。詳見文章第 2 段
(B) 她在槍口的威脅下被搶了。
(C) 她在蓋孤兒院時受傷了。
(D) 她與一名乞丐發生口角。
題解：根據本文第 2 段第 1 及第 2 句，有一天當希拉從吉普車上拿出她的背包，兩名男子騎著一輛小摩托車從她身後出現，將她的包包搶走，並迅速地騎車離開。希拉的護照、現金和信用卡都在裡面可知 (A) 應為正選。
3. 這個故事最後發生了什麼事？
(A) 希拉的財物被偷走了。
(B) 希拉被陌生人所鼓舞。詳見文章第 3 段
(C) 希拉被告知她不能立刻離開非洲。
(D) 希拉被討錢的婦人騷擾。
題解：根據本文第 3 段，可知 (B) 為正選；而選項 (D) 表示。『希拉被討錢的婦人騷擾』，本文並未使用 harassed 一字，故 (D) 項不可選。
4. 這個故事的寓意為何？
(A) 生活貧困的人比富人更親切。
(B) 飢餓的人其他什麼事都不知道。
(C) 那些對窮人親切的人最終都會變成有錢人。
(D) 有時候小事情可以使你感覺好一些。
題解：根據本文第 3 段，最後希拉由於老婦人的一枚銅板，讓她原本悲痛的心情轉為釋懷，可知 (D) 應為正選。
答案：1. C 2. A 3. B 4. D
文法一點靈
almost
注意
almost（幾乎）用來修飾數量形容詞時，這些形容詞必須是具有完全性概念的詞類，
故形容詞如 all（全部）、every（每一個）、
any（任一）、no（沒有）等字均可與 almost
並用，因此無 almost many（幾乎許多）或是 almost most（幾乎大部分）的用法，因 many 與 most 所表示的並非完全性的概念。
Almost many sailors are good swimmers.
(×)
→ Almost all sailors are good swimmers.
(○)
幾乎所有水手都很會游泳。
All / What one wants to do is (to) V
某人想做的就是……
all 或 what 引導的子句可作主詞，句中 be 動詞之後接不定詞片語，而 to 常省略。
All I want to do this weekend is sleep in.
我這個週末想做的就是睡懶覺。
What Jessie wants to do now is finish the job as soon as possible and go home.
潔西現在想做的就是儘快完成工作然後回家。
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