When a dirty and untidy orange cat showed up in the prison yard.I was one of the

When a dirty and untidy orange cat showed up in theprison yard，I was one of the first to go out there andpet it．I hadn’t touched a cat or a dog in over 20years．I spent at least 20 minutes，knelt down behind the kitchen as the cat rolled around，relaxed．What he wasexpressing outwardly, I was feeling inwardly．It was anamazing bit of grace to feel him under my hand and note that I was reaching alife or another creature with something as simple as my care．

   Over the next few days，there were other prisoners responding to the cat．Every yard period，a group ofprisoners gathered there．They stood around talking and taking turnspetting the cat．These were guys you wouldn’t usually findtalking to each other．Several times I saw an officer in the group，not chasing people away, but just watching and seemingto enjoy along with the prisoners．Bowls of milkand water appeared along with bread, wisely placed under the edge of thedustbin to keep the birds from getting it．

   The cat was obviously homeless and inpretty bad shape．People said that the cat came to the rightplace．He's getting treated like a king．This was true．but as Iwatched I was also thinking about what the cat was doing for us．There was a lot of talk about what's wrong withprisons in America．We need more programs．We need more psychologists or treatment of variouskinds．Some may even talk about making prisonsmore kind．But I think what we really need is a chanceto practise our own kindness．Not receive it，but give it．After morethan two decades here，I know kindness is not a value that'sencouraged．It's often seen as a weakness．

   Instead，theculture encourages keeping your head down，minding yourown business，and never letting yourself be weak．

   The cat did my heart good to see theeffect he had on me and the men here．By simply saying，”I need some help here”，he didsomething important for us．He needed us．And we needed to be needed．I believe we all do．

1.Which of the following statements is true?

A．The cat was dirty becauseit was kept in prison．

B．The officer in the prisonenjoyed petting the cat．

C．The prisoners preparedfood for both the cat and birds．

D．The author realized theimportance of practising kindness．

2.We can infer from the third paragraph that______

A．showing love to otherscan make prisoners strong

B．the American prisonculture will be improved

C．the author is not contentwith the prison culture

D．caring for others isencouraged in American prisons

3.What is the best title for the passage?

A．Caring Makes US Human．        B．Prison Culture is Important．

C．Animals Need Care．            D．Everyone Needs to be Cared for．

4.In Paragraph 2，the authormentioned that "Several times I saw an officer in the Group, not chasingpeople away, but just watching and seeming to enjoy along with the prisoners."to______ ．

A．show us the officer andprisoners get along well with each other

B．show us the Americanprison culture does need improvement

C．show us the officer andprisoners all like cat

D．show us the Americanprison culture is great

试题答案

【答案】

1.D

2.C

3.A

4.B

【解析】试题