One day while shopping in a small town in southern California, it was my misfortune to be approached by a clerk whose personality conflicted with mine. He seemed most unfriendly and not at all concerned about my intended purchase. I bought nothing, and marched angrily out of the store. My hostility toward that clerk increased with each step.
On the outside, standing by the road, was a dark-skinned young man in his early twenties. His expressive brown eyes met and held mine, and in the next instant a beautiful, dazzling smile covered his face. I gave way immediately. The magnetic power of that smile dissolved all bitterness within me, and I found the muscles in my own face happily responding.
“Beautiful day, isn’t it?” I remarked in passing. Then, I turned back. “I really owe you a debt of gratitude,” I said softly. His smile deepened, but he made no attempt to answer. A Mexican woman and two men were standing nearby. The woman stepped forward and eyed me inquiringly. “Sir, but he doesn’t speak English,” she volunteered. “You want I should tell him something?”
At that moment I felt transformed. The young man’s smile had made a big person of me.
“Yes,” my reply was enthusiastic and sincere, “tell him I said ‘Thank you!’ ”
“Thank you?” The woman seeded slightly puzzled. I gave her arm a friendly pat as I turned to leave. “Just tell him that,” I insisted. “He will understand; I am sure!”
Oh, what a smile can do! Although I have never seen that young man, I shall never forget the lesson he taught me that morning. From that day on, I became smile-conscious, and I practice the art diligently, anywhere and everywhere, with everybody.
The author left the store angrily because____.
A.his intended purchases were of poor quality. |
B.there’s nothing he wanted in the shop |
C.the clerk didn’t speak English |
D.the clerk didn’t treat him kindly |
The underlined word “hostility” in the first paragraph probably means ____.
A.attitude | B.hatred | C.idea | D.opinion |
What does the author mean by saying “I found the muscles in my own face happily responding” in Paragraph 2 ?
A.He did not want to smile. |
B.He would thank the young man. |
C.He smiled back at the young man. |
D.He was happy to meet the young man. |
The passage tell us that we should____.
A.help people in trouble |
B.smile at others |
C.practice smiling every day |
D.be generous to strangers |
The author asked the woman to say “Thank you!” to the young man because the young man___.
A.taught the author a valuable lesson |
B.taught the author how to smile |
C.had offered help to the author |
D.was a friendly employee of the shop |