阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从1--20各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。

    I often read of incidents of misunderstanding or conflict. I'm left 1 .Why do these people create mistrust and problems, especially with those from other 2 ?

    I was growing up in Kuala Lumpur in the early 1960s, 3 children from different races and religions played and studied 4  in harmony. At that time my family lived a stone's 5 from Ismail's. And no one was bothered that Ismail was a Malay Muslim and I was an Indian Hindu-we just 6 our differences. Perhaps, our elders had not filled our heads with unnecessary advice, well 7 or otherwise.

    We were nine when we became friends. During the school holidays, we'd 8 the countryside on our bicycles, hoping to 9 the unexpected. At times Ismail would accompany my family as we made a rare shopping trip to town. We would be glad of his 10.

    When I was twelve, my family moved to Johor. Ismail's family later returned to their village, and I 11 touch with him.

    One spring afternoon in 1983, I stopped a taxi in Kuala Lumpur. I 12 my destination. The driver acknowledged my 13 but did not move off. Instead, he looked 14 at me. “Raddar?”he said, using my childhood nickname(绰号). I was astonished at being so 15 addressed(称呼). Unexpectedly! It was Ismail! Even after two 16 we still recognized each other. Grasping his shoulder, I felt a true affection, something 17to describe.

    If we can allow our children to be 18 without prejudice, they'll build friendships with people, regardless of race or religion, who will be 19 their side through thick and thin. On such friendships are societies build and20 we can truly be, as William Shakespeare once wrote, “we happy few, we band of brothers”.

    Once upon a time a teacher and his student 1down under a big tree near the big grass area．Then suddenly the student asked the teacher，"Teacher，I'm puzzled．How do we 2 our soul mate(知己)?Could you please help me?"

    Silent for a few seconds，the teacher then answered，"Well，it's a pretty hard and easy question．" The teacher 3 ,"Look that way．There is a lot of grass．Why don't you walk there? But please don't walk 4 ． On your way，try to find a blade(叶片)of beautiful grass and 5 it and then give it to me．But just one．"

    The student said OK and then he walked straight ahead to the grassy field．A few minutes later，the student came back empty-handed．When the teacher asked the 6 ,the student said，"On my journey，I found quite a few beautiful blades of grass，but I 7     that I would find a better one，so I didn't pick it．But I didn't realize that I was at the 8 of the field，and I hadn't picked any because you told me not to go back，so I didn't go back." Hearing this, the teacher said，"That's what will happen in real life．"

    What is the 9 of this story? In the story，grass is the people around you；the beautiful blade grass is the people that 10 you and the grassy field is time．In looking for your soul mate，please don't always 11and hope that there will be a better one．By doing that，you'll 12your lifetime．Remember "Time Never Goes Back．"

    My father enjoys bike riding. Ever since I was little, I have always loved going biking with my dad.1, as I became a teenager, other things began to draw my 2 . It became important to do things with friends3 I saw my dad every evening at home. Why did I have to 4 my Sundays to all-day bike trips with him, too? If my indifference(冷漠的) hurt him, my father kept5, but he would always let me know when he was planning a bike trip6I wanted to come with him.

    It was a Sunday morning, and I was in low 7. Two of my friends had gone to the movies without inviting me. Just then my father8my room.“It is a beautiful day. Want to go for a 9, today, Beck?” “Leave me alone!” I impatiently10. Those were the last words I said to him before he left the house that 11.

    Several hours later, the police called us, informing(告知) us that Dad had a traffic 12. My father's injuries were serious. It 13 several days before he could eventually(最后) speak. Beside his bed，I held his hand gently，14 of hurting him. “Daddy… I am sorry…” “ It's okay, my dear, I'll be okay.”

     “No,” I said, “I 15 what I said to you that day. You know, that morning?”

     “My dear, I don't 16anything about that day, not before, during or after the accident. I remember kissing you good night the night before, though.” He 17 a weak smile.

    I felt regretful for my thoughtless remark(话语)，for I 18wanted him to leave me alone in my heart. My teacher once told me that 19 have immeasurable power. They can hurt or they can heal. And we all have the 20 to choose our words. I intend to do that very carefully from now on.

    Once a man came to a wise man's house and said, “I have many bad habits. Which of them should I 1 first?” The wise man said, “Never tell lies 2 always speak the truth.” The man 3 to do so and went home.

    At night the man was about to go out to steal. Before setting out, he 4 for a moment about the promise he made to the wise man. “If he asks me where I have been, what shall I say? Shall I say that I went out 5?” No, I cannot say that, but nor can I 6. If I tell the truth, everyone will start 7 me and call me a thief. I would be 8 for stealing.” So the man 9 not to steal that night, and gave up this 10 habit.

    Next day, he 11 to drink wine. When he was about to do so, he said to himself, “What shall I say to the wise man 12 he asks me what I did during the day? I cannot tell a lie.” And so he gave up the 13 of drinking wine.

    In this 14, whenever the man thought of doing something bad, he 15 his promise to tell the truth at all times. 16, he gave up all his bad habits and became a very 17 person.

    Telling the truth is a very good 18. If you always speak the truth, you can save yourself from a lot of 19 and become a person whom everyone 20 and favors.

    Make a promise: I shall always speak the truth.

    My l4-year-old son, John, and I spotted the coat which was hanging at a secondhand clothing store in Northampton Mass. While the other coats drooped(低垂), this one looked as if it were1itself up. The coat had beautiful tailoring, a Fifth Avenue label and a(an)2price of $28, which was popular just then with3, but could cost several hundred dollars new. This coat was even better, bearing that4of classic elegance(优雅). John tried it on and the fit was perfect.

    John5the coat to school the next day and came home wearing a big smile" Did the kids like your coat?" I asked. "They loved it," he said,6folding it over the back of a chair and smoothing it flat. Over the next few weeks, a7came over John. Agreement replaced contrariness (作对) and reasoned discussion replaced fierce8. He became more mannerly and9, eager to please. He would generously loan his younger brother his tapes and lecture him10his behavior.

    When I mentioned this incident to his teacher and11what caused the changes, she said laughing. "It12be his coat!" Another teacher told him she was giving him a good13not only because he had earned14but because she liked his coat. At the library, we ran into a friend "Could this be John?" he asked surprisingly,15John's new height, assessing the cut of his coat and extending his hand, one gentleman to another.

    John and I both know we should never16a person's clothes for the real person within them.17there is something to be said for wearing a standard of excellence for the world to see and for18what is on the inside to what is on the outside.

    For John it is a time when it is as easy to try on different approaches to19as it is to try on a coat. The whole world, the whole future is stretched out ahead, a vast landscape20all the doors are open. And he could picture himself walking through those doors wearing his wonderful, magical coat.

Sandra was a businesswoman in Orlando. Approaching her 50th birthday, she decided to1 her love of cats and her work experience to start the Orlando Cat Cafe.

As a lifelong cat fan, Sandra's main goal in opening the cafe was to help 2 cats up for adoption with proper pet parents. What she didn't 3at the time was that her café would help human visitors as much as the cats!

"The most4thing in the cafe is that they always have new cats and cats need socialization, so both sides 5!" says Laurie, who is one6guest. She, like many other cat lovers, who 7have pets at home because of allergies (过敏反应) in the family, often comes to the cafe to experience the benefits of 8with cute animals whenever she likes.

Plus, Sandra's cat-adoption 9aren't the only charitable initiative happening at the cafe! The coffee and food10for visitors are made by Axum Coffee, a company that was also started to11others. Axum is a city in Ethiopia where fresh water is 12and even poverty is widely visible. In fact, the coffee and food are sold at a low price at the cafe, some of whose13go to the people of Axum, Ethiopia, to help improve their14 of life.

"My cafe and Axum Coffee have a(n)15 mission to reach out to others. We hit it off and became partners," says Sandra.

Maybe the next time you visit Orlando, you'll16Sandra's cafe, and hit it off with one of the cats up for17 ! Adoption specialists are always on-site to help match the personalities of potential 18 with those of the cats in the play area. And it 19 ! More than 80 cats have been adopted since Sandra20 her business in 2016.