This parable（寓言）is told of a farmer who owned an old mule（骡子）. The mule fell into the farmer’s well. The farmer heard the mule praying for whatever mules do when they fall into wells. After carefully assessing（评估）the situation, the farmer sympathized（同情）with the mule, but decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he called his neighbors together , told them what had happened, and asked them to help pour dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out his misery.
At the beginning, the old mule was crazy! But as the farmer and his neighbors continued shovelling and the dirt hit his back, a thought struck him. It suddenly dawned on him that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back, he would shake it off and step up!
This he did, blow after blow. “Shake it off and step up… shake it off and step up… shake it off and step up!” He repeated to encourage himself. No matter how painful the blows, or how distressing the situation seemed, the old mule fought panic and just kept right on shaking it off and stepping up!
It wasn’t long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, stepped triumphantly（胜利地）over the wall of that well! What seemed like it would bury him actually helped him… all because of the manner in which he handled his adversity（逆境）.
That’s life! If we face our problems and respond to them positively, and refuse to give in to panic, bitterness, or self-pity.
The adversities that come along to bury us usually have within them the very real potential to benefit us! Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that amateurs（生手）built the boat. Professionals built the Titanic.
小题1:Why did the farmer decide to bury the mule in the well?
A．Because he thought the mule was of little use.
B．Because he didn’t like the praying made by the mule.
C．Because he thought the well couldn’t be used any longer after the accident.
D．Because he didn’t want to see the mule suffer more in the well.小题2:What does the underlined sentence in the second paragraph mean?
A．The mule became calm
B．The mule became quiet.
C．The mule suddenly had an idea
D．The mule lost heart.小题3:Who saved the mule at last?
A．The farmer
B．The farmer’s neighbors
C．The farmer and his neighbors
D．The mule himself小题4:What lesson can we learn from the passage?
a. One should give up something of little use.
b. One should depend oneself when in trouble.
c. One should show mercy to others who are in trouble.
d. There must be something that one can do well no matter what he is.
e. Be self-determined and never give up, and one can succeed in the end.
A．a, b, e
B．b, d, e
C．a, c, e
D．b, c, e
小题1:D
小题2:C
小题3:D
小题4:B
题目分析：本文是通过寓言故事骡子如何处理逆境的事件来阐述改变心态，化逆境为顺境转变命运的道理。
小题1:细节题：根据第一段Instead, he called his neighbors together , told them what had happened, and asked them to help pour dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out his misery.可知农民是要埋了骡子以免它再痛苦。答案选D.
小题2:猜词题：根据表面单词的意思就是有一个想法，下文也确实相处了一个想法，对应答案为C。
小题3:推理题：根据第四段all because of the manner in which he handled his adversity，得出正是骡子自己救了它自己。故答案选D。
小题4:推理题：本题主要还是通过对文章的理解来揭示故事的寓意。a项内容恰恰是相反，不能放弃，所以不对；c不属于故事的额寓意范畴。答案选B。