To some people, happiness is something to do with simplicity, and it is the ability to extract pleasure
from the simplest things-such as a peach stone (桃核). It is obvious that it has nothing to do with success.
For Sir Henry Stewart, it was certainly successful. I remember some ten years ago when he was made King's Counsel, Amos and I went to congratulate him. We smiled happily; he merely looked as miserable
as though he'd received a punishment. He took his success as a child does his medicine. And not one of
his achievements brought even a sign of a smile to his tired eyes.
I asked him one day what it was like to achieve all one's ambitions. He looked down at his roses and
went on watering them. Then he said, "The only value in achieving one's ambitions is that you then realize
that they are not worth achieving."
Yesterday, I was passing his house and he called me, "Come and see, Jan. Look! I have done it at last! "There he was, holding a small box of earth in his hand. I observed three tiny shoots out of it.
"And there were only three!" he said, his eyes laughing to heaven.
"Three what?" I asked.
"Peach stones," he replied."I've always wanted to make peach stones grow, even since I was a child,
when I used to take them home after a party, or as a man after a banquet. And I used to plant them, and
then forgot where I planted them.But now at last I have done it. I had only three stones, and three shoots," he counted.
Then Sir Henry ran off, calling for his wife to come and see his achievement-his achievement of
simplicity.
1. From what fact could we see Sir Henry was successful?
A. He felt happy from the simplest things.
B. He was made King's Counsel.
C. He was able to make the peach stones shoot.
D. He didn't take his success seriously.
2. The author compares Sir Henry's attitude towards his success to a child's taking medicine________.
A. to show that Sir Henry felt miserable when he was promoted
B. to prove that Sir Henry didn't want to be successful
C. to suggest that Sir Henry's future job would be hard to do
D. to tell us that Sir Henry took his success as a tiny thing in his life
3. According to Sir Henry Stewart, the value in achieving one's ambitions is________.
A. that he discovers it valueless
B. that he finds it worth his efforts
C. that he has achieved it
D. that he fails to realize it
4. The writer's opinion about Sir Henry's attitude towards success is________.
A. criticism
B. disapproval
C. admiration
D. tease
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