阅读理解。
Do you want to live with a strong sense of peacefulness, happiness, goodness, and self-respect? The
collection of happiness actions broadly categorized as "honor" help you create this life of good feelings.
Here's an example to show how honorable actions create happiness.
Say a store clerk fails to charge us for an item. If we keep silent, and profit from the clerk's mistake,
we would drive home with a sense of sneaky excitement. Later we might tell our family or friends about
our good fortune. On the other hand, if we tell the clerk about the uncharged item, the clerk would be
grateful and thank us for our honesty. We would leave the store with a quiet sense of honor that we might
never share with another soul.
Then, what is it to do with our sense of happiness?
In the first case, where we don't tell the clerk, a couple of things would happen. Deep down inside we
would know ourselves as a type of thief. In the process, we would lose some peace of mind and self-respect.
We would also demonstrate that we cannot lie trusted, since we advertise our dishonor by telling our family
and friends. We damage our own reputations by telling others. In contrast, bringing the error to the clerk's
attention causes different things to happen. Immediately the clerk knows us to be honorable. Upon leaving
the store, we feel honorable and our self-respect is increased. Whenever we take honorable action we gain
the deep internal rewards of goodness and a sense of nobility.
There is a beautiful positive cycle that is created by living a life of honorable actions. Honorable thoughts
lead to honorable actions. Honorable actions lead us to a happier existence. And it's easy to think and act
honorably again when we're happy. While the positive cycle can be difficult to start, once it's started, it's
easy to continue. Keeping on doing good deeds brings us peace of mind, which is important for our happiness.
1. According to the passage, the positive action in the example contributes to our _____.
A. self-respect
B. financial rewards
C. advertising ability
D. friendly relationship
2. The author thinks that keeping silent about the uncharged item is equal to _____.
A. lying
B. stealing
C. cheating
D. advertising
3. The phrase "bringing the error to the clerk's attention" (in para. 5) means _____.
A. telling the truth to the clerk
B. offering advice to the clerk
C. asking the clerk to be more attentive
D. reminding the clerk of the charged item
4. How will we feel if we let the clerk know her mistake?
A. We'll be very excited.
B. We'll feel unfortunate.
C. We'll have a sense of honor.
D. We'll feel sorry for the clerk.
5. Which of the following can be the best title of this passage?
A. How to Live Truthfully
B. Importance of Peacefulness
C. Ways of Gaining Self-respect
D. Happiness through Honorable Actions
