Do Not
Harm a Person of Good Will
There is a little town
that is far from any big city. It is isolated and the only school is very small
and does not have much support, so the people who live in the town cannot
get good education.
One day, a new lady moves to the town. Her name is Sophia. She is a lively, radiant person. She opens a free learning center so that the kids who live in the town can get better education.
Lots of young people go to the learning center. Sophia is busy all day and has to get a staff of volunteers to help her! The kids have a lot of fun and learn many new things with the kind volunteers. They even improve their grades at school.
Most of the parents in town are thrilled with Sophia's learning center, but one mother, Judy, is not convinced.
"Who would want to open a free learning center and work for free?" Judy wonders. "Sophia must be a liar or a criminal. She has something to hide."
But her neighbors disagree. "That is not true," they say. "She is just a good person. She wants to improve this community for all of us."
"Oh, no," Judy insists. "On the inside, all people are bad. You cannot trust anyone. This learning center seems too good to be true. I know she is hiding something. I am going to write to the Town Hall and report her to the education department!"
But Judy never gets a chance to carry out her threats. All of the local parents unite and write to the education department the very next day.
They explain the wonderful work Sophia is doing and the amazing changes she is helping to create in their community. Sophia and her team are great with the town's children. Their grades at school are improving, and many of them want to go to university. They never even considered that possibility before.
The parents even publish a lovely letter in the local newspaper thanking Sophia for her hard work and dedication to the community.
Everyone is very happy now: the children, the parents, the town residents and officials, and, of course, Sophia.
The only person who is not happy is Judy. She is already looking for someone else to say nasty things about. But her neighbors value the volunteer work that Sophia does and recognize that she is truly a person of good will.
One day, a new lady moves to the town. Her name is Sophia. She is a lively, radiant person. She opens a free learning center so that the kids who live in the town can get better education.
Lots of young people go to the learning center. Sophia is busy all day and has to get a staff of volunteers to help her! The kids have a lot of fun and learn many new things with the kind volunteers. They even improve their grades at school.
Most of the parents in town are thrilled with Sophia's learning center, but one mother, Judy, is not convinced.
"Who would want to open a free learning center and work for free?" Judy wonders. "Sophia must be a liar or a criminal. She has something to hide."
But her neighbors disagree. "That is not true," they say. "She is just a good person. She wants to improve this community for all of us."
"Oh, no," Judy insists. "On the inside, all people are bad. You cannot trust anyone. This learning center seems too good to be true. I know she is hiding something. I am going to write to the Town Hall and report her to the education department!"
But Judy never gets a chance to carry out her threats. All of the local parents unite and write to the education department the very next day.
They explain the wonderful work Sophia is doing and the amazing changes she is helping to create in their community. Sophia and her team are great with the town's children. Their grades at school are improving, and many of them want to go to university. They never even considered that possibility before.
The parents even publish a lovely letter in the local newspaper thanking Sophia for her hard work and dedication to the community.
Everyone is very happy now: the children, the parents, the town residents and officials, and, of course, Sophia.
The only person who is not happy is Judy. She is already looking for someone else to say nasty things about. But her neighbors value the volunteer work that Sophia does and recognize that she is truly a person of good will.
And now, practice:
Exercises
Vocabulary Questions
1. What does "good
will" mean?
a) a kind,
helpful, and friendly attitude
b) an attitude of independence
c) a happy, positive attitude
d) a calm attitude
b) an attitude of independence
c) a happy, positive attitude
d) a calm attitude
2. What does "volunteer" mean?
a) a person
who works for money
b) a person who works many extra hours for extra pay
c) a person who works for free doing something they think is important
d) a person who does not have a job
b) a person who works many extra hours for extra pay
c) a person who works for free doing something they think is important
d) a person who does not have a job
3. What does "value" mean?
a) to think
something is expensive
b) to think something is very important and worth doing
c) to think something is not important
d) to think something is beautiful
b) to think something is very important and worth doing
c) to think something is not important
d) to think something is beautiful
Grammar Questions
1. She wants to improve
this community for ________ us.
a) all
b) all of
c) of
d) everyone
b) all of
c) of
d) everyone
2. The parents even publish a lovely letter ________ the local newspaper.
a) in
b) at
c) on
d) of
b) at
c) on
d) of
3. You cannot trust ________.
a) no one
b) someone
c) everyone
d) anyone
b) someone
c) everyone
d) anyone
Comprehension Questions
1. What special kind of
work does Sophia do?
2. Why does Judy think
Sophia has something to hide?
3. In your opinion, why is it important not to harm a person
of good will?
Principle number 12 is "Safeguard
and Improve Your Environment."
Now read the short story about this important principle.
Now read the short story about this important principle.
Safeguard
and Improve
Your Environment
Maggie and Alex live in a
tall building in a neighborhood in the center of the city. There are no trees
near their building, but they are happy in their home and it is close to their
jobs.
In the part of the city where they live, there is not much fresh food to buy. The stores only have processed foods in packages. Maggie and Alex and all the other people in the building have to eat food that they buy in boxes and plastic containers.
This makes so much garbage that no one knows where to put it. While they wait for Fridays, when the city collects the garbage, all the neighbors put their trash into bags and sometimes leave it in the hallway or on the big, sunny roof. The whole building looks terrible. No one can spend time playing on the roof because it is full of trash.
One day, Maggie and Alex decide to make a change. They go up to the roof and separate all the recyclable garbage, like cardboard, plastic bottles, glass, and aluminum cans. Then they take all of the garbage down to the street for the garbage collectors.
But they do not carry down the plastic bottles! They cut off the tops and use them as pots to plant tomatoes and carrots. They plant herbs, too.
Their neighbors get very excited when Maggie and Alex tell them about their project. Whenever they have free time after work or on the weekends, all the neighbors go up to the roof. They enjoy the sun and help take care of the plants in the garden. They all cooperate, and by working together, they soon have a big, beautiful vegetable garden!
Now the roof looks beautiful, and everyone eats much healthier food. They spend time in their community garden, enjoy the sun, and create much less garbage. In fact, they even save money because they do not have to buy so much packaged food.
The garden is a real success, and the building in the center of the city is a much nicer place to live because of it. All of the neighbors safeguard their environment and improve it for themselves and for each other.
In the part of the city where they live, there is not much fresh food to buy. The stores only have processed foods in packages. Maggie and Alex and all the other people in the building have to eat food that they buy in boxes and plastic containers.
This makes so much garbage that no one knows where to put it. While they wait for Fridays, when the city collects the garbage, all the neighbors put their trash into bags and sometimes leave it in the hallway or on the big, sunny roof. The whole building looks terrible. No one can spend time playing on the roof because it is full of trash.
One day, Maggie and Alex decide to make a change. They go up to the roof and separate all the recyclable garbage, like cardboard, plastic bottles, glass, and aluminum cans. Then they take all of the garbage down to the street for the garbage collectors.
But they do not carry down the plastic bottles! They cut off the tops and use them as pots to plant tomatoes and carrots. They plant herbs, too.
Their neighbors get very excited when Maggie and Alex tell them about their project. Whenever they have free time after work or on the weekends, all the neighbors go up to the roof. They enjoy the sun and help take care of the plants in the garden. They all cooperate, and by working together, they soon have a big, beautiful vegetable garden!
Now the roof looks beautiful, and everyone eats much healthier food. They spend time in their community garden, enjoy the sun, and create much less garbage. In fact, they even save money because they do not have to buy so much packaged food.
The garden is a real success, and the building in the center of the city is a much nicer place to live because of it. All of the neighbors safeguard their environment and improve it for themselves and for each other.
And now, practice:
Exercises
Vocabulary Questions
1. What does
"safeguard" mean?
a) to put a
lock on a door
b) to take care of and protect
c) to watch carefully
d) to learn about
b) to take care of and protect
c) to watch carefully
d) to learn about
2. What does "environment" mean?
a) the place where you live
b) a forest
c) the way you feel
d) a garden
b) a forest
c) the way you feel
d) a garden
3. What does "cooperate" mean?
a) to think
about an important problem
b) to ask for help
c) to work together
d) to do something for yourself
b) to ask for help
c) to work together
d) to do something for yourself
Grammar Questions
1. The roof is full
________ trash.
a) on
b) to
c) with
d) of
b) to
c) with
d) of
2. Now the building is a much ________ place to live.
a) nice
b) nicer
c) nicest
d) more nice
b) nicer
c) nicest
d) more nice
3. The neighbors help take care ________ the plants in the garden.
a) to
b) of
c) about
d) for
b) of
c) about
d) for
Comprehension Questions
1. Why do the people in
the building eat packaged food?
2. What benefits do all
the neighbors get from the garden?
3. In your opinion, why is it important to safeguard and
improve your environment?
Principle number 13 is
"Do Not Steal."
Now read the short story about this important principle.
Now read the short story about this important principle.
Do Not
Steal
Ken is sitting by himself
on a bench in the park. He is not very happy. He does not have a laptop, and he
really needs one. He has an old, slow computer that does not work very well for
all his university projects. He is frustrated because he does not have enough
money to buy himself a laptop.
He stands up and starts to walk through the park, feeling unhappy. Soon he sees an old lady sitting on another bench. She has a beautiful new laptop next to her purse on the bench. Ken looks at her. "Now, why does she need a laptop?" he thinks to himself. "She is an old lady. She does not need it for anything important."
Ken thinks about all his important college work. He really needs that laptop. He knows he can just grab it and walk away. The old lady will probably not even notice. Suddenly, a dog starts barking loudly. The old lady looks to see what is happening. Ken takes this perfect chance – he grabs the laptop and quickly walks away.
The next day, Ken tries to use the laptop for a project, but he feels terrible. He cannot even open it because he feels so bad about stealing it. He uses his old computer, but there is the laptop on the desk next to him. He cannot even look at it because he feels so guilty.
When his friend comes over that afternoon, Ken tries to hide the laptop. He does not want anyone to know that he stole it. He feels guilty and embarrassed. As the days pass, Ken becomes grumpy. He is always in a bad mood, and he does not work hard on his university projects.
Ken finally decides he cannot take it anymore. He goes back to the park hoping to find the old lady and return her laptop. He waits and waits, but of course she does not arrive. On the way home, he donates the laptop to a community center for children. He even gives them some of his old books.
Ken realizes that stealing the laptop was not worth it. When you steal something, it loses its value. Only the rightful owner can use their things happily. A thief cannot. Ken knows he cannot steal and be happy.
He stands up and starts to walk through the park, feeling unhappy. Soon he sees an old lady sitting on another bench. She has a beautiful new laptop next to her purse on the bench. Ken looks at her. "Now, why does she need a laptop?" he thinks to himself. "She is an old lady. She does not need it for anything important."
Ken thinks about all his important college work. He really needs that laptop. He knows he can just grab it and walk away. The old lady will probably not even notice. Suddenly, a dog starts barking loudly. The old lady looks to see what is happening. Ken takes this perfect chance – he grabs the laptop and quickly walks away.
The next day, Ken tries to use the laptop for a project, but he feels terrible. He cannot even open it because he feels so bad about stealing it. He uses his old computer, but there is the laptop on the desk next to him. He cannot even look at it because he feels so guilty.
When his friend comes over that afternoon, Ken tries to hide the laptop. He does not want anyone to know that he stole it. He feels guilty and embarrassed. As the days pass, Ken becomes grumpy. He is always in a bad mood, and he does not work hard on his university projects.
Ken finally decides he cannot take it anymore. He goes back to the park hoping to find the old lady and return her laptop. He waits and waits, but of course she does not arrive. On the way home, he donates the laptop to a community center for children. He even gives them some of his old books.
Ken realizes that stealing the laptop was not worth it. When you steal something, it loses its value. Only the rightful owner can use their things happily. A thief cannot. Ken knows he cannot steal and be happy.
And now, practice:
Exercises
Vocabulary Questions
1. What does
"steal" mean?
a) to borrow
b) to ask someone for something
c) to take something that belongs to someone else
d) to use something and then give it back
b) to ask someone for something
c) to take something that belongs to someone else
d) to use something and then give it back
2. What does "grumpy" mean?
a) in a bad
mood
b) tired
c) bored
d) happy
b) tired
c) bored
d) happy
3. What does "thief" mean?
a) a person
who knows a lot
b) a person who steals things
c) a person who is rude to other people
d) a person who does not talk to other people
b) a person who steals things
c) a person who is rude to other people
d) a person who does not talk to other people
Grammar Questions
1. Ken tries ________ use
the laptop.
a) about
b) to
c) for
d) of
b) to
c) for
d) of
2. Ken ________ very happy.
a) is not
b) does not
c) has not
d) were not
b) does not
c) has not
d) were not
3. ________, a dog starts barking loudly.
a) Slowly
b) Gradually
c) Quietly
d) Suddenly
b) Gradually
c) Quietly
d) Suddenly
Comprehension Questions
1. Why does Ken feel upset
at the beginning of the story?
2. How does he convince
himself that he should steal the laptop?
3. In your opinion, why is it important not to steal?
Principle number 14
is "Be Worthy of Trust."
Now read the short story about this important principle.
Now read the short story about this important principle.
Be
Worthy of Trust
Angela and Darren have two
children. Their son, Kyle, is twenty years old. He helps them take care of his
little sister, Rita, who is only six. He loves her very much, and he is happy
that he can help his parents to take care of her. But sometimes it can feel
like a lot of work.
One Friday afternoon, Kyle's parents both have to work late. They ask him to pick Rita up at school in the afternoon. Of course Kyle says yes, because he does not have any plans and he knows it is very important to help his parents when he can.
Around 3:00 in the afternoon, Kyle gets a call on his cell phone from his best friend, Peter.
"Kyle! Forget about whatever plans you had for today!" his friend exclaims. "Jessica's mother just offered to let us use her country house this weekend!"
The only thing their friend Jessica can ever talk about is her mother's enormous, luxurious country house. It has lots of bedrooms, a huge swimming pool, and an well-equipped gym room. They can also listen to very loud music there because there are no neighbors to complain. Kyle and his friends always talk about going there.
"Come on, we will leave in fifteen minutes! Get ready!" Peter exclaims.
Kyle looks at his watch and thinks about how much fun he could have with his friends in the country. He knows the teachers at Rita's school will call his grandmother if he does not pick her up. He hesitates for a moment, very tempted to go with his friends.
But of course he knows he cannot let his parents and sister down and leave Rita alone. He tells his friend thank you for the invitation, but he has made a promise that he really must keep. Realizing he does not have much time left, Kyle rushes to his sister's school.
He is five minutes late, and when he gets there, he sees that Rita is very scared and is about to cry. She is the last student at the school, and the teachers are waiting with her.
When she sees her big brother rushing to the door of the school, Rita smiles and laughs with relief. She runs to him and gives him a big hug. She says she is very happy to see him. Kyle realizes that he has done the right thing. He must always keep his word and be worthy of trust because his decisions influence other people's lives.
One Friday afternoon, Kyle's parents both have to work late. They ask him to pick Rita up at school in the afternoon. Of course Kyle says yes, because he does not have any plans and he knows it is very important to help his parents when he can.
Around 3:00 in the afternoon, Kyle gets a call on his cell phone from his best friend, Peter.
"Kyle! Forget about whatever plans you had for today!" his friend exclaims. "Jessica's mother just offered to let us use her country house this weekend!"
The only thing their friend Jessica can ever talk about is her mother's enormous, luxurious country house. It has lots of bedrooms, a huge swimming pool, and an well-equipped gym room. They can also listen to very loud music there because there are no neighbors to complain. Kyle and his friends always talk about going there.
"Come on, we will leave in fifteen minutes! Get ready!" Peter exclaims.
Kyle looks at his watch and thinks about how much fun he could have with his friends in the country. He knows the teachers at Rita's school will call his grandmother if he does not pick her up. He hesitates for a moment, very tempted to go with his friends.
But of course he knows he cannot let his parents and sister down and leave Rita alone. He tells his friend thank you for the invitation, but he has made a promise that he really must keep. Realizing he does not have much time left, Kyle rushes to his sister's school.
He is five minutes late, and when he gets there, he sees that Rita is very scared and is about to cry. She is the last student at the school, and the teachers are waiting with her.
When she sees her big brother rushing to the door of the school, Rita smiles and laughs with relief. She runs to him and gives him a big hug. She says she is very happy to see him. Kyle realizes that he has done the right thing. He must always keep his word and be worthy of trust because his decisions influence other people's lives.
And now, practice:
Exercises
Vocabulary Questions
1. What does
"worthy" mean?
a) deserving
something
b) responsible
c) sensible
d) a person who is kind to others
b) responsible
c) sensible
d) a person who is kind to others
2. What does "trust" mean?
a) your
reputation
b) things you have to do
c) a belief that someone is reliable, good, or honest
d) the ideas you have about other people
b) things you have to do
c) a belief that someone is reliable, good, or honest
d) the ideas you have about other people
3. What does "luxurious" mean?
a) complicated
b) very comfortable and expensive
c) far away
d) interesting
b) very comfortable and expensive
c) far away
d) interesting
Grammar Questions
1. Kyle realizes that he
________ the right thing.
a) has do
b) is done
c) are done
d) has done
b) is done
c) are done
d) has done
2. Come on, we will leave ________ fifteen minutes!
a) in
b) after
c) to
d) from
b) after
c) to
d) from
3. He loves ________ very much.
a) she
b) it
c) sister
d) her
b) it
c) sister
d) her
Comprehension Questions
1. What will Kyle's
friends do this weekend?
2. Why does Kyle say he
cannot go with them?
3. In your opinion, why is it important to be worthy of
trust?
Moral
Story Number 15:
Fulfill Your Obligations
1. Watch the video at the
top of the page.
2. Read the story "Fulfill Your Obligations" just below it.
3. Do the exercises at the bottom of the page.
Here is the Fulfill Your Obligations video. You can watch it in your own language at The Way to Happiness Foundation. (Simply click the word "language" at the top right corner of that page.)
2. Read the story "Fulfill Your Obligations" just below it.
3. Do the exercises at the bottom of the page.
Here is the Fulfill Your Obligations video. You can watch it in your own language at The Way to Happiness Foundation. (Simply click the word "language" at the top right corner of that page.)
The Way to Happiness is a common sense guide to better living which has been distributed to more than 100 million people in over 100 languages. It describes 21 principles to a better quality of life.
Principle number 15 is "Fulfill Your Obligations."
Now read the short story about this important principle.
Fulfill
Your Obligations
Samantha sometimes does
not go to work because she is sleepy or she just does not feel like going. At
first, her boss tries to be understanding, thinking that maybe Samantha is
getting sick. Of course she is earning less money because of all the time she
misses, and soon her boss loses patience. He fires Samantha and looks for
someone else to do her job.
Samantha is upset, and she is also a little worried about paying her bills. But she decides that she really does not like to work very much. Still, Samantha is lucky because she has lots of friends and family members who love her. So rather than look for a new job, she starts to ask them for money.
At first most of them are willing to lend her a little bit. But, when she does not pay it back, they become upset. Why is she being so irresponsible? They all stop loaning her money.
Just like Samantha always has excuses for her friends and family, she also has excuses for her landlord. She usually does not have the money for her rent, but she always says she will have it soon. Of course, Samantha's landlord eventually loses patience and tells her that she must leave her apartment immediately.
Samantha does not know what to do. She does not know where to begin to look for a new apartment, and anyway, she does not have any money to pay for rent. She feels desperate and realizes that she has made some very big mistakes. She begins to call her friends to see if they will let her stay at their apartments, but they are all still upset about the money she owes them. They say no.
Finally, Samantha is left feeling very desperate and worried. She dials her brother's phone number and hopes that he is in a good mood. When he answers, she explains her situation and admits that she thinks she has made some big mistakes.
Her brother, Edwin, agrees with her. Her behavior has been very inappropriate, and he refuses to lend her any money. He tells her that she can stay with him, but only under very specific conditions. First, she must begin to look for a new job. And while she is living with Edwin, she must walk his dog every day, clean the house, and do cooking. If she does not fulfill all of these responsibilities, she must leave.
Edwin sounds very serious, and Samantha knows that her brother is not joking. She knows he is giving her an important opportunity to make a change in her life. She realizes that she must live up to her responsibilities and fulfill her obligations.
Samantha thanks her brother and agrees to his offer. She will do her best to find a good job soon. She wants to pay everyone back as soon as possible and get her life back in order. She knows it is going to be a challenge, but she also knows it will be well worth it!
Samantha is upset, and she is also a little worried about paying her bills. But she decides that she really does not like to work very much. Still, Samantha is lucky because she has lots of friends and family members who love her. So rather than look for a new job, she starts to ask them for money.
At first most of them are willing to lend her a little bit. But, when she does not pay it back, they become upset. Why is she being so irresponsible? They all stop loaning her money.
Just like Samantha always has excuses for her friends and family, she also has excuses for her landlord. She usually does not have the money for her rent, but she always says she will have it soon. Of course, Samantha's landlord eventually loses patience and tells her that she must leave her apartment immediately.
Samantha does not know what to do. She does not know where to begin to look for a new apartment, and anyway, she does not have any money to pay for rent. She feels desperate and realizes that she has made some very big mistakes. She begins to call her friends to see if they will let her stay at their apartments, but they are all still upset about the money she owes them. They say no.
Finally, Samantha is left feeling very desperate and worried. She dials her brother's phone number and hopes that he is in a good mood. When he answers, she explains her situation and admits that she thinks she has made some big mistakes.
Her brother, Edwin, agrees with her. Her behavior has been very inappropriate, and he refuses to lend her any money. He tells her that she can stay with him, but only under very specific conditions. First, she must begin to look for a new job. And while she is living with Edwin, she must walk his dog every day, clean the house, and do cooking. If she does not fulfill all of these responsibilities, she must leave.
Edwin sounds very serious, and Samantha knows that her brother is not joking. She knows he is giving her an important opportunity to make a change in her life. She realizes that she must live up to her responsibilities and fulfill her obligations.
Samantha thanks her brother and agrees to his offer. She will do her best to find a good job soon. She wants to pay everyone back as soon as possible and get her life back in order. She knows it is going to be a challenge, but she also knows it will be well worth it!
And now, practice:
Exercises
Vocabulary Questions
1. What does
"obligation" mean?
a) something
you want to do
b) something that is a good idea to do
c) something you might do
d) something you must do
b) something that is a good idea to do
c) something you might do
d) something you must do
2. What does "landlord" mean?
a) the
person who lives in the apartment next to you
b) the person who owns the apartment you live in
c) the person who cleans your apartment for you
d) the person who comes to repair things in your apartment
b) the person who owns the apartment you live in
c) the person who cleans your apartment for you
d) the person who comes to repair things in your apartment
3. What does "pay back" mean?
a) to return
money that someone lent you
b) to pay in advance
c) to pay your bills
d) to lend someone money
b) to pay in advance
c) to pay your bills
d) to lend someone money
Grammar Questions
1. She realizes that she
must live ________ to her responsibilities.
a) over
b) down
c) up
d) in
b) down
c) up
d) in
2. Samantha is worried ________ paying her bills.
a) of
b) about
c) for
d) to
b) about
c) for
d) to
3. Samantha ________ know what to do.
a) do not
b) was not
c) were not
d) does not
b) was not
c) were not
d) does not
Comprehension Questions
1. Why do Samantha's
friends and family become upset with her?
2. What does Samantha plan
to do at the end of the story?
3. In your opinion, why is it important to fulfill your
obligations?
Principle number 16 is
"Be Industrious."
To be industrious means to actively and purposefully getting things done.
Now read the short story about this important principle.
To be industrious means to actively and purposefully getting things done.
Now read the short story about this important principle.
Be
Industrious
Barry is a middle-aged man
who is going through a very difficult time in his life. His wife recently
passed away. She and Barry had many happy years together, sharing their free
time and even starting a business together. Without his wife, Barry is full of
sorrow and feels that life is pointless. He even decides to close their
business because working there makes him miss her too much.
Even months later, Barry sits around in his house all day feeling gloomy. His friends and family try to get him out of the house and encourage him to start doing new things and enjoy life, but they are not successful.
Barry's neighbor, a very old woman named Gertrude, sees him from her yard one day as he steps out onto his porch. She has not seen him outside in days! She asks him to come closer. Irritated, he walks to the fence that protects the front of her house.
"Hello, Barry! Just look at this fence. I only had it put in two years ago, but it is falling apart. You are a strong man, and you have some free time. I want you to fix this fence for me," Gertrude says.
Barry is angry. She knows the situation he is in. He is the one who needs help and support. He thinks the old lady is being very selfish. Still, he knows she is too old to fix the fence herself, and they have been neighbors for years. She is a nice woman, and he respects her. He agrees to fix her fence because it is really not safe for her to have it broken like that.
Barry works on the fence for days. Gertrude brings him lemonade while he works. When he finishes, she is very grateful. Barry smiles for the first time in months.
"Now that you did such a wonderful job fixing my fence, do you think you could paint it for me?" Gertrude smiles at him.
Barry cannot believe she is asking for more help. Doesn't she know how sad he is? But because he respects her so much, Barry agrees. He works hard painting the fence in the hot sun, but Gertrude's lemonade and encouragement are wonderful. He feels proud of the beautiful fence he is making.
Over the next few weeks, Gertrude keeps giving Barry jobs. He repairs her door and even builds a beautiful patio with wooden furniture for her. As they sit there and drink lemonade, all the neighbors pass by and tell Berry what a beautiful job he has done. He and Gertrude cannot stop smiling.
Barry no longer feels that life is pointless. He feels proud of his work and useful to Gertrude. And he is still young, he thinks. Barry decides he will become a carpenter! He thanks Gertrude. He finally realizes that she was never being rude, she is really very wise. She knew that sorrow can be eased by simply getting busy at something. He helped her, but she truly saved him.
Even months later, Barry sits around in his house all day feeling gloomy. His friends and family try to get him out of the house and encourage him to start doing new things and enjoy life, but they are not successful.
Barry's neighbor, a very old woman named Gertrude, sees him from her yard one day as he steps out onto his porch. She has not seen him outside in days! She asks him to come closer. Irritated, he walks to the fence that protects the front of her house.
"Hello, Barry! Just look at this fence. I only had it put in two years ago, but it is falling apart. You are a strong man, and you have some free time. I want you to fix this fence for me," Gertrude says.
Barry is angry. She knows the situation he is in. He is the one who needs help and support. He thinks the old lady is being very selfish. Still, he knows she is too old to fix the fence herself, and they have been neighbors for years. She is a nice woman, and he respects her. He agrees to fix her fence because it is really not safe for her to have it broken like that.
Barry works on the fence for days. Gertrude brings him lemonade while he works. When he finishes, she is very grateful. Barry smiles for the first time in months.
"Now that you did such a wonderful job fixing my fence, do you think you could paint it for me?" Gertrude smiles at him.
Barry cannot believe she is asking for more help. Doesn't she know how sad he is? But because he respects her so much, Barry agrees. He works hard painting the fence in the hot sun, but Gertrude's lemonade and encouragement are wonderful. He feels proud of the beautiful fence he is making.
Over the next few weeks, Gertrude keeps giving Barry jobs. He repairs her door and even builds a beautiful patio with wooden furniture for her. As they sit there and drink lemonade, all the neighbors pass by and tell Berry what a beautiful job he has done. He and Gertrude cannot stop smiling.
Barry no longer feels that life is pointless. He feels proud of his work and useful to Gertrude. And he is still young, he thinks. Barry decides he will become a carpenter! He thanks Gertrude. He finally realizes that she was never being rude, she is really very wise. She knew that sorrow can be eased by simply getting busy at something. He helped her, but she truly saved him.
And now, practice:
Exercises
Vocabulary Questions
1. What does
"industrious" mean?
a) actively
and purposefully getting things done
b) doing things just because you have to
c) waiting a long time before starting to do things
d) making lists of the things you have to do
b) doing things just because you have to
c) waiting a long time before starting to do things
d) making lists of the things you have to do
2. What does "sorrow" mean?
a) boredom
b) confusion
c) great sadness
d) anger
b) confusion
c) great sadness
d) anger
3. What does "encouragement" mean?
a) doing
and saying things to make someone feel more hopeful
b) helping a person with your knowledge
c) doing a task for someone else
d) helping someone to pay for something
b) helping a person with your knowledge
c) doing a task for someone else
d) helping someone to pay for something
Grammar Questions
1. Barry is going ________
a very difficult time.
a) about
b) for
c) to
d) through
b) for
c) to
d) through
2. Gertrude keeps ________ Barry jobs.
a) to give
b) gave
c) given
d) giving
b) gave
c) given
d) giving
3. Barry works ________ the fence for days.
a) for
b) on
c) to
d) from
b) on
c) to
d) from
Comprehension Questions
1. How does Barry feel at
the beginning of the story?
2. How does Gertrude help
him overcome his sorrow?
3. In your opinion, why is it important to be industrious?
Principle number 17 is
"Be Competent."
Now read the short story about this important principle.
Now read the short story about this important principle.
Be
Competent
Mr. Bard is one of the top
executive at his family's successful shoe company, Bard's Shoes. He really
appreciates competence in his workers. He always tells the skilled and
hard-working employees in the shoe factory that he is very proud of them. But
Mr. Bard does not only show his appreciation through words. The most competent
workers are also paid more.
Mr. Bard thinks that when an employee works harder and produces higher quality shoes, the company earns more money. So, he thinks that employee should also earn more. But many of the less competent or even some incompetent workers in the factory disagree.
"We are all equal," they protest. "We all do the same job, so we should get the same pay!"
When Mr. Bard sees that some of the workers are not very skilled at all and do not concentrate on their work, he wants to fire them. But they disagree again. "We need to earn money, too!" they protest.
Mr. Bard knows this is true. Most of his employees have families and other important obligations. After thinking about it, he realizes that he does not want to fire anyone.
He is a kind man, but he is also wise. If he keeps hiring incompetent workers, he realizes, the whole company will suffer, and perhaps all of the employees will lose their jobs. It will also be bad for his family and for the company's customers, who really like Bard's Shoes. So what can he do?
To improve the situation, Mr. Bard creates evening workshops to help train the employees who are not working at company standards. They watch the most competent workers, who receive a special bonus for teaching their co-workers, and make lots of notes. They inspect the production line, ask lots of questions, and practice, practice, practice until they are highly skilled and efficient.
The workers feel good because they know they will do their jobs much better now. Some of them even ask if they can start to help teaching the workshops now that they are experts.
Production at the company goes up, and the customers say they are happier than ever with the high quality shoes they buy from Bard's Shoes! As sales increase, Mr. Bard is able to pay his workers even better. And thanks to the company's smart pay system, the most competent workers can be highly rewarded for all their hard work and expertise.
Mr. Bard thinks that when an employee works harder and produces higher quality shoes, the company earns more money. So, he thinks that employee should also earn more. But many of the less competent or even some incompetent workers in the factory disagree.
"We are all equal," they protest. "We all do the same job, so we should get the same pay!"
When Mr. Bard sees that some of the workers are not very skilled at all and do not concentrate on their work, he wants to fire them. But they disagree again. "We need to earn money, too!" they protest.
Mr. Bard knows this is true. Most of his employees have families and other important obligations. After thinking about it, he realizes that he does not want to fire anyone.
He is a kind man, but he is also wise. If he keeps hiring incompetent workers, he realizes, the whole company will suffer, and perhaps all of the employees will lose their jobs. It will also be bad for his family and for the company's customers, who really like Bard's Shoes. So what can he do?
To improve the situation, Mr. Bard creates evening workshops to help train the employees who are not working at company standards. They watch the most competent workers, who receive a special bonus for teaching their co-workers, and make lots of notes. They inspect the production line, ask lots of questions, and practice, practice, practice until they are highly skilled and efficient.
The workers feel good because they know they will do their jobs much better now. Some of them even ask if they can start to help teaching the workshops now that they are experts.
Production at the company goes up, and the customers say they are happier than ever with the high quality shoes they buy from Bard's Shoes! As sales increase, Mr. Bard is able to pay his workers even better. And thanks to the company's smart pay system, the most competent workers can be highly rewarded for all their hard work and expertise.
And now, practice:
Exercises
Vocabulary Questions
1. What does
"competent" mean?
a) ready to
learn
b) when you have done the same thing for a long time
c) when you make a lot of money for your work
d) skilled and capable at what you do
b) when you have done the same thing for a long time
c) when you make a lot of money for your work
d) skilled and capable at what you do
2. What does "expertise" mean?
a) special
skill or knowledge about something specific
b) books about a certain topic
c) the different tasks you do for your job
d) the products of your work
b) books about a certain topic
c) the different tasks you do for your job
d) the products of your work
3. What does "efficient" mean?
a) knowing a
lot about a certain topic
b) doing your best
c) able to produce results without wasting time or energy
d) teaching others how to do something
b) doing your best
c) able to produce results without wasting time or energy
d) teaching others how to do something
Grammar Questions
1. The most competent
workers are also ________ more.
a) paying
b) pay
c) paid
d) payed
b) pay
c) paid
d) payed
2. He really appreciates competence ________ his workers.
a) in
b) of
c) at
d) from
b) of
c) at
d) from
3. They watch the ________ workers.
a) best
competent
b) competenter
c) competentest
d) most competent
b) competenter
c) competentest
d) most competent
Comprehension Questions
1. Why does Mr. Bard pay
some employees more?
2. How does Mr. Bard
decide to solve the problem of incompetence in his company?
3. In your opinion, why is it important to be competent?
Principle number 18 is
"Respect the Religious Beliefs of Others."
Now read the short story about this important principle.
Now read the short story about this important principle.
Respect
the Religious Beliefs of Others
Connor meets a wonderful
girl. He really likes her. Luckily for him, she really likes him too. They meet
and have a lot of fun together. They share their hopes and dreams. Connor
decides this is the woman of his dreams.
Connor tells his parents about her. His parents disapprove. "It cannot be, Connor," his mother says. "She has a different religion. They are other people. They are not like us."
Connor is confused. "But you always say we should respect all people, and never judge anyone until we get to know them."
"Yes, Connor," says his father, "this is true in most cases, but not in this case. They have a different religion. They are a different kind of people. We cannot understand them and they cannot understand us."
Connor cannot agree with this. Something just does not sound right. "We are all people. They may dress differently and act differently, but we are all human. I think we should all meet."
In the end, Connor's parents agree to meet the girl and her family. They drive across the city to join them for a festive dinner.
The girl and her family are very nice, but they wear different clothes and serve different foods. They say different prayers. They have different customs. Connor's parents are concerned. Are they good people? Why do they do all these things?
The girl's mother is a wise woman. She explains their tradition. She translates their prayers. She tells them a few of their ancient stories.
"That is so beautiful," Connor's mother smiles.
"And quite similar to our own," Connor's father nods.
They look around them, as if for the first time. They have heard of a different kind of people, but these are people just like them. They have thought their ways were strange and different, but there is generosity and purpose behind them.
What is the purpose? To become a better person, have a happy family, and make the world a better place.
Connor tells his parents about her. His parents disapprove. "It cannot be, Connor," his mother says. "She has a different religion. They are other people. They are not like us."
Connor is confused. "But you always say we should respect all people, and never judge anyone until we get to know them."
"Yes, Connor," says his father, "this is true in most cases, but not in this case. They have a different religion. They are a different kind of people. We cannot understand them and they cannot understand us."
Connor cannot agree with this. Something just does not sound right. "We are all people. They may dress differently and act differently, but we are all human. I think we should all meet."
In the end, Connor's parents agree to meet the girl and her family. They drive across the city to join them for a festive dinner.
The girl and her family are very nice, but they wear different clothes and serve different foods. They say different prayers. They have different customs. Connor's parents are concerned. Are they good people? Why do they do all these things?
The girl's mother is a wise woman. She explains their tradition. She translates their prayers. She tells them a few of their ancient stories.
"That is so beautiful," Connor's mother smiles.
"And quite similar to our own," Connor's father nods.
They look around them, as if for the first time. They have heard of a different kind of people, but these are people just like them. They have thought their ways were strange and different, but there is generosity and purpose behind them.
What is the purpose? To become a better person, have a happy family, and make the world a better place.
And now, practice:
Exercises
Vocabulary Questions
1. What does
"religion" mean?
a) a
system of beliefs in a superior power, god or gods
b) holidays and prayers
c) ceremonies and traditions
d) all of the above
b) holidays and prayers
c) ceremonies and traditions
d) all of the above
2. What does "tradition" mean?
a) a new way of behaving
b) a way of behaving that has existed for a long time
c) an ancient story
d) a modern story
b) a way of behaving that has existed for a long time
c) an ancient story
d) a modern story
3. What does "world" mean?
a) our country
b) the sky
c) the earth, with all its countries, groups and people
d) all plants and animals
b) the sky
c) the earth, with all its countries, groups and people
d) all plants and animals
Grammar Questions
1. Connor tells his
parents ________ her.
a) on
b) about
c) off
d) with
b) about
c) off
d) with
2. Why ________ they do all these things?
a) does
b) do
c) are
d) is
b) do
c) are
d) is
3. They look around them, ________ for the first time.
a) of as
b) as of
c) if as
d) as if
b) as of
c) if as
d) as if
Comprehension Questions
1. Why do Connor's parents
disapprove his new relationship?
2. Why does Connor
disagree with them?
3. In your opinion, why is it important to respect the
religious beliefs of others?
Principle number 4 is
"Try Not to Do Things to Others That You Would Not Like Them to Do to
You."
Now read the short story about this important principle.
Now read the short story about this important principle.
Try Not
to Do Things to Others That You Would Not Like Them to Do to You
Two friends, Eric and
Wendy, are sitting in a café enjoying a coffee. They talk and look at the other
people in the café. There is a rich-looking man in a business suit sitting at a
table near them. As he stands up to leave, his cell phone rings. He answers it
and walks away.
Eric and Wendy realize that he has left his briefcase. He was distracted by the phone call. They both look at the briefcase for a moment and wonder if it is full of money.
But they only hesitate for a moment. They know that the briefcase belongs to the man, and he will be very upset if he loses it. They both jump up from their chairs. Wendy runs after the man, shouting, "Hey, sir! Sir, you forgot your briefcase!"
Eric stands next to the briefcase and waits. He wants to be sure that nothing happens to it while Wendy goes to find the man.
When he hears Wendy, the man stops and looks at her. "I'm sorry, I have to go," he says into his cell phone, ending the call. "My briefcase! I cannot believe I forgot it! Thank you so much!"
He follows Wendy back to his table in the café. He smiles at Eric, who is standing next to his briefcase without touching it.
"Thank you so much," the man says. "This briefcase is full of important research papers and some pictures of my family. These things are very important to me, but they are not useful to anyone else. I am so glad I did not lose them!"
Wendy and Eric smile. They are happy that the man did not lose his documents.
"Let me pay for your coffee," the man offers. "You have really saved me today!"
Wendy and Eric accept and say thank you to the man. They are glad no one took his briefcase. They know you should not do things to others that you would not like them to do to you. And no one wants to lose important work or special photos. They enjoy their coffee even more after helping the man.
Eric and Wendy realize that he has left his briefcase. He was distracted by the phone call. They both look at the briefcase for a moment and wonder if it is full of money.
But they only hesitate for a moment. They know that the briefcase belongs to the man, and he will be very upset if he loses it. They both jump up from their chairs. Wendy runs after the man, shouting, "Hey, sir! Sir, you forgot your briefcase!"
Eric stands next to the briefcase and waits. He wants to be sure that nothing happens to it while Wendy goes to find the man.
When he hears Wendy, the man stops and looks at her. "I'm sorry, I have to go," he says into his cell phone, ending the call. "My briefcase! I cannot believe I forgot it! Thank you so much!"
He follows Wendy back to his table in the café. He smiles at Eric, who is standing next to his briefcase without touching it.
"Thank you so much," the man says. "This briefcase is full of important research papers and some pictures of my family. These things are very important to me, but they are not useful to anyone else. I am so glad I did not lose them!"
Wendy and Eric smile. They are happy that the man did not lose his documents.
"Let me pay for your coffee," the man offers. "You have really saved me today!"
Wendy and Eric accept and say thank you to the man. They are glad no one took his briefcase. They know you should not do things to others that you would not like them to do to you. And no one wants to lose important work or special photos. They enjoy their coffee even more after helping the man.
And now, practice:
Exercises
Vocabulary Questions
1. What does "briefcase"
mean?
a) a lady's
purse
b) a backpack
c) a big suitcase for traveling
d) a small bag for carrying papers
b) a backpack
c) a big suitcase for traveling
d) a small bag for carrying papers
2. What does "hesitate" mean?
a) to do
something immediately
b) to think for a moment before doing something
c) to do something very slowly
d) to rush as you do something
b) to think for a moment before doing something
c) to do something very slowly
d) to rush as you do something
3. What does "glad" mean?
a) upset
b) happy
c) bored
d) interested
b) happy
c) bored
d) interested
Grammar Questions
1. Let me pay ________
your coffee.
a) of
b) for
c) to
d) about
b) for
c) to
d) about
2. I am so glad I ________ lose them.
a) have not
b) does not
c) has not
d) did not
b) does not
c) has not
d) did not
3. They know that the briefcase belongs ________ the man.
a) with
b) to
c) for
d) of
b) to
c) for
d) of
Comprehension Questions
1. Why does the man forget
his briefcase?
2. What do Eric and Wendy
think might be inside?
3. In your opinion, why is it important not to do things to
others that you would not want them to do to you?
Principle number 20 is
"Try to Treat Others as You Would Want Them to Treat You."
Now read the short story about this important principle.
Now read the short story about this important principle.
Try to
Treat Others as
You Would Want Them to Treat You
There is a very mean,
nasty man named Mr. Douglas who lives on the fourth floor of an apartment
building. He is so rude to his neighbors that no one even knows his first name
is Adam. He never says hello to anyone, and he leaves his garbage out in the
hallway. He constantly complains about all his neighbors and the noise they
make.
He even gets upset when the couple who live next door to him, Catherine and David, have a baby. Instead of saying congratulations, he loudly complains about how the baby will surely cry all night.
Suddenly, one day when he is leaving his apartment, Mr. Douglas sees that his garbage is gone. In its place, he finds a note from David. "Good morning, Mr. Douglas. I saw your garbage here, and since I was on my way out, I picked it up for you. I wanted to save you a trip. Have a nice day, David."
Mr. Douglas does not know what to think. Maybe David is not very smart. Mr. Douglas has been very mean and rude to him, but David has done something nice. Deciding to ignore this kind act, Mr. Douglas begins thinking about the terrible traffic he will surely have to deal with on his way to work.
But as time goes on, Mr. Douglas starts to feel a little silly. No matter how rude he is, Catherine and David always smile at him when they pass in the hallway and politely say hello. It becomes harder and harder for him not to simply say hello back.
One day, Mr. Douglas finds another note outside his door. It is from Catherine and David, saying they are very sorry about the noise. Their baby son is not feeling well, so he cried a lot last night. The note says they hope the baby did not interrupt Mr. Douglas's sleep.
Now he feels really silly, because he did not even hear the baby. He slept with his fan on because of the heat, and that covered the noise of the baby crying.
When he sees Catherine and David that afternoon, they both look very tired. He says hello politely and thanks them for their note. They are so nice to him that he cannot be rude. After a few weeks, Mr. Douglas is always happy to see Catherine and David in the hall. They even start calling him Adam.
Finally, they invite Mr. Douglas into their apartment for a cup of coffee. As they talk, he admits that he and his wife got a divorce a year ago. He has been so upset about it that he has been rude to everyone he knows.
Catherine and David say they are very sorry to hear this news. They thought maybe Mr. Douglas was unhappy about something. They hope he feels better soon.
Mr. Douglas is very glad that they have treated him with so much tolerance, compassion, and friendliness. He cannot help but appreciating and respecting them for it. He will try to do the same with the people he meets. Now he knows the importance of treating other people as he would like to be treated.
He even gets upset when the couple who live next door to him, Catherine and David, have a baby. Instead of saying congratulations, he loudly complains about how the baby will surely cry all night.
Suddenly, one day when he is leaving his apartment, Mr. Douglas sees that his garbage is gone. In its place, he finds a note from David. "Good morning, Mr. Douglas. I saw your garbage here, and since I was on my way out, I picked it up for you. I wanted to save you a trip. Have a nice day, David."
Mr. Douglas does not know what to think. Maybe David is not very smart. Mr. Douglas has been very mean and rude to him, but David has done something nice. Deciding to ignore this kind act, Mr. Douglas begins thinking about the terrible traffic he will surely have to deal with on his way to work.
But as time goes on, Mr. Douglas starts to feel a little silly. No matter how rude he is, Catherine and David always smile at him when they pass in the hallway and politely say hello. It becomes harder and harder for him not to simply say hello back.
One day, Mr. Douglas finds another note outside his door. It is from Catherine and David, saying they are very sorry about the noise. Their baby son is not feeling well, so he cried a lot last night. The note says they hope the baby did not interrupt Mr. Douglas's sleep.
Now he feels really silly, because he did not even hear the baby. He slept with his fan on because of the heat, and that covered the noise of the baby crying.
When he sees Catherine and David that afternoon, they both look very tired. He says hello politely and thanks them for their note. They are so nice to him that he cannot be rude. After a few weeks, Mr. Douglas is always happy to see Catherine and David in the hall. They even start calling him Adam.
Finally, they invite Mr. Douglas into their apartment for a cup of coffee. As they talk, he admits that he and his wife got a divorce a year ago. He has been so upset about it that he has been rude to everyone he knows.
Catherine and David say they are very sorry to hear this news. They thought maybe Mr. Douglas was unhappy about something. They hope he feels better soon.
Mr. Douglas is very glad that they have treated him with so much tolerance, compassion, and friendliness. He cannot help but appreciating and respecting them for it. He will try to do the same with the people he meets. Now he knows the importance of treating other people as he would like to be treated.
And now, practice:
Exercises
Vocabulary Questions
1. What does
"rude" mean?
a) considerate
b) impolite
c) nice
d) violent
b) impolite
c) nice
d) violent
2. What does "traffic" mean?
a) bad weather
b) people walking on the sidewalks
c) people on the train
d) cars and buses on the roads
b) people walking on the sidewalks
c) people on the train
d) cars and buses on the roads
3. What does "compassion" mean?
a) being with
someone else
b) helping someone else who is in a bad situation
c) feeling bad about something
d) understanding and caring about someone who is in a bad situation
b) helping someone else who is in a bad situation
c) feeling bad about something
d) understanding and caring about someone who is in a bad situation
Grammar Questions
1. Catherine and David are
very sorry ________ this news.
a) heard
b) hearing
c) to hear
d) hear
b) hearing
c) to hear
d) hear
2. It becomes ________ for him not to simply say hello back.
a) hardest
b) harder and hardest
c) hard and harder
d) harder and harder
b) harder and hardest
c) hard and harder
d) harder and harder
3. Maybe David ________ very smart.
a) has not
b) is not
c) were not
d) does not
b) is not
c) were not
d) does not
Comprehension Questions
1. How does Mr. Douglas
treat all his neighbors?
2. What nice things do
Catherine and David do for Mr. Douglas?
3. In your opinion, why is it important to try to treat
others as you would want them to treat you?
Principle number 21 is
"Flourish and Prosper."
Now read the short story about this important principle.
Now read the short story about this important principle.
Flourish
and Prosper
Brian is a very silly, funny student. What he loves most is to
make people laugh. All his friends love his jokes, and even the teachers think
he is very funny. Brian knows that comedy is what he likes best.
When he hears about the school's talent show, he decides to sign up so that he can share his comedy from the stage. He has never done real stand-up comedy before, and he is very excited. But when some of the students find out he will participate, they laugh at him. Brian thinks it does not feel very good when someone laughs at you in a mean way!
"You are not funny," the students tell him. "You will do a terrible job. No one will like what you do!"
Brian cannot understand why they are being so unkind to him. For a moment, he thinks about telling the talent show organizers he will not participate. But then he remembers how much his friends and teachers like his jokes. He does not know why these other students are being so negative, but he decides to go ahead and prepare his comedy routine for the talent show.
Brian decides to do a great job at the talent show to prove to the mean students that they are wrong. Everyone loves his routine, and he wins first prize! Even so, the same students tell Brian he is dumb and that he will never be a successful comedian. Brian just shakes his head and wonders what their problem is. He does not understand, but he realizes that it has nothing to do with him. He happily continues to work towards his goal.
As the years go on, Brian meets more people like that. Luckily, they are the minority, and as he works hard to become a comedian, most of the people he meets encourage him and help him to become even funnier. He gets more and more opportunities to perform, and he is even invited to appear on television and act in movies.
His fans thank him for making them laugh, and they tell him that his comedy makes them feel better when they are sad. He likes to tell funny stories in his acts about how hard he had to work and overcome the silly, nasty things people said to him along the way. He never listened to them, and now he is a big comedy star!
He followed his heart to flourish and prosper doing what he loves the most. And he really thinks he chose the best career in the world. He never feels stressed like those negative people, and he laughs all day long!
When he hears about the school's talent show, he decides to sign up so that he can share his comedy from the stage. He has never done real stand-up comedy before, and he is very excited. But when some of the students find out he will participate, they laugh at him. Brian thinks it does not feel very good when someone laughs at you in a mean way!
"You are not funny," the students tell him. "You will do a terrible job. No one will like what you do!"
Brian cannot understand why they are being so unkind to him. For a moment, he thinks about telling the talent show organizers he will not participate. But then he remembers how much his friends and teachers like his jokes. He does not know why these other students are being so negative, but he decides to go ahead and prepare his comedy routine for the talent show.
Brian decides to do a great job at the talent show to prove to the mean students that they are wrong. Everyone loves his routine, and he wins first prize! Even so, the same students tell Brian he is dumb and that he will never be a successful comedian. Brian just shakes his head and wonders what their problem is. He does not understand, but he realizes that it has nothing to do with him. He happily continues to work towards his goal.
As the years go on, Brian meets more people like that. Luckily, they are the minority, and as he works hard to become a comedian, most of the people he meets encourage him and help him to become even funnier. He gets more and more opportunities to perform, and he is even invited to appear on television and act in movies.
His fans thank him for making them laugh, and they tell him that his comedy makes them feel better when they are sad. He likes to tell funny stories in his acts about how hard he had to work and overcome the silly, nasty things people said to him along the way. He never listened to them, and now he is a big comedy star!
He followed his heart to flourish and prosper doing what he loves the most. And he really thinks he chose the best career in the world. He never feels stressed like those negative people, and he laughs all day long!
And now, practice:
Exercises
Vocabulary Questions
1. What does
"flourish" mean?
a) to grow
well and be healthy
b) to be very successful
c) to do very well in life
d) all of the above
b) to be very successful
c) to do very well in life
d) all of the above
2. What does "prosper" mean?
a) to succeed
at an activity
b) to make a lot of money
c) to become strong, active, and healthy
d) all of the above
b) to make a lot of money
c) to become strong, active, and healthy
d) all of the above
3. What does "encourage" mean?
a) to explain
how to do something
b) to make someone more confident and determined
c) to try something new
d) to have an idea
b) to make someone more confident and determined
c) to try something new
d) to have an idea
Grammar Questions
1. As the years go
________, Brian meets more people like that.
a) of
b) in
c) on
d) at
b) in
c) on
d) at
2. His comedy makes them feel ________ when they are sad.
a) better
b) gooder
c) best
d) goodest
b) gooder
c) best
d) goodest
3. He ________ know why these other students are being so negative.
a) do not
b) did not
c) not does
d) not do
b) did not
c) not does
d) not do
Comprehension Questions
1. What is Brian's favorite thing to do?
2. How did Brian decide to deal with the negative comments?
3. In your opinion, why is it important to flourish and
prosper?
English Reading Practice
Drug
Education Story Number 1:
Ecstasy
1. Watch the video at the
top of the page.
2. Read the story below it.
3. Do the exercises at the bottom of the page.
Here is the video. You can watch it in your own language at The Foundation for a Drug-Free World. (Simply click the word "language" at the top right corner of that page.)
2. Read the story below it.
3. Do the exercises at the bottom of the page.
Here is the video. You can watch it in your own language at The Foundation for a Drug-Free World. (Simply click the word "language" at the top right corner of that page.)
Help to educate others so they know the truth about drugs. Click here for drug education tools for teachers and educators.
Ecstasy is an illegal drug, taken especially by young people at
parties, clubs, etc. It is physically and emotionally damaging and users often
suffer depression, confusion, severe anxiety, and other psychological problems
as a result.
Now read the story about the ecstasy drug.
Now read the story about the ecstasy drug.
My Ecstasy Story
My name is Kendall. I have
always thought of myself as a good friend, a good daughter, and generally a
good person. After I finished high school, I stayed at home living with my
mother and my younger brother. I worked as a waitress to help my mother pay the
bills so that my younger brother could finish school. He always said I was his
role model and that he wanted to be just like me when he got older.
Sometimes I felt like working full time to help with the expenses at home was too much for me, and I just wanted to forget everything and everyone. I have always been social, so when my friend Irene invited me to a rave, I decided to go with her. She explained that a rave is a big party with loud electronic music where people go to dance under bright, flashing lights and even take illegal drugs.
When we arrived, she introduced me to a guy she had met recently. His name was Matt, and he seemed very nice. He was also handsome and funny. "I have something really special to help you both have an amazing time tonight," he said with a big smile. He handed us each a small, pink pill with a little diamond on it.
I was nervous, but Irene told me the pill was called ecstasy. She said she had tried it the weekend before and had the best time of her life. "You are going to love it," she said. "You will feel so good that you will forget all about your work and daily problems and just think about what a great party this is."
She was definitely right about forgetting all about my work and daily problems. I felt amazing at the party, and I danced all night long. I was not thinking about my demanding boss or my long hours! Matt was dancing alongside us. He kept smiling at me and I felt like we really connected.
I was supposed to work the next day, but I missed my shift. I did not get home until 5:30 in the morning, and I slept all day. When I woke up, I felt sad and empty. Why did I feel so awful when I had felt so amazing at the rave? I sent Irene a message and asked her when we could take ecstasy again. She told me to meet her at the same club that night at 10:00pm.
I called my boss and told him I was sick. I was too sad and confused to go to work anyway. This time Matt gave us yellow pills with dolphins on them. Irene said she wanted two. Matt asked her for some money, so we both paid him and took our pills. We danced all night long.
After a while, the only thing I could think about was the next time I would get high on ecstasy with Irene and Matt and dance all night. I started to miss more shifts at work because I often felt depressed and just wanted to go to a rave. Even when I did go to work, I made lots of mistakes with the guests' orders. My memory became terrible! I couldn't remember what the guests wanted, and I had a really hard time with the math when I had to give them their change. My boss eventually told me that he couldn't let me work that way. He fired me! I couldn't believe it.
That just made me more depressed, and all I wanted to do was go get high with Irene and Matt. I did not even tell my mother that I had lost my job. I did not think I could handle seeing her and my little brother so disappointed in me. I was spending all of my money on ecstasy, and I was worried that I would not be able to help my mother much longer with the bills at home.
The night after my boss fired me, Irene and I decided to take seven pills each. The sad truth was that as time went on, we each needed to take more to get the same high we could get from one or two pills when we started. One of the huge problems with ecstasy is that you never know exactly what is in it. Every time you take a pill, it's a gamble, but we had no choice. We were too deep inside.
Irene got so high that night that she did not drink enough water. Her body's natural defenses were misguided by the drug. She just kept dancing. Her body became so dehydrated that she blacked out. I could not believe my eyes when I saw my best friend drop to the floor, unconscious!
I cried for help! The club manager hurried over to us. "Please help her!" I shouted.
He shook his head and started to drag Irene outside the club. "You will need to get your own help, I'm afraid."
Shocked and terrified, I searched for Matt in the crowd. There he was! "I am sure he will help us," I thought. "I know he cares…"
Matt looked at us for a long moment, and then disappeared back into the club. I couldn't believe it. We were completely on our own. No help was coming. "I can call an ambulance," I thought, "but what will I tell them?"
That was my big wake-up call. It made me realize what a disaster my life had become. I did finally call an ambulance and I spent that night at the hospital with Irene, but I couldn't give the doctors any helpful information. I was scared that I would get in trouble.
When I woke up the next day, I felt horrible. A doctor told me that my body and my mind were being damaged by the ecstasy. He told me that Irene came very close to dying and that what we were doing was terribly dangerous. I just broke down and cried. Everything seemed so dark and hopeless.
The nurses at the hospital put me in contact with a rehab (rehabilitation) center. This is a place that helps people overcome their addictions to drugs.
I felt horribly guilty for making my mother and brother go through that terrible experience. My mother had a lot of financial problems because I had lost my job, plus she needed to help pay for the cost of my rehab. I was in the program for weeks, and it was the most challenging experience of my life. I am so lucky that my family stayed by my side and helped me to overcome my addiction.
The saddest part of my story is that Irene decided not to go to rehab. She hated what her life had become, but the only way she thought she could feel good was by going to raves and taking more and more ecstasy. She started to work with Matt at the clubs, selling ecstasy to young people and getting them addicted.
Later that year, she and Matt were arrested with a large quantity of illegal drugs and were sent to prison. I cannot believe that my best friend is in jail, but I am just thankful that she did not die as a result of her addiction to ecstasy. I hope that her time in jail, where she obviously can't use any drugs, will help her overcome her addiction. I write her letters to try to encourage her even though she never writes back.
Today, my mind is still slow, and I sometimes feel depressed. My doctor says that I did permanent damage to my body, my mind, and my emotional health because of my drug abuse, but I still have hope of regaining my old self, when I was social and optimistic.
I remember that at first my mother and brother were very disappointed in me. I remember my brother crying when he visited me at rehab. But over time, they realized how hard I was working to overcome my addiction, and they are proud of me now.
I know that my brother learned from my terrible mistakes, and he will never take drugs. I am so proud of him for how hard he works. He recently graduated from high school and was accepted to a good college, and my mother and I are thrilled for him. I am working again, and I hope someday I can go to college, too. I used to be my brother's role model and inspiration, but now he is mine.
Sometimes I felt like working full time to help with the expenses at home was too much for me, and I just wanted to forget everything and everyone. I have always been social, so when my friend Irene invited me to a rave, I decided to go with her. She explained that a rave is a big party with loud electronic music where people go to dance under bright, flashing lights and even take illegal drugs.
When we arrived, she introduced me to a guy she had met recently. His name was Matt, and he seemed very nice. He was also handsome and funny. "I have something really special to help you both have an amazing time tonight," he said with a big smile. He handed us each a small, pink pill with a little diamond on it.
I was nervous, but Irene told me the pill was called ecstasy. She said she had tried it the weekend before and had the best time of her life. "You are going to love it," she said. "You will feel so good that you will forget all about your work and daily problems and just think about what a great party this is."
She was definitely right about forgetting all about my work and daily problems. I felt amazing at the party, and I danced all night long. I was not thinking about my demanding boss or my long hours! Matt was dancing alongside us. He kept smiling at me and I felt like we really connected.
I was supposed to work the next day, but I missed my shift. I did not get home until 5:30 in the morning, and I slept all day. When I woke up, I felt sad and empty. Why did I feel so awful when I had felt so amazing at the rave? I sent Irene a message and asked her when we could take ecstasy again. She told me to meet her at the same club that night at 10:00pm.
I called my boss and told him I was sick. I was too sad and confused to go to work anyway. This time Matt gave us yellow pills with dolphins on them. Irene said she wanted two. Matt asked her for some money, so we both paid him and took our pills. We danced all night long.
After a while, the only thing I could think about was the next time I would get high on ecstasy with Irene and Matt and dance all night. I started to miss more shifts at work because I often felt depressed and just wanted to go to a rave. Even when I did go to work, I made lots of mistakes with the guests' orders. My memory became terrible! I couldn't remember what the guests wanted, and I had a really hard time with the math when I had to give them their change. My boss eventually told me that he couldn't let me work that way. He fired me! I couldn't believe it.
That just made me more depressed, and all I wanted to do was go get high with Irene and Matt. I did not even tell my mother that I had lost my job. I did not think I could handle seeing her and my little brother so disappointed in me. I was spending all of my money on ecstasy, and I was worried that I would not be able to help my mother much longer with the bills at home.
The night after my boss fired me, Irene and I decided to take seven pills each. The sad truth was that as time went on, we each needed to take more to get the same high we could get from one or two pills when we started. One of the huge problems with ecstasy is that you never know exactly what is in it. Every time you take a pill, it's a gamble, but we had no choice. We were too deep inside.
Irene got so high that night that she did not drink enough water. Her body's natural defenses were misguided by the drug. She just kept dancing. Her body became so dehydrated that she blacked out. I could not believe my eyes when I saw my best friend drop to the floor, unconscious!
I cried for help! The club manager hurried over to us. "Please help her!" I shouted.
He shook his head and started to drag Irene outside the club. "You will need to get your own help, I'm afraid."
Shocked and terrified, I searched for Matt in the crowd. There he was! "I am sure he will help us," I thought. "I know he cares…"
Matt looked at us for a long moment, and then disappeared back into the club. I couldn't believe it. We were completely on our own. No help was coming. "I can call an ambulance," I thought, "but what will I tell them?"
That was my big wake-up call. It made me realize what a disaster my life had become. I did finally call an ambulance and I spent that night at the hospital with Irene, but I couldn't give the doctors any helpful information. I was scared that I would get in trouble.
When I woke up the next day, I felt horrible. A doctor told me that my body and my mind were being damaged by the ecstasy. He told me that Irene came very close to dying and that what we were doing was terribly dangerous. I just broke down and cried. Everything seemed so dark and hopeless.
The nurses at the hospital put me in contact with a rehab (rehabilitation) center. This is a place that helps people overcome their addictions to drugs.
I felt horribly guilty for making my mother and brother go through that terrible experience. My mother had a lot of financial problems because I had lost my job, plus she needed to help pay for the cost of my rehab. I was in the program for weeks, and it was the most challenging experience of my life. I am so lucky that my family stayed by my side and helped me to overcome my addiction.
The saddest part of my story is that Irene decided not to go to rehab. She hated what her life had become, but the only way she thought she could feel good was by going to raves and taking more and more ecstasy. She started to work with Matt at the clubs, selling ecstasy to young people and getting them addicted.
Later that year, she and Matt were arrested with a large quantity of illegal drugs and were sent to prison. I cannot believe that my best friend is in jail, but I am just thankful that she did not die as a result of her addiction to ecstasy. I hope that her time in jail, where she obviously can't use any drugs, will help her overcome her addiction. I write her letters to try to encourage her even though she never writes back.
Today, my mind is still slow, and I sometimes feel depressed. My doctor says that I did permanent damage to my body, my mind, and my emotional health because of my drug abuse, but I still have hope of regaining my old self, when I was social and optimistic.
I remember that at first my mother and brother were very disappointed in me. I remember my brother crying when he visited me at rehab. But over time, they realized how hard I was working to overcome my addiction, and they are proud of me now.
I know that my brother learned from my terrible mistakes, and he will never take drugs. I am so proud of him for how hard he works. He recently graduated from high school and was accepted to a good college, and my mother and I are thrilled for him. I am working again, and I hope someday I can go to college, too. I used to be my brother's role model and inspiration, but now he is mine.
And now, practice:
Exercises
Vocabulary Questions
a) Drugs are essentially poisons. The amount taken determines the
effect. A small amount acts as a stimulant (speeds you up). A greater
amount acts as a sedative (slows you down). An even larger amount poisons and
can kill.
b) Drugs directly affect the mind. They can distort the user's
perception of what is happening around him or her.
c) Drugs can lift a person into a fake kind of cheerfulness, but
when the drug wears off, he or she crashes even lower than before.
d) All of the sentences above are true.
2. What does "bills" mean?
a) letters you get in the mail
b) money you pay at the store for food
c) money you pay for services like electricity, gas, and water
d) official reports from your bank
3. What does "social" mean?
a) a person who likes to eat a lot of food
b) a person who likes to spend time with other people
c) a person who likes to read
d) a person who wears beautiful clothes
4. What does "thrilled" mean?
a) very excited
b) very worried
c) very confused
d) very angry
5. What does "addiction" mean?
a) when a person cannot sleep
b) when a person is very
stressed
c) when a person has difficulty
understanding things
d) when a person is unable to
stop using a drug
6. What does "shift" mean?
a) the amount of time it takes
you to go to work
b) a report of the work you
have done
c) the time during which you
have to work
d) when you change your job
Expressions Questions
1. What does "wake-up call" mean?
a) something that makes you
feel excited
b) something that makes you
realize you have a problem
c) something new and
interesting
d) something you hear from
someone else
2. What does "working full time" mean?
a) when a person works seven
days a week
b) when a person works alone
c) when a person works in an
office
d) when a person works forty
hours per week
3. What does "illegal drugs" mean?
a) mind-altering substances
that are against the law
b) medicines that are very
expensive
c) laws that regulate
substances and medicines
d) medicines that only a doctor
can recommend
4. What does "get high" mean?
a) when a person drinks a lot
of alcohol
b) when a person uses a
mind-altering substance to achieve a fake kind of cheerfulness
c) when a person listens to
loud music
d) when a person dances all
night long
5. What does "role model" mean?
a) a person who is an inspiring
example for others
b) a person who is very rich
c) a person who knows a lot of
people
d) a person who works as an
actor or actress
6. What does "body's natural defenses" mean?
a) a person's skin
b) weapons that people use to
protect themselves
c) the systems that regulate a
person's body to maintain health
d) warm clothes people wear to
protect themselves from the cold
Grammar Questions
1. I stayed _________ home living with my mother and my brother.
a) in
b) on
c) of
d) at
2. My brother _________ never take drugs.
a) has
b) won't
c) will
d) have
3. Matt and Irene _________ arrested with a large quantity of drugs.
a) was
b) had
c) am
d) were
4. I write her letters to try to encourage her, even _________ she never writes back.
a) though
b) when
c) if
d) despite
5. The _________ part of my story is that Irene decided not to go to rehab.
a) sadder
b) most sad
c) saddest
d) more sad
6. I was scared I _________ get in trouble.
a) would
b) will
c) do
d) can
Comprehension Questions
Read the story and watch the video at the top of the page about
ecstasy. Then answer the following questions.
1. According to the video, what are three negative side effects of using ecstasy?
1. According to the video, what are three negative side effects of using ecstasy?
2. According to the video, what is especially dangerous about synthetic,
or man-made, drugs like ecstasy?
3. How do the people in the video say they felt the morning after
they took ecstasy?
4. In the story, why does Kendall need to work full time?
5. Why did Kendall start using ecstasy?
6. What was Kendall's big wake-up call?
Essay Questions
1. Of all the negative effects of ecstasy that are described in
the video and the story, which do you think is the most serious? Why do you
think so?
2. Imagine that you are with Kendall and Irene on the first night
they go to the club and meet Matt. When he offers you ecstasy, what do you do?
How do you react? What do you say to your friends, Kendall and Irene?
Marijuana is a drug that distorts how the
mind perceives the world you live in. The chemical in marijuana that creates this
distortion is called "THC."
THC disrupts nerve cells in the brain and badly affects memory.
Studies have linked marijuana use to brain damage.
After an initial "up" the user tends to feel sleepy or
depressed. Marijuana is also known to cause sensory distortion, poor
coordination of movement, lowered reaction time, lack of motivation, panic, and
anxiety.
Marijuana causes study difficulties such as a reduced ability to
learn and remember information.
Now read the story about the marijuana drug. (You can find a glossary at the bottom of the page, right after the exercises.)
Now read the story about the marijuana drug. (You can find a glossary at the bottom of the page, right after the exercises.)
My Marijuana Story
I was a successful businessman and got to travel around the world.
I had smoked marijuana (also called weed) for years. Some told me it was
harmful. I just laughed. "Yeah, right…" I thought to myself.
I felt more enlightened than they were and thought I had a better
understanding of what marijuana was all about. Why worry when I could light up
a joint and break free of everything?
Life had proved to me just how right I was: I was well educated
and had a prestigious job in which I was earning four times what most people my
age earn. I also had a gorgeous and intelligent girlfriend. And on top of
everything, I even had impressive client accounts and around-the-world trips
paid for by my company.
One day I smoked marijuana at work, and my department director
found out. I was afraid he would fire me. He was always a little odd, but
overall, I liked the guy. I wasn't sure how he would react.
Despite my fear, he turned a blind eye. I later found out that he
was doing it, too. I felt like that kind of gave me permission to keep smoking
and allowed me to use marijuana even more.
My girlfriend didn't like it. I was angry with her. Didn't she want
me to be happy? Why did she keep acting like she saw something I didn't see?
Her attitude annoyed me. She kept saying, "Weed is an illusion. It really
ISN'T your friend." I just thought she was being silly about the whole
thing.
One night we were at a party at my firm, and all of my co-workers
were there with their spouses or dates. One of my female colleagues was coming
too close, and it was obvious she was hitting on me. My girlfriend was standing
across the room, but I was high on marijuana, so it didn't really bother me. Of
course my girlfriend saw the whole scene, and it turned into a big fight.
I occasionally had fights with my girlfriend. I loved her, but
sometimes she was so annoying! Luckily for me (or so I thought), I was getting
help from marijuana: I could just smoke and let go, not try to fight or solve
it. It's crazy to think about it now, but I really did believe that marijuana
was helping me!
Eventually she got tired and left me. I had two choices: run after
her and try to save our relationship, or smoke another joint. I smoked another
joint, thinking the whole time about how awesome I was and how she was going to
come back anyway.
I smoked and smoked and smoked, for days. I called in sick to
work. My girlfriend never came back.
When I eventually showed up for work, my department director
instantly knew I was stoned. "Knock it off," he told me. I wasn't
sure if he was kidding or being very serious. I felt a bit nervous.
"I can stop whenever I want," I assured him. "I'm
not an addict."
"You're not an addict, but you also can't stop using
it," he replied. "I know what it's like. You get a false sensation of
calmness and after that nothing in real life matches that, and you keep craving
that high." He was half smiling, but I could tell from the look on his
face that he meant every word.
"Still, I'm not an addict," I insisted. "Life is
just better with weed. If you can get along without it, more power to
you."
But he couldn't get along without it either, and so we kept
smoking and covering for each other. I began using more and more weed before
and even during work.
I started feeling less focused, but above all else I started
feeling less and less capable of accomplishing things. In fact, I started to
care less and less about my work. It just seemed more boring than it ever did
before. Most of the things I was usually interested in suddenly didn't seem
important anymore. "What we could do today, let's leave for tomorrow. What
we could do tomorrow, let's leave for next week. If ever at all."
I had become lazy. I had less and less energy to do things. I gave
up important accounts at work simply because I couldn't imagine finding the
energy to handle them. "It's okay," I told myself. "I have
enough money and a good enough reputation. I don't really need this."
But I couldn't wrap my head around it: I always felt like weed was
helping me get new ideas and motivating me. On the other hand, I was never
doing anything with them. Since I began smoking I never seemed to have the
energy or persistence I needed to achieve my goals.
A new thought started to take over: maybe I'm really not using my
full potential because of my drug use. I had always thought marijuana made me a
better person. Even though I knew that THC, the main active ingredient in
marijuana, was a toxin affecting the nervous system. Still, it never stopped me
from believing that the drug helped me and made me better at everything I did
personally and professionally.
But now I started to wonder, could it be harmful to me after all?
I immediately dismissed that thought. Even if it was harmful, I couldn't
imagine my life without weed.
My drug tolerance started to build up more and more. I had to
increase how often and how much I smoked, and soon enough I was thinking about
marijuana 24/7.
My moral compass almost ceased to exist. I did things I was not
proud of just to get some more weed. I lied and I mislead other people. If I
couldn't get weed, I would enter a panic attack that only smoking another joint
would calm down.
Me, a panic attack? I had never even imagined I could get panic
attacks. I was always so confident and self-assured!
One day I arrived at work, and my department director wasn't
there. A few hours went by, and he still wasn't there. He didn't call anyone to
explain where he was.
That night, the office manager called me. She was upset.
"He's in the hospital," she said. "He crashed his car. It will
take him some time to recover. They found high levels of marijuana in his
blood, so he will be in legal trouble, too."
I sat completely still for a while. I didn't know what to think.
He was a rare bird, but I always liked him. I had to see him.
After the visit in the hospital, I decided I was going to quit
using marijuana. At that point, I already knew I was dependent on the drug, and
I was finally not willing to lie to myself anymore.
I needed help. It had been a while, and I didn't know if she still
cared, but I called my ex-girlfriend.
She came over right away. I was so happy to see her. The days and
weeks that followed were almost unbearable, but she helped me a lot and I made
it through.
Today I'm fully clean, and I don't go near marijuana or any other
drug. You can't fool me that this stuff is harmless.
Before my marijuana use, I had a photographic memory. Weed
destroyed that entirely. I managed to slowly recover my other strong traits
like my confidence and creativity, but they are not as good as they used to be.
I still feel considerably slower, noticeably less intelligent, and less
communicative.
Now I know that to truly work on yourself you have to be yourself,
and when you are in an altered state of mind, you are not yourself.
How can we face the world if we don't actually see it, but only
see a distorted version of it?
I realized that the sense of superiority over other people I felt
as a drug user for all these years was just an illusion. I was escaping,
escaping reality. Today I am willing to face reality and find real ways to
improve my life and myself.
And now, practice:
Exercises
Vocabulary Questions
1. What does
"enlightened" mean?
a) having the ability to see and understand the truth about people
and situations
b) needing a lot of light in your workspace
c) feeling sad, lonely, and nervous
d) being very interested in a specific idea
2. What does "joint" mean?
a) a kind of special sweet food
b) a relaxing tea
c) a marijuana cigarette
d) an imported kind of tobacco
3. What does "stoned" mean?
a) under the effect of a drug (such as marijuana)
b) extremely bored
c) excited about something that will happen soon
d) very curious
4. What does "communicative" mean?
a) quiet and shy
b) friendly, open and willing
to talk
c) extremely active and
energetic
d) intelligent and interesting
5. What does "potential" mean?
a) that someone did great things they were younger
b) that someone has achieved a lot professionally
c) that someone thinks good things will happen
d) that someone can achieve great things if they work at it
6. What does "persistence" mean?
a) when someone works hard and does not give up
b) when someone cooperates with other people
c) when someone forces another person to work hard
d) when someone has a lot of creative ideas
Expressions Questions
1. What does "to wrap your head around something" mean?
a) stretch your body out after
exercise
b) study a topic in great
detail
c) find a way to understand or
accept something
d) invent a new way of doing
something
2. What does "to hit on" mean?
a) when a person flirts with
another person
b) when a person gets angry
about something
c) when a person asks too many
questions
d) when a person does not
listen to other people
3. What does "moral compass" mean?
a) a person's ideas about science and technology
b) a person's sense of right and wrong
c) a person's understanding of history
d) a person's closest group of friends
4. What does "knock off" mean?
a) to break something
b) to start a new project
c) to make a list of things that need to be finished
d) to stop doing something
5. What does "to turn a blind eye" mean?
a) when a person does not understand a situation
b) when a person pretends they do not notice bad behavior
c) when a person is not nice to others
d) when a person has a lot of friends
6. What does "rare bird" mean?
a) an animal that you do not see often
b) a person who really likes birds
c) an unusual person
d) a person with a lot of power and influence
7. What does "more power to you" mean?
a) you can be stronger
b) you are very successful
c) that's too bad
d) good for you, and do what you wish
Grammar Questions
1. Why worry when I can break free _____ everything?
a) in
b) on
c) of
d) at
2. What we _____ do today, let's do tomorrow.
a) might
b) could
c) will
d) ought
3. He _____ be in legal trouble, too.
a) has
b) was
c) will
d) is
4. She came over _____ away.
a) soon
b) right
c) fast
d) very
5. _____ that point, I already knew I was dependent on the drug.
a) At
b) In
c) To
d) Of
6. I still feel considerably _____.
a) slow
b) slowest
c) more slow
d) slower
Comprehension Questions
Read the story and watch the video at the top of the page about
marijuana. Then answer the following questions.
1. According to the video, what are three negative side effects of using marijuana?
1. According to the video, what are three negative side effects of using marijuana?
2. According to the video, how is the marijuana that is available
today different from the marijuana that was available in the 1960s and 1970s? Why
has it changed?
3. Some of the people in the video talk about "escapism"
when they explain why they used marijuana. What do they mean by this?
4. In the story, why did the character feel like he had to smoke
more and more marijuana?
5. What happens to the character's relationship with his
girlfriend because of his drug use? How does he react?
6. What important event makes the character decide to stop using
marijuana?
Essay Questions
1. Of all the negative effects of marijuana that are described in
the video and the story, which do you think is the most serious? Why do you
think so?
2. In your opinion, how does using marijuana makes the character
in this story escape reality and ignore his problems rather than dealing with
them?
Glossary
Assure: tell
someone that something is definitely true in order to remove any doubts.
Cease: stop.
Client account: ongoing
work with a regular customer of a firm.
Communicative: friendly,
open and willing to talk.
Cover: protect
someone from getting into trouble.
Crave: want
something very strongly.
Dependent: unable
to stop using a drug.
Dismiss: put
a thought or feelings out of your mind.
Drug tolerance: when
the body becomes adjusted to the drug after repeated use and the user needs to
take larger and larger doses to get the same effect.
Enlightened: having
the ability to see and understand the truth about people and situations.
Hit on: flirt
with another person.
Joint: a
marijuana cigarette.
Knock off: stop
doing something.
Mislead: make
someone believe something that is not true.
Moral compass: a
person's sense of right and wrong.
More power to you: good
for you; also, do what you wish.
Nervous system: the
system in your body that is responsible for the control of the body and
communication between its parts.
Panic: extreme
fear and confusion that you cannot control.
Persistence: when
someone works hard and does not give up.
Potential: it
means that someone can achieve something if they work at it.
Prestigious: important
and respected.
Rare bird: an
unusual person.
Self-assured: having
confidence in yourself and your abilities.
Stoned: under
the effect of a drug (such as marijuana).
Turn a blind eye: pretend
not to notice some bad behavior.
Wrap your head around something: find
a way to understand or accept something.
LSD is one of the most
powerful, mood-changing chemicals. It is manufactured from an acid found in a
specific fungus that grows on grains. It is then produced in illegal
laboratories, mainly in the United States.
LSD leads to a serious disconnection
from reality. LSD users call an LSD experience a "trip,"
typically lasting twelve hours or so. When things go wrong, which often
happens, it is called a "bad
trip," another name for a living hell.
Once it starts, there is often no stopping a
"bad trip," which can go on for up to twelve hours. In fact, some
people never recover from an LSD-induced insanity.
One of the worst parts is that an LSD user is unable to tell which
sensations are created by the drug and which are part of reality. Some
experience severe, terrifying thoughts and feelings, fear of losing control,
fear of insanity and death, and despair while using LSD.
Many LSD users experience flashbacks, or a recurrence of the LSD
trip, often without warning, long
after taking LSD.
Now read the story about the LSD drug.
Now read the story about the LSD drug.
A Week with LSD, Part 1
I hope my second year of college will be easier than the first.
Last year, I had to adjust to the wild parties of college after growing up with
very strict parents. I struggled through it, making good grades, but not a lot
of friends and definitely no boyfriends. I thought in college it would be easy
to finally find a boyfriend, but last year I was too shy to talk to anyone I
thought was remotely attractive.
This year is already better, though. Classes only started a month
ago, but I have a nice apartment, so I don't have to deal with the dorms, and a
really awesome internship working with one of my favorite professors in his
lab. It doesn't pay anything, but the experience I get will be extremely
valuable.
In my free time, I like to go to chatrooms online. It's easier to
talk to people there than it is at parties. That's where I met Max. We talk
almost every night now. He's a Marine stationed in Hawaii. In his profile
picture, he has the most amazing smile. I've never seen someone look so happy.
When I chat with Max, I don't feel shy or nervous. He makes me comfortable.
I just wish he wasn't so far away, which is why I'm so surprised to see his
message when I log on to my computer tonight.
"Tara, what would you think about me flying out to visit
you?" it says.
"Yes!" I type back. "I would love that!"
"Good. I already bought the ticket. I get there on
Monday."
Part of me is a little annoyed by this. I don't like that he just
bought a ticket without talking to me first. What if I had plans? Mostly
though, I just can't wait to finally meet him.
* * *
I walk in nervous circles around the meeting area at the airport.
What if he doesn't like me? What if he doesn't think I'm attractive? I try to
push these thoughts out of my head as I look up and see him smiling that big,
beautiful smile at me. I run up and hug him. I can't believe I'm finally
touching him!
"Well it's nice to see you, too, Tara," he says, holding
me tighter.
On the drive home, we talk and it feels like we've known each
other forever. He asks me if school is getting better and seems really happy
when I say it is. He grew up with strict parents, too, so he knows what it's
like to adjust to having your own freedom.
We drop his luggage off at my apartment and decide to take a walk
in the park nearby. It's a perfect day. The sky is bright blue and there's a gentle
breeze. We find a nice hill to sit on. Max wraps his arm around me and I still
can't believe I actually get to hang around with him. My heart races when he
looks at me. I think he's about to kiss me, but then he says, "Tara, I
think I need to tell you something. I just want to be completely honest with
you. The reason I was able to come here is that I got discharged."
I don't know what to say. I always liked the fact that he was a
Marine, but it's not like I suddenly hate him because he got kicked out.
"What happened?" I ask.
"I, uh, well I failed my drug test." His words hit me in
the stomach. I was raised to just say no to drugs. I can't believe he does
them. "Look, it's not as bad as it sounds. It was just LSD."
"That sounds pretty serious," I say, trying to remember
what I've heard about LSD. I know it makes you hallucinate, but that's really
all I know.
"It's not dangerous like coke or anything. It just helps you
feel connected to world. It helps you understand how you fit into the universe.
It makes you less lonely." He removes a folded piece of paper from his
pocket. It's covered in rows of small, cartoon aliens. He tears off one of the
aliens and hands it to me. "See that's all it is. It's not some big scary
thing."
I flip the paper over in my hand. I can't believe I'm actually
holding LSD.
"It's an amazing day," he says, looking around.
"Beautiful weather. A beautiful park. A beautiful girl sitting next to
me." I feel my cheeks burn when he says this. "If we took a hit, it
could make it even more beautiful."
"I don't know…"
"How many times have you told me you're tired of being
lonely? Of being bored? Of feeling like you don't understand anything? That
little piece of paper can fix all that."
He smiles at me. I trust him. He knows how much I hate being
lonely. I have a bad feeling in my stomach, but I try to ignore it. I want to
try it, just to see if it can help.
"Okay, I'll try it," I say.
A Week
with LSD, Part 2
"Okay, I'll try it," I say.
We each place a piece of paper on our tongues. I feel it dissolve
and wait, but nothing happens.
"I don't think it's working," I say.
"Give it time," Max says.
And he's right. I wait and pretty soon it feels like I'm in a
whole new universe. The trees bend like they're made out of rubber, their whole
trunks swaying back and forth in the wind. A dark shade of purple darkens the
sky, slowly spreading out from the clouds like ink dropped in water.
As the sky grows darker, I see things move in the shadows.
Thousands of snakes and spiders suddenly pour out of them. They're coming for
me. I look over at Max for help, but he's smiling happily. He looks as happy as
a dead puppet, under the drug's control.
"I need to get out of here," I say and stand up, pulling
him along behind me. If he says anything, I don't hear it. I lead him back to
my apartment, trying to dodge the creatures following me. I lock the door
behind me as we get inside.
"What's wrong?" Max asks. I look at him and his face
looks like a mask. Like he's not really Max.
I try to explain what I saw, but my words all come out in a
jumble.
I don't know how long we were in the park, but it takes several
more hours of hiding in my apartment before the effects of the LSD start to
fade. By the time it's completely over, it's well past midnight and my body
aches like I've just been hit by a truck.
"I think I need to go to sleep," I tell him.
"I'm not really sure that's the best idea," he says.
"You're not going to be able to fall asleep."
I don't listen to his warning. Instead, I just give him some
blankets so he can sleep on the couch and then collapse into my bed. Max is
right. I can't fall asleep. I can't stop thinking about the events of the day.
How excited I was at the airport. How surprised I was by the LSD. How easy it
was for him to get me to take it. I can't believe that I actually did LSD. I
still like him a lot, but I don't know if I can actually date someone who does
it. I feel depressed and tired, but I cannot sleep.
* * *
My alarm clock goes off, telling me to get ready for class. Max is
awake when I walk into the living room.
"What's the plan for today?" he asks when he sees me.
"I have classes," I say. "And I have to go make up
the time I missed at my internship yesterday." I was supposed to go after
I picked up Max, but that didn't really work out.
"That sounds boring. Come on, let's do something fun."
"I can't miss more classes. I wasn't even planning on missing
them yesterday."
Honestly, it does feel kind of nice that he wants to spend more
time with me.
"Come on, Tara. I've been waiting so long to finally meet
you. I want to actually spend time with you."
I can't resist him. "Fine," I say with a smile. "I
guess I can just say I'm sick."
We spend the rest of the day walking around the city. We swap
stories from our childhoods. He tells me about the time he tried to run away
from home, but got caught because he asked him mom to pack him a lunch. I can't
stop laughing. I tell him about the time my dad took me to feed the ducks and I
fell into the pond. Neither of us brings up the LSD, and I like it better that
way.
I take him to my favorite pizza place and order two slices with my
favorite toppings: pepperoni and pineapple. Max tries to order plain cheese
instead, insisting that pineapple doesn't belong on pizza, but I won't let him.
"You have to try it," I say, trying my best to look
adorable. "You owe me."
"I guess I do," he sighs.
We take our slices and sit at one of the tables. Max rushes ahead
of me so he can pull my chair out for me. It reminds me of how sweet and polite
he was online. He takes a bite of his pizza, then sticks his tongue out.
"You don't like it?" I ask.
"It's just as gross as I thought it would be," he says
as he picks the pineapple off.
"You're crazy," I tease.
"But I'm glad I tried it. Now I can definitely say I hate
pineapple on pizza."
"And I can say I don't like LSD." I mean for it to sound
like a joke, but we both know it isn't.
"You didn't like it?" He sounds hurt.
"No. Not at all. It was terrifying." I can't believe he
didn't notice that.
He puts his hand on mine. "I'm so sorry. That's totally my
fault. You just had a bad trip. You need to try it in a better setting. I
promise it'll make you feel better."
I don't know if I really want to do it again, but I like the way
it feels when he holds my hand. That really does make me feel less lonely.
A Week
with LSD, Part 3
Over the next few days, Max and I get closer and closer. We go to
a movie together, Max takes me to dinner, and we even go salsa dancing. It is
so much fun! I have no clue how to dance, but Max shows me the steps. I didn't
even know he could dance. The more time I spend with him, the more he seems
like the Max I met online, the Max I can trust. So I agree when he suggests I
try LSD again.
I cling to Max as we walk into the party. Loud music plays as
people dance all around us. I saw someone post about the party on Facebook and
Max said it would be the perfect time to try LSD again. Normally I hate
parties, but he said it would make it fun.
We took the LSD on the way to the party, so I'm already starting
to feel it when we get to there. Max promised me the dose was much smaller this
time, so the trip will be much shorter. The music drills into my brain. I see
ten copies of each person, all crowding around me. I can't breathe. I reach out
to Max for help, but when I look around, he's gone. I can't find him anywhere
in the sea of people around me. Where is he?
Lights flash in red and green and blue and I don't know if they
actually exist or if I'm just hallucinating. I feel my pulse starting to rise.
My face feels sweaty. I want to get out of there, but I don't know how to find
the door. Why, why did I take that hit? Now I have to spend God knows how many
hours losing my mind.
I keep looking around the room and, after what feels like a few
hours, Max is standing next to me again.
"Where were you?" I ask him.
"I wasn't feeling well. I went to find the bathroom," he
says. "It's getting pretty late. We should probably go home." I look
around and the sea of people is gone. Only a few remain, but I don't know how
many of them are real.
I can't believe it. I can't believe he left me and I can't believe
I spent the whole party in the corner, popping in and out of reality, praying
and wondering when it is going to stop. I thought this was supposed to be fun.
I thought it was supposed to make me enjoy myself, not hide in fear.
* * *
I barely sleep that night either and I know I won't make it to my
classes. I'm too sore and tired to even leave the apartment. I'm so spaced out
I forget that I have a midterm exam in one of them until an hour after it's
over.
I walk to the living room and see Max sitting on the couch.
"Hey, babe," he says. "Did you have fun last
night?"
"Are you serious?" I ask. "Not at all. Unless you
call scary and out of controlfun."
He frowns, then says, "Really? Well that's just your body
getting used to it. You just need to try it again."
I sigh, realizing what a fool I've been for trusting him. "I
don't want to try it again. I don't need to chemically alter my reality and
senses to be happy. I thought you could make me happy, but I was wrong. I can
find happiness in other places."
"What's that supposed to mean? I'm not happy?" He sounds
angry. "I can't believe I was so wrong about you. I didn't think you'd be
such a judgmental prude."
I don't care about his insults. I just want him to leave.
"You need to get out of my apartment, and take this with you." I
reach for the sheet of LSD sitting on top of his suitcase, but he grabs it
first. He stares at me as he bites it, consuming twenty or thirty hits.
I don't know why he does it. I guess he wants to prove a point or
something. He seems fine for a few minutes, and mostly I'm just annoyed at his
childish behavior, but then he pukes all over my couch. My pulse quickens as he
starts shouting about seeing things around him, coming for him. He says they're
getting closer. I'm terrified. I don't know what he sees, but I worry he's
going to attack me. His body starts shaking and I think he's having a seizure.
Mostly, I'm just scared of him, but I'm sad, too. It's heartbreaking
to see this person I cared so much about suddenly lose control of his body and
mind. My hands shake as I call 911. Max continues to shake uncontrollably and I
feel completely helpless. There's nothing to do but wait. A few minutes later,
they take him away in an ambulance. I explain about the LSD to one of the
paramedics and give him Max's sheet, just happy to have it out of my apartment.
I can deal with the legal repercussions later.
The next day, I visit him in the hospital, mostly just because I want
to know if he's alive. One of the doctors tells me he has permanent brain
damage and will have to be moved to a mental hospital. They don't know how long
he'll be there. It could be the rest of his life.
When I get home, I have emails telling me I am failing my class
because I missed the exam and I lost my internship because I am failing the
class. I feel completely lost. My grades and my internship were the best things
in my life and I threw them away. I hate myself for being so dumb and easy to
manipulate.
Over the next few months, I try extra hard to save my grades. I
think if I can bring them up by the end of the semester, I might be able to get
the internship back. It's a lot harder to study now, though. I have LSD
flashbacks sometimes. I never know when they're going to come. Sometimes I'll
just be in class and start hallucinating again or I'll be studying and black
out.
It makes it more challenging, but I'm not willing to let a week
with LSD ruin the rest of my life.
The End
Exercises
Vocabulary Questions
1. What does "Marine" mean?
a) a person who studies the ocean
b) a person who catches fish for a living
c) a person who is a member of the military and trained to serve
on the sea, land, and air
d) a person who travels on a boat for fun
2. What does "stationed" mean?
a) assigned to work or serve in a certain place
b) living on a set schedule
c) freedom to move around
d) having meals provided for you
3. What does "discharged" mean?
a) promoted to a better job
b) going on a short vacation
c) forced to leave a job
d) going on a business trip
4. What does "coke" mean?
a) Cocaine (a powerful illegal
drug that is very addictive)
b) a type of coffee
c) a type of tea
d) Coca-Cola
5. What does "hit" mean?
a) a method of taking drugs
b) buying drugs with stolen property
c) trying drugs for the first time
d) a single dose of a drug
6. What does "dodge" mean?
a) run toward something with excitement
b) walk without direction
c) move quickly to avoid something
d) jog past slowly
7. What does "jumble" mean?
a) a confused mix
b) a clear argument
c) an empty promise
d) an annoyed complaint
8. What does "trip" mean?
a) hallucinations after taking a drug
b) the first step in salsa dancing
c) being unable to sleep at night
d) a long distance run
9. What does "prude" mean?
a) someone who is addicted to drugs
b) someone who is easily shocked
c) someone who likes parties
d) someone who is shy
10. What does "911" mean?
a) slang for "information"
b) the police code for LSD
c) medicine used to treat overdoses
d) the phone number for emergency services
11. What does "repercussions" mean?
a) illegal activities
b) negative results of an action
c) payments made to a lawyer
d) memories of bad events
12. What does "flashbacks" mean?
a) sudden memories of moments from childhood
b) experiences where you feel the effects of LSD long after
consuming the drug
c) cravings for a drug you haven't taken in a long time
d) regrets about decisions you made in the past
Expressions Questions
1. What does "hang around with" mean?
a) decorating your apartment
b) spending time together
c) attending an important
meeting
d) talking online
2. What does "go off" mean?
a) to stop working
b) to fall down
c) to make a noise
d) to be ignored
3. What does "make up" mean?
a) to compensate for something
b) to work extra time to get extra pay
c) to sleep in too late and be late to work
d) to tell the truth about why you didn't come to work
4. What does "popping in and out" mean?
a) taking more doses of a drug to continue hallucinating
b) talking to many people at the same time
c) walking quickly around a room
d) moving between two different places or feelings over and over
again
5. What does "spaced out" mean?
a) having trouble sleeping
b) having a good time
c) having difficulty thinking clearly
d) having to throw up
6. What does "black out" mean?
a) when a person suddenly falls asleep
b) when a person temporarily loses their vision or memory
c) when a person is unable to focus
d) when a person's muscles start to hurt
Grammar Questions
1. I _______ to adjust to the parties.
a) gets
b) gotten
c) has
d) had
2. We talk _______ the drive home.
a) on
b) in
c) at
d) for
3. Max is smiling _______.
a) happy
b) happier
c) happily
d) happiest
4. Max said it _______ make it fun.
a) was
b) would
c) had
d) do
5. My hands shake _____ I call 911.
a) as
b) to
c) at
d) if
6. He said Max _______ be there the rest of his life.
a) will
b) ought
c) could
d) can
Comprehension Questions
Read the story and watch the video at the top of the page about
LSD. Then answer the following questions.
1. According to the video, what are three negative side effects of using LSD?
1. According to the video, what are three negative side effects of using LSD?
2. According to the video, what is it like to come down from LSD?
3. According to the people in the video, how does LSD affect their
lives years after they last took it?
4. In the story, why did Tara decide to try LSD?
5. How does taking LSD change Tara's relationship with Max?
6. What makes Tara decide to stop taking LSD and tell Max to
leave?
Essay Questions
1. Of all the negative effects of LSD that are described in the
video and the story, which do you think is the most serious? Why do you think
so?
2. Imagine you are Tara on the night of the party. What would you
do when Max tries to get you to do LSD again? What would you say to him?
Answer
Key
Vocabulary Questions
1. What does "Marine" mean?
c) a person who is a member of the military and trained to serve
on the sea, land, and air
2. What does "stationed" mean?
a) assigned to work or serve in a certain place
3. What does "discharged" mean?
c) forced to leave a job
4. What does "coke" mean?
a) Cocaine (a powerful illegal
drug that is very addictive)
5. What does "hit" mean?
d) a single dose of a drug
6. What does "dodge" mean?
c) move quickly to avoid something
7. What does "jumble" mean?
a) a confused mix
8. What does "trip" mean?
a) hallucinations after taking a drug
9. What does "prude" mean?
b) someone who is easily shocked
10. What does "911" mean?
d) the phone number for emergency services
11. What does "repercussions" mean?
b) negative results of an action
12. What does "flashbacks" mean?
b) experiences where you feel the effects of LSD long after
consuming the drug
Expressions Questions
1. What does "hang around with" mean?
b) spending time together
2. What does "go off" mean?
c) to make a noise
3. What does "make up" mean?
a) to compensate for something
4. What does "popping in and out" mean?
d) moving between two different places or feelings over and over
again
5. What does "spaced out" mean?
c) having difficulty thinking clearly
6. What does "black out" mean?
b) when a person temporarily loses their vision or memory
Grammar Questions
1. I _______ to adjust to the parties.
d) had
2. We talk _______ the drive home.
a) on
3. Max is smiling _______.
c) happily
4. Max said it _______ make it fun.
b) would
5. My hands shake _____ I call 911.
a) as
6. He said Max _______ be there the rest of his life.
a) will
b) ought
c) could
d) can
Comprehension Questions
Compare your answers to the story and video.
Essay Questions
Answers may vary.
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