10．A brief act of kindness brings an unexpected insight （领悟）．
I was shopping at a department store and had just boarded the clown escalator （电动扶梯） when I noticed a woman standing to the side．She looked about 65，and her expression told me she was scared．I turned toward her and asked，"Do you need help？"
As the escalator continued moving，I heard the woman reply softly，"I'm afraid．"There was a hint of doubt in her voice．"Want me to come back and get you？"I called to her．She nodded．But by the time I reached her，the woman had reconsidered．"I don't think I can do it"，she said．
I was suddenly aware that I had made a far greater investment than I expected．"I know we can do it，"I said．"I can hold on to you．"She looked down at the beast （庞然大物）．Then her eyes came back to mine，looking doubtful"This has never happened to me before，"she said，as much to herself as to me．I felt that her sudden fear had to do with the escalator's mechanical nature，its basic inhuman untrustworthiness．
I took her arm．"Shall we？"She made a little sound of alarm as we stepped on，but we'd passed the point of no return．She relaxed slightly as the stairs moved us downward．"I don't understand this at all，"she said．As we neared the bottom，her grip （紧握） tightened again，but we did fine．"I'm so grateful．"She began．"It was nothing，"I said．"I was happy to do it．"
Happy？Yes．I do very little to help others．I am busy caring for a family and working full time．For a brief moment，I had a flash of insight into why someone would become a nurse or a social worker or a priest．When I helped the woman，I felt pure and whole，purposeful．It was a happier moment than I'd had in weeks．
56．Why did the old woman look scared at first？BecauseB．
A．she was afraid to talk to strangers．B．she didn't dare to go down the escalator．
C．she couldn't carry her heavy things downstairs．
D．she felt she might be robbed of her things．
57．What does the sentence"I don't think I can do it"imply？The old woman couldn'tC
A．hold on to the escalator
B．give the author a hand．
C．accept the author's help
D．afford to buy necessary things．
58．We know from the text that the old womanB．
A．bought so many things
B．was very thankful to the author
C．couldn't go out shopping alone
D．believed in the author from the beginning．
59．The author learned from the experience thatD．
A．she should become a social worker．
B．she should first perform her own duties well．
C．the most important was to understand each other．
D．people needed other people's help in the society．
分析 本文属于说明文阅读，作者通过这篇文章主要向我们讲述作者在坐电梯时遇到一位害怕电梯的老妇人，她耐心地帮助了这位老人坐上电梯下了楼，由此作者感受到了帮助别人的快乐，并呼吁读者去帮助社会上的其他人．
解答 56．B．细节理解题．根据文章第四段"I felt that her sudden fear had to do with the escalator's mechanical nature，its basic inhuman untrustworthiness"可知老人害怕是因为她不敢坐扶梯下楼；故选B．
57．C．句意推断题．根据文章第三段"．"I know we can do it，"I said．"I can hold on to you"可知老人认为她不行是指她不能接受作者的帮助；故选C．
58．B．细节理解题．根据文章倒数第二段"As we neared the bottom，her grip （紧握） tightened again，but we did fine．"I'm so grateful．"She began"可知老妇人对作者是非常感激的；故选B．
59．D．推理判断题，根据文章最后一段"When I helped the woman，I felt pure and whole，purposeful"可知作者旨在借此呼吁读者去帮助社会上的其他人；故选D．
点评 考察学生的细节理解和推理判断能力，做细节理解题时一定要找到文章中的原句，和题干进行比较，再做出正确的选择．在做推理判断题不要以个人的主观想象代替文章的事实，要根据文章事实进行合乎逻辑的推理判断．
