Our losses change us and change the course of our lives. It is not that one who can never again be happy following an experience of loss. The reality is simply that one can never again be the same.

Sudden, unexpected change can create the greatest of all challenges to our peace and serenity. With no advance preparation, we have to adjust to what may be different circumstances than what we′re used to.

We may come home from a normal day at work to find our house has burned to the ground. We may lose a loved one through death or divorce. We may lose our property, beliefs, future plans, feelings of safety, or even our sense of identity. The truth is, almost everything in our lives can belost.

Most of the time we protect ourselves from this reality. We just don′t think about the fact that we could lose something dear to us in an instant. To be in this thought would make it impossible to get on with our lives in a positive way. We don′t need to fear loss or begin grieving before anything has happened. But we can accept the reality that it could happen, and that will eventually come out of the experience all right if rational acceptance of reality changes our lives. It comes along unexpectedly, and it did. This kind of rational acceptance without irrational fear can help prepare us for an unexpected loss.
Two kinds of changes take place within us when we experience a sudden loss. First, we become conscious of our vulnerability. We can no longer achieve that denial which kept us oblivious to all the things that could happen. We know that all kinds of losses can happen to us, not just to other people. We may never feel quite as safe again. The other effect of sudden loss is that eventually we adjust to it. It may take a long time, but we gradually incorporate the loss into our lives and go on.

1. According to Paragraph 1, our losses can _________.
I. change the course of our lives
II. change our experience of loss
III. change the character and personality of ours
[A] I only
[B] I and II
[C] I and III
[D] I, II and III

2. Examples of the following belong to sudden changes or losses except one may__________.
[A] return home from work to see one′s home destroyed by a fire
[B] be desperate to find one′s best friend or lover betray himself/herself
[C] find what he believes in life turns out a lie
[D] find that there can not be so-called feelings of safety or real beliefs

3. “This thought” in the sentence “To be in this thought would make it impossible …” may referto .
[A] most of the time we protect ourselves from this reality
[B] we could lose something dear to us in an instant
[C]we just think of something that we could lose in an instant
[D] almost everything in our lives can be lost in an instant

4. From Paragraph 3, the author′s attitude towards loss or sudden loss in life can be summarized as _____.
[A] always being ready for unexpected loss
[B] eventually coming out of the loss experience
[C] accepting the unexpected loss reasonably and calmly
[D] being prepared for unexpected losses though fearfully sometimes

5. The best title of this passage can be_____________.
[A] Sudden Loss and Change in Our Life
[B] Unexpected Loss on Our Way to Success
[C] Loss and Misfortune in the World
[D] Sudden Loss and Feeling of Safety