A couple of weeks ago, my grandfather was explaining his favorite expression, “Nothing is ever easy.” The following day, as I tried to complete my day’s work, I happened to notice a bumble-bee on the skylight (天窗). The skylight was particularly high up, but I thought removing the bee would take no more than five minutes. An hour later, the bee still remained. All that had changed was that the living room was a mess and that I was dizzy from looking up into the sunlight. I did not expect to waste an hour on an insect so tiny, but by doing so, I understood what my grandfather meant.

It is not only time that we tend to underestimate we don’t account for unexpected costs. We often imagine what can work in our favor, but we seldom think of all the negative things that could affect us. However, it is important to remember that your day or week or year might not go as planned, and that is completely normal. It is perfectly acceptable to feel challenged even at a task you thought was simple because that is part of life.

If you can accept that nothing will ever be easy, then 1ife might seem slightly more manageable. In middle school, I thought high school might be easier because I could choose the classes I wanted to take. In high school, I thought college might be easier because I could have a schedule best suited for myself. Yet each time, I was both wrong and disappointed. After accepting that school wouldn’t be easy, I found myself with a more positive attitude and improved results.

Of course, there should be preparations made to account for expenses or time. Doing so can only help you accomplish your goals in a better way. However, there is no need to beat ourselves up (过分自责)when something stands in our path. Maybe we cannot see a bee coming our way, but we can always give ourselves the extra time to catch it.

【小题1】Why did the author mention his experience of removing a bee?

A．To share something unforgettable with us.

B．To lead us to what the author learned from of it.

C．To show the unexpected costs it caused.

D．To tell us how easy it is to waste our time.

【小题2】Why do things often turn out to be different from what we expect?

A．We often don’t take time seriously.

B．We tend not to have enough money.

C．Unexpected things can happen.

D．It is easy to feel challenged.

【小题3】Why did the author mention the “bee” again in the end?

A．To show how annoying it is.

B．To tell us we need to catch it.

C．To link back to the beginning.

D．To use it as a representative of luck.

【小题4】What is the author’s purpose of writing this article?

A．To encourage people to make greater efforts.

B．To explain how to make preparations.

C．To tell us what to do when something gets in our way.

D．To persuade us not to expect things to be easy.