Jim, a successful businessman, told a story in his childhood.

When he was 12, his parents died. He was alone and didn't get on well with others. People always laughed at him. No one was kind to him.

His only friend was a dog named Tige. He gave it enough to eat and drink, but sometimes he was not polite to it. He didn't know that an unkind word sometimes could hurt others.

One day, as he walked down the street, a young lady was walking in front of him. Suddenly, one of her bags dropped from her arms. As she stopped to pick it up, she dropped other bags. He came to help her. “Thank you, dear! You are a nice little boy!” she said kindly, with a smile on her face.

A special feeling came to him. Those were the first kind words he had ever heard. He watched her until she went far away, and then he whistled (吹口哨) to his dog and went directly to the river nearby.

“Thank you, dear! You are a nice little boy!” he repeated the woman’s words. Then in a low voice he said to his dog, “You are a nice little dog!” Tige raised its ears as if it understood.

“Uhum! Even dogs like it!” he said. “Well, Tige, I won’t say unkind words to you any more.” Tige waved its tail happily.

He looked at himself in the river. He saw nothing but a dirty boy. He washed his face carefully. Again, he looked. He saw a clean nice boy. He was amazed. From then on, he had a new life.

After telling this, Jim stopped for a while, and then he said, “Ladies and gentlemen, that kind woman is the first person who planted the first seed of kindness in me. All of us should learn about kindness. What a great power it has!”

For many people, history classes are seen as no more than requirements for getting degrees in chemistry, biology, business, marketing, etc. 【小题1】 Below are a few reasons why it’s vital that today’s people continue to learn about the past.

Understanding where people come from plays a key role in understanding who they are.【小题2】 For this reason, it’s extremely important to learn history in order to understand why people are the way that they are.

Through history classes, you can experience a shift (改革) in the way you think. 【小题3】It’s important to develop minds to be able to consider problems from different angles. Finally, this shift can improve your ability to analyze and understand situations, to make educated decisions and to learn how to weigh the consequences related to each choice before you.

【小题4】The idea that history repeats itself is rooted in truth. From wars to fashion to political trends, historians are often able to make predictions about the future based upon the past. By having a deep understanding of what happened in the past, today’s people can better prepare for brighter futures by making the right decisions—instead of repeating old mistakes.

Many people may not believe that a degree in history can lead to a well-paid job. In fact, students who graduate with degrees in history can become lawyers, business owners, think tank members, educators, leaders in historical organizations writers and so on. 【小题5】.