Time is very important in our lives. It 16 our everybody moments. However, time never had any 17 in my life until I received a watch from my father that organized my life and made me more 18 .
It’s round in the center with two silver bands that go around my wrist. And all of it is made of silver. This 19 tells me the importance of time in my life.
I received this 20 on a gray-sky day. I had to go to the airport at 9:00 am to 21 up my uncle Ali and take him to my father’s house 22 , I was late because I was 23 out with my friends. Later on that day, around 11:00 am, I 24 my uncle, but I was very 25 for him. He had 26 the airport and taken a taxi to my father’s house.
I got to my father’s house at 2:00 pm on the same day and looking at my angry father’s face I felt 27 of myself at that moment. After I said hi to my 28 father and tired uncle, my father asked me to sit next to him where he handed me this watch as a gift from him. Then he said, “Essa, did you have 29 with your friends today?” I answered, “Yes, father, and I’m sorry about not picking up my uncle Ali.” He said, “What you 30 was not very nice and you should be sorry for your 31 .” I was ashamed and said, “Father, I’ll never do it again, I promise.” He said, “I hope today you learned something important, and this watch will be a 32 for you.” He told me to take this watch and use it as an organizer of my 33 .
I learned a very important lesson from my father: to 34 time and never be late to get someone. This watch is 35 to me, not because of its price, but because of the lesson that I learned from it.
16. A. appreciates B. organizes C. orders D. explains
17. A. importance B. similarity C. necessity D. interest
18. A. confident B. independent C. efficient D. responsible
19. A. object B. belonging C. matter D. stranger
20. A. card B. letter C. gift D. thing
21. A. call B. pick C. put D. bring
22. A. Otherwise B. Fortunately C. However D. Hopefully
23. A. going B. hanging C. standing D. leaving
24. A. forgot B. remembered C. saw D. visited
25. A. anxious B. nervous C. early D. late
26. A. reached B. recognized C. left D. found
27. A. ashamed B. frightened C. disappointed D. shy
28. A. kind B. happy C. angry D. doubtful
29. A. pleasure B. fun C. appointment D. quarrels
30. A. said B. did C. thought D. forgot
31. A. ideas B. words C. actions D. promises
32. A. wonder B. hope C. requirement D. reminder
33. A. life B. day C. way D. thought
34. A. waste B. respect C. neglect D. enjoy
35. A. useful B. necessary C. different D. important
Diane Ray was completely self-centred and very spoilt(惯坏的) . Her parents gave her she wanted , knowing that she would throw a temper tantrum (耍小孩脾气) , if they did not . She would scream and kick and on the floor drumming her heels . Her parents always .
That was why she was alone on the , wearing an expensive swimsuit . It had taken a massive tantrum to her parents to buy it . They were back at the beach-house , from the tantrum she had thrown when they told her that it was too dangerous to go diving . “ Dangerous ? ” she had said . “ You just don’t want me to have . I’m going and if you try to stop me , I’ll scream . ”
“ What are you doing ? ” a voice asked . Diane jumped . She did not know that the man was there he spoke .
“ I’m going diving , ” she answered .
“ You shouldn’t swim today , ” the man “ There is a storm coming up . ”
“ You should mind your own ! ” Diane replied and walked into the gentle waves .
“ If you go out there , you’ll be , ” the man called after her . She did not bother to reply .
Diane slipped into the water and dived until white caps began rolling in and it became harder to against the current (水流) . Saltwater hit against her face , making it to breathe . Oh , why had she not listened to advice ?
Panicking , she began to . Then, just as it seemed as if she would slip beneath the surface , she heard a voice . “ Hold on ! I’m coming. ” With , she saw the old man rowing an ancient-looking boat towards her . “ I hope you’ve learned a lesson. You put us both in , ” he shouted angrily , as he dragged her over the side of the . Gratefully, Diane thanked him and ran towards the beach-house.
A.either B.neither C.nothing D.everything
A.jump B.lie C.spin D.sleep
A.set out B.set in C.gave in D.gave out
A.beach B.bed C.floor D.ship
A.allow B.warn C.get D.prefer
A.changing B.recovering C.appearing D.traveling
A.alone B.away C.again D.aside
A.time B.money C.food D.fun
A.when B.until C.after D.once
A.decided B.intended C.advised D.repeated
A.business B.swimsuit C.friends D.parents
A.angry B.sorry C.confused D.excited
A.nervously B.sadly C.shyly D.happily
A.rise B.swim C.stop D.row
A.difficult B.easy C.comfortable D.suitable
A.speak B.sing C.sniff D.scream
A.calm B.frightening C.beautiful D.disgusting
A.regret B.relief C.interest D.ease
A.power B.safety C.danger D.thought
A.house B.wave C.beach D.boat
It was a bitter, cold evening in northern Virginia many years ago.The old man’s beard was glazed by winter’s frost while he waited. He was waiting for a across the river. The wait seemed so that his body became numb and stiff. He watched as several horsemen rounded the bend.
He let the first one without an effort to get his attention. Then another, and another. Finally, as the last rider neared the spot where the old man sat like a snow statue, the old man caught the rider’s and said, “Sir, would you mind giving an old man a ride to the other side?”
Stopping his horse, the rider , “Sure.” Seeing the old man was to lift his half-frozen body from the ground, the horseman got down and helped the old man onto the horse.
The horseman took the old man not just across the river, but to his destination. As they neared the tiny but cozy cottage, the horseman’s caused him to ask,“Sir, I noticed that you let several other riders go by without making a(n) to get a ride. Then I came up and you asked me for a ride. I’m curious why, on such a bitter winter night, you would wait and ask the last rider. I had refused and left you there?”
The old man himself slowly down from the horse, looked at the rider straight in the eyes and replied, “I’ve been here for some time. I think I know people pretty good.” He continued, “I looked into the eyes of the other riders and immediately saw there was no for my situation. It would have been even to ask them for a ride. But when in your eyes, kindness and compassion were . I knew, , that your gentle spirit would welcome the opportunity to give me help in my time of need.”
Those heart-warming touched the horseman deeply.“I’m most grateful for what you have said,” he told the old man. “May I never get busy in my own affairs that I fail to the needs of others with kindness and compassion.”With that, Thomas Jefferson turned his horse around and made his way back to the White House.
A.drive B.horse C.ride D.bridge
A.urgent B.freezing C.careless D.endless
A.quickly B.anxiously C.luckily D.eventually
A.come over B.get off C.pass by D.take off
A.hand B.horse C.eye D.leg
A.rejected B.hesitated C.replied D.continued
A.afraid B.eager C.unable D.sorry
A.honesty B.courage C.enthusiasm D.curiosity
A.choice B.stop C.effort D.contribution
A.immediately B.hurriedly C.friendly D.strongly
A.What about B.What if C.How come D.If only
A.lowered B.dropped C.located D.climbed
A.in B.out C.around D.beyond
A.concern B.bitterness C.chance D.interest
A.confused B.helpful C.meaningful D.pointless
A.representative B.evident C.reliable D.important
A.then and there B.for a moment C.all of a sudden D.sooner or later
A.thoughts B.complaints C.movements D.comments
A.too B.so C.very D.not
A.aim at B.respond to C.bring up D.ask for
I used to watch her from my kitchen window. She seemed so as she muscled her way through the crowd of boys on the playground. The school was the street from our home and I would often the kids as they played during breaks.
I remember the first day I saw her playing basketball. I watched in as she ran circles around the other kids. She managed to shoot jump shots just their heads and into the net. The boys always tried to stop her but nobody could.
I began to notice her at other times, basketball in hand, playing alone. She would practice dribbling(运球)and shooting over and over again, sometimes dark. One day I asked her why she practiced so much. She looked me in eyes and without a moment of she said, “I want to go to college. The only way I can go is if I get a scholarship. I like basketball. I that if I were good enough, I would get a scholarship. I am going to play college basketball. I want to be the best. My told me if the dream is big enough, the facts don’t count.” Then she smiled and ran towards the court to repeat the routine.
Well, I had to admit that she was . I watched her through those junior high years and into high school. Every week, she led her school team to victory.
One day in her senior year, I saw her sitting in the grass, head in arms. I walked across the street and sat down in the cool grass beside her. I asked what was wrong. “Oh, nothing,” came a soft reply. “I am just too .” The coaches told her that at 5’5” she would probably get to play for a top ranked team— much less offered a scholarship — so she should stop dreaming about college.
She was heartbroken and I felt my own throat tighten as I her disappointment. I asked her if she had talked to her dad about it yet.
She her head from her hands and told me that her father said those were wrong. They just did not understand the of a dream. He told her that if she really wanted to play for a good college and if she truly wanted a scholarship, nothing could stop her except one thing — her own . He told her again, “If the dream is big enough, the facts don’t count.”
The next year, as she and her team went to the Northern California Championship game, she was seen by a college basketball coach. She was indeed offered a , and admitted to the college team. She was going to get the college education that she had of and worked toward for all those years.
It’s true: If the dream is big enough, the facts don’t count.
A.small B.strong C.tall D.fat
A.in B.along C.beside D.across
A.see B.observe C.notice D.watch
A.terror B.satisfaction C.wonder D.disappointment
A.on B.over C.by D.with
A.until B.in C.after D.before
A.hesitation B.silence C.rest D.relief
A.wondered B.decided C.suspected D.declared
A.Mom B.coach C.Daddy D.teacher
A.determined B.enthusiastic C.optimistic D.smart
A.Quietly B.Secretly C.Impatiently D.Briefly
A.young B.slow C.short D.weak
A.soon B.never C.later D.afterwards
A.recognized B.judged C.sensed D.understood
A.turned B.lowered C.shook D.lifted
A.coaches B.statements C.players D.facts
A.key B.role C.truth D.power
A.performance B.idea C.attitude D.ability
A.reward B.hand C.scholarship D.job
A.talked B.dreamed C.thought D.heard
One Christmas my husband and I travelled to visit family. Our first stop was to visit my parents in Oregon. My gave me a plastic piggy bank as the Christmas gift. Then we continued north into Washington to visit his parents, but on the way we had some problems. It was late, so we went to the nearest house to ask for to sleep there until auto repair shop opened.
The woman who the door was very kind, allowing us to stay. We had to a few things from the truck, including the bank, still in its long box. The next morning my husband headed off towards town, but was soon offered a from the nice lady, and we were back on the road afterwards.
It wasn’t until we reached our destination that we realized we had the piggy bank in the drive way. It sure was and there was no chance of going back for .
One day over a year later, when we were back in Oregon my mother came out of her house to us with the same bank in her hand. I couldn’t believe my ! We had never told her we had lost it, there it was!
It turns out that the nice lady found the box and read the on the slipping label to get my mother’s name. She then my mother and handed it to her, who held on to it for quite some time until we saw her next.
So the very special lady, I was given the Christmas gift twice. It was truly to me, and now every time that bank gets filled up, I’ll my money to a local charity to “pass on” my fortunate good luck!
A.brother B.husband C.sister D.mother
A.technical B.emotional C.mechanical D.important
A.passport B.permission C.password D.permit
A.answered B.cheered C.argued D.questioned
A.move B.store C.abandon D.unload.
A.by bus B.on foot C.by bike D.by car
A.meal B.job C.lift D.wait
A.tearfully B.safely C.slowly D.shortly
A.located B.forgot C.went D.left
A.broken B.stolen C.gone D.hidden
A.them B.it C.one D.some
A.blame B.greet C.recognize D.telephone
A.eyes B.thoughts C.imagination D.expectation
A.although B.because C.yet D.when
A.evidence B.statement C.explanation D.information
A.contacted B.attracted C.accepted D.searched
A.according to B.instead of C.because of D.but for
A.same B.different C.extra D.expensive
A.annoying B.amusing C.amazing D.promising
A.earn B.donate C.raise D.pay
I truly feel that my mother led me here, to Morzaine, and to my future as happy wife and businesswoman. When Mum in October 2007, I was a cook. In December that year, while I was working for a wedding, a pearl necklace Mum had left me . I was distraught (忧心如焚的). Some days later, I was that a guy who was working with us that day, “could probably have made a fortune the necklace he found. ” , he returned it. Hearing how I’d Mum for six months before her death, he said, “Christmas is going to be — why not go out to the Alps for a couple of weeks? ”
I came to Morzaine, a small , friendly village in the Alps and fell in love with it. What was to be a stopgap (权宜之计) trip turned into a new life. I kept travelling between London and here and felt than I had in months. In December 2008, I was as a hotel manager and moved here full time.
A month later, I met Paul, who was traveling here. We fell in love. In the beginning, I didn’t want to discuss , because the sadness of losing Mum felt great. Paul understood that and never me but, by summer, we got married. A year later, we used his savings, and the money from the sale of Mum’s house, to build our own .
We want to give our guests a feel, so each room is themed (以……为题) around memories from our lives. There are also styles to remind me of Mum — a tiny chair which be in her bedroom is set in one room.
We are having a wonderful life and Mum naturally part of it, there’s no way we would be here if it wasn’t for the she gave me. I know she’s here in spirit, keeping an eye on us.
A.visited B.came C.returned D.died
A.burned B.broke C.disappeared D.dropped
A.shown B.told C.persuaded D.comforted
A.selling B.stealing C.hiding D.wearing
A.Surely B.Naturally C.Luckily D.Hopefully
A.nursed B.cured C.missed D.guarded
A.long B.hard C.merry D.free
A.suddenly B.finally C.nearly D.immediately
A.said B.proved C.supposed D.judged
A.smarter B.higher C.firmer D.lighter
A.honoured B.trained C.regarded D.hired
A.travel B.marriage C.children D.business
A.recently B.once C.still D.first
A.left B.pushed C.surprised D.interrupted
A.hotel B.restaurant C.home D.shop
A.homely B.lively C.motherly D.friendly
A.ought to B.used to C.might D.could
A.takes B.keeps C.looks D.feels
A.unless B.while C.because D.though
A.money B.necklace C.house D.Chair