Down-to-earth means someone or something that is honest, practical and easy to deal with. It is 1 to find someone who is down-to-earth. A person who is down-to-earth is easy to talk to and 2 other people as equals. A down-to-earth person is just the 3 of someone who acts important and prouD．
Down-to-earth persons 4 be important members of society. 5 they don’t let their importance “go to their heads”. They do not 6 themselves to be better persons than others of less importance. Someone who is filled with his own importance and pride, often without cause, is 7 to have “his nose in the air”. There is 8 way a person with his nose in the air can be down-to-earth.
Americans 9 another expression that means almost the same as down-to-earth. The expression is “both-feet-on-the-ground”. Someone with both-feet-on-the-ground is a person with a good 10 of reality. He 11 what is called “common sense”. He may have 12 , but he does not allow them to 13 his knowledge of what is real. The opposite kind of 14 is one who has hid “head-in-the-clouds”. A man with his head-in-the-clouds is a dreamer whose 15 is not in the real world．
16 , such a dreamer can be brought back to reality. 17 words from a teacher can usually get a day-dreaming student to put both feet back on the grounD．Usually, the person who is down-to-earth is very 18 to have both feet on the ground．19 we have both our feet firmly on the ground, we are down-to-earth, and we act honestly and openly 20 others. Our lives are like the ground below us, said and strong.
1．A．pleasant B．sad C．common D．surprising
2．A．meets B．welcomes C．receives D．accepts
3．A．case B．kind C．opposite D．example
4．A．must B．may C．should D．will
5．A．But B．So C．For D．And
6．A．wish B．expect C．desire D．consider
7．A．said B．told C．asked D．made
8．A．some B．a C．no D．every
9．A．discover B．find C．make D．use
10．A．understanding B．wish C．reason D．expectation
11．A．demands B．lacks C．has D．likes
12．A．fortunes B．dreams C．achievements D．disadvantages
13．A．block B．protect C．Own D．gain
14．A．idea B．people C．attitude D．person
15．A．mind B．life C．body D．head
16．A．Always B．Therefore C．However D．Sometimes
17．A．Sharp B．All C．No D．Bad
18．A．possible B．probable C．likely D．able
19．A．Though B．Since C．When D．Unless
20．A．towards B．for C．over D．Onto
Sixth-grade schoolteacher Ms．Shelton believed in readiness．Students remembered how she walked in on the first day of class and began writing words of eighth-grade on the ．They quickly protested that the words were not on their and they couldn’t learn them．
Their teacher insisted that the students could and would learn these ．She said that she would teach them something that should be given．Ms．Shelton by saying that one of the students in the classroom could go on to , maybe even be president someday, and she wanted to prepare them for that day．
Ms．Shelton spoke those words many years ago． did she know that someday one of her students—Jesse Jackson—would take them ．She believed that if they were well prepared, they could high goals．
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “People only see what they are to see．” If that’s true, then it is also that they only become what they are prepared to become．And many things in life are just about getting ready．
“I want to be doing something more with my life than what I am doing now,” a young man once said to me．He what he was doing was just not that important．Other people have said things to me such as, “I only I had a meaningful relationship．” And, “I’d really like to get a better job, but I just don’t see ．”
You fill in the blanks．What is it you would like to that isn’t happening? Perhaps the answer is that you are not yet ．Maybe you need more time to prepare before you are truly ready for the things which you ．
Think of today as another chance to yourself for the exciting future you are looking for．Today is not wasted．If you desire more from , then you can use today as training．For you will experience only what you are prepared to ．Something wonderful can happen．And you can use today to get ready for tomorrow．
A．desk B．wall C．door D．chalkboard
A．duty B．desk C．level D．mind
A．grammars B．words C．pronunciations D．sentences
A．started B．ended C．warned D．reminded
A．greatness B．wealth C．honor D．failure
A．Seldom B．Hardly C．Little D．Totally
A．nervously B．seriously C．eagerly D．simply
A．achieve B．have C．set D．keep
A．prepared B．forced C．attracted D．tempted
A．proper B．exact C．legal D．true
A．difficult B．interesting C．pleasant D．significant
A．boasted B．felt C．behaved D．looked
A．hope B．expect C．wish D．imagine
A．what B．when C．how D．why
A．happen B．survive C．gain D．win
A．adventurous B．active C．ready D．intelligent
A．concern B．arrange C．adore D．desire
A．prepare B．enjoy C．imagine D．conduct
A．history B．nature C．marriage D．life
A．suffer B．experience C．struggle D．work
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
My sister, Cathy, who lives in Vancouver, sent me a package full of Christmas gifts. She told me that she had ______ it in advance to make sure it would arrive at my house weeks before the ______. Christmas was drawing near, but no package arrived. Cathy checked the tracking number every ______ with Canada Post, and every evening she would call me to ______ if there was any sign of it on our end.
The ______ always started with questions about the package, but twenty minutes later we would still be ______. We talked about our family, such as parents, kids, ______ and so on. Of course we also talked about our jobs. We had never made so much ______ for each other! The talk always took us back to the hours we spent together in our childhood.
By Christmas Eve we finally had to ______ the fact that the package was ______ lost. On Christmas morning, Cathy got on the phone with everyone in my ______ and told them what she had sent. Later on, after a big Christmas dinner, I had forgotten all about the ______ package when there was a knock on the door. Who could it be at such a time? As I ______ the door, a man was standing there. “I ______ this is yours.” He said, holding a package. Just then I ______that it had been delivered to the wrong address. “I just got home from vacation,” he explained, “______ I wanted you to have this in time to open for Christmas.” I thanked this ______ stranger for taking so much trouble to _____ this gift to us on Christmas Day, and ______ thanked God that the package had been lost in the first place.
The real gift that holiday season was the new ______ to my sister who lives far away from us. Now there’s one gift I never want to give back!
A．booked B．decorated C．mailed D．listed
A．appointment B．holiday C．deadline D．party
A．year B．month C．week D．morning
A．find out B．take out C．figure out D．pick out
A．complaint B．discussion C．conversation D．quarrel
A．kidding B．arguing C．chatting D．scolding
A．gifts B．husbands C．secrets D．clothing
A．food B．money C．achievement D．time
A．accept B．ignore C．consider D．study
A．entirely B．suddenly C．mostly D．simply
A．restaurant B．house C．office D．class
A．terrible B．missing C．big D．outstanding
A．opened B．locked C．left D．watched
A．understand B．forget C．know D．believe
A．expected B．dreamed C．realized D．remembered
A．because B．but C．or D．so
A．kind B．honest C．polite D．generous
A．show B．present C．return D．offer
A．silently B．carefully C．gently D．actually
A．connection B．guide C．recognition D．closeness
It is the season of weddings for Hindu families. Also, because the demand is so great, it is likely that several weddings take place in the same temple. So perfect timing is stuck to there is no confusion; but , as I found out, there is.
When I Kalyani’s invitation to her wedding, I made a note of it in my diary. She had been my schoolmate and we had got along well, so I was happy to attend her wedding. l decided to for it and borrowed an Indian style shirt. On the day of the wedding, I arrived at the temple in good time and started to anyone I knew. I saw no one and went to sit cross-legged quietly in a corner, waiting. Kalyani was escorted (簇拥) in. From where I was sitting, I could not see but I thought she had a little since she left school. She looked a little fat now and wore glasses. I my head. Anyway I down to wait for the long ritual (仪式). As soon as the wedding was over, a line formed to the couple and I joined in. When I arrived and handed her the , she looked up and a beautiful smile and only then did I realize that the was entirely mine: it was not Kalyani at all. I had just attended the wedding. To my shock, I smiled broadly. , I was treated like a guest: the couple each have thought I was the other’s guest.
Then I went to look for the correct wedding party in the area. Sure enough there stood Kalyani. As I was walking up to her, I realized I was in deep : I had just given the present meant for her to a complete stranger.
A．in case B．even if C．so that D．as if
A．fortunately B．frequently C．impossibly D．hardly
A．received B．took C．expected D．kept
A．finally B．immediately C．suddenly D．naturally
A．pay B．call C．dress D．wait
A．talk to B．look for C．say hello to D．shake hands with
A．carefully B．clearly C．completely D．roughly
A．experienced B．learned C．suffered D．changed
A．shook B．nodded C．bent D．covered
A．slowed B．looked C．calmed D．settled
A．watch B．meet C．welcome D．congratulate
A．note B．invitation C．present D．diary
A．flashed B．forced C．served D．pretended
A．regret B．happiness C．pleasure D．surprise
A．noisy B．wrong C．strange D．splendid
A．get B．hide C．prove D．stop
A．Otherwise B．Moreover C．Therefore D．Anyway
A．should B．must C．could D．need
A．waiting B．standing C．open D．quiet
A．thought B．sorrow C．trouble D．doubt
In the United States there was an unusual tale telling of the daughter of a mechanic (技工). One day while walking along the bank of a lake, the girl __________ to see 20 eggs laid by a wild goose. After some time the girl __________ the mother would not return to her eggs and she __________ to take them home. There she carefully __________ the eggs in the heat of a lamp. Several days __________ the eggs broke and the baby geese came into the __________.
Geese are known to take the first living thing they see as their mother. __________, to these young geese, the girl was their mother.
As they __________, the girl was able to __________ her birds to run across the grass, but she could not teach them to __________. The girl became increasingly worried about this, both when _______ and in her dreams. Later, she had an __________. She would pilot a plane to guide them in __________. She asked her father for a plane and he assembled(组装) a small aircraft for her.
Caring about __________ safety, the father decided to pilot the plane himself. However, the birds did not __________ or follow him, and __________ slept in the grass.
One day, the girl __________ into the plane, started it and soon left the _________. Seeing their mother take to the air, the birds __________ flapped (拍打) their wings and _________. She flew the plane freely in the sky, her young birds following.
A．managed B．attempted C．happened D．supposed
A．realized B．expected C．imagined D．admitted
A．helped B．decided C．afforded D．meant
A．placed B．protected C．treated D．examined
A．ago B．out C．later D．long
A．family B．lake C．home D．world
A．But B．Also C．Thus D．Still
A．increased B．improved C．rose D．grew
A．ask B．lead C．want D．allow
A．fly B．race C．swim D．sing
A．asleep B．away C．around D．awake
A．idea B．opinion C．explanation D．excuse
A．sky B．heaven C．flight D．plane
A．his B．her C．their D．its
A．respect B．remember C．recognize D．receive
A．so B．instead C．hardly D．too
A．climbed B．looked C．reached D．fell
A．house B．floor C．water D．ground
A．secretly B．disappointedly C．patiently D．eagerly
A．looked away B．set out C．went by D．turned back
When I was twelve years old, my father took me to see Zig Zigler. I remember sitting in that dark hall listening to Mr. Zigler everyone’s spirits up to the ceiling(天花板). I there feeling like I could do anything. When we got to the car, I turned to my father and said, “Dad, I want to people feel like that.” My father asked me I meant. “I want to be a motivational（激励人的）speaker just like Mr. Zigler,” I replied. A（An） was born.
Recently, I began seeking（追寻）my dream of motivating others. a four-year relationship with Fortune 100 Company as a sales-trainer and ending as a regional(地区的) sales manager, I left the company at the height of my . Many people were that I would leave after earning a six-figure（六位数） income. And they wondered I would risk everything for a dream.
I made my to start my own company and leave my enviable(令人羡慕的) position after a regional sales meeting. The vice-esident of our company made a that changed my life. He asked us, “If a god would offer you three wishes, what would they be?” After giving us a(an) to write down the three wishes, he then asked us, “Why do you need a ?” I would never forget the power I felt at that moment. I realized that I had achieved in the past had prepared me for this moment. I was ready and didn’t need a god’s help to become a motivational speaker. A motivational speaker was .
Having made that decision, I was immediately . One week after I gave notice, my husband lost his job, and we had no . But I held fast to my dream. The wonder really began to happen. In a short time my husband found a better job. And I was able to book several engagements（约定）with new customers. I discovered the unbelievable power of dreams.
A．rise B．do C．put D．raise
A．left B．came C．arrived D．reached
A．get B．hope C．make D．cheer
A．that B．what C．which D．if
A．dream B．idea C．girl D．speaker
A．After B．Before C．Because D．While
A．beginning B．working C．acting D．regarding
A．life B．love C．money D．career
A．disappointed B．moved C．surprised D．delighted
A．when B．why C．if D．how
A．plan B．promise C．decision D．mind
A．attending B．joining C．entering D．holding
A．newspaper B．book C．report D．speech
A．day B．instance C．week D．moment
A．love B．worker C．god D．company
A．everything B．anything C．nothing D．something
A．alive B．dead C．missing D．born
A．examined B．searched C．found D．tested
A．help B．harm C．income D．money
A．selling B．speaking C．writing D．listening