Learning to Accept
I learned how to accept life as it is from my father. 36 , he did not teach me acceptance when he was strong and healthy, but rather when he was 37 and ill.
My father was 38 a strong man who loved being active, but a terrible illness 39 all that away. Now he can no longer walk, and he must sit quietly in a chair all day. Even talking is 40 . One night, I went to visit him with my sisters. We started 41 about life, and I told them about one of my 42 . I said that we must very often give things up 43 we grow—our youth, our beauty, our friends—but it always 44 that after we give something up, we gain something new in its place. Then suddenly my father 45 up. He said, “But, Peter, I gave up 46 ! What did I gain?” I thought and thought, but I could not think of anything to say. 47 , he answered his own question: “I 48 the love of my family.” I looked at my sisters and saw tears in their eyes, along with hope and thankfulness.
I was also 49 by his words. After that, when I began to feel irritated (恼怒的) at someone, I 50 remember his words and become 51 . If he could replace his great pain with a feeling of love for others, then I should be 52 to give up my small irritations. In this 53 , I learned the power of acceptance from my father.
Sometimes I 54 what other things I could have learned from him if I had listened more carefully when I was a boy. For now, though, I am grateful for this one 55 .
36. A. Afterwards B. Therefore C. However D. Meanwhile
37. A. tired B. weak C. poor D. slow
38. A. already B. still C. only D. once
39. A. took B. threw C. sent D. put
40. A. impossible B. difficult C. stressful D. hopeless
41. A. worrying B. caring C. talking D. asking
42. A. decisions B. experiences C. ambitions D. beliefs
43. A. as B. since C. before D. till
44. A. suggests B. promises C. seems D. requires
45. A. spoke B. turned C. summed D. opened
46. A. something B. anything C. nothing D. everything
47. A. Surprisingly B. Immediately C. Naturally D. Certainly
48. A. had B. accepted C. gained D. enjoyed
49. A. touched B. astonished C. attracted D. warned
50. A. should B. could C. would D. might
51. A. quiet B. calm C. relaxed D. happy
52. A. ready B. likely C. free D. able
53. A. case B. form C. method D. way
54. A. doubt B. wonder C. know D. guess
55. A. award B. gift C. lesson D. word
Tracy Wong is a well-known Chinese-American writer. But her writing ___36___ was something she picked up by herself. After her first ___37___, teaching disabled children, she became a part-time writer for IBM. ___38___, writing stories was simply a ___39___ interest. Tracy sent three of her stories to a publisher(出版商). ___40___, they immediately suggested that she put them together to make a single one long ___41___ and paid Tracy a $50,000 advance. “A pretty money,” said the publisher, “for ___42___ writer. ”
___43___ Tracy’s characters(人物) are interesting, her stories sometimes ___44___ readers uneasy: those about the supernatural. “My mother believed I could ___45___ the afterlife world,” she told a close friend. “She used to have me speak with my grandmother, who died many years ago. ”
“Can I? I don’t think I can,” Tracy said with a laugh. “But I do have ___46___when things come to me ___47___. ” Once, she was wondering how to complete a ___48___ set in ancient(古代的) China. ___49___the doorbell rang. It was a FedEx delivery man, with a copy of a book on Chinese ___50___. It came without her having ___51___it.
Though she has published 10 books, Tracy has remained ___52___ by her fame. She lives in the same ___53___ ___ she lived 27 years ago — although in a more comfortable home. There
s more room for ___54___in her life ’t just ___55___.
36. A. skill B. experience C. practice D. method
37. A. duty B. effort C. job D. task
38. A. Instead B. Normally C. Certainly D. Then
39. A. general B. deep C. personal D. lively
40. A. Interested B. Anxiously C. Seriously D. Encouraged
41. A. film B. story C. program D. article
42. A. a foreign B. a popular C. an unusual D. an unknown
43. A. Now that B. Even though C. Just because D. Except that
44. A. find B. turn C. leave D. hold
45. A. make up B. connect with C. control D. explain
46. A. events B. chances C. feelings D. moments
47. A. for no reason B. from a distance C. by accident D. as gifts
48. A. description B. pointing C. scene D. talk
49. A. Surprisingly B. Suddenly C. Expectedly D. Fortunately
50. A. cooking B. history C. play D. medicine
51. A. known B. sent C. realized D. ordered
52. A. unchanged B. excited C. determined D. unmoved
53. A. life B. city C. house D. way
54. A. success B. work C. joy D. variety
55. A. writing B. reporting C. luck D. fun
I played a racquetball game against my cousin Ed last week. It was one of the most ___1___ and tiring games I’ve ever had. When Ed first phoned and ___2___ we play, I laughed quietly, figuring on an ___3___ victory. After all, Ed’s idea of ___4___ has always been nothing more ___5___ than lifting a fork to his mouth. ___6___ I can remember, Ed’s been the least physically fit member in the family, and ___7___ proud of himself. His big stomach has always ballooned out between his T-shirt and trousers. Although the family often ___8___ about that, Ed refused to buy a ___9___ T-shirt or to lose weight. So when Ed ___10___ for our game not only with the bottom of his shirt gathered inside his trousers but also with a stomach you could hardly ___11___, I was so surprised that I was ___12___. My cousin must have made an effort to get himself into shape. ___13___, at the point in our game when I’d have predicted(预计) the score to be about 9 to 1 in my favor, it was ___14___ 7 to 9 — and Ed was ___15___. The sudden realization was painful. We ___16___ to play like two mad men. When the score was 16 up, I was having serious ___17___ about staying alive until 21 years old, let alone ___18___ that many points. When the game finally ended, both of us were lying flat on our backs, too tired to ___19___. In a way, I think we both won: I the game, but cousin Ed my ___20___.
1. A. encouraging B. hopeless C. surprising D. regular
2. A. declared B. mentioned C. persuaded D. suggested
3. A. unforgettable B. unexpected C. easy D. early
4. A. exercise B. preparation C. joy D. fitness
5. A. time-saving B. comfortable C. suitable D. effort-making
6. A. As soon as B. As long as C. When D. Since
7. A. strangely B. personally C. reasonably D. eagerly
8. A. cared B. forgot C. quarreled D. joked
9. A. clean B. larger C. straight D. darker
10. A. set out B. got ready C. arrived D. returned
11. A. notice B. admire C. believe D. measure
12. A. nervous B. curious C. careless D. speechless
13. A. After all B. As a result C. Above all D. At last
14. A. mistakenly B. then C. instead D. naturally
15. A. leading B. coming C. waiting D. counting
16. A. pretended B. stopped C. continued D. decided
17. A. thoughts B. doubts C. situations D. problems
18. A. scoring B. completing C. receiving D. keeping
19. A. play B. start C. sleep D. move
20. A. friendship B. respect C. support D. favor
Andy was still traveling in Spain when he realized he had to confirm (确认) his flight home with the airline company (航空公司). He was visiting Spain in order to ___1___ his Spanish. When he was speaking to people ___2___ he had no ___3___ understanding what they said. ___4___, when he was speaking on the phone, he ___5___ had a problem. Andy ___6___ the airline. And the clerk confirmed that his plane was leaving at nine o’clock three days from that day. She ___7___ told Andy to be at the airport two hours ___8___ in order to check in his luggage and get a seat.
Since he was ___9___ in three days, Andy didn’t ___10___ any time. He visited as many places as he could. He thought that it would probably be a while before he had enough money again. He wished he could ___11___ and spend a year in Spain.
Too ___12___, the final day arrived. Andy left early for the airport to arrive two hours before take-off. He hated to ___13___. He went to the clerk to ___14___ his ticket. The clerk looked at the ticket with ___15___. “Why, sir, but your flight was at nine o’clock in the morning, and ___16___ it is eight in the evening.” “But I confirmed my flight,” ___17___ Andy. “Will I have to pay for another ticket?”
“No, sir. However, the next flight out will be three days from now.”
Andy’s ___18___ of shock turned to one of ___19___ as he realized that now he could continue his ___20___.
1. A. prepare B. improve C. enjoy D. learn
2. A. slowly B. in public C. in person D. carefully
3. A. difficulty B. idea C. mistake D. interest
4. A. Instead B. Therefore C. Meanwhile D. However
5. A. even B. just C. still D. seldom
6. A. called B. liked C. trusted D. asked
7. A. again B. also C. only D. once
8. A. before B. earlier C. later D. after
9. A. moving B. returning C. staying D. leaving
10. A. take B. have C. lose D. find
11. A. wait B. go home C. stop D. come back
12. A. shortly B. quickly C. badly D. early
13. A. speak B. go C. rush D. delay
14. A. buy B. present C. order D. provide
15. A. astonishment B. patience C. respect D. delight
16. A. maybe B. so C. here D. now
17. A. insisted B. apologized C. replied D. demanded
18. A. experience B. expression C. look D. face
19. A. pleasure B. comfort C. sadness D. hopelessness
20. A. plan B. flight C. journey D. vacation
You Did More Than Carry My books
Mark was walking home from school one day when he noticed the boy ahead of him had dropped all of the books he was carrying, along with a baseball bat and several other things. Mark___1___ down and helped the boy pick up these articles. ___2___ they were going the same way, he helped to carry some of them for him. As they walked Mark ___3___ the boy’s name was Bill, that he ___4___ computer games, baseball and history, that he was having a lot of ___5___ with his other subjects and that he had just broken ___6___ with his girlfriend.
They arrived at Bill’s home first and Mark was ___7___ in for a Coke and to watch some television. The afternoon passed ___8___ with a few laughs and some shared small talk, and then Mark went home. They ___9___ to see each other around school, had lunch together once or twice, and then both ended up from the same high school. Just three weeks before ___10___, Bill asked Mark if they ___11___ talk.
Bill ___12___ him of the day years ago when they had first met. “Do you ___13___ wonder why I was carrying so many things home that day?” asked Bill. “You see, I ___14___ out my locker because I didn’t want to leave a mess(脏乱) ___15___ anyone else. I had planned to run away and I was going home to ___16___ my things. But after we spent some time together ___17___ and laughing, I realized that ___18___ I had done that, I would have ___19___ a new friend and missed all the fun we would have together. So you see, Mark, when you picked up my books that day, you did a lot more. You ___20___ my life.”
1. A. fell B. sat C. lay D. knelt
2. A. Although B. Since C. After D. Until
3. A. discovered B. realized C. said D. decided
4. A. played B. loved C. tried D. made
5. A. questions B. ideas C. trouble D. doubt
6. A. up B. out C. off D. away
7. A. called B. helped C. invited D. allowed
8. A. peacefully B. willingly C. freely D. pleasantly
9. A. continued B. agreed C. forced D. offered
10. A. graduation B. movement C. separation D. vacation
11. A. would B. should C. could D. must
12. A. demanded B. reminded C. removed D. asked
13. A. ever B. usually C. even D. never
14. A. checked B. took C. cleaned D. put
15. A. over B. into C. with D. for
16. A. find B. pick C. pack D. hold
17. A. talking B. playing C. reading D. watching
18. A. before B. if C. while D. as
19. A. forgotten B. passed C. left D. lost
20. A. helped B. recovered C. improved D. changed
What is intelligence(智力) anyway? When I was in the army I ___1___ an intelligence test that all soldiers took, and, against ___2___ of 100, scored 160.
I had an auto-repair man once, who, on these intelligence tests, could not ___3___ have scored more than 80. ___4___, when anything went wrong with my car I hurried to him and he always ___5___ it.
Well, then, suppose my auto-repair man ___6___ questions for some intelligence tests. By every one of them I’d prove myself a ___7___. In a world where I have to work with my ___8___ I’d do poorly.
Consider my auto-repair man ___9___. He had a habit of telling ___10___. One time he said,
“Doc, a deaf-and-dumb (聋哑) man ___11___ some nails. Having entered a store, he put two fingers together on the counter and made ___12___ movements with the other hand. The clerk brought him a hammer. He ___13___ his head and pointed to the two fingers he was hammering. The clerk ___14___ him some nails. He picked out the right size and left. Well, Doc, the ___15___ man who came in was blind. He wanted scissors (剪刀). ___16___ do you suppose he asked for them?” I lifted my right hand and made scissoring movements with my first two fingers. He burst out laughing and said, “Why, you fool, he used his ___17___ and asked for them. I’ve been ___18___ that on all my customers today, but I knew ___19___ I’d catch you.” ”Why is that?” I asked. “Because you are so goddamned educated, Doc. I knew you couldn’t be very ___20___.”
And I have an uneasy feeling he had something there.
1. A. failed B. wrote C. received D. chose
2. A. an average B. a total C. an exam D. a number
3. A. always B. possibly C. certainly D. frequently
4. A. Then B. Thus C. Therefore D. Yet
5. A. fixed B. checked C. drove D. changed
6. A. answered B. practiced C. designed D. tried
7. A. teacher B. doctor C. winner D. fool
8. A. brains B. effort C. hands D. attention
9. A. again B. as usual C. too D. as well
10. A. lies B. jokes C. news D. tales
11. A. bought B. tested C. found D. needed
12. A. cutting B. hammering C. waving D. circling
13. A. nodded B. raised C. shook D. turned
14. A. brought B. packed C. sent D. sold
15. A. clever B. other C. right D. next
16. A. What B. How C. Who D. Which
17. A. imagination B. hand C. voice D. information
18. A. trying B. proving C. practicing D. examining
19. A. for sure B. at once C. in fact D. right now
20. A. clear B. silly C. slow D. smart