When I was thirteen, my family moved from Boston to Tucson, Arizona. 36 the move, my father 37 us in the living-room on a freezing January night. My sisters and I sat around the fire, not 38 that the universe would suddenly change its course. "In May, we're 39 to Arizona."
The words, so small, didn't seem 40 enough to hold my new life. But the world changed and I awoke on a train moving across the country. I watched the 41_ change from green trees to flat dusty plains to high mountains as I saw strange new plants that 42 mysteries(奥秘) yet to come. Finally, we arrived and 43 into our new home.
44 my older sisters were sad at the loss of friends, I 45 explored(探索) our new surroundings.
One afternoon, I was out exploring 46 and saw a new kind of cactus(仙人掌). I crouched (蹲) down for a closer look. "You'd better not 47 that."
I turned around to see an old woman
"Are you new to this neighborhood?" I explained that I was, 48 , new to the entire state.
"My name is Ina Thorne. Have you got used to life in the 49 ? It must be quite a _50 after living in Boston."
How could I explain how I 51 the desert? I couldn't seem to find the right words.
"It's vastness," she offered. “That vastness 52 you stand on the mountains overlooking the desert -- you can 53 how little you are in comparison with the world. 54 , you feel that the possibilities are limitless.”
That was it. That was the feeling I'd had ever since I'd first seen the mountains of my new home. Again, my 55 would change with just a few simple words.
"Would you like to come to my home tomorrow? Someone should teach you which plant you should and shouldn't touch."
36. A. During B. Until C. Upon D. Before
37. A. gathered B. warned C. organized D. comforted
38. A. hoping B. admitting C. realizing D. believing
39. A. going B. moving C. driving D. flying
40. A. good B. simple C. big D. proper
41. A. picture B. ground C. scene D. area
42. A. suggested B. solved C. discovered D. explained
43. A. settled B. walked C. hurried D. stepped
44. A. If B. After C. Once D. While
45. A. bitterly B. easily C. proudly D. eagerly
46 A as well B. as usual C. right away D. on time
47. A. move B. dig C. pull D. touch
48. A. of course B. in fact C. after all D. at least
49. A. desert B. city C. state D. country
50. A. luck B. doubt C. shock D. danger
51. A. found B. examined C. watched D. reached
52. A. why B. when C. how D. where
53. A. prove B. guess C. sense D. expect
54. A. However B. Otherwise C. Therefore D. Meanwhile
55. A. idea B. life C. home D. family
Carolyn Stradley is the founder of C&S Paving Ine.(铺路公司)in Atlanta,USA.In the following account,she recalls the job that challenged her 36 and skill but left her flying high.
“When the Atlanta Airport was under 37in 1979,we were a new company struggling to make it.National Car Rental wanted to have 2500 square meters of dirt paved 38 the cars could be on site 39 the airport opened,and the official opening was only ten days away! 40 other local paving company wanted to do the job, 41 it couldn’t be done in such a short time.”
“Because we were new and really needed the work,we were 42 to try harder.We gave National Car Rental our offer and 43 our best effort to get the job finished within ten days.We also 44 them that if we failed,they would be no worse off, 45 they had plenty to gain if we succeeded.”
“We got the job and immediately went into 46 .Working at night needed lights,so I rented a machine to produce electricity for the site.Our 47 challenge was to keep the rock mixture 48 enough.All the available water wagons(洒水车)were rented out for the airport construction,and we certainly couldn’t afford to buy a new one. 49 ,I got a special 50 to rent fire engine hoses(消防水龙带)and connect them to nearby hydrants(消防);then I 51 held one of those hoses to 52 down the rock.”
“Those ten days were filled with challenges that 53 one creative idea after another.Nine days later,the night before the airport opened,National Car Rental was the 54 company that had cars on the parking lot.”
“The key to our success was having the 55 to take on any job and then being creative in our approach to getting it done.”
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| A．while | B．since | C．where | D．when |
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When I was young,my parents ran a snack bar in our small town.
One evening in early April,my mother told me to fill in at the snack bar 36a worker who had the flu.I told her I would mess it up, 37 I had never worked at the bar before.I 38
that instead of making money,I would end up owing it.
“You can do it,”said my mother.“ 39 ,you won’t get much business until lunch.”
“But I’ll never remember the orders,and I’m no good___40_money.Please,Mom,don’t
41 me.”
“Then I’ll help you,”she said.
I shrugged my shoulders.I thought my mother’s 42 was a bad one,but I 43 .
When I got to the bar the next day,I found my mother was 44 .Because the weather that day was rainy and cold,people wanted hot snacks and drinks. 45 ,I was really slow at taking the orders and making change.The line of people grew,and everybody seemed 46 .I was so nervous that my hands shook,and I 47a cup into pieces.What a mess!Then my mother came to 48 me,and she also showed me how to make 49 .If someone gave me $5 for something that cost $3.25,I handed over 50 quarters and a dollar and said,“75 cents makes four dollars,plus one dollar makes five.”Things went more 51 after that.
By the end of the day,I could remember orders, 52 the bill,and make change quickly with a smile.I was even a little 53 when the sun came out and dried up business.My mother said she was proud of me,and when she 54 that I work at the snack bar again next year,I did not even shrug.I was too busy 55 the restaurant I would open one day.
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Many years ago,I owned a service station and roadhouse on the main road between Melbourne and Adelaide.
One very cold,wet night at about 3:30 a.m.,there was a 41 on the front door of our house.A young man,wet from 42 to toe,explained that he had 43 out of petrol about 30 km up the road.He had left his pregnant(怀孕的) wife and his two children 44 at the car and said that he would hitchhike(搭便车) back.
Once I had 45a can with petrol,I took him back to his car where his two-year-old and four-year-old children were both 46 ,saying that they were cold.Once the car had started,I suggested that he 47 me back.
Before leaving,I had turned the heater 48in the roadhouse,so that when we went in,it was nice and 49 .While the little ones played and ran 50 ,I prepared bread and butter for the children,and hot chocolate for the 51 .
It was about 5 a.m. before they 52 .The young fellow asked me how much he 53
me and I told him that the petrol pump(加油泵) had 54 $15.He offered to pay “call-out fee”,but I wouldn’t accept it.
About a month later,I received a 55 from Interstate,a large bus company that we bad been trying to 56 to stop off at our roadhouse for a long time.It 57 out that the young fellow I had helped was its general manager,the most 58 person in the company.
In his letter,he thanked me again and 59 me that,from then on,all their buses would stop at my service station.In this 60 ,a little bit of kindness was rewarded with a huge amount of benefits.
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Roberta appeared on the stage.She took a deep breath and began to 16 .Now she was Portia,a strong-willed 17in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice.The theater was filled with people.She was speaking with a power she had never before experienced,the words flowing
18 from her.
19 .Roberta had never acted in her life before the audition(选拔试演).She 20 being in front of other people.She was very 21 at school.She had never thought she was good enough at anything to 22 much attention.She stayed mostly to herself,making 23 friends.She had excellent grades, 24 she always thought that something was missing.
Two weeks before the audition,Roberta’s mother had heard about it and 25 her to join in.
“I can’t think of anyone else better suited to 26 the part.Remember all the plays you used to act out for us?”
Roberta looked down.“I’m not interested.”
Her mother wouldn’t let the 27 drop.“You’re just a little scared(害怕).Everyone gets scared.You know you 28 do it.The trick is to look past the 29 to find the love of what you’re doing.”
So Roberta had made an appointment(预约)with the head of the Drama Club.She had read the play and found herself excited by the 30 of speaking such rich words.In secret she practiced Portia’s part, 31 the lines by repeating them over and over.It wasn’t hard;she 32 every minute of it.Every time she spoke the words,she had a new 33 of the lines,as if Shakespeare had written Portia on many levels.
On the day of the audition,she 34 two of Portia’s famous speeches for the auditors.When she had finished,the head of the Drama Club announced the 35 was hers.
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Ban the Band(乐队)？
Every year,our school has a dance for all the students.It’s a little funny seeing friends in clean shoes and trousers or colorful 36 ,instead of the usual school uniform.
Most of us think the dance is great 37 —even the teachers enjoy being there. 38 ,two weeks ago someone said that there would be no 39 band this year—only CDs.
“I don’t 40 it!”Amy cried out during the lunch break.
“Someone said the school couldn’t 41a band,and they think it’s too noisy anyway,”added Daniel.
“Well,I don’t think it’s 42 enough without a band!”declared Angela,“and I’m going to see what can be done.”
Angela was as good as her 43 .In the afternoon she went to see the school headmaster who agreed to give the 44 some more thought.And he suggested that one 45 for having a band was to increase the price of each ticket from $5 to $10.Angela had to 46 out whether the students would like to do that.
“I need all of you to help me,”she 47 to our group before school the next day.“Mr.Berry gave me a list of all the names,and suggested we ask each one their 48 about the band and the extra cost.”
49 the day we asked around as Angela suggested,and wrote down people’s feelings about the band and the cost.We were amazed how much 50 there was for the band and everyone agreed to pay the extra $5.
“I’m surprised,”smiled Mr. Berry,when we gave him the 51 .“I really thought that only a few people 52 their band and that the cost would be too high.OK,Angela,your next 53 is to find a good band and line them up for the dance.”
Angela was all smiles and 54 the news to Amy and Daniel.“You’re 55 ,”smiled Daniel to Angela as he thought how close they came to having a less than perfect dance.
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