II. Cloze test: 30% (共20小题, 每小题1.5分,满分30分。)
阅读下面短文,掌握其大意,其后从所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中,选出最佳选项。
Several years ago, my parents, my wife, my son and I ate at one of those 16 where the menu was written on a blackboard. After a wonderful dinner, the waiter set the check in the middle of the table. That was when it 17 : my father did not reach for the check.
18 continued. Finally I realized that I should pick up check! After hundreds of restaurant meals with my parents, and after a lifetime of thinking of my father as the one with dollars, it had all 19 . I picked up the check, and my view of myself 20 changed. I was an adult. I was no longer a kid.
Some people mark off their lives in years, and I measure 21 in small events. I did not become a young man at a particular age, like 16, but rather when a kid who 22 in the streets called me “Mister”. These events in my life are called “milestones”.
There have been other milestones. The policemen of my youth always seemed big, even 23 , and of course they were older than I was. Then one day they were suddenly 24 . Then the day came when I 25 that all the football players in the game I was 26 were younger than I was. With that milestone 27 was the dream that __28__ , maybe I, too, could be a football player. Without ever having reached the hill, I was over it.
I never thought that I would 29 in front of the TV set as my father did. Now it is what I do best. I never thought that I would 30 opera, but now the combination of 31 and orchestra attract me. I never thought that I would prefer to stay home in the evenings, but now I find myself passing up parties. I feel a strong 32 for a religious belief that I never thought I would want, feel 33 my ancestors long gone, and echo my father in 34 with my son. I still lose…
One day I bought a house. One day --- what a day! I became a 35 , and not long after that I picked up the check for my own father. I thought then it was a milestone for me. One day, when I was a little older, I realized it was one for him too, another milestone.
16. A. restaurants B. laundries C. stadiums D. markets
17. A. came B. happened C. finished D. arrived
18. A. Memory B. Work C. Nothing D. Conversation
19. A. remained B. collapsed C. changed D. broken
20. A. suddenly B slowly C. quickly D. gradually
21. A. theirs B. yours C. mine D. ours
22. A. stopped B. smoked C. fainted D. wandered
23. A. huge B. tiny C. handsome D. ugly
24. A. none B. both C. either D. neither
25. A. understood B. imagined C. realized D. recognized
26. A. noticing B. watching C. talking with D. learning from
27. A. gone B. missed C. appeared D. changed
28. A. tomorrow B. someday C. immediately D. accidentally
29. A. turn over B. stand up C. fall asleep D. lie down
30. A. hate B. remember C. forget D. appreciate
31. A. voice B. joy C. music D. art
32. A. sense B. desire C. emotion D. love
33. A. away from B. sorry for C. close to D. fond of
34. A. touch B. fights C. games D. arguments
35. A. son B. father C. businessman D. Scientist
A couple of years ago, I went to a lady's house to buy some vitamins. Upon entering the house, I ________ that there was an electronic keyboard on a stand, leaning ________ the wall. Being a piano music lover and ________, I asked if the woman played. She nodded and added that she had been ________ lessons--at age 54! I told her that it was very ________ that she was pursuing (追求) her ________ to play the piano.
Then she asked me ________ question. "I have been playing for 8 years now," I answered.
"Then you must play a song for me before you leave," she ________. I thought she was kidding and I simply smiled. At the end of the deal of the vitamins, she ________ me of our musical "________". She then showed me to an old upright piano in the living room,________ asked me to play a song for her. I thought ________ and decided to play David Lanz's "Return to the Heart", since she had so much passion for ________, and it was my soul-searching song.
I played the song to the best of my ability, and with my emotions ________ into it as possible. She loved it. ________ I was about to step out of the door, I heard a weak voice calling out, "Young man!"
I turned around. And there was an old lady ________ one little step at a time with the help of another woman. "I wanted to come out to ________ you for the beautiful song that you played. I have been very sick, and it's very hard for me to ________ my bed, but I really wanted to thank you for the song. It made me feel good..." she said. With that, she turned around and walked ________ back to her room.
I was deeply ________ by her appreciation and felt a deeper understanding for the song. It served its purpose beautifully, returning to one's ________ for peace and joy.
A.observed B.watched C.noticed D.caught
A.on B.at C.over D.against
A.player B.teacher C.composer D.starter
A.giving B.attending C.teaching D.reviewing
A.interesting B.wonderful C.moved D.impressive
A.another B.any C.the same D.other
A.advised B.ordered C.demanded D.requested
A.warned B.reminded C.asked D.required
A.course B.task C.discussion D.deal
A.and B.but C.as a result D.what’s more
A.for the moment B.at the moment C.for a moment D.at a moment
A.music B.songs C.the piano D.vitamins
A.dropping B.falling C.pouring D.running
A.Since B.As C.While D.Because
A.taking B.making C.having D.giving
A.thank B.praise C.admire D.owe
A.get on B.get up C.get off D.get down
A.quickly B.calmly C.happily D.slowly
A.shocked B.touched C.delighted D.disturbed
A.world B.heart C.brains D.dreams
You may have heard of Osceola McCarty, an 88-year-old woman in Mississippi who had worked for over 75 years as a ________ woman.
One day after she retired, she went to the bank and discovered that her small monthly ________ had grown to over$150,000. Then to everyone’s surprise, she turned around and ________ almost all of the money to the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) for a ________ fund for students with financial needs. Immediately, she made national ________.
What you have not heard is how Osceola’s gift had ________ my life. I am 19 years old and the first ________ of an Osceola McCarty Scholarship. I was a ________ student, and I was determined to go to USM. But I ________ being qualified for a regular scholarship by one point on the entrance exams, and a scholarship was the ________ way I could attend.
One Sunday, I came across the story in the paper about Osceola McCarty and her generous ________. The next day I went to the financial aid office, and they told me there was still no money ________ for me, but if anything came up they’d call.
A few days later, I was going out with my mother ________ the phone rang. I was told I had been chosen to be given the first Osceola McCarty Scholarship. I was ________!
McCarty worked hard her whole life, washing clothes by hand. Now that she is ________, she sits most of the day and reads the Bible, that is, when she is not getting rewards. Every time I go to visit her, she has a new ________. She’s even gone to the White House. She is so happy and proud. We have tried to talk her into getting a VCR (录像机) so she can tape the programs and see ________ on TV—she just smiles.
McCarty gave me much more than a scholarship. She taught me about the gift of ________. Now I know there are good people in the world who do good things. She worked hard and helped others, and in turn she has inspired me to ________ when I can some day. So ________ I plan to add to her scholarship fund.
A.cafe B.buffet C.laundry D.laboratory
A.expenses B.profits C.wages D.savings
A.returned B.donated C.delivered D.removed
A.welfare B.project C.scholarship D.research
A.customs B.headlines C.sympathies D.doubts
A.affected B.formed C.disturbed D.ruined
A.designer B.receiver C.contributor D.reporter
A.considerate B.casual C.hard-working D.sensitive
A.advocated B.avoided C.regretted D.missed
A.normal B.wrong C.legal D.only
A.gift B.idea C.decision D.plan
A.left B.raised C.available D.enough
A.since B.before C.though D.when
A.excited B.shocked C.puzzled D.encouraged
A.dismissed B.retired C.promoted D.transferred
A.job B.hobby C.life D.award
A.everybody B.everything C.herself D.us
A.giving B.understanding C.receiving D.loving
A.give back B.give in C.give off D.give up
A.suddenly B.originally C.eventually D.gradually
It Happened But I’m Here
It was April 11, 2011 when my life was changed forever. It was about 6: 45 when I ___ ____ the house with my mother and my twin brothers who were only about 12 months at the time. We were on our way to a parent’s _______ Arriving at the school my mom decided to the parking ________ across the street to look for a parking space on foot. I have this thing where I ________ need to know the time, so as she left I saw that it was 7: 13. I sat in the car and messed with the radio. I ________ the time again it was 7: 15. I turned my head and looked out the passenger window ________ the door opened. I didn’t really think anything of it, ________ it was my mother even though she had left two minutes ago. Then I smelt beer and cigarettes, so out of instinct I ________ my head to see this man in the car. I was in complete ________. So many terrible things went through my mind. I started to scream out the ________ but he began to put it up. I took off the jacket I had and put it over him and started ________. I grabbed the nearest objects which were a pen that ironically my ________ had left on the seat and some open CDs and continued hitting. He fought back but _______, I guess, realizing that I was one to ________ a fight. He ran out and left. During this battle I had yelled out “ I won’t let you _______ us! ” He may have said something I’m not sure, but I do know one of my brothers started crying when I ________ . At 7: 17 my mom showed up and from there it went to the police and the parent’s conference is a _______ in two weeks. On my wall hangs the newspaper article of what _______ that day. I look at the sketch(素描) that was condemned at the police station and ________ to never let anything like that happen to me ever again. Although it’s been a while since I’ve told my story, I never seem to forget no matter how _______ I try. But I always think it happened, but I’m here.
A.left B.reached C.cleaned D.locked
A.conversation B.conference C.interview D. introduction
A.fee B.deal C.lot D. plate
A.eventually B.deliberately C.relatively D. constantly
A.shortened B.extended C.checked D.killed
A.when B.before C.unless D. until
A.judging B.figuring C.deciding D. realizing
A.shook B.lowered C.turned D. nodded
A.confusion B.agreement C.disorder D. shock
A.window B.door C.car D.street
A.arguing B.hitting C.crying D.fighting
A.passenger B.teacher C.mother D.brother
A.gave up B.hurried up C.shut up D.spoke up
A.stand out B.put up C.turn down D.get back
A.ignore B.control C.take D.hurt
A.dashed B.cast C.stopped D.yelled
A.matter B.incident C.game D.race
A.meant B.happened C.gave D. experienced
A.fail B.tend C.swear D. choose
A.sudden B.hard C.lucky D.loud
It was before Christmas. The spirit of the season had not yet caught up with me. Quickly, I filled my shopping cart with some things and went to the long checkout lines. I picked the ________ one, but it looked as if it would be ________ a 20-minute wait.
In front of me were ________ small children--- a boy of five and a younger girl . The girl ________ a beautiful pair of shiny, golden shoes and ________ them as though they were a treasure.
The clerk showed them the ________. “That will be $6.09,” she said. The boy ________ some bills on the stand while he ________ his pockets. He finally came up with $3.12. “I guess we will come back some ________ time, maybe tomorrow.” With that ________ the little girl began to cry. “But Jesus would have loved these _______ ,” she cried. “Well, we’ll go home and work some more. Don’t cry. We’ll come ________.”, he told her.
Quickly I handed $3 to the ________. These children had waited in line for a long time and, ________ all, it was Christmas. Suddenly a pair of arms came around me and a small ________ said,” Thank you, lady.” The girl said. “My Sunday teacher said that the streets in the heaven were made of shiny ________, just like these shoes. Our mommy is sick and she is going to ________ . Daddy said that she might go before Christmas, to be with Jesus. I think my mom will be beautiful ______ in those streets to ________ these shoes.”
My eyes filled with tears. Silently I thanked God for using these children to _______ me of the true spirit of giving.
A.shortest B.longest C.biggest D.smallest
A.at most B.at least C.more than D.less than
A.few B. five C.two D.some
A.took B.carried C.brought D.caught
A.watched B.looked C.thought D.treated
A.price B.card C.money D.expense
A.picked B.left C.laid D.let
A.found B.searched C.searched for D.looked for
A.another B.more C.other D.others
A.statement B.saying C.words D.announcement
A.goods B.gifts C.presents D.shoes
A.back B.home C.here D.over
A.children B.girl C.clerk D.boy
A.at B.after C.in D.of
A.boy B.girl C.voice D.sound
A.silver B.gold C.stones D.bricks
A.hospital B.sky C.heaven D.clinic
A.walking B.standing C.running D.staying
A.serve B.match C.suit D. fit
A.inform B.warn C.cure D.remind
Inspiration
“Mama, when I grow up, I’m going to be one of those!” I said this after seeing the Capital Dancing Company perform when I was three. It was the first time that my ___ took on a vivid form and acted as something important to start my training. As I grew older and was __
__ to more, my interests in the world of dance __
_ varied but that little girl's dream of someday becoming a __
__ in the company never left me. In the summer of 2005 when I was 18, I received the phone call which made that dream a __
__; I became a member of the company __
__ back to 1925.
As I look back on that day now, it surely ____ any sense of reality. I believe I stayed in a state of pleasant disbelief __
__ I was halfway through rehearsals (排练) on my first day. I never actually __
__ to get the job. After being offered the position, I was completely __
__. I remember shaking with excitement.
Though I was absolutely thrilled with the change, it did not come without its fair share of ____. Through the strict rehearsal period of dancing six days a week, I found it vital to __
__ up the material fast with every last bit of concentration. It is that extreme __
__ to detail (细节) and stress on practice that set us __
_. To then follow those high-energy rehearsals __
__ a busy show schedule of up to five performances a day, I discovered a new __
__ of the words "hard work." What I thought were my physical __
__ were pushed much further than I thought __
__. I learned to make each performance better than the last.
Today, when I look at the unbelievable company that I have the great ___ of being a part of, not only as a member, but as a dance captain, I see a __
_ that has inspired not only generations of little girls but a splendid company that continues to develop and grow-and inspires people every day to follow their dreams.
A. hobbyB. plan C. dreamD. word
A connected B. expandedC. exposedD. extended
A. rarelyB. certainlyC. probablyD. consistently
A. director B. trainerC. leaderD. dancer
A. symbolB. memoryC. truthD. reality
A. bouncing B. datingC. turningD. tracking
A. lacksB. adds C. makesD. brings
A. whileB. since C. untilD. when
A. caredB. expected C. askedD. decided
A. motivated B. relaxed C. convinced D. astonished
A. challenges B. profits C. advantages D. adventures
A. put B. mix C. buildD. pick
A. attention B. association C. attraction D. adaptation
A. apart B. aside C. offD. back
A. over B. byC. withD. beyond
A. function B. meaningC. expression D. usage
A. boundaries B. problems C. barriers D. efforts
A. necessary B. perfectC. proper D. possible
A. talent B. honorC. potential D. responsibility
A. victory B. trendC. tradition D. desire