阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从36-55所给的四个选项（A、B、C、D）中，选出最佳选项。
There is a beautiful story about a child playing with a vase his mother had left on the table for a few moments. When the mother turned 16 the sound of her son’s crying she saw that his 17 was in the vase and was apparently stuck. She 18 to help him and pulled and pulled until the child cried out 19 . But the hand was stuck fast（牢固地）. How would they get it out? The father suggested 20 the vase but it was quite valuable and the child’s hand might be cut in the 21 _. Yet he knew that if all else 22 there would be no other alternative.
So he said to the boy, “Now, let’s make one more 23 . Open your hand and stretch your 24 out straight, as I’m doing, and then pull!” “ 25 Dad,” said the boy, “if I do that I’ll 26 my penny!”
The boy had had a coin in his hand 27 and was holding it 28 in his tight little fist. And he wasn’t 29 to open his hand and lose it. But 30 he opened his hand it came out of the vase easily.
The father said to the boy, “What are you holding onto so tightly as to hinder (阻碍) your walk with God? That vase can be 31 to the entrance to the Kingdom of God. It is narrow yet quite 32 to pass in, but first you must open your hand to God and 33 earthly（世俗的）things to fall. If we keep our fists 34 and hold fast to what we have and keep it for ourselves, we will be unable to 35 hold of the hand of God. Open your hand to the hand of God and you will see great things take place.”
A．in B．at C．from D．on
A．foot B．hair C．hand D．head
A．tried B．refused C．completed D．separated
A．in fun B．in general C．with fear D．in pain
A．abandoning B．selling C．burning D．breaking
A．time B．state C．process D．record
A．failed B．lost C．impressed D．tried
A．chance B．choice C．try D．force
A．lip B．fingers C．nails D．thumb
A．But B．And C．Though D．When
A．touch B．hit C．employ D．lose
A．all the time B．in time C．at one time D．for some time
A．apparently B．securely C．stupidly D．normally
A．hesitated B．accepted C．excited D．prepared
A．yet B．since C．once D．although
A．seemed B．compared C．looked D．related
A．difficult B．safe C．easy D．quiet
A．allow B．admit C．forbid D．make
A．open B．urgent C．closed D．intended
A．bring B．take C．have D．come
Bill White’s father is a lawyer. In his 56 time, he likes to get out in the country and take some57 of animals.
For a long time, Bill had wanted to go with his father on one of his58 . But his father didn’t take Bill along with him59 he was fifteen.
He and Bill drove to the farm which60 to his uncle in the afternoon. They 61 the night there, so that they could62 out early the next morning. Uncle Steve and his son Larry, who was sixteen, were going to go out with them.
It was still dark when Bill heard the alarm63 the next morning. He wondered why it was running so early. He couldn’t remember64 he was. He turned over__65__and looked at the clock. It was 5 o’clock. Then he66 that he was at the67 and that he was going out to take pictures with his father. He jumped out of bed and got68 quickly.
He ran downstairs. The others were already in the 69 ,where Uncle Steve was cooking bacon and eggs. There was a pot of coffee on the stove. It 70 good.
They ate breakfast quickly. They didn’t talk71 , because they didn’t want to__72__ up the other people in the house. They filled a thermos bottle(热水瓶) 73 hot coffee and took some sandwiches74 Aunt Grace, Uncle Steve’s wife, had made for them. They gathered their camera 75 and started out.
A．busy B．spare C．enough D．limited
A．foods B．drawings C．paintings D．pictures
A．trips B．buses C．animals D．mountains
A．after B．when C．until D．unless
A．led B．stuck C．got D．belonged
A．cost B．spent C．slept D．took
A．start B．begin C．walk D．step
A．telephone B．machine C．computer D．clock
A．where B．how C．who D．what
A．quickly B．sleepily C．quietly D．suddenly
A．imagined B．pronounced C．forgot D．remembered
A．mountain B．town C．farm D．station
A．dressed B．ordered C．eaten D．prepared
A．bathroom B．kitchen C．study D．bedroom
A．seemed B．felt C．tasted D．smelled
A．many B．soundly C．much D．highly
A．wake B．go C．put D．come
A．of B．with C．in D．by
A．that B．what C．after D．before
A．cover B．supply C．operator D．equipment（设备）
Dash of Hope
"Dash" is a symbol which represents every day we've spent alive on earth. Therefore, how you spend your "dash" is important.
Recently I 36 about a little girl named Hope. After learning more about her life, I couldn't help but feel it was not by 37 , nor happenstance（意外事件）, that she had been named "Hope". The strong feeling of sympathy and generosity 38 in her young heart made a lasting impression on me and countless others. 39 I never had the opportunity to meet her, I wish I had. It seems as though she was wise beyond her tender years and very, very special.
Hope was a twelve-year-old girl who was 40 a "wish" in early December 2010 by the "Make-A-Wish" Foundation after being 41 that she had a rare type of bone cancer. However, when she found out that more than 150 42 in her area were waiting for their wishes to be achieved , she unselfishly used her wish to 43 that those children have their wishes granted. She also asked that it be done 44 January 16, 2011. Unfortunately, however, the organization informed her that her 45 request could not be granted as the funds were simply 46 . They calculated that they would need to raise more than one 47 dollars in thirty days in order to grant her wish. 48 , but not discouraged, she turned her disappointment into an enthusiasm that inspired caring 49 to take up helping grant the wishes of the other children, and eventually 50 as well. Newspaper columnists and reporters for radio and TV stations 51 the story of this caring young girl who had 52 the hearts of so many and as word spread, the community was challenged. Committees were fanned and schools, corporations and various organizations assisted in 53 money to help make Hope's dream come true.
Her efforts were not in vain as they continue to help others, not only 54 , but spiritually and emotionally as well. At the gathering to celebrate her life, "A Celebration of Hope" on January 16, 2011 , the 55 was made that they had indeed received donations totaling more than one million dollars. Her wish had been granted!
A．heard B．thought C．cared D．talked
A．coincidence B．independence C．convenience D．intelligence
A．lost B．carried C．expected D．housed
A．Until B．Unless C．Though D．If
A．expressed B．offered C．made D．sent
A．recognized B．informed C．reminded D．understood
A．children B．citizens C．villagers D．relatives
A．suggest B．ask C．arrange D．order
A．for B．to C．on D．by
A．final B．formal C．simple D．noble
A．unbearable B．unbelievable C．unavailable D．uncomfortable
A．thousand B．hundred C．million D．billion
A．Disappointed B．Surprised C．Worried D．Embarrassed
A．committees B．individuals C．corporations D．organizations
A．theirs B．ours C．hers D．yours
A．wrote B．read C．broadcast D．shared
A．touched B．examined C．won D．opened
A．finding B．spending C．raising D．borrowing
A．perfectly B．physically C．healthily D．thankfully
My First Trip in the United States
I still remember my first day in the U. S. very clearly. My friend was waiting for me when my plane 36 at Kennedy Airport at three o’clock in the afternoon. The weather was very 37 and it was snowing, but I was too excited to 38 . From the airport, my friend and I took a taxi to my 39 .On the way, I saw the skyline of Manhattan for the 40 time and I looked in surprise at the famous skyscrapers（摩天大楼） and their man-made 41 . 42 me unpack at the hotel, my friend left and promised to return the next day.
43 my friend had left, I went to a 44 near the hotel to get something 45 . Since I couldn’t speak a single word of English, I couldn’t tell the 46 what I wanted. I was very worried and started to make some 47 ,but he didn’t understand me. Finally, I ordered the 48 thing as the man at the next table was 49 . After dinner, I started to walk along Broadway 50 I came to Times Square with its theatres, neon lights, and crowds of people. I did not feel tired, so I 51 to walk around the city. I wanted to see 52 on my first day, although I knew it was impossible.
When I returned to the hotel, I couldn’t fall asleep, lay 53 and thought about New York. It was a very big and amazing city with many high-rise buildings and streams of cars, and full of 54 and busy people. I also decided right then that I had to learn to 55 .
A．took off B．landed C．dropped D．reached
A．hot B．warm C．cold D．cool
A．look B．listen C．enjoy D．mind
A．home B．hotel C．office D．school
A．first B．one C．last D．only
A．satellites B．lakes C．beauty D．parks
A．Helped B．Helping C．Had helped D．Being helped
A．Before long B．Shortly after C．Soon D．Then
A．restaurant B．shop C．supermarket D．pub
A．to drink B．to read C．to eat D．to listen
A．boss B．cook C．waiter D．waitress
A．voices B．suggestions C．sounds D．gestures
A．similar B．different C．same D．right
A．looking B．ordering C．picking D．eating
A．until B．when C．before D．after
A．tired B．stopped C．determined D．continued
A．anything B．everything C．something D．some things
A．asleep B．awake C．afraid D．alive
A．noise B．voices C．streets D．places
A．drive a car B．cook meals C．teach Chinese D．speak English
The famous British inventor George Stephenson was born in 1781 and died in 1848. One of his__16__important inventions was the train. He _17__his first train when he was forty-four years old. When he was experimenting with the __18__engine on the train, he met with __19__from the government, the newspapers and the gentlemen in the country. They said that the noise and the smoke would __20__ cows, horses and sheep, that the _21__ would burst or that the hot coals from it would __22_ their houses. At that time, __23__people believed what they said.
George Stephenson __24__the people that the train could go on small _25_, could pull carriages __26_goods and passengers and there was __27__to them. It was a very __28__ matter for him to __29__ them believe. However, after _30_, he was able to do it; and the first train that __31__by Stephenson himself __32_ what he had said.
The first day _33_the people along the way _34_the noises of the train __35__ and saw it running quickly to them, they ran back home as quickly as they could and closed their doors tightly, for they thought it a genius(妖怪).They did not dare to come out until it had passed.
A．very B．a lot C．most D．much
A．made B．bought C．introduced D．did
A．electrical B．soil C．steam D．oil
A．success B．troubles C．people D．pleasure
A．kill B．buy C．interest D．take away
A．smoke B．noise C．driver D．engine
A．pull down B．blow away C．set fire to D．pass
A．most B．few C．only a few D．the rich
A．said B．spoke C．told D．warned
A．roads B．rivers C．steam D．rails
A．short of B．full of C．empty of D．without
A．no great danger B．dangerous C．a lot of danger D．few danger
A．easy B．difficult C．pleasant D．light
A．get B．cause C．make D．force
A．sometime B．some time C．a few times D．sometimes
A．was sold B．was driven C．was pulled D．helped
A．believed B．seemed C．sensed D．proved
A．of B．when C．while D．for
A．caught sight of B．listened to C．heard D．thought
A．nearby B．in the distance C．on the far D．from the distance
Since my family were not going to be helpful, I decided I would look for one all by myself and not tell them about it till I’d got one.
I had seen an agency (中介) 16in a local newspaper. I rushed out of the house in search of it. I was wildly 17 , and nervous as if I were going on the stage. 18 the place quite easily, I ran breathlessly through a door which 19 “Enter without knocking, if you please.”
The simple atmosphere of the office 20 me. The woman looked carefully at me for a while through her glasses, and then 21 me in a low voice. I answered softly. 22 , I started to feel rather hopeless. She wondered 23 I was looking for this sort of job. I felt even more 24 when she told me that it would be 25 to get a job without experience. I26 whether I ought to leave, when the 27 on her desk rang. I heard her say, “As a matter of fact, I’ve got someone in the office at this very moment who might 28 .” She wrote down a 29 , and held it out to me, saying , “Ring up this lady. She wants a cook immediately. In fact, you would have to start tomorrow by 30a dinner for ten people.”
“Oh yes,” I said. I have never cooked for more than four people in my life. I 31 her again and again, and rushed out to the 32 telephone-box. I collected my thoughts, took a deep 33 , and rang the number. I said 34 that I was just what she was looking for.
All things are difficult before they are 35 , so I spent the next few hours reading cook books.
A．advertised B．appeared C．reported D．published
A．encouraged B．disappointed C．excited D．surprised
A．Searching B．Finding C．Seeing D．Learning
A．said B．answered C．spoke D．wrote
A．astonished B．worried C．calmed D．pleased
A．informed B．questioned C．answered D．read
A．All of a sudden B．In fact C．Sooner or later D．In no time
A．how B．why C．when D．where
A．hopeless B．worried C．fearless D．frightened
A．impossible B．difficult C．important D．necessary
A．asked B．wondered C．questioned D．thought
A．bell B．clock C．radio D．telephone
A．go B．like C．suit D．determine
A．name B．address C．number D．note
A．serving B．cooking C．offering D．buying
A．saw B．phoned C．thanked D．wrote
A．home B．office C．nearest D．faraway
A．sight B．glance C．rest D．breath
A．nervously B．confidently C．hurriedly D．anxiously
A．light B．visible C．easy D．certain