Learning to Accept
I learned how to accept life as it is from my father. However, he did not teach me acceptance(接受) when he was strong and healthy, but rather when he was 1 and ill.
My father was once a strong man who loved being active, but a terrible illness 2 all that away. Now he can no longer walk, and he must sit quietly in a chair all day. Even talking is 3 One night, I went to visit him with my sisters. We started talking about life, and I told them about one of my 4 . I said that we must very often give things up as we grow—our youth, our beauty, our friends—but it always 5 that after we give something up, we gain something new in its place. Then suddenly my father 6 up. He said, “But, Peter. I gave up 7 ! What did I gain?” I thought and thought, but I could not think of anything to say. 8 , he answered his own question.
“I 9 the love of my family.” I looked at my sisters, and saw tears in their eyes, along with hope and thankfulness. I was also 10 by his words. After that, when I began to feel irritated(激动的) at someone, I would remember his words and become 11 . He could replace his great pain with a feeling of love for others, then I should be 12 to give up my small irritations. In this 13 , I learned the power of acceptance from my father.
Sometimes I 14 what other things I cold learn from him if I had listened more carefully when I was a boy. For now, though, I am grateful（感谢的）for this 15 .
A．tired B．weak C．poor D．slow
A．took B．threw C．sent D．put
A．impossible B．difficult C．helpless D．hopeless
A．decisions B．experience C．dreams D．beliefs
A．suggests B．promises C．seems D．requires
A．spoke B．turned C．got D．opened
A．something B．anything C．nothing D．everything
A．had B．accepted C．gained D．enjoyed
A．touched B．surprised C．attracted D．warned
A．quiet B．calm C．relaxed D．happy
A．ready B．likely C．free D．able
A．case B．form C．method D．way
A．doubt B．wonder C．know D．guess
A．award B．lesson C．gift D．word
Fill Her Tank First
The summer of 1975 I’d just graduated from college in Southern California and received a 1968 Ford Capri for a graduation present. I had my first job, in Los Angeles. One Sunday night, __36__ myself a very independent grown-up, I left my uncle’s place in South Laguna after a visit, without __37__ to him that I had less than an __38__ of a tank of gas and no cash to buy __39__ on the way to L.A. I pulled onto the Pacific Coast Highway and watched the needle __40__ as I headed north. When I started running on fumes, I pulled into a __41__. There was no self-service __42__; there were no credit cards, no ATMs.
I begged the guy at the station. I __43__ write him a check for gas, I said, or I could sleep in my car and try to __44__ to a town with a bank the next morning. As he was informing me that I could sleep in my car but he’d have me __45__, a station wagon __46__ to the next pump. The driver--- a thin, plain, middle-aged guy---overheard the tail end of my __47__ request. As the attendant went to serve him, he nodded at me. “__48__ her tank first,” he said.
“Really?” I said. Hope __49__. “Oh, thank you. Thank you. But please. I just need two dollars’ __50__. I just need to go home.”
“Fill it,” he __51__ to the attendant. Then to me, “You will do the same one day, for someone else.”
I keep looking for that unlucky young person, __52__ to save her night on the road. Meanwhile, in case she never __53__ up, I try for other acts of random kindness. That __54__ driver is always at the pump a few feet away, __55__ the attendant to fill mine first.
A．thinking B．hoping C．knowing D．showing
A．confirming B．convincing C．admitting D．concerning
A．eighty B．eight C．eighth D．eighths
A．another B．more C．much D．some
A．drop B．increase C．reduce D．decrease
A．train station B．bus station C．railway station D．gas station
A．at one time B．at a time C．at times D．at that time
A．could B．might C．should D．must
A．scramble B．drive C．climb D．walk
A．ordered B．helped C．warned D．arrested
A．went up B．drove up C．pulled up D．drew into
A．tried B．succeeded C．reasoned D．failed
A．Fill B．Filled C．Filling D．To fill
A．increased B．raised C．accumulated D．fired
A．value B．worthy C．worth D．money
A．pardoned B．repeated C．said D．spoke
A．ensuring B．supposing C．hoping D．considering
A．shows B．goes C．grows D．comes
A．easy-going B．polite C．powerful D．quiet
A．introducing B．instructing C．interesting D．interacting
Checks have largely taken the place of money as a means of 36 , for they are widely accepted everywhere. 37 this is very 38 for both buyer and seller, it should not be forgotten that checks are not real money: they are quite 39in themselves. A shop-keeper runs a certain40when he accepts a check and he is quite 41 his rights if, on occasion, he 42 to do so. People do not always know this and are 43 if their good faith is called in question. A wealthy friend of mine told me he had an extremely 44 experience.
One day he decided to buy a particularly fine pearl necklace at a famous jewelry shop which keeps a large__45 of precious stones and asked if he could pay 46 check, the assistant said that this was quite 47 . But the moment my friend signed his name, he was invited into the manager’s office. The manager was very polite, but he explained that someone 48 exactly the same name had presented them with a worthless check not long ago. My friend got very angry at it and said he would buy a necklace 49 . When he got up to go, the manager told him that the police would arrive at any moment and he had better stay 50 he wanted to get into serious trouble. Sure enough the police arrived, __51 to my friend for the 52 , but explained that a person who had used the same name as his 53 for a number of recent robberies. Then the police asked my friend to 54 out a note which had been used by the thief in a number of shops. The note read, “I have a gun in my pocket, ask no questions and give all the money in the safe.” Fortunately, my friend’s handwriting was quite__55__ the thief’s. He was not only allowed to go without further delay, but to take the pearl necklace with him.
A．change B．exchange C．trade D．business
A．Because B．If C．Though D．Since
A．favourite B．popular C．profitable D．convenient
A．dangerous B．priceless C．unimportant D．valueless
A．chance B．risk C．opportunity D．danger
A．within B．out of C．without D．beyond
A．refuses B．agrees C．fails D．hates
A．unhappy B．ashamed C．shocked D．puzzled
A．uninteresting B．unreasonable C．unforgettable D．unpleasant
A．amount B．accident C．stock D．number
A．in B．by C．with D．on
A．in need B．in common C．in use D．in order
A．used B．with C．named D．by
A．anywhere B．somewhere C．somewhere else D．everywhere
A．unless B．otherwise C．if D．whether
A．coming B．sticking C．apologizing D．checking
A．manner B．behavior C．inconvenience D．treatment
A．responsible B．answered C．charged D．blamed
A．copy B．read C．take D．bring
A．unlike B．different C．dissimilar D．dislike
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。
This morning, as I was getting close to the supermarket, I saw a small 36 gathering around an elderly woman with blood under her face. I stopped and asked if I could 37 . I told her I was certified（授予证书的）in first aid. Then I 38 someone for a first aid kit（工具箱）. But she didn’t want help, saying she was fine. But she wasn’t fine. I asked her to 39 with me and we 40 about her routine of getting groceries. People brought out ice packs, water and paper towels from the 41 nearby. I put on the gloves from the first aid kit, and cleaned her up a bit, but 42 I just talked to her and held her hand.
Two 43 happened to be passing by and 44 to help check her out a bit. Finally, after ten minutes the 45 arrived and I talked to the emergency medical team and they __46 .
I was certified in first aid years back, and I got re-certified a month ago, but I never 47 it once. However, I realized being certified isn’t 48 about providing the aid. I didn’t stop the bleeding. I didn’t 49 to examine her. Mostly it was about providing comfort for people in a difficult 50 . The certification gave me the 51 to do that: to kneel on the sidewalk, holding an old woman’s hand, and to help make those _ 52 few minutes just a little bit better.
If you’re not certified in first aid, I can’t 53 it strongly enough. It takes four hours of your time at your 54 Red Cross. With what you’ll 55 , maybe you’ll be able to help someone like the old lady one day.
A．people B．public C．traffic D．crowd
A．watch out B．look out C．help out D．make out
A．paid B．sent C．applied D．scolded
A．stay B．walk C．accompany D．shop
A．looked B．cared C．talked D．quarreled
A．hospital B．supermarket C．station D．office
A．mostly B．maybe C．simply D．extremely
A．policemen B．volunteers C．clerks D．doctors
A．refused B．stopped C．lay D．woke
A．ambulance B．family C．driver D．officer
A．operated on B．turned up C．ran away D．took over
A．liked B．noticed C．used D．met
A．necessarily B．possibly C．hopefully D．commonly
A．want B．teach C．permit D．try
A．place B．situation C．life D．position
A．harm B．confidence C．lesson D．wish
A．confusing B．moving C．scary D．friendly
A．recommend B．demand C．support D．explain
A．formal B．national C．local D．private
A．recognize B．offer C．allow D．Learn
I had been playing hockey（冰球）for about10 years. I wasalways the one sittingat the end of the bench, and 36 got into a game. I went to all the 37 and showed up even when it was so 38 that your ‘breath froze’ andwhen the otherplayers had decided to stay home. I felt I had 39 enough and thought of quitting.
I finally decided to 40 the news to mymom that I was leaving the team.Mymommay have looked like atiny and quiet lady but on 41 my words, she said, “Remember, ‘A quitter never wins and a winner never quits.’ Your mother didn’t raise 42 ,so think about yourself in a 43 way and see yourself as a winner!”So I worked harder than ever at getting in better shape, 44 my shot（投球） accuracy and changing my 45 .
Once in a match, we 46 our first game badly. What’s worse, one of our best players got hurt.I was sitting at my 47 place,at the end of the bench,when the coach came over and told me I was going 48 . I was nervous, excited and terrified all at the same time.
The opposing team was fast and I had to admit I was a little 49 .But my mom’s words 50 out in my head like a church bell.Instead of being afraid, I was “pumped” and I very quickly found that all my 51 work waspaying off.I was as fast a skater as anyone else on the ice, and I seemed to get the 52 to score.The crowd went quiet. All the time I spent on the ice when everyone had gone home had 53 me for this moment.
Won!I won!
The lesson I learned from my mom’s 54 has stayed with me over the years.Ihear them whenever I am faced with a challenge, or whenever I 55 myself.
A．once B．seldom C．usually D．evenB
A．meetings B．shows C．matches D．practices
A．cloudy B．wet C．cold D．windy
A．suffered B．explained C．planned D．escaped
A．write B．break C．read D．speak
A．noticing B．gathering C．hearing D．analyzing
A．talkers B．dreamers C．attackers D．losers
A．positive B．familiar C．brief D．convenient
A．testing B．improving C．questioning D．affecting
A．aim B．taste C．habit D．attitude
A．lost B．controlled C．practiced D．continued
A．usual B．safe C．secret D．private
A．off B．in C．by D．up
A．annoyed B．awkward C．scared D．bitter
A．put B．rang C．gave D． stood
A．exact B．extra C．creative D．casual
A．chance B．message C．order D．note
A．spared B．requested C．prepared D．sent
A．actions B．reasons C．words D．promises
A．judge B．express C．comfort D．doubt
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。
One winter morning, an old couple around the age of 70, walked into a lawyer’s office to sign
a 36 after quarreling all their 45 years of marriage. The lawyer was very 37 , after having a chat with them, he got their 38 . They hung on because of their children, afraid that it might39 their growth. Now, all they wanted was to lead their own life free from all these years of __40 from their marriage, so both agreed on a divorce.
The lawyer was having a hard time getting the papers done, but he still couldn’t understand why the old couple would want a divorce, suggesting a 41 together, just three of them. At the table, there was a silence of 42 . The first dish was roasted chicken.43 , the old man took the drumstick for the old lady, “Take this, it’s your favorite. ” Looking at this, the lawyer thought maybe there was still a 44 , but the wife answered frowning. “This is where the problem 45 . You always think so highly of yourself, never thought about how I feel, don’t you know that I hate 46 ?”
Little did she know that, over the years, her husband was trying all ways to 47 her; little did she know that drumsticks were her husband’s favorite. Little did he know that she never thought he understood her at all; little did he know that she hated drumsticks even though all he wanted was the best for her.
That night, both of them were difficult to fall asleep. After hours, the old man couldn’t 48_ it any more, wanting to tell her himself, “I love you and I can’t live without you.” He picked up the phone to dial her number. Ringing never stopped. On the other side, she was upset, 49 to answer any phones. The next day, she received news that he had 50 , learning that he had a heart attack when he was still trying to get through her phone line.
51 enough, she had to clear his 52in his apartment , only to find an insurance policy（保险单）dating from the day when they got married, and the beneficiary （受益人）was her. Together in that file there was this note: “To my dearest wife, I bought this policy for you, 53__ the amount is only $100, I hope it will be able to help me continue my promise that I made when we got married, and I want you to know I will always be around by your side. I love you.” Tears __54 freely down her cheeks when the lady read it.
When you love someone, do let them know, for you 55 know what will happen the next minute.
A．marriage B．divorce C．record D．project
A．puzzled B．excited C．painful D．embarrassed
A．family B．money C．story D．lesson
A．destroy B．effect C．hit D．affect
A．happiness B．pleasure C．unhappiness D．amusement
A．dinner B．supper C．lunch D．breakfast
A．sorrow B．ignorance C．awkwardness D．satisfaction
A．As soon as B．Once C．The moment D．Immediately
A．right B．opportunity C．need D．chance
A．stores B．buries C．lies D．stands
A．fish B．steak C．drumsticks D．duck
A．comfort B．please C．anger D．hate
A．stand B．treat C．forget D．regret
A．eager B．hungry C．anxious D．reluctant
A．passed away B．passed through C．passed by D．passed on
A．Sadly B．Disappointedly C．Fortunately D．Hopefully
A．clothes B．belongings C．cupboards D．drawers
A．unless B．if C．though D．even
A．floated B．flew C．followed D．flowed
A．never B．ever C．forever D．seldom