Dear Laura,
I just heard you tell an old story of gift giving and unselfish(无私的) love in your program. You doubted that such unselfish love would happen in today’s world. Well, I’m here to give you 21 .
I wanted to do something very 22 for my fifteen-year-old son, who has always been the perfect child. He 23 all summer to earn enough money to buy a used motorcycle. Then, he spent hours and hours on it 24 it looked almost new. I was so 25 of him that I bought him the shiniest helmet(头盔) and riding outfit(全套装备).
I could 26 wait for him to open up his gift. In fact, I barely slept the night before. Upon wakening, I went to the kitchen to 27 the coffee, tea, and morning goodies. In the living room was a beautiful keyboard with a 28 : “To my wonderful mother, all my love, your son.”
I was so 29 . It had been a long-standing joke in our family that I wanted a piano so that I could 30 lessons. “Learn to play the piano, and I’ll get you one” was my husband’s 31 .
I stood there shocked, crying a river, asking myself how my son could 32 this expensive gift.
Of course, the 33 awoke, and my son was thrilled with(对…感到激动) my reaction. Many kisses were 34 , and I immediately wanted him to 35 my gift.
As he saw the helmet and outfit, the look on his face was not 36 what I was expecting. Then I 37 that he had sold the motorcycle to get me the keyboard.
Of course I was the proudest mother 38 on that day, and my feet never hit the ground for a month.
So I wanted you to know, that kind of love still 39 and lives even in the ever-changing world of me, me, me!
I thought you’d love to 40 this story.
Yours,
Hilary
P.S. The next day, my husband and I bought him a new “used” already shiny motorcycle.
A.hope B.advice C.support D.courage
A.polite B.similar C.special D.private
A.played B.studied C.traveled D.worked
A.after B.before C.unless D.until
A.sure B.fond C.proud D.confident
A.perhaps B.really C.almost D.hardly
A.start B.cook C.set D.serve
A.note B.notice C.word D.sign
A.disturbed B.confused C.astonished D.inspired
A.give B.take C.draw D.teach
A.reason B.request C.comment D.response
A.present B.afford C.find D.order
A.neighbor B.building C.home D.house
A.exchanged B.experienced C.expected D.exhibited
A.tear B.open C.check D.receive
A.purely B.basically C.obviously D.exactly
A.realized B.remembered C.imagined D.supposed
A.only B.still C.ever D.even
A.send B.publish C.share D.write
I believe that families are not only blood relatives, but sometimes people who show up and love you when no one else will.
In May 1977, I was living in a Howard Johnson’s motel off Interstate 10 in Houston. My dad and I 41 a room with two double beds and a bathroom was too 42 for a 15-year-old girl and her father. Dad’s second marriage was 43 and my stepmother had 44 us both out of the house the previous week. Dad had no45_ what to do with me. And that’s when my other family 46 .
Barbara and Roland Beach took me into their home 47 their only daughter, Su, my best friend, asked them to. I 48 with them for the next seven years.
Barb washed my skirts the same as Su’s. She 49 I had lunch money, doctors’ appointments, help with homework and nightly hugs. Barbara and Roland attended every football game where Su and I were being cheerleaders. 50 I could tell, for the Beaches there was no 51 between Su and me; I was their daughter, too.
When Su and I52 college they kept my room the same for the entire four years I attended school. Recently, Barb presented me with an insurance policy they bought when I first moved in with them and had continued to pay on for 23 years.
The Beaches knew 53 about me when they took me in – they had heard the whole story from Su. When I was seven, my mother died and from then on my father relied on other people to _54 his kids. Before I went to live with the Beaches I had believed that life was entirely 55__ and that love was shaky and untrustworthy. I had believed that the only person who would take care of me was me.
56 the Beaches, I would have become a bitter, cynical (愤世嫉俗的) woman. They gave me a(n) 57 that allowed me to grow and change. They kept me from being paralyzed by my _58 , and they gave me the confidence to open my heart.
I 59 family. For me, it wasn’t the family that was there on the day I was 60 , but the one that was there for me when I was living in a Howard Johnson’s on Interstate 10.
A.lived B.shared C.possessed D.bought
A.cheap B.noisy C.small D.limited
A.in trouble B.in sight C.in place D.in parts
A.struck B.removed C.kicked D.knocked
A.plan B.choice C.chance D.idea
A.looked after B.showed up C.turned over D.came across
A.so B.because C.until D.while
A.worked B.traveled C.lived D.learned
A.worked out B.called up C.watched out D.made sure
A.As long as B.As far as C.As soon as D.As many as
A.change B.problem C.conflict D.difference
A.set off B.left for C.entered into D.admitted into
A.all B.little C.something D.nothing
A.supply B.teach C.encourage D.raise
A.different B.unfair C.easy D.hopeful
A.Thanks to B.In spite of C.Except for D.But for
A.home B.house C.ability D.lesson
A.choice B.failure C.past D.present
A.doubt about B.call on C.center on D.believe in
A.born B.accepted C.educated D.deserted
Vincent van Gogh was not always an artist. In fact, he wanted to be a(n) __21 and was even sent to the Belgian __22 community of Borinage. He discovered that the miners there __23 deplorable(悲惨的) working conditions and poverty-level wages. Their families __24__ simply to survive. He felt concerned that the small amount of money he received from the church __25 him a moderate life-style, which, __26 , seemed to him unfair.
One cold February evening, while he watched the miners trudging(步履艰难)home, he __27 an old man staggering(蹒跚)toward him across the fields, __28 in a burlap sack for warmth. Van Gogh laid his own clothing out on the bed, __29 enough for one change, and decided to give__30 away. He gave the old man a suit of clothes and gave his overcoat to a pregnant woman whose __31 had been killed in a cave-in.
He lived on starvation rations and spent his money on __32 for the miners. When children in one family had fever, though __33 himself, he packed up his bed and took it to them.
A (an) __34 family in the community offered him free room and board. Van Gogh __35__ the offer, stating that it was the final temptation he must reject if he was to __36 serve his community of poor miners.
He believed that if he wanted them to __37 him, he must become one of them. And if they were to learn of love through him, he must love them enough to __38 with them.
He was aware of the wide chasm(鸿沟)between words and actions. He knew that our lives always __39 louder and clearer than words.
Others are “ __40 ” carefully to your actions. What are you saying to them?
A.office clerk B.coal miner C.factory worker D.church minister
A.mining B.religion C.poverty D.working
A.shared B.suffered C.complained D.enjoyed
A.tried B.managed C.struggled D.worked
A.allowed B.awarded C.protected D.provided
A.in contrast B.in return C.in brief D.as a result
A.grasped B.spotted C.felt D.met
A.enclosed B.surrounded C.wrapped D.packed
A.put on B.gave up C.brought out D.set aside
A.the other B.the rest C.the unwanted D.the unused
A.husband B.brother C.sister D.father
A.toys B.food C.medicine D.things
A.poor B.lonely C.loveless D.feverish
A.wealthy B.affected C.well-known D.nearby
A.accepted B.praised C.refused D.evaluated
A.carefully B.preparedly C.faithfully D.regrettably
A.love B.trust C.praise D.help
A.share B.connect C.fight D.live
A.strike B.talk C.speak D.cry
A.leading B.pointing C.moving D.listening
A year ago, I paid no attention to English idioms, ____36___ my teacher said again and again that it was important.
One day, I ____37____ to meet an Englishman on the road, and soon we began to talk. As I was talking about ___38_____ I was studying English, the foreigner shook his head, saying, ‘You don’t say! You don’t say!’ I was ___39___. I thought, perhaps this was not a ___40__ topic. Well, I’d ___41___ change the topic. So I said to him, “Well, shall we talk about the Great Wall? ___42___ the way, have you ever ____43___ there?’
‘Certainly. Everyone back home will ____44____ me if I leave China without seeing it. It is great!’
I said, ‘The Great Wall is one of the wonders in the world. It is a place of ____45___.’ But soon I was ___46___ again by his words, ‘___47_____!’ I couldn’t help but __48____, ‘Why did you ask me not to talk about it?’
‘Well, I ___49____ ask you to do so,’ he answered, gently surprised.
I said, ‘Didn’t you say “You don’t say”?’
Hearing this, the Englishman ___50_____ to tears. He began to ___51______, “‘You don’t say!” actually means ‘really?’ It is an ___52_____ of surprise. Perhaps you don’t pay attention to English _____53______.’
Then I knew I had made a fool of ___54___. Since then I have been more __55____ with idioms
A.though B.when C.despite D.because
A.decided B.longed C.looked forward D.happened
A.what B.when C.how D.where
A.pleased B.angry C.scared D.surprised
A.proper B.interesting C.ideal D.polite
A.to B.better C.not D.like
A.On B.In C.With D.By
A.gone B.visited C.seen D.been
A.look up to B.think highly of C.be proud of D.laugh at
A.fun B.interest C.hard work D.China
A.encouraged B.shouted C.interrupted D.disturbed
A.Really B.It was great C.You don’t say D.You are right
A.ask B.to ask C.asking D.asked
A.won’t B.don’t C.couldn’t D.didn’t
A.laughed B.cried C.moved D.came
A.explain B.shout C.prove D.say
A.experience B.expression C.explanation D.example
A.learning B.idioms C.language D.phrases
A.me B.myself C.him D.himself
A.curious B.anxious C.careful D.worried
Last week I went to a supermarket. After I 36 the bill and was passing through the door, the alarm suddenly started to ring. Suddenly, a young guard ran toward me and ordered me to 37 him. I felt so upset and 38 . He took me to a small room, but I was 39 frightened that I stopped at the door. Finding me 40 to enter the room, he shouted that I had to go into the room.
He closed the door. I thought he was going to hurt me. Suddenly, a 41 voice said in my ear, “Take out the things you've stolen!” “I stole nothing.” I said. “Do as I tell you. If we find them, you’ll be in trouble.” “There is nothing.” I answered. “I didn't take anything.” I said, taking everything out of my pockets and bag.
42 this point, a guard came in and asked a salesgirl to 43 me. 44 , they found nothing.
But they didn't believe that I hadn't stolen anything. So the young guard ordered me to pass through the door alarm again.
I was 45 when it rang again. I felt 46 and burst into tears. I didn't know how to prove 47 I was innocent.
They made me go into the small room again.
“Take out the stolen things quickly, 48 we will dial 110.” They said.
“OK, call the police. I’ m not afraid.” I said 49 .
Suddenly, they 50 their tone. After a while, a salesgirl asked me to raise my feet. I did 51 she had told me. There was a label (标签) on the bottom of my shoe. That was it! That was the 52 thing that had brought me such great trouble. But it 53 my innocence.
After that, they 54 to me in the small room. But they should have apologized 55 , shouldn't they? A lot of people were there when I was taken away. What did they think of me?
A.buy B.paid C.passed D.spent
A.obey B.beg C.follow D.listen to
A.angry B.excited C.happy D.puzzled
A.very B.much C.such D.so
A.disagree B.unwilling C.voluntarily D.willingly
A.gentle B.cold C.sound D.polite
A.Of B.In C.At D.From
A.look at B.watch C.examine D.keep
A.Needless to say B.So far C.On one hand D.As a result of
A.afraid B.frightened C.shocked D.sad
A.wronged B.annoying C.confused D.unpleasant
A.what B.whether C.that D.how
A.and B.but C.or D.so
A.unhappily B.forcefully C.terribly D.widely
A.changed B.raised C.increased D.closed
A.like B.as C.according to D.as if
A.only B.last C.very D.just
A.tested B.showed C.proved D.gave
A.said B.apologized C.agreed D.promised
A.loudly B.together C.politely D.in public
You and I have principles. And we also have opinions. I have opinions about what I think is 36 or wrong, good or bad. But they’re only 37 ---I could be wrong! I won’t try to 38 my life around my opinions, but I will try to 39 my principles.
A 15-year-old boy learned a(n) 40 lesson about principles. On his way home he found a 41 that contained $127 and the owner’s identification. 42 hesitation, he hopped(快速跳) onto his bicycle and went over to the owner’s 43 ---about a mile away. He told her that he had44 her wallet and she gave him a big hug and twenty dollars.
That evening the boy told his parents about what had happened. However, his father said, “I don’t think you should have 45 $20 for doing what you should do. A person shouldn’t be 46 for being honest.”.
He thought about his father’s 47 and decided he would return the money. He returned to the lady’s home and 48 her back the twenty dollars. She didn’t want to take it, but he told her she 49 to , for his father pointed out 50 to him that he had never 51 before.
When principles 52 our decisions and actions, we actually change. These great principles 53 our lives and make us into persons of character. That boy is 54 to be raised by a wise father who had the 55 to say, “Those are my principles.”
A.right B.mistaken C.good D.bad
A.decisions B.opinions C.suggestions D.wishes
A.waste B.share C.build D.risk
A.follow B.make C.advertise D.change
A.difficult B.easy C.funny D.valuable
A.bag B.box C.wallet D.suitcase
A.Without B.In C.About D.For
A.factory B.school C.office D.house
A.found B.checked C.searched D.threw
A.received B.supplied C.accepted D.borrowed
A.blamed B.rewarded C.praised D.forgotten
A.worries B.actions C.excuses D.words
A.set B.put C.gave D.took
A.planned B.had C.preferred D.attempted
A.anything B.everything C.something D.nothing
A.realized B.guessed C.met D.taught
A.interrupt B.guide C.confuse D.allow
A.limit B.prevent C.keep D.shape
A.comfortable B.careful C.fortunate D.brave
A.chance B.right C.courage D.wisdom