In a class I teach for adults, I recently did the “unpardonable．” I gave the class homework!
The assignment （任务） was to “go to someone you love 36 the next week and tell them you love them．It 37 to be someone you have never 38 those words to before or at least haven’t shared those words with for a long time．” That doesn’t 39 like a very tough assignment, 40 you stop to realize that most of the men were over 35 and were 41 in the generation of men that were taught that expressing emotions is not “macho （男子汉气概的）．” Showing feelings or crying （heaven forbid!） was just not done 42 this was a very threatening assignment for some．
At the 43 of our next class, I asked if someone wanted to 44 what happened when they told someone they loved them．I fully expected one of the 45 to volunteer, as was usually the 46 , but on this evening one of the men raised his hand．He appeared quite moved and a bit 47 ．As he unfolded out of his chair, he began by saying, “Dennis．I was quite 48 with you last week when you gave us the assignment．I didn’t think that I had 49 to say those words to and 50 , who were you to tell me to do something that personal? But as I began driving home my conscience （良知） started talking to me．It was telling me that I 51 exactly who I needed to say I love you to．You see, five years ago, my father and I had a heated 52 and really never resolved it since that one．We 53 seeing each other unless we absolutely had to at Christmas or other family gatherings．But 54 then, we hardly spoke to each other．So last．Tuesday 55 I got home, I had convinced myself．I was going to tell my father I loved him．”
A．after B．before C．for D．within
A．has to B．ought to C．had better D．can
A．told B．said C．talked D．spoken
A．look B．hear C．listen D．sound
A．when B．until C．that D．unless
A．born B．grown C．raised D．risen
A．And B．But C．So D．For
A．beginning B．end C．middle D．stating
A．announce B．share C．answer D．ask
A．men B．adults C．students D．women
A．case B．thing C．story D．experience
A．afraid B．shaken C．terrible D．worried
A．happy B．pleased C．angry D．satisfied
A．everybody B．nobody C．someone D．anyone
A．else B．except C．beside D．besides
A．thought B．considered C．knew D．guessed
A．disagreement B．encouragement C．disappointment D．discouragement
A．imagined B．risked C．avoided D．escaped
A．still B．even C．just D．only
A．by the time B．at the time C．for the time D．during the time
My family came to America in 1985.__1__of us spoke a word of English. Each morning，I disliked going to school for fear of not __2__what people were saying.
Very soon my mother noticed something was__3__me.The pain and care I saw in her moonshaped eyes made me burst into tears. I explained to her the __4__I had of going to school. “Learning English is not__5__，” my mother said. She cheerfully __6__the two of us work together to learn the language at home.The__7__and determination my mother had were admirable because English was as __8__ to her as it was to me.
That afternoon，I saw my mother in a different light as she __9__me by the school fence. Although she was the__10__of all the mothers there，her face with her welcoming smile and big，black eyes was the most __11__.The afternoon sun shone__12__on her long，black hair creating an atmosphere that __13__ her from others.
My mother and I immediately began reading together and __14__five new words a day. My mother，with her encouraging __15__，made the routine fun and interesting. The fact that she was sacrificing her__16__ time before going to work so that I could learn English made me see the __17__she possessed. Very soon I began to comprehend what everyone was saying.
It has been seven years since that reading __18__with my mother. She is now 43 and in her second year at college. My brother and I have a strong __19__ of who we are because of the strong values my mother established for herself and her children.My__20__and gratitude for her are endless. This is why my mother is truly the guiding light of my life.
A．All B．One C．Some D．None
A．hearing B．mastering C．understanding D．noticing
A．changing B．disappointing C．hurting D．troubling
A．fear B．emotion C．sense D．difficulty
A．dull B．necessary C．impossible D．easy
A．decided B．suggested C．promised D．allowed
A．hope B．consideration C．confidence D．progress
A．new B．easy C．familiar D．rough
A．sent for B．picked up C．waited for D．looked for
A．earliest B．latest C．tallest D．shortest
A．promising B．relaxing C．confusing D．exciting
A．directly B．brightly C．slightly D．clearly
A．separated B．distinguished(区别) C．saved D．prevented
A．discussing B．reviewing C．memorizing D．writing
A．virtue(美德) B．teaching C．attitude D．skill
A．working B．shopping C．learning D．resting
A．determination B．kindness C．trick D．consciousness
A．experience B．course C．practice D．comprehension
A．sense B．duty C．influence D．intention
A．care B．admiration C．feeling D．envy
I think that the most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen. Just listen. Perhaps the most 36 thing we ever give to each other is our attention (注意力). Especially if it’s 37 from the heart. When people are talking, there’s no need to do 38 but receive them. Listen to what they’re saying. Care about it. Most times 39 about it is even more important than understanding it.
One of my patients told me that when she tried to tell her story, people often 40 to tell her that they once had something just 41 that happened to her. Her pain became a story about 42 . So, finally she stopped 43 to most people because she just felt too lonely. When we interrupt what someone is 44 to let them know that we understand, we 45 the focus of attention to ourselves. But if we just 46 , they know we care. Many people with cancer can talk about the relief (宽慰) of having someone just listen.
I have 47 learned to respond to someone crying by just listening. I 48 that passing a person a tissue (面巾纸) may be just another 49 to shut them down and take them out of their experience of 50 . Now I just listen. When they have 51 all they need to cry, they find me there with them.
This 52 thing has not been that easy to learn. It certainly went against everything I had been taught since I was very 53 . I thought people listened only 54 they were too shy to speak or did not know the 55 . A loving silence often has far more power to heal than words.
A．easy B．important C．stupid D．terrible
A．used B．lost C．got D．given
A．anything B．everything C．something D．nothing
A．worrying B．complaining C．caring D．dreaming
A．decided B．managed C．preferred D．interrupted
A．by B．like C．about D．with
A．themselves B．ourselves C．himself D．yourself
A．working B．studying C．talking D．smiling
A．writing B．saying C．reading D．copying
A．learn B．stop C．leave D．move
A．smell B．speak C．listen D．watch
A．even B．hardly C．early D．never
A．explained B．realized C．expected D．imagined
A．question B．touch C．love D．way
A．regret B．happiness C．sadness D．anger
A．cried B．shouted C．called D．whispered
A．difficult B．simple C．funny D．whole
A．old B．tall C．young D．beautiful
A．if B．but C．or D．because
A．plan B．result C．answer D．award
I was watching a TV series one night when I took in one scene. A man was seeking his community votes, and people 36 wanted to know why they should give him their 37 . He took them to his house and on every 38 in his house was the word “Faith” pasted. People raised lots of 39 to find out why the word was pasted on his mirrors. He said, “My dad often 40 me to believe that as long as you have 41 , you should have faith. Every time you look in to the mirror, you’re looking at yourself and see ‘Faith’. ”
The 42 I learned from this is simple — faith is a living thing and in the same way we’re all 43 given 24 hours a day and we’re all given the same measure of faith. Faith keeps us going when things get 44 ! Why is some people’s faith stronger than that of others? Exercise! If we choose to exercise our faith, it will 45 ; but if we choose not to, it remains weak. Some people might 46 that they don’t have faith, but we all practice faith every day even if we don’t 47 it was faith. Daily 48 , such as studying, investing or reaching for a dream, take faith.
Faith 49 hearing and doing. I made a decision yesterday — to 50 reading the newspaper full of too much sad and 51 news. Why? Because I 52 there was a drop of my mental state after reading the newspapers.
Faith, when it’s put to 53 , becomes a beautiful thing, It lifts your mental state to a higher place that 54 you to raise yourself up and declare, “Yes we can.” So make the decision today to strengthen your faith by 55 it.
A．mostly B．briefly C．bravely D．finally
A．support B．instruction C．pity D．information
A．wall B．mirror C．picture D．book
A．questions B．voices C．rules D．standards
A．teaches B．permits C．forces D．promises
A．friendship B．breath C．wealth D．success
A．view B．lesson C．choice D．example
A．extremely B．freely C．equally D．frequently
A．strange B．difficult C．funny D．different
A．stay B．return C．slow D．grow
A．realize B．argue C．understand D．predict
A．agree B．appreciate C．admire D．acknowledge
A．services B．steps C．tasks D．experiment
A．comes from B．dreams of C．feels like D．keeps on
A．consider B．delay C．stop D．risk
A．various B．genuine C．negative D．latest
A．heard B．noticed C．declared D．explained
A．check B．list C．sleep D．work
A．warns B．causes C．orders D．forbids
A．forming B．exercising C．obtaining D．thinking
The Spring Festival marks the first day of a new year, so the first meal is rather important. People from the North and the South have different 36 about the foods they eat on this 37 day. In Northern China, people 38 eat Jiaozi. The word Jiaozi in Chinese means the 39 and the beginning of time. According to historical 40 , in the past people from the North and the South both ate Jiaozi on Chinese New Year’s Day. Perhaps 41 the areas in Southern China 42 more rice than those in Northern China, southern people slowly 43 to eat many other kinds of food on New Year’s Day. 44 , the most common foods for the first 45 are noodles, New Year Cake and Tangyuan. The noodle 46 long life. The New Year Cake is called Niangao in Chinese, which 47 the hope of improvement in 48 year after year. Tangyuan is a symbol of 49 according to the Chinese.
To 50a New Year visit to relatives and friends is an important activity during the Spring Festival. People also send cards to 51a New Year’s greeting. What children love most is to set off firecrackers. 52 , as the pace of life is becoming faster and faster, people have 53 new ways to celebrate the Chinese traditional New Year. For example, many people no longer send out greeting cards. 54 , they use short messages or emails. Also to travel during the New Year holidays has come into 55 .
A．word B．habits C．meanings D．stories
A．usual B．unforgettable C．common D．special
A．seldom B．usually C．always D．hardly
A．end B．future C．result D．effect
A．reasons B．records C．notes D．stories
A．as long as B．though C．when D．because
A．caused B．took C．produced D．brought
A．understood B．knew C．made D．began
A．Besides B．Therefore C．Consequently D．Usually
A．subject B．title C．program D．meal
A．symbolizes B．reveals C．shows D．indicates
A．transports B．represents C．fetches D．takes
A．health B．family C．life D．work
A．reunion B．luck C．happiness D．harmony
A．do B．pay C．get D．carry
A．express B．describe C．establish D．define
A．Luckily B．Unfortunately C．However D．Besides
A．given away B．made out C．got into D．taken up
A．Instead B．Fortunately C．Moreover D．Furthermore
A．fashion B．effect C．sight D．power
Twenty-first century humanity has mapped oceans and mountains, visited the moon, and surveyed the planets. But for all the progress, people __1 don’t know one another very well.
That brings about Theodore Zeldin’s “ 2 of conversation” — events 3 individuals sit in pairs with persons they don’ t know for three hours of 4 talk designed to help people know better about each other.
Mr. Zeldin heads Oxford Muse, a l0-year-old foundation based on the _5 that what people need is not more information, but more inspiration and encouragement.
The “feast” in London looks 6 at politics or events, but at how people have felt about work, relations among the sexes, hopes 7 fears, enemies and authority, the shape of their lives. The “menu of _8 ” includes topics like “How have your concerns changed 9 the years?” Or, “What have you done against the past?”
As participants gathered, Zeldin opened with a speech: that despite _10 communications like QQ and MSN in a globalized age, issues of human heart 11 . Many people are lonely, or occupied in dealing with their daily businesses that discourage knowing the _ 12 _ of one another. “We are trapped in _ 13 _ conversations and the whole point now is to think, which is sometimes painful,”he says. “But 14 _ interaction is what separates us from other species, __15 maybe dogs that do have interactions with humans.”
The main rules of the “feast”: Don’t 16 _ with someone you know or ask questions you would not answer. The only awkward moment came when the multi-racial crowd of people of different ages, in sun hats, ties and __17_, looked to see 18 they would talk with for hours. 19 15 minutes later, everyone was seated and talking, continuing full force until organizers interrupted them 180 minutes later.
Some said they felt free to talk on 20 topics. Thirty-something Peter, from East London, said that “it might take weeks or months to get to the level of interaction we suddenly opened up.”
A．still B．already C．even D．yet
A．topic B．subject C．idea D．feast
A．what B．when C．that D．where
A．free B．organized C．guided D．random
A．theory B．idea C．opinion D．fact
A．not B．not only C．never D．ever
A．but B．and C．or D．with
A．talk B．speech C．conversation D．communication
A．during B．over C．for D．within
A．convenient B．accessible C．immediate D．instant
A．leave B．appear C．disappear D．remain
A．depth B．well C．truth D．good
A．small B．daily C．deep D．shallow
A．thinking B．talking C．communicating D．lecturing
A．with B．besides C．except D．from
A．talk B．pair C．involve D．sit
A．dresses B．skirts C．T-shirts D．coats
A．which B．whom C．who D．that
A．So B．And C．But D．Then
A．hot B．popular C．sensitive D．private