My husband and I are both musicians. I took it 36 granted that one day our daughter Holly would learn to play an instrument.
In 2000 Holly fell 37 and the doctor said she may have been left 38 deaf. “She won’t be able to hear music in any shape or form,” said the doctor. It was a great 39 .
In 2001, her right ear was fitted with a cochlear implant --- electronic equipment that provides a sense of 40 for people who are completely deaf. Seven years later, another was fitted in her 41 ear. The doctors played us a model of what music would sound like to Holly --- I was horrified 42 it was just white noise.
“Holly will hear music,” I 43 saying to myself. I tried to put what had gone wrong right, so we constantly 44 words and sounds to her. She has been having lessons since she was seven . she’s 45 all the time. I’m always surprised by just how much better she does.
When she 46 a national piano competition, the adjudicator 47 Holly for appearing to listen to the sounds she was making --- her whole body, he said to us, was 48 in the process of making music.
I 49 that the model we originally heard of how music sounds with a cochlear implant isn’t 50 holly hears it. The brain is complex and adapts to many 51 ;in some way, Holly has made 52 of it all. She loves life. She doesn’t think about what happened to her and says 53 , “I don’t want to talk about bad things. Let’s talk about good things.”
I was determined that her life would not be 54 by a miserable event, but never imagined that she could 55 what she has. I can only describe this as a miracle.
A．as B．like C．for D．with
A．asleep B．ill C．silent D．short
A．partly B．nearly C．deeply D．totally
A．accident B．disease C．shock D．surprise
A．sound B．noise C．music D．voice
A．right B．left C．deaf D．good
A．although B．unless C．because D．while
A．avoided B．remembered C．imagined D．kept
A．repeated B．reflected C．reacted D．responded
A．suffering B．crying C．working D．improving
A．entered B．quitted C．lost D．visited
A．asked B．cared C．praised D．thanked
A．considered B．contained C．invited D．involved
A．remind B．believe C．advise D．forget
A．when B．how C．whether D．why
A．states B．positions C．places D．situations
A．sense B．choice C．use D．fun
A．exactly B．finally C．simply D．generally
A．influenced B．decided C．remarked D．introduced
A．achieve B．choose C．take D．expect
It was the night before the composition was due. As I looked at the list of topics(题目)， "The Art of Eating Spaghetti (意大利面条)"，caught my eye. The word "spaghetti" brought back the of an evening at Uncle Alien's in Belleville
all of us were seated around the table and Aunt Pat
spaghetti for supper. Spaghetti was an exotic (外来的)treat in
days. Never had I eaten spaghetti，and
of the grown-ups had enough experience to be
it. What laughing
we had about the
respectable method for moving spaghetti from plate to mouth.
，I wanted to write about that， but I wanted to
it down simply for my own
，not for Mr. Fleagle, my composition teacher.
，I would write something else. When I finished it the night was half gone and there was no
left to write a proper composition for Mr. Fleagle. There was no choice next morning but to
my work. Two days passed before Mr. Fleagle returned the
papers. He said, "Now, class, I want to read you a composition， ‘The Art of Eating Spaghetti’." My words ！ He was reading my words out
to the whole class.
laughed, and then the whole class was laughing with open-hearted enjoyment. I did my best not to show
, but what I was feeling was pure happiness,
my words had the power to make people
.
A. memory B. thought C. knowledge D. experience
A. when B. where C. since D. after
A. cooked B. served C. got D. made
A. their B. past C. last D. those
A. none B. one C. either D. neither
A. careful about B. good at C. fond of D. interested in
A. speeches B. lessons C. sayings D. arguments
A. nearly B. naturally C. officially D. socially
A. Especially B. Probably C. Suddenly D. Fortunately
A. settle B. put C. bite D. let
A. work B. story C. luck D. joy
A. However B. Therefore C. As for him D. Except for that
A. time B. excuse C. way D. idea
A. give up B. continue C. hand in D. delay
A. written B. graded C. collected D. used
A. loud B. fast C. publicly D. calmly
A. People B. Nobody C. Somebody D. I
A. shock B. wonder C. worry D. pleasure
A. if B. for C. while D. although
A. excited B. satisfied C. think D. laugh
“It was all his own idea,” says Pat, the wife of California high school football coach Bob Peters. Bob had ____ made a “motherhood contract(合同)”—declaring that for 70 days this summer he would ____ the care of their four children and all the housework. ____ he didn’t even know how to make coffee when he signed, he was very confident.
After 40 of the 70 days, he was ready to ____. “I was beaten down,” admits Bob. “Not only is motherhood a ____ task, it is an impossible job for any normal human being. ”
Bob and Pat were married in 2008. After they married, Pat ____ a secretary to help put him through university. ____ Bob has been the football coach while Pat raised the kids. ____ two years ago Pat went back to work. “I had been ____ children so much,” she ____, “I couldn’t talk to a grown-up.” She continued to run the household, ____ -- until Bob signed the contract.
Bob tried hard to learn cooking, but the meals he prepared were ____. For the last three weeks, the family ____ a lot--- sometimes having MacDonald’s hamburgers for lunch and dinner.
____ housekeeping, a home economics teacher had told Bob that a room always looks clean ___ the bed is made. “I found ____ –I shut the doors,” he says. Soon the kids were wearing their shirts inside out. “When we went to ____ Pat at work, I made them wear their shirts ____ side out so they would look clean.”
Now that Bob has publicly ____ he was wrong, he is ____ the child-raising and household tasks with Pat.
A．only B．just C．nearly D．ever
A．stick to B．set about C．think about D．take over
A．If B．As C．Since D．Although
A．carry on B．give up C．break down D．find out
A．strange B．pleasant C．difficult D．serious
A．sent B．employed C．learned from D．worked as
A．In time B．Before long C．Since then D．Later on
A．Then B．Thus C．So D．Still
A．near B．after C．about D．around
A．insists B．sighs C．jokes D．apologizes
A．besides B．therefore C．however D．otherwise
A．terrible B．tasty C．expensive D．special
A．starved B．traveled C．worked out D．ate out
A．Due to B．As for C．Along with D．Except for
A．until B．before C．if D．unless
A．an easier way B．a cheaper way C．a cleaner way D．a harder way
A．receive B．welcome C．greet D．fetch
A．good B．wrong C．right D．opposite
A．admitted B．suggested C．agreed D．explained
A．operating B．realizing C．sharing D．performing
The Man was very sad. He knew that the Cat's days were . The doctor had said there wasn’t anything more that could be done, and that he should take the Cat home and make him as as possible.
A rolled down the Man’s cheek and landed on the Cat’s forehead. The Cat gave him a slightly annoyed . “Why do you , Man?” the Cat asked, “Because you can’t bear the thought of me? Because you think you can never replace me?” The Man nodded, “Yes”.
“ up that piece of string from the floor-— there, my ‘toy’.”The Man reached over and picked up the string. It was about two feet long and the Cat had been able to himself for hours with it. “Now take end of the string in one hand.” the Cat ordered. The Man did so.
“The end in your left hand is my and the end in your right hand is my death. Now bring the two ends together.” the Cat said. The man did so. Then the Cat continued, “You have made a continuous . Does any point along the string appear to be different, worse or better than any other part of the string?” The Man inspected the string and then his head.
“Close your eyes.” the Cat said. “Now lick your hand.” The Man his eyes in surprise. “Just do it,”the Cat said. “Lick your hand, think of me in all my places, and think about all the pieces of string.”
Licking his hand, he discovered a cat must know — that licking a paw is very calming and allows one to think more . He continued licking and the corners of his mouth turned into the first smile he had shown in days. He waited for the Cat to tell him to , and when he didn’t, he opened his eyes. The Cat’s eyes were closed. The Man softly the warm, brown fur with his fingers , but the Cat was gone.
One day, not long after, there was a new cat on his lap. She was a lovely and white one. It is very different from his earlier Cat and very much the same.
A．gone B．numbered C．finished D．ended
A．soon B．lively C．long D．comfortable
A．tear B．rain C．sweat D．water
A．impression B．expression C．passion D．action
A．scream B．yell C．cry D．call
A．killing B．destroying C．lacking D．losing
A．Pick B．Put C．Pull D．Push
A．help B．learn C．entertain D．teach
A．each B．both C．neither D．any
A．life B．fate C．origin D．birth
A．string B．circle C．knot D．rope
A．nodded B．bowed C．shook D．bent
A．twinkled B．broadened C．widened D．closed
A．familiar B．similar C．junior D．superior
A．where B．what C．when D．that
A．cleanly B．clumsily C．clearly D．closely
A．upward B．downward C．inward D．outward
A．come B．go C．stop D．run
A．combed B．patted C．struck D．rubbed
A．friendly B．devoted C．lovely D．beloved
Leonardo da Vinci began painting the Mona Lisa in 1503. He was working a special painting for a church at that time,
the church painting was not
well. An Italian businessman asked da Vinci to paint a picture of his second
. This is the woman who
be seen in the Mona Lisa.
All in all, the Mona Lisa is a very good example of da Vinci's and it satisfied the husband. Da Vinci used
and light in a clever
in the painting. Da Vinci loved science and
. Right away a person can see that there is a lot of geometry (几何形状)in the Mona Lisa. The face of the Mona Lisa is made of many circles and
shapes like
. Even her
can be seen as a small part of a large circle. The woman in the
is sitting on a balcony (阳台)，and
can be seen behind her. Da Vinci loved to study rocks，so these can be seen
in his other paintings. The woman is sitting with her knees
the side. Her head is turned to look out of the painting. Her hands are
together in front of her. This way of
is now used by many
when they are being painted. The Mona Lisa is a
master.
A. up B. in C. on D. about
A. but B. thus C. however D. so
A. doing B. going C. making D. working
A. servant B. daughter C. nurse D. wife
A. must B. should C. might D. can
A. works B. jobs C. novels D. photos
A. heaviness B. black C. darkness D. oils
A. way B. picture C. hand D. eye
A. chemistry B. mathematics C. geography D. biology
A. square B. round C. long D. egg
A. balls B. sticks C. vases D. boxes
A. smile B. shout C. cry D. anger
A. church B. painting C. sofa D. house
A. trees B. buildings C. mountains D. flowers
A. by and by B. here and there C. over and over D. up and down
A. on B. by C. to D. beyond
A. caught B. held C. supported D. hung
A. painting B. living C. smiling D. sitting
A. women B. actresses C. girls D. models
A. remarkable B. strange C. frightening D. disgusting
A man and his girlfriend were married. It was a large .
All of their friends and came to see the lovely ceremony and to in the festivities and celebrations. All had a wonderful time. The bride was impressive her white wedding gown and the groom was very attractive in his black suit. Everyone could that the love they had for each other was .
A few months later, the wife came to the husband with a/an , "I read in a magazine about how we can our marriage," she offered. "Each of us will write a list of the things that we find a bit with the other person. Then, we can talk about how we can them and make our lives happier together."
The husband agreed. So of them went to a separate room in the house and thought of the things that annoyed them. They thought about this question for of the day and wrote down what they . The next morning, at the breakfast table, they decided that they would their lists.
"I'll start," offered the wife. She took out her list. It had many on it, enough to fill three pages. In fact, as she started reading the list, she noticed that tears were starting to appear in her husband's eyes.
"What's wrong?" she asked. "Nothing," the husband replied, "keep reading your list."
The wife continued to read until she had read all three pages to her husband. She placed her list on the table and her hands over the top of it.
"Now, you read your list," she said happily.
Quietly the husband , "I don't have anything on my list. I think that you are perfect the way you are. I don't want you to change anything for me. The wife, by his honesty and the depth of his love for her and his acceptance of her, turned her head and wept.
We have a wonderful world that is full of beauty, light and promise. Why waste time in this world looking for the bad, disappointing or annoying when we can look around us, and see the wonderful before us?
A．festival B．feast C．celebration D．holiday
A．family B．colleagues C．relatives D．neighbors
A．overcome B．undertake C．intake D．partake
A．dressed in B．pull on C．put on D．wore
A．say B．tell C．know D．learn
A．real B．actual C．true D．pure
A．proposal B．idea C．request D．command
A．expand B．strengthen C．broaden D．deepen
A．annoyed B．disturbed C．disturbing D．annoying
A．focus B．fix C．concentrate D．react
A．both B．all C．each D．neither
A．the remained B．the rest C．the left D．the following
A．came up B．came out C．came for D．came up with
A．go over B．make up C．look over D．turn to
A．matters B．topics C．items D．details
A．cleanly B．clearly C．proudly D．neatly
A．unfolded B．folded C．opened D．stretched
A．stated B．declared C．announced D．suggested
A．what B．where C．who D．that
A．encouraged B．criticized C．touched D．loved