A great many people are disappointed because of unrealistic expectations.
Walking up to a department store’s 1 counter, an attractive young woman said, “I want to buy this material for a new dress. How much does it cost?”
“Only one 2 per yard,” replied the smirking (自鸣得意的) male clerk.
Not to be taken back by the funny words, the woman said, “That’s fine! I’ll take ten yards.”
With 3 written all over his face, the clerk hurriedly 4 out and wrapped the cloth, and then held it out teasingly, leaning forward to receive his “ 5 ”.
The woman got the package quickly from the clerk and pointed to a little old 6 standing beside her. “Grandpa will pay the bill instead of me,” she 7 .
He was no doubt disappointed. But in the course of living, many people are 8 when others do not 9 their expectations. In order to be happy, some expectations must be dropped. These three particular 10 and unhealthy expectations are some of the main causes:
1. Expect too much 11 .When others say, “Thank you,” or in any way to show their gratitude, be happy. It is a gift!
2. Expect others to make you happy. They simply cannot do that. Make yourself happy and 12 your joy with others.
3. Expect not to be 13 . At times, people will simply not come through for you in the way you need. 14 them and move on.
Get rid of these three unrealistic expectations and you can begin to expect more 15 right away!
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I take the train to work every morning from a train station near my house. I can get to the station quite _36__ because there’s a short cut（捷径）to the station. But in the summer, it can get quite smelly because of all the 37. So I always try to 38 through it. Today I was trying to do so as usual __39__ something made me stop for a moment. I saw the most beautiful __40__ by an old woman walking in front of me with the help of a white __41__.
She was short and 42 and had white hair. She was walking __43__ as each step took some effort. I hadn’t specially noticed her 44 , until she stopped near a rubbish bin（垃圾箱）.
She slowly placed her walking stick ___45__ the rubbish bin. Then she leaned （斜倚着） on it with her right hand. She bent down and _46__ the rubbish. She clearly found it _47___ and it took her a while. She _48__ some rubbish with her left hand and slowly straightened herself up again. All the while she used the rubbish bin to __49 herself. She threw the rubbish inside the bin and then 50 walking. It all took her great effort.
There’s no much rubbish and no one ever does ___51__ about it. I was moved to _52__ this old woman make such a great effort to keep even a small part of it __53__! I haven’t been able to __54__ thinking about that all day.
I want to follow her example. I’ve decided to pick up rubbish of the __55__ if I meet from now on. I hope people will do the same as I do.
A．hard B．early C．easily D．late
A．rubbish B．boxes C．bottles D．paper
A．walk B．pass C．go D．rush
A．so B．therefore C．when D．because
A．back B．act C．mark D．color
A．bike B．stick C．dog D．umbrella
A．weak B．rich C．clever D．sad
A．quickly B．happily C．angrily D．slowly
A．at midnight B．at dusk C．at last D．at first
A．in B．around C．against D．under
A．searched for B．threw away C．reached for D．looked for
A．unable B．difficult C．different D．impossible
A．picked up B．dropped down C．put in D．lifted up
A．warm B．help C．support D．hide
A．continued B．started C．enjoyed D．remembered
A．something B．anything C．everything D．nothing
A．feel B．see C．have D．let
A．busy B．beautiful C．dirty D．clean
A．keep B．stop C．mind D．regret
A．wall B．desk C．ground D．classroom
By my third day in the hospital, I realized Tom didn’t visit. I couldn’t understand 36 my best friend wouldn’t come to see me. Struggling against the 37 , I phoned his __38 . His mother answered, and when I asked for Tom, she got 39 . “He’s not here right now,” she said. I thought it was 40 that she didn’t tell me where he was or 41 to have him call me. But I was so weak, I just let it 42 . I found out later that Tom’s mother called my parents right after we rang 43 . My phone call really made her 44 , and she 45 they talk to me. Later that night, my mom 46 . Did I remember drinking? Did I remember in a car？I had 47 what she was talking about, so she finally told me the news: I’d hit a tree. Tom, in the 48 seat, was thrown from the car and killed instantly. The only reason I’d lived was because of my 49 .
My first 50 was of shock. I’d been drink-driving? Hit a tree? Killed Tom? I felt like the 51 person in the world. Even after I was able to 52 several weeks later, I didn’t want to eat, I didn’t want to talk. I just 53 at the wall in my 54 and cried. The only person I wanted to see was Tom. I didn’t feel like 55 with any of my old friends.
A．if B．whether C．how D．why
A．pain B．doctor C．nurse D．wound
A．company B．office C．school D．house
A．sad B．quiet C．calm D．excited
A．unfair B．wrong C．strange D．unnecessary
A．offer B．allow C．permit D．refuse
A．down B．alone C．be D．go
A．off B．up C．out D．back
A．disappointed B．shocked C．anxious D．excited
A．hoped B．wished C．insisted D．ordered
A．went by B．came by C．called back D．passed by
A．understood B．believed C．no idea D．wondered
A．passenger B．drive C．front D．spare
A．doctor B．friend C．luck D．seat-belt
A．view B．reaction C．action D．idea
A．luckiest B．happiest C．worst D．most lonely
A．stand up B．get on C．go home D．eat out
A．looked B．stared C．glanced D．glared
A．sickroom B．office C．dormitory D．bedroom
A．drying out B．taking out C．setting out D．hanging out
The other day, I happened to meet someone I hadn’t seen for many years. I couldn’t believe the change in him. In fact, he didn’t even seem like the 36 person.
When I first knew Bill , back in 37 , he was one of the most carefree（无忧无虑）people I had ever 38 . He was always ready to have a party. He thought 39 of going out for beer at three o’clock in the morning or driving 15 miles to see an old 40 he really liked. Bill and I were in the same class in college, and 41 was never dull when he was 42 . With him there was one wild 43 after another. Sometimes I wonder how we 44 to study for our exams.
Last week I was in Houston on business and I ran into Bill in the bar at the hotel. 45 , I wasn’t even sure it was 46 . Was this short-haired businessman really the same person? I wasn’t really sure until I came near him but it indeed was Bill. Now he works for a bank. He 47 most of the evening about his job, his new car and his house. How he had changed! Back when we were in college, the 48 thing Bill cared about were possessions(财富). Now they seemed to be his main 49 . Although I have changed quite a bit myself, somehow I never 50 Bill changing so much. My image of him 51 the one I had formed 52 the time when we were college students together.
I suppose it’s 53 to expect people to remain the same, especially 54 I have changed so much myself. But I must say that I enjoyed the old Bill much more than the new Bill. Maybe he 55 the same way about me.
A．proper B．usual C．same D．right
A．childhood B．the army C．his thirties D．college
A．considered B．met C．supposed D．expected
A．most B．much C．nothing D．none
A．movie B．hospital C．man D．country
A．learning B．life C．work D．fun
A．in B．out C．around D．away
A．joke B．mistake C．chance D．adventure
A．managed B．continued C．decided D．hoped
A．First of all B．At first C．Now and then D．All the time
A．that B．he C．there D．us
A．thought B．spent C．argued D．talked
A．first B．next C．last D．only
A．interest B．event C．subject D．problem
A．forgot B．minded C．imagined D．liked
A．remained B．reminded C．suggested D．became
A．since B．from C．at D．till
A．unnecessary B．foolish C．common D．unusually
A．because B．that C．how D．when
A．discovered B．acted C．looked D．felt
Mother’s Day was coming，but John had been visiting customers．He was now in a small town just outside a flower shop and he knew what to do．
He went into the shop and saw a young man 26 the clerk to sell him some roses for six dollars，but the clerk just explained that roses were 27 ．
The clerk looked up at John， 28 her head．Something inside of John was 29 by the boy’s voice．John had been 30 in his business，and he looked at the clerk and 31 mouthed that he would pay for the roses．
The clerk looked at the young man and told him to get the roses for six dollars．The young man almost jumped into the 32 and ran from the store with the 33 ．It was worth the extra dollars just to see that kind of 34 ．
John ordered his own flowers and made sure that the 35 would include a note telling his mother how much he loved her．He drove away from the shop，feeling very 36 ．He caught a light about two blocks away．As he 37 at the light，he saw the young boy walking down the sidewalk．He watched him cross the street and enter a park through two huge gates．Suddenly，he 38 that it wasn’t a park but a cemetery(公墓)．
The light 39 ，and John slowly crossed the intersection．He 40 and on an impulse(冲动)got out and began to fclllow the boy．The young man stopped by a small monument and went to his 41 ．He began to cry after he carefully 42 the roses on the grave．He stared at the little boy’s heaving(起伏的) body and listened to his crying．
John turned with 43 ，and walked back to his car．He drove 44 to the shop and told the clerk he would 45 the flowers personally．He wanted to tell his mother one more time just how much he loved her．
A．begging B．ordering C．forcing D．urging
A．cheap B．beautiful C．expensive D．special
A．shaking B．waving C．nodding D．holding
A．recalled B．touched C．hurt D．lightened
A．influenced B．ruined C．buried D．blessed
A．loudly B．silently C．gently D．calmly
A．river B．air C．lake D．hole
A．money B．flowers C．basket D．cards
A．surprise B．horror C．excitement D．sadness
A．delivery B．message C．transportation D．transfer
A．relaxed B．disappointed C．good D．sorry
A．sang B．waited C．looked D．stood
A．remembered B．found C．discovered D．realized
A．flashed B．changed C．disappeared D．shone
A．drove back B．pulled over C．broke down D．burst out
A．arms B．palms C．feet D．knees
A．laid B．decorated C．set D．grew
A．laughter B．anger C．tears D．astonishment
A．slowly B．quickly C．carefully D．excitedly
A．bring B．fetch C．take D．catch
Mr. Hadley was my 6th grade teacher. I was a tall thin girl weighing barely a hundred pounds. I ended up taking a lot of 36 especially from the boys, because of my appearance. I became an extremely 37 young lady.
One day 38 in the 6th grade class was told by Mr. Hadley that we would be 39 to stand up in front of the class and read the 40 that we had completed.
When my turn came, I 41 to stand up in front of all those students and 42 to their tricks. Mr. Hadley came over to me and again 43 me to read my report. I gave it back to him. He walked to the front of the 44 and said, "Yvonne has a very good report here and I think everyone 45 to hear her read it. If I hear anyone making 46 noises or making fun of her in any way, I will let you fail right here and now. Understood?"
Mr. Hadley walked back to me and 47 me the paper, asking me to go to the front of the class. I walked to the front of the class on legs 48 were shaking and I felt a(n) 49 in my chest. Everyone were all quiet, including those boys. I stood there trying to gain 50 .
Mr. Hadley walked over to me putting his arm around me, "You can do it. I have 51 in you!" His words helped calm me. I 52 the report and instead of the kids laughing at me and 53 me, they all stood up and clapped their hands.
From that day on the kids never made fun of me again and some 54 made friends with me. I continued to be quite shy all through school 55 from that day on I knew if I had to stand up in front of class again. I could do it.
A．exercise B．interests C．trouble D．tricks
A．brave B．shy C．graceful D．selfish
A．someone B．everyone C．none D．anyone
A．allowed B．required C．advised D．warned
A．newspapers B．reports C．experiences D．texts
A．refused B．decided C．promised D．pretended
A．show off B．look back C．open up D．put down
A．asked B．forced C．ordered D．permitted
A．teacher B．classroom C．blackboard D．class
A．likes B．hates C．needs D．dares
A．quiet B．strange C．special D．little
A．left B．dropped C．offered D．handed
A．which B．what C．where D．that
A．rabbit B．idea C．warmth D．coldness
A．strength B．excuse C．calm D．encouragement
A．dependence B．support C．confidence D．result
A．read B．recited C．announced D．described
A．looking down upon B．making fun of C．losing interest in D．breaking away from
A．definitely B．fortunately C．surprisingly D．actually
A．but B．and C．so D．though