Children find meanings in their old family tales.
When Stephen Guyer’s three children were growing up, he told them stories about how his grandfather, a banker, 36 all in the 1930s, but did not lose sight of what he valued most. In one of the darkest times 37 his strong-minded grandfather was nearly 38 , he loaded his family into the car and 39 them to see family members in Canada with a 40 , “there are more important things in life than money. ”
The 41 took on a new meaning recently when Mr. Guyer downsized to a 42 house from a more expensive and comfortable one. He was 43 that his children ,a daughter, 15, and twins, 22, would be upset. To his surprise, they weren’t. 44 , their reaction echoed （共鸣） their great-grandfather’s. What they 45 was how warm the people were in the house and how 46 of their heart was accessible.
Many parents are finding family stories have surprising power to help children 47 hard times. Storytelling experts say the phenomenon reflects a growing 48 in telling tales, evidenced by a rise in a storytelling events and festivals.
A university 49 of 65 families with children aged from 14 to 16 found kids’ ability to 50 parents’ stories was linked to a lower rate of anger and anxiety.
The 51 is telling the stories in a way children can 52 . We’re not talking here about the kind of story that 53 , “ When I was a kid, I walked to school every day uphill both ways, barefoot in the snow. ” Instead, we should choose a story suited to the child’s 54 , and make eye contact （接触） to create “a personal experience”. We don’t have to tell children 55 they should take from the story and what the moral is . ”
A．missed B．lost C．forgot D．ignored
A．when B．while C．how D．why
A．friendless B．worthless C．penniless D．homeless
A．hope B．promise C．suggestion D．belief
A．tale B．agreement C．arrangement D．report
A．large B．small C．new D．grand
A．surprised B．annoyed C．disappointed D．worried
A．Therefore B．Besides C．Instead D．Otherwise
A．talked about B．cared about C．wrote about D．heard about
A．much B．many C．little D．few
A．beyond B．over C．behind D．through
A．argument B．skill C．interest D．anxiety
A．study B．design C．committee D．staff
A．provide B．retell C．support D．refuse
A．trouble B．gift C．fact D．trick
A．perform B．write C．hear D．question
A．means B．ends C．begins D．proves
A．needs B．activities C．judgments D．habits
A．that B．what C．which D．whom
I was 16 and I grew up in a community called Estepona. One morning, Dad told me I could drive him into a ___31___ village called Mijas, on condition that I took the car in to be ___32___ at a nearby garage. I readily accepted. I drove Dad into Mijas, and ___33____ to pick him up at 4 pm, then dropped off the car at the ___34___. With several hours to spare, I went to a theater. ___35___, when the last movie finished, it was six. I was two hours late!
I knew Dad would be angry if he ___36___ I'd been watching movies. So I decided not to tell him the truth. When I ____37____ there I apologized for being late, and told him I'd ___38__ as quickly as I could, but that the car had needed some major repairs. I'll never forget the ___39___ he gave me. "I'm disappointed you ___40___ you have to lie to me, Jason." Dad looked at me again. "When you didn't ___41___, I called the garage to ask if there were any ___42___, and they told me you hadn't yet picked up the car." I felt ____43___ as I weakly told him the real reason. A___44___passed through Dad as he listened attentively." I'm angry with ___45___. I realize I've failed as a father. I'm going to walk home now and think seriously about___46___ I've gone wrong all these years." "But Dad, it's 18 miles!" My protests and apologies(道歉) were __47___. Dad walked home that day.I drove behind him, ___48___ him all the way, but he walked silently.
Seeing Dad in so much ___49___ and emotional(情感的) pain was my most painful experience. However, it was ___50____ the most successful lesson. I have never lied since.
A．familiar B．distant C．small D．lonely
A．serviced B．watched C．washed D．kept
A．planned B．agreed C．determined D．promised
A．company B．village C．theater D．garage
A．However B．Still C．So D．Then
A．discovered B．realized C．recognized D．thought
A．walked B．ran C．hurried D．went
A．come B．arrived C．left D．started
A．face B．look C．word D．appearance
A．find B．feel C．believe D．decide
A．drive out B．come out C．go away D．turn up
A．mistakes B．questions C．problems D．changes
A．sorry B．nervous C．surprised D．frightened
A．silence B．nervousness C．sadness D．thought
A．me B．nobody C．myself D．yourself
A．when B．how C．why D．where
A．useless B．worthless C．helpless D．meaningless
A．persuading B．following C．begging D．asking
A．possible B．physical C．natural D．personal
A．also B．actually C．almost D． always
According to legend, a young man while wandering the desert came across a spring of delicious crystal-clear water. The water was so sweet, he 21 his leather container so he could bring some 22 to a tribal elder who had been his teacher.
After a four-day journey he 23 the water to the old man who took a deep drink, 24 warmly and thanked his student lavishly for the sweet water. The young man returned to his village with a happy 25 .
Later, the teacher let another student 26 the water. He spat it 27 , saying it was awful. It 28 had been no longer fresh and 29 unpleasant to drink because of the old leather container.
The student challenged his teacher: “Master, the water was smelly. Why did you 30 to like it?”
The teacher replied, “You only tasted the water. I tasted the 31 . The water was simply the container for an act of loving-kindness and nothing could be 32 .”
I think we understand this lesson best when we receive 33 gifts of love from young children. 34 it’s a tray or a bracelet, the 35 and proper response is 36 and expressed thankfulness because we love the idea within the gift.
Gratitude doesn’t always come naturally. 37 , most children and many adults value only the thing given 38 the feeling embodied in it. We should remind ourselves and 39 our children about the beauty and purity of feelings and expressions of gratitude. 40 , gifts from the heart are really gifts of the heart.
A．packed B．filled C．took D．carried
A．in B．away C．back D．up
A．presented B．mailed C．delivered D．showed
A．said B．laughed C．smiled D．nodded
A．heart B．mind C．moment D．occasion
A．smell B．watch C．taste D．feel
A．away B．out C．off D．on
A．apparently B．still C．sadly D．quickly
A．however B．instead C．nevertheless D．therefore
A．change B．pretend C．determine D．agree
A．sweat B．sense C．promise D．gift
A．clearer B．fresher C．sweeter D．purer
A．simple B．innocent C．worthless D．meaningless
A．Whether B．If C．Whatever D．Whichever
A．pretended B．lovely C．abnormal D．natural
A．devotion B．comfort C．imagination D．appreciation
A．Unfortunately B．Frankly C．Strangely D．Possibly
A．other than B．rather than C．better than D．more than
A．persuade B．teach C．improve D．advise
A．In a word B．Otherwise C．Thus D．After all
Recent studies show that only one out of three people have strong and healthy self-confidence. That 36 two out of every three people simply don’t know the37 they already have to be successful when it’s 38 there in their hands! 39 if you want others to believe in you, you have to believe in yourself first. Remember: “No one can make you feel inferior (差的) unless you 40 them.” A successful businessman says, “You can’t push anyone up a ladder 41 he knows he can climb himself.”
Many of us have an image 42 , the image（形象）we have of ourselves. 43 one guy put it: “You can’t win a horse race if you think you look 44 on a horse.” To succeed, the first person you have to 45 is yourself! So stop believing your own lies about yourself. Just 46 your mind and you’ll change your life.
One of the most harmful weapons that can kill your success in life is the two little words: “47 ”. You know that people used to 48 that if human beings traveled faster than 30 miles an hour it would 49 our circulation（循环）of blood and kill us? Thank goodness a few people didn’t believe that 50 thinking, or we wouldn’t be riding in cars, buses, and flying in airplanes today. You’ll never know until you 51 .
Roger Bannister was the first human being to run a mile in less than 4 minutes. But 52 he did it, most people in the world didn’t think it was even 53 Yet only weeks after Bannister did it, suddenly 54 all over the world began running a mile in less than 4 minutes! If we believe something can be done, we’ll 55 do it.
A．reflects B．means C．reads D．explains
A．chance B．strength C．reason D．ability
A．immediately B．properly C．right D．accurately
A．But B．Because C．What D．While
A．challenge B．let C．admit D．help
A．if B．except C．unless D．until
A．quiz B．question C．mystery D．problem
A．As B．When C．While D．Since
A．curious B．good-looking C．funny D．serious
A．knock B．beat C．strike D．defend
A．settle B．bend C．fix D．change
A．I failed B．Not me. C．I can’t D．Can I?
A．think B．imagine C．expect D．doubt
A．start B．help C．close D．stop
A．empty B．silly C．reasonable D．terrible
A．realize B．try C．understand D．judge
A．before B．after C．since D．because
A．likely B．unbelievable C．impossible D．possible
A．runners B．workers C．competitors D．players
A．simply B．seldom C．usually D．never
Engaged in work, Rose aged 27, reached the destination hurriedly to meet visitors：her parents were coming in for Thanksgiving from her hometown．But as she hurried down the 36 stairs，she started to feel 37。When she got to the platform，Rose felt weak and tired--maybe it hadn’t been a good idea to give blood the night before，she thought．She rested herself 38 a post close to the tracks．
Several yards away，Frank,43 and his girlfriend, Jennifer found a spot close to 39 the front of the train would stop. They were deep in 40 about a house they were thinking of buying. But when he heard the scream, 41 by someone yelling，“Oh，my God，she fell in!” Frank didn’t hesitate．He 42 down to the tracks and ran some 40 feet toward the body lying on the rails.
“No! Not you!” his girlfriend 43 after him．
She was 44 to be alarmed．By the time Frank reached Rose，he could feel the tracks 45 and see the light coming. The train was about 20 46 from the station. It was 47 to lift her．She was just out．But he managed to raise her four feet to the platform so that bystanders could hold her by the grip and 48 her away from the edge．That was where Rose briefly regained 49 ，felt herself being pulled along the ground, and someone else holding her 50 ．Rose thought she’d been robbed．A woman held her hand and a man gave his shirt to help 51 the blood pouring from her head．52 she tried to talk but she couldn’t, and that was when she realized how much pain she was in．
Police and fire officials 53 arrived，and Frank told what had happened.Jennifer said her boyfriend was calm on their 40-minute train ride downtown---just as he had been seconds after the 54 which made her think about her 55 at the time．“I saw the train coming and 1 was thinking he was going to die，”she explained．
A．store B． underground C． train D． platform
A．proud B． excited C． dizzy D． disappointed
A．against B． by C． near D． around
A．how B． which C． where D． when
A．argument B． conclusion C． expectation D． discussion
A．followed B． accompanied C． caught D． controlled
A．looked B． jumped C． turned D． fell
A．screamed B． cried C． shouted D． stopped
A．about B． going C． right D． willing
A．moving B． damaging C． cracking D． shaking
A．minutes B． seconds C． miles D． moments
A．easy B． impossible C． hard D．possible
A．push B． drag C． held D．took
A．life B． consciousness C． help D．thoughts
A．body B． purse C． hand D．shoes
A．press B． wipe C．stop D．keep
A．And B． But C．So D． Since
A．actually B． slowly C．soon D． unnecessarily
A．risk B． rescue C．acquaintance D．appointment
A．action B． reaction C．safety D．case
On Sundays my father always wore that gray apron（围裙）?the one with the race cars all over it． 21 _breakfast Dad always announced: "Go ahead everyone．I'll 22 the dishes!"
I suppose it was23 for a boy's father to wear an apron? even one with race cars? 24 I never thought much of it until the last Sunday in August．As we25 home slowly from church together, my father seemed very26 ．"Tommy," he said letting my name roll off his 27 ．"There comes a time in every boy's 28 when he must take on responsibilities．It's time you29 a greater role in the family．From now on, I want you to__30__the dishes on Sunday morning, so your mother and I can work the crossword puzzle（纵横字谜）together．"
"The dishes!?" I 31 in surprise．
"Anything wrong with taking over the dishes, son?" father said．
I started to say something about a man's 32 or woman's work, but I knew immediately that my protests（抗议）would be33 .
I didn't taste a bit of34 that morning．Dad seemed joyful as he described an American game．
At the end of the meal, my father 35 : "Let's go read the paper, Honey．" "Aren't you doing the dishes?" my 36 asked surprisedly．Father smiled and said, "your oldest son has37 to fill the position．"
"I want you to have this apron on, Tommy．It'll keep your clothes from getting38 ．" And before I could go against it, he had put the thing on me．"Thanks, Son．Your mother and I39 this．"
With that he disappeared into the Sunday paper．I looked40 at the dishes．I could see my dad reaching for the dishes．He was always happy to help the family．My anger soon flew off and I began to sing．
A．Until B．During C．Before D．After
A．keep up B．take care of C．look for D．turn over
A．important B．natural C．strange D．exciting
A．but B．so C．because D．when
A．rushed B．hurried C．walked D．danced
A．happy B．angry C．sad D．mad
A．eyes B．tongue C．ears D．hands
A．death B．school C．work D．life
A．made B．played C．did D．carried
A．do B．buy C．break D．set
A．smiled B．laughed C．whispered D．screamed
A．game B．joy C．job D．feeling
A．turned down B．turned to C．turned up D．turned off
A．breakfast B．lunch C．supper D．juice
A．ordered B．announced C．demanded D．chatted
A．brother B．sister C．mother D．friend
A．started B．gone C．managed D．offered
A．cold B．warm C．dry D．wet
A．hate B．scold C．appreciate D．require
A．up B．down C．out D．on