The park bench was deserted as I sat down to read beneath the long branches of an old willow tree. 31 at life, I have a good reason to frown, for the world was intent on 32 me down.
And if that weren't enough to ruin my day, a young boy out of breath 33 me, all tired from play. He stood 34 in front of me with his head tilted down and said with great excitement, "Look what I found!" In his hand was a 35 . What a pitiful sight, its petals were all worn - not enough rain, or too little light. Wanting him to take his dead flower away and go off to play, I 36 a small smile and then looked away.
But i
nstead of 37 , he sat next to my side and placed the flower to his nose and 38 loudly with certainty, "It sure smells pretty and it must be beautiful, too. That's why I picked it; here, it's for you." The weed before me was dying or dead, not vibrant of 39 , orange, yellow or red. But I knew I must take it, or he might never leave. So I 40 for the flower, and replied, "Just what I need." Again, 41 placing the flower in my hand, he held it mid-air without reason or plan. It was then 42 I noticed for the very first time that the boy could not see: he was 43 .
I heard my voice trembling. Tears shone like the sun as I thanked him for picking the very best one. "You're welcome," he smiled, and then ran off to play, not realizing the 44 he'd had on my day. I sat there and wondered how he managed to see a 45 woman beneath an old willow tree. How did he 46 my self-indulged plight(困境)? Perhaps he'd been 47 with true sight from his heart by God.
Through the eyes of a blind child, at last I could see, the problem was not with the world; the problem was me. For all of those times I myself had been blind. I decided to see beauty, and 48 every second that belongs to mine. 49 I held that dead flower up to my nose and breathed in the 50 of a beautiful rose , I smiled as that young boy. Another flower in his hand was about to change the life of an unsuspecting old man.
A．Disappointed B．Delighted C．Excited D．embarassed
A．slowing C．letting D．pressing
A．stopped B．supposed C．informed D．approached
A．absolutely B．definitely C．right D．rightly
A．leaf B．branch C．weed D．flower
A．exposed B．showed C．managed D．tried
A．leaving B．answering C．reacting D．responding
A．whispered B．shouted C．spoke D．declared
A．styles B．sizes C．colors D．shapes
A．left B．handed C．reached D．held
A．in pace of B．in addition to C．instead of D．in return
A．where B．before C．when D．that
A．deaf B．blind C．cripple D．dumb
A．impression B．appearance C．power D．influence
A．self-satisfied s B．elf-respecting C．self-educated D．self-pitying
A．approve of B．convince of C．inform of D．know of
A．presented B．crowded C．blessed D．equipped
A．appreciate B．treasure C．spend D．admire
A．As B．Though C．Unless D．Since
A．sight B．shade C．fragrance D．flavor
How often do you let other people’s nonsense change your mood? Do you let a bad driver, impolite waiter，rude boss, or an insensitive employee 1 your day?
Sixteen years ago I learned this lesson in the back of a New York City taxi cab. One day I was in a taxi and we headed 2 the airport. We were driving in the 3 lane when suddenly a black car drove out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his 4, slide sideways，and at the very last moment our car stopped and 5 the other car by just inches！The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big accident, looked around and started6 at us.
My taxi driver just 7 and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was 8, so I said，"Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital！” This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call "The Law of the Garbage Truck".
He said, “Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of 9 full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage 10 up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on 11 . Don’t take it personally; Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Believe me. You’ll be 12 .”
So I started thinking, how often do I let Garbage Trucks run right over me? And how often do I take their garbage and 13 it to other people at work, at home, or on the street? It was then that I said, “I don’t want their garbage and I’m not going to spread it anymore.”
Life’s too short to wake up in the morning with 14 . The mark of your success is how quickly you can refocus on what’s15 in your life. See, Roy Baumeister, a psychology researcher from Florida State University，found in his extensive research that you __16 bad things more often than good things in your life. You store the bad memories more easily, and you __17 them more frequently. So love the people who treat you right. Ignore the ones who don’t. Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you _18 it！The odds are against you when a Garbage Truck comes your way, but when you follow “The Law of the Garbage Truck”，you take back control of your life. You make room for the good by 19 go of the bad.
Have a Garbage-Free Day！Have a marvelous, garbage-free day！The seeds you plant today 20 the harvest you reap tomorrow.
A．enrich B．ruin C．spare D．obtain
A．through B．to C．in D．for
A．latter B．right C．opposite D．free
A．brakes B．door C．window D．seat
A．knocked B．overtook C．missed D．lost
A．laughing B．throwing C．glancing D．yelling
A．wondered B．smiled C．ignored D．guessed
A．friendly B．angry C．tired D．disappointed
A．expectation B．passengers C．garbage D．goods
A．turns B．pushes C．holds D．piles
A．roads B．children C．you D．dustbin
A．upset B．happier C．pitiful D．frightened
A．spread B．share C．explain D．contribute
A．surprise B．pleasure C．doubt D．regrets
A．funny B．important C．strange D．embarrassing
A．remember B．forget C．value D．appreciate
A．enjoy B．exchange C．recall D．imagine
A．inspire B．take C．mend D．notice
A．letting B．consisting C．making D．dreaming
A．distinguish B．deserve C．deliver D．determine
It was a sunny day. A city man was driving along a country road with a new wagon(马车)and a beautiful pair of horses. He didn’t pay a lot of 1 to where he was going. Pretty soon he 2 that he was lost, but he 3 to drive, expecting to find his way or to 4 someone who could tell him how to get back to the 5 .
It was a long 6 road. For many hours he kept on driving. When it was almost 7 , he saw in a 8 a tall farmer ploughing the land. He stopped his 9 team of horses near the fence and called out, “Hello, farmer.”
“Hello, yourself,” the farmer replied, 10 ploughing.
“Where does the horse 11 ? He asked without knowing his languages mistakes.
“I haven’t seen it go anywhere. It 12 stays right where it is,” said the farmer, 13 stopping his work.
“How far is it to the next town?” said the city man, speaking a little 14 .
“Don’t know. I never 15 it,” replied the farmer. By this time the city man was getting 16 . “What do you know? You’re the biggest fool I 17 saw.”
18 stopping, the farmer turned and looked for a long time 19 at the city man. Then he said, “Maybe I don’t know much. 20 I am a fool. But at least I’m not lost!”
A．signs B．orders C．attention D．direction
A．realized B．recognized C．accepted D．received
A．stopped B．used C．wanted D．continued
A．miss B．meet C．look D．lose
A．town B．country C．capital D．village
A．lonely B．busy C．dirty D．crowded
A．at noon B．at night C．raining D．dark
A．truck B．pile C．field D．store
A．strong B．tired C．weak D．tiring
A．but B．went on C．stopped D．still
A．go B．lead up C．get D．show
A．always B．often C．sometimes D．seldom
A．began B．still C．without D．already
A．clearly B．lower C．more loudly D．more politely
A．judged B．measured C．saw D．studied
A．sad B．lovely C．friendly D．angry
A．ever B．often C．even D．never
A．Still B．Not C．With D．Finally
A．gladly B．immediately C．in silence D．excitedly
A．Really B．Perhaps C．Certainly D．Fortunately
My sister, Cathy, who lives in Vancouver, sent me a package full of Christmas gifts. She told me that she had 36 it in advance to make sure it would arrive at my house weeks before the 37 . Christmas was drawing near, but no package arrived. Cathy checked the tracking number every 38 with Canada Post, and every evening she would call me to 39 if there was any sign of it on our end.
The 40 always started with questions about the package, but twenty minutes later we would still be 41 . We talked about our family, such as parents, our kids, 42 and so on. Of course we also talked about our jobs. We had never made so much 43 for each other! The talk always took us back to the hours we spend together in our childhood.
By Christmas Eve we finally had to 44 the fact that the package was 45 lost. On Christmas morning, Cathy got on the phone with everyone in my 46 and told them what she had sent. Later on, after a big Christmas dinner, I had forgotten all about the 47 package when there was a knock on the door. Who could it be at such a time? As I 48 the door, a man was standing there. “I 49 this is yours.” he said, holding a package. Just then I 50 that it had been delivered to the wrong address. “I just got home from vacation,” he explained, “51 I wanted you to have this in time to open for Christmas.” I thanked this 52 stranger for taking so much trouble to 53 this gift to us on Christmas Day, and 54 thanked God that the package had been lost in the first place.
The real gift that holiday season was the new 55 to my sister who lives far away from us. Now there’s one gift I never want to give back!
A．booked B．decorated C． listed D．mailed
A．appointment B．deadline C．holiday D．party
A．year B．morning C．week D．month
A．pick out B．take out C．figure out D．find out
A．complaint B．conversation C． discussion D．quarrel
A．chatting B．arguing C． kidding D．scolding
A．gifts B．secrets C．husband D．clothing
A．food B．time C．achievement D．money
A．consider B．ignore C． accept D．study
A．entirely B．simply C．mostly D．suddenly
A．restaurant B．office C．house D．class
A．terrible B．outstanding C．big D．missing
A．opened B．locked C．left D．watched
A．understand B．forget C．know D．believe
A．expected B．dreamed C．realized D．remembered
A．because B．but C．or D．so
A．generous B．honest C．polite D．kind
A．show B．present C．return D．offer
A．silently B．carefully C．gently D．actually
A．connection B．guide C．recognition D．closeness
On Thursday afternoon Mrs. Clarke locked the door and went to the women’s 36 as usual. It was a pleasant way of passing time for an old woman who lived 37 .
When she came home she sensed 38 unusual. Had someone got in? The back door and the 39 were all locked and there was no sign of forced entry ( 进入). Had anything been 40 ? She went from room to room, checking, and found her camera and watch 41 .
The following Thursday she went out at her 42 time, but she didn’t go to the club. 43 , she took a short walk in a park nearby and came home, 44 herself in through the back door. She settled down to wait and see what would45 .
It was 4 o’clock when the front doorbell rang. Mrs. Clarke was making tea at the time. The bell rang again, and 46 she heard her letter-box being pushed open. 47 the kettle（壶）of boiling water, she moved quietly towards the door. A piece of wire appeared through the letter-box, and then a 48 . The wire turned and caught around the knob (圆型旋包钮) on the door-lock. Mrs. Clarke raised the kettle and 49 _ the water over the hand. 50 __ was heard outside as the 51 fell to the floor and the hand was pulled back, which was 52 by the sound of running feet.
It wasn’t long 53 the police caught the thief. And Mrs. Clarke was greatly 54 at the club for her successful 55 .
A．organization B．party C．movement D．club
A．lonely B．alone C．away D．busily
A．everything B．nothing C．something D．anything
A．windows B．rooms C．doors D．gates
A．found B．opened C．taken D．broken
A．losing B．missing C．leaving D．disappearing
A．same B．spare C．special D．usual
A．Therefore B．However C．Instead D．Again
A．pushing B．letting C．pulling D．leading
A．appear B．follow C．happen D．continue
A．the next moment B．for a while C．in time D．at once
A．Putting down B．Laying aside C．Picking up D．Taking away
A．knife B．hand C．letter D．key
A．spread B．dropped C．poured D．covered
A．A sad voice B．A sharp cry C．A warning shout D．A strange noise
A．key B．kettle C．door-lock D．wire
A．followed B．caused C．produced D．ended
A．before B．since C．until D．when
A．surprised B．admired C．inspired D．supported
A．self-satisfaction B．self-protection C．self-respect D．self-service
Years ago, I worked in an office in Halifax. We had large windows overlooking a busy street. I stood by one of them. When a woman in a passing car __36__and made eye contact, naturally, I __37__.
It was the beginning of a year of window antics（古怪行径）. When things were __38 _, I stood in the window and waved at the passengers who looked up. And this made me laugh- work __39__ was washed away.It didn't __40__ long to attract the following - a man with a construction truck, the carpool crowd and the business lady with her children….When waving became ___41___, I made signs: "Hi!", "Hello!", "Be Happy!" I ___42__ them in the window and waved.
Christmas approached. Job cuts were announced. Several co-workers would ___43___their jobs. Stress reached a high point. Everyone was ___44__. We needed something to break the tension.While working a night __45 _, a red lab jacket __46_ my attention.I used my __47__ andturned it into a Santa’s costume. The next day my co-workers gathered around me and __48 _for the first time in weeks.Just then my boss walked through the door. He looked up, saw me, paused, __49__ his head, turned and left.
I __50_ trouble. The phone on the desk rang. It was my boss. "Mike, come to my office!" Entering his office, I felt nervous. "Mike... "That was all he managed to say. Tears _51__ in his eyes, as I sat silent and confused. When he regained __52_ , he said, "Thanks, Mike! With the job cuts, it's been hard to enjoy the __53__season. Thanks for the laugh, I needed it.”
That evening, and every evening of the Christmas season, I stood __54__ in the window and waved to my __55_ . The bus crowd waved wildly, and the little children smiled at the strange Santa. My heart filled with joy. For a few minutes each day, we could forget the loss of jobs.
A．speeded up B．broke down C．looked up D．pulled though
A．shouted B．hid C．left D．waved
A．slow B．bad C．right D．important
A．pleasure B．stress C．experience D．challenge
A．spend B．take C．cost D．pay
A．encouraging B．embarrassing C．moving D．boring
A．saw B．read C．posted D．painted
A．lose B．seek C．finish D．take
A．terrified B．satisfied C．depressed D．exhausted
A．class B．shift C．club D．party
A．pulled B．attracted C．deserved D．attacked
A．imagination B．relation C．experience D．strategy
A．spoke B．laughed C．acted D．returned
A．nodded B．shook C．raised D．lower
A．took B．put C．feared D．avoid
A．fell B．formed C．dried D．disappeared
A．confidence B．balance C．control D．strength
A．Labor B．Christmas C．Thanksgiving D．National
A．luckily B．eagerly C．proudly D．naturally
A．boss B．children C．co-workers D．fans