I truly feel that my mother led me here, to Morzaine, and to my future as a happy wife and business woman. When Mum 1 in October 2007,I was a cook. In December that year, while I was working for a wedding, a pearl necklace Mum had left me 2 .I was distraught(忧心如焚的). Some days later, I was 3 that a guy who was working with us that day. “could probably have made a fortune 4 the necklace he found.” 5 .he returned it. Hearing how I’d 6 Mum for six months before her death, he said, “Christmas is going to be 7 —why not go out to the Alps for a couple of weeks?”
I come to Morzaine ,a small ,friendly village in the Alps and___8_ fell in love with it .What was __9__to be a stopgap (权宜之计) trip turned into a new life .I kept travelling between London and here and felt _10__than I had in months .In December 2008 , I was __11_as a hotel manager and moved here full time .
A month later, I met Paul, who was traveling here. We fell in love. In the beginning , I didn’t want to discuss___12__, because the sadness of losing Mum__13__felt great. Paul understood that and never___14__me but, by summer, we got married. A year later, we used his saving, and the money from the sale of Mom’s house, to build our own ___15__.
We want to give our guests a __16__ feel, so each room is themed(以……为题) around memories from our lives. There are also styles to remind me of Mom ---- a tiny chair which ___17___ be in her bedroom is set in one room.
We are having a wonderful life Mum ___18___ naturally part of it, _19___ there’s no way we would be here if it wasn’t for the __20_ she gave me. I know she’s here in spirit, keeping an eye on us .
A.died B.came C.returned D.visited
A.burned B.disappeared C.broke D.dropped
A.shown B.comforted C.persuaded D.told
A.hiding B.stealing C.selling D.wearing
A.Luckily B.Naturally C.Surely D.Hopefully
A.nursed B.cured C.missed D.guarded
A.long B.hard C.merry D.free
A.suddenly B.finally C.nearly D.immediately
A.said B.proved C.supposed D.judged
A.smarter B.higher C.firmer D.lighter
A.honored B.hired C.regarded D.trained
A.travel B.business C.children D.marriage
A.recently B.once C.still D.first
A.left B.pushed C.surprised D.interrupted
A.hotel B.restaurant C.home D.shop
A.homely B.lively C.motherly D.friendly
A.ought to B.used to C.might D.could
A.takes B.keeps C.looks D.feels
A.unless B.while C.because D.though
A.money B.chair C.house D.necklace
It was a perfect day, just the right kind of day to go fishing
My 13-year-old son Jonathan and I had been this trip for weeks, and now we were sitting on the shore of a beautiful lake.
We and talked, and then, suddenly, I saw small waves my float(浮子)had been. I waited, thinking it would pop right back up again, but the float stayed the water and my heart started to beat .After a few more seconds, my fishing rod was suddenly pulled off the stick it was leaning on me and it was being towards the water.
I firmly caught hold of the fishing rod and lifted it up. This fish was ! Slowly, my son balanced on two rocks and leaned down to get the giant off the fishhook.
For just one second, he lost his and reached up with his right hand to steady . At that moment, our huge fish got off the fishing line and started to swim
I saw teas streaming down Jonathan's face. "Dad, I'm sorry. I'll never be able to this up to you." I reached out and put my hands on his shoulders. I said the following almost without thinking. "Jon, how did you feel I was reeling(往卷轴上绕起)that fish in? Were you excited?" He nodded and said,"Dad,I've never been so in my whole life!”I repied,
"Jon, wasn’t that about the most fun we've ever had together?" He nodded his head in .
Then I said, "So, why should we let a fish getting away possibly the best experience we've ever had? Let’s be happy about the fun we did have."
My son, his arms around me, said,"Dad, I love you so much!”1 him back and said softly into his ear, "I love you too, Jon."
We did catch that big fish. But I've known ever since that I didn't let the most important thing get away that day.
A.promoting B.planning C.appreciating D.setting
A.ran B.listened C.lay D.fished
A.where B.which C.in which D.that
A.over B.on C.under D.by
A.heavily B.quietly C.curiously D.regularly
A.on top of B.in front of C.behind D.against
A.taken B.dragged C.carried D.pushed
A.alive B.white C.huge D.beautiful
A.health B.temper C.balance D.bucket
A.him B.it C.himself D.itself
A.away B.beyond C.along D.up
A.pick B.build C.make D.speed
A.comments B.words C.songs D.apologies
A.although B.since C.unless D.while
A.excited B.angry C.forgetful D.puzzled
A.happiness B.surprise C.guilt D.agreement
A.bring B.mend C.shake D.ruin
A.throwing B.getting C.showing D.folding
A.held B.hugged C.followed D.pushed
A.really B.once C.never D.merely
Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in the blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.
Recently I overheard a father and daughter in their last moments together at the airport. The airline had announced her and standing near the security gate, they hugged and he said, “I love you. I wish you enough.” She said, “Dad, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Dad.” They kissed and she left.
He walked over toward the window where I was seated. Standing there I could see he wanted and needed to . I tried not to interrupt him, but he me in by asking, “Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?”
“Yes, I have,” I replied. “Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever good-bye?” “I am and she lives much too far away. I have ahead, and the reality is, the next trip back will be for my funeral” he said.
“When you were saying good-bye I heard you say, ‘I wish you enough’. May I ask what that means?”
He began to smile. “That’s a wish that has been for many generations within my family. My parents say it to everyone.”
He paused for a moment, looking up as if trying to remember it , and then he smiled and the following:
“I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.
I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much .
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish you enough ‘Hellos’ to get you enough the final ‘Good-byes’.”
Then he walked away, leaving me lost in thought.
A.arrival B.regret C.departure D.joy
A.in general B.in public C.in particular D.in turn
A.cry B.rest C.sit down D.talk
A.showed B.led C.took D.welcomed
A.ill B.strong C.old D.brave
A.stories B.challenges C.trips D.jobs
A.handed over B.handed down C.handed in D.handed out
A.ought to B.had to C.used to D.were able to
A.in detail B.in heart C.in memory D.in general
A.talked B.shared C.cried D.declared
A.bigger B.worse C.sweeter D.better
A.success B.gain C.sorrow D.loss
This was my grandmother's first Christmas without grandfather, and before he passed away we had promised grandfather that we would make this her best Christmas ever. When my parents and I at her house, we found she had waited up all night for us. The house did seem a little without grandfather.
Grandfather had always said that the Christmas was the most important decoration of all. So we immediately set to work on the beautiful artificial tree that was stored in grandfather's closet (壁橱). Through our efforts, we finally stepped back to our handiwork. It looked beautiful. something was missing.
"Where' s your star?" I asked.
The star was my grandmother' s favorite part of the tree.
"Why, it be here somewhere," she said, starting to sort through the boxes again. "Your grandfather always everything so carefully when he took the tree down."
As we emptied the boxes and no star, my grandmother's eyes filled with tears. Grandfather had given it to grandmother some fifty years ago on their first Christmas together. It brought them great happiness. Now, on her first Christmas without him, the star was , too.
"Don' t worry, Grandmother," I her. "We'll find it for you."
My mother and I formed a search . "Let' s start in on the closet where the ornaments (装饰品) were," Mother said. "Maybe the star just fell out of the box. "
That sounded , so I began to search the closet. I thought I tried every , but no star. I could see grandmother was , although she tried not to show it.
"What's in this wrapped box?" Mother suddenly called out. "It was at the bottom of father's closet. "
Grandmother took the box in and opened it. Her face when she unfolded the paper and pulled out a golden star. There was a(n) attached.
Don' t be angry with me, dear. I broke your star while packing the decorations, and I couldn't to tell you. Thought it was time for a new one. I hope it brings you as much as the first one. Merry Christmas!
Love,
Bryant
So grandmother's tree had a star after all, a star that expressed their everlasting love for one another. And we were glad we were able to make this Christmas for her.
A.arrived B.looked C.stayed D.worked
A.noisy B.empty C.safe D.clean
A.flower B.bell C.stocking D.tree
A.admire B.repair C.paint D.design
A.Or B.So C.But D.And
A.might B.must C.need D.will
A.packed B.decided C.covered D.searched
A.made B.left C.found D.felt
A.gone B.hidden C.broken D.forgotten
A.warned B.persuaded C.reminded D.comforted
A.game B.class C.company D.party
A.challenging B.reasonable C.pleasant D.difficult
A.suggestion B.direction C.possibility D.method
A.ashamed B.annoyed C.disappointed D.frightened
A.fear B.relief C.anger D.surprise
A.cleared B.brightened C.darkened D.tightened
A.article B.note C.receipt D.poem
A.bear B.afford C.wait D.agree
A.peace B.change C.luck D.joy
A.special B.funny C.relaxing D.favorite
Jay Wilson was my English teacher at Lake Forest High School. It was him realized my potential in writing, and his made me a writer eventually.
He was kind to me, but I had no that he took particular notice of me. There were other kids in the class, and soon I fell back into my usual and thought that I was just a little over average in most things. Near the end of the term, we began to read the play--Macbeth. Believe me, this is not an easy play for high school students to understand, I spent a lot of time reading it. After working till the night before it was due, I wrote a paper about the — the first paper I typed on a typewriter — and turned it the next day.
I got a good on it, and below the grade Mr. Wilson wrote, “Sure you become a writer.” That was it. Those six words were written in his clear and neat handwriting. It was the first time he or anyone had in any way that writing was a option for me. We’d never had any writers in our family line, and we didn’t know any writers personally, even , so writing for a living didn’t seem something to me. But then, just like that, Jay Wilson tapped my hidden and let me see a wider world.
Over the next 10 years, I often about Mr. Wilson’s six words. Whenever I felt discouraged, it was those six words that came back to me and gave me . When a few instructors in college gently and not-so-gently tried to tell me I had no talent, I held Mr. Wilson’s before me to protect myself. I didn’t what anyone else thought. Mr. Wilson, head of the whole English department at Lake Forest High, I could be a writer. So I put my head down and struggled forward. 396
A.when B.who C.how D.where
A.knowledge B.confidence C.influence D.assignment
A.intention B.concern C.doubt D.sense
A.older B.smarter C.richer D.luckier
A.location B.position C.motivation D.qualification
A.so B.but C.or D.for
A.work B.term C.class D.play
A.on B.off C.in D.up
A.grade B.praise C.idea D.start
A.wonder B.hope C.make D.help
A.arranged B.persuaded C.announced D.indicated
A.career B.study C.hobby D.method
A.distantly B.frequently C.actually D.obviously
A.necessary B.precious C.different D.available
A.talent B.memory C.secret D.opinion
A.worried B.thought C.heard D.wrote
A.impression B.improvement C.imagination D.strength
A.actions B.wisdom C.words D.duty
A.care B.predict C.ignore D.learn
A.proved B.said C.promised D.answered
Once, long ago, there was a man who traveled from Persia to India on foot. He had been to India before. When he arrived at a village, he happened upon a fruit stand. In that village, fruit was quite because of the lack of water. The man was looking around at the fruits when he a big basket of some very red, very long fruit. It was the cheapest fruit in the shop, not expensive at all.
the man walked up to the counter (柜台) and asked: “How per kilo?” And the shopkeeper said: “Two rupees.” Two rupees in India is . The man thought to himself: “What a !” So he bought a whole kilogram of the fruit and began to it. But after he tried a few pieces, he screamed: “Oh, my God!” His eyes watered, his mouth burned, and his face turned . He coughed and choked and gasped for breath.
But despite his , he continued to stuff the fruits into his mouth! Onlookers their heads and laughed. One man yelled: “You’re , man! Those are chilies! People use them as a condiment (佐料). You don’t just eat them by the handful like that; they’re not fruit!” But the man replied: “No, I can’t ! I paid money for them, and now I’ll eat them. It’s my money!”
You probably think this man was pretty , right? Nevertheless, I bet you or someone you know makes the same on a daily basis. People invest money, time and effort into a relationship, business or job. Even when experience tells them that it’s not , and they know there’s little hope of improvement, they still because they don’t want to waste the previous investment. But this is . It is no different than being the man who continued eating chilies because he didn’t want to waste the money he’d paid for them.
Losing something is difficult, but it is important to the loss and move on. you’ll just keep burning your mouth on hot chilies.
A.often B.never C.sometimes D.seldom
A.common B.small C.expensive D.tasteless
A.noticed B.watched C.recognized D.selected
A.Yet B.So C.Still D.Besides
A.large B.long C.many D.much
A.something B.nothing C.anything D.everything
A.bargain B.trade C.business D.regret
A.throw B.cut C.eat D.cook
A.pale B.red C.purple D.yellow
A.fear B.warning C.confusion D.pain
A.shook B.raised C.lowered D.nodded
A.amazing B.hungry C.crazy D.different
A.believe B.stop C.agree D.confuse
A.impolite B.humorous C.awkward D.stupid
A.mistake B.agreement C.impression D.explanation
A.changing B.working C.leaving D.helping
A.refuse B.worry C.ignore D.continue
A.illogical B.unusual C.unnatural D.incredible
A.remember B.improve C.recognize D.protect
A.Also B.However C.Thus D.Otherwise