Ever since I was little, my favourite season was winter. I loved to play in the snow and enjoy the hot chocolate.
46, winter never gave me the special gift of snow on my birthday. I would ask my grandmother 47 it didn’t snow on my birthday. She would laugh and tell me I asked too many questions. 48 one day, she promised（许诺）that she would make it snow on my next birthday.
That year, 49 my birthday, my grandmother died. I was sad but angry because she had promised to make it snow. The day of my sixth birthday, I woke up and ran to the window, 50 to see just one snowflake. But there was no snow. I felt mad at my grandmother. She had broken a promise.
By my sixteenth birthday, I 51 all hope of getting my snow, even though I still wished for 52. During my party, I stayed with my friends and family and was truly happy. I 53 the best time ever! Then I saw the white snow 54 down all around. I was so excited that I ran around screaming(尖叫) and laughing. My friends all laughed 55 me, but I didn’t care.
When I 56 home, my grandpa said he had a gift for me. I was 57 because he had given me a gift. It was a small white box, which looked old. I opened it. There was a crystal snowflake(水晶雪花) with a card that 58 , “Happy Birthday.”
How could this be? My grandpa said it was my grandmother’s final 59 on my “sweet sixteenth”. I cried.
I was 60 that my smiling grandmother angel was and had been watching over me.
A．Certainly B．Unfortunately C．Importantly D．Luckily
A．when B．how C．whether D．why
A．But B．Or C．Then D．So
A．on B．after C．before D．in
A．hoped B．hoping C．to hope D．hope
A．was losing B．lost C．would lose D．had lost
A．it B．her C．him D．me
A．had B．was C．played D．feared
A．fell B．to fall C．fallen D．falling
A．with B．at C．from D．off
A．arrived at B．remained C．got D．entered
A．excited B．confused C．pleased D．frustrated
A．wrote B．said C．explained D．appeared
A．order B．mistake C．wish D．decision
A．certain B．angry C．sad D．anxious
Today, clothes are made in many different colours. They are also made from many different
like wool, cotton, linen and silk. Most people own lots of clothes. Each day, they choose what to wear.
Clothes
Clothes cover our bodies and protect us from the weather. They can also make us feel good about the way we look. Sometimes, our clothes tell other people about us, such as the work we do or what religion(宗教) we are. People have been wearing clothes for many thousands of years, but the clothes people wore long ago were different from the clothes people wear today.
Fashion
Fashion means the kinds of clothes that are popular at one time. Ancient Romans wore dresses. Some Romans wore togas(宽外袍) to special events. Long ago, women in some countries wore corsets under their dresses. Corsets were pulled in tight and tied at the back, so they weren’t to wear. Women wore corsets to make their waists (腰)look smaller. Fashion . It can be different from place to place. However, most people today wear simple clothes that are easy to put on and care for. Clothes need to be for the climate a person lives in, too.
Uniforms
People have worn uniforms for thousands of years. Uniforms show the work people do, or what school they go to, or what team or group they belong to. Most uniforms today are suitable. Some uniforms help to protect people from danger.
Clothes in the past and the future
You can learn more about the clothes people used to wear by looking at old paintings and old photos. What clothes will people wear in the future? What styles will people wear? Maybe people in the future will look back at the clothes in fashion today and think they look strange!
A．products B．chemicals C．materials D．styles
A．something B．anything C．nothing D．everything
A．warm B．comfortable C．beautiful D．suitable
A．repeats B．continues C．increases D．changes
A．thick B．right C．traditional D．dry
A．especially B．seldom C．finally D．even
Rudi Matt lived in a small village in the Swiss Alps in 1865. What he wanted most in the world was to climb the highest peak (峰) in the Alps. Rudi's mother and his uncle, Franz, a mountain guide, wanted him to stop and start working in a hotel. Rudi would not his dream and secretly got in touch with an English mountain climber was planning to climb the highest peak.
Franz was very angry when he found out what Rudi had done, but he finally agreed to let Rudi go if he went climbing, . Franz also didn't want to see Emil Saxo, a guide from another village, got to the top him.
Rudi turned out to be a very good climber, as they got close to the top, the Englishman got sick and could go no farther. Franz stayed behind to take care of him, but Saxo continued, wishing to be the to the top. Rudi went after Saxo, hoping to beat him to the top. When they met, Saxo fought with Rudi and fell down by accident. Saxo was helpless and hurt. Rudi must whether to carry Saxo back down to safety or to continue alone to the top.
He decided Saxo's life was more than his dream and helped him down. During that time, the Englishman and Franz the climb, and finally they reached the top. Later, when they returned to the village, they told people that Rudi was the real conqueror (征服者) of the mountain.
A．learning B．playing C．climbing D．talking
A．try out B．give up C．go over D．work out
A．what B．which C．whom D．who
A．again B．too C．once D．instead
A．after B．behind C．before D．over
A．but B．so C．or D．for
A．first B．second C．third D．last
A．wonder B．remember C．ask D．decide
A．important B．successful C．popular D．interesting
A．stopped B．continued C．enjoyed D．finished
I was feeling a little blue because my mother had lost her job.
One day, while I was ______ on the street, I heard the piano music and singing rising above the noise of the people. I walked more slowly to _______ where it was coming from. Then I saw a young lady sitting at a piano. She was singing songs about love, ‘Believing yourself and keeping on trying’. The way she was singing made me a little comfortable. I stood there _________, watching her playing on such a crowded New York square. I thought that she must be _________ enough to perform in front of so many people.
She noticed me. I walked over and told her how good her _________ sounded.“Thank you.”she said.
“I have been going through a hard time recently, _______ you’ve made me hopeful again.” I said to her.
“I’m glad that I could help,”she replied,“Why are you so sad ?”
“Well, my mom has lost her job, and I’m not sure what to do.”
“Did you notice the ___________ you were walking? Your head was down.”she said. “Don’t be upset, because ____________ comes in different ways and if your head is down, you might not see it. You should smile more, and lift your head up.”
I looked at her, amazed at how she was encouraging me.“___________ are you playing the piano here?”I asked her with a smile.
She ____________ that she saw a lot of unhappy people like me around and she tried to cheer us up by playing music.
I smiled a little wilder, realizing that no difficulties could stop me from going on.
A．driving B．riding C．running D．walking
A．find out B．send out C．take out D．get out
A．nervously B．Rudely C．angrily D．quietly
A．brave B．shy C．bored D．honest
A．advice B．idea C．music D．interest
A．or B．but C．so D．and
A．way B．time C．reason D．station
A．opportunity B．health C．pain D．life
A．How B．Why C．When D．Where
A．dreamed B．hoped C．guessed D．explain
The situation seemed hopeless.
From the first day he entered my junior-high classroom, Willard P. Franklin lived in his own , shutting out his classmates and me, his teacher. I tried to build a relationship with him but he showed no interest. Even a “Good Morning Willar” received only a grunt(咕哝) that couldn’t be . Willard was a loner(孤独的人) who seemed to have no hope or need to break silence.
Shortly after the Thanksgiving holiday, we received the news of the annual(每年的) Christmas collection of money for the less people in our school district.“Christmas is a season of giving ,” I told my students. “There are a few students in the school who might not have a happy holiday season. donating our Christmas collection, you will help buy food, clothing and toys for these needy people. We start the collection tomorrow.”
When I called for the donations the next day, I discovered that everyone had forgotten, except Willard P. Franklin. The boy dug deep into his pants pockets he walked up to my desk. Carefully, he two coins into the small box.
“I don’t need milk for lunch,” he said quietly . For a moment, just a moment, he smiled . Then he turned and walked back to his desk.
That night, after school, I took our donations to the school principal. I couldn’t sharing the incident(事件) that had taken place.
“I may be wrong, but I believe Willard might be getting ready to become a part of the world around him,” I told the principal.
“Yes, I believe it is hopeful for him to get out of his own world,” he nodded. “And I think we can do something to have him a bit of his world with us. I just received a list of the poor families in our school who most need help through the Christmas collection. Here, take a look at it.”
As I read, I discovered Willard P. Franklin and his family were the top names on the list.
A．class B．school C．world D．home
A．equal B．simple C．friendly D．common
A．seen B．heard C．found D．discovered
A．poor B．good C．sad D．rich
A．By B．With C．For D．On
A．mostly B．hardly C．almost D．simply
A．while B．after C．before D．as
A．threw B．dropped C．brought D．changed
A．keep B．enjoy C．stop D．finish
A．compare B．begin C．mix D．share
Every Friday night, Winston would stand at the gate of the railway station, playing his violin . He smiled to everyone and many people put money into the in front of him. One day, Winston showed up and put his hat on the ground as usual. But from what he always did in the past days, he took out a large piece of paper and laid it on the ground.
It --Last night, a gentleman named George Miller left an important thing into my hat by mistake. Please come soon, Mr. Miller. About half an hour later, a middle-aged man rushed to Winston in a hurry and said, “It’s you! I know you are an man and will certainly be here.”
Winston asked, “Are you Mr. Miller? Did you lose anything?” “A lottery ticket!” answered the middle-aged man. Winston then it to the man. Yesterday when the man knew that his was worth $ 500,000, he was so _______! Then he realized that he threw the ticket together with the money into the young man’s hat!
Someone asked Winston, “You play the violin to make . Why didn’t you keep the ticket and take the prize for yourself?” Winston replied, “Though I don’t have much money, I live happily now. But if I honesty, I won’t be happy forever.”
A．angrily B．silently C．happily D．confidently
A．hat B．bag C．paper D．ground
A．usual B．different C．free D．tired
A．said B．told C．spoke D．talked
A．interesting B．able C．energetic D．honest
A．returned B．offer C．sent D．sold
A．watch B．clothes C．ticket D．car
A．puzzled B．excited C．nervous D．sad
A．friends B．fun C．money D．mistake
A．have B．remove C．find D．lose