Tears clouded my eyes as I stood in our washing room, holding Brett’s jeans and full of burn holes.
Tired and defeated, I 31 to the floor. The clothes were just one more thing Brett had 32 . He often got almost everything in the house out of 33 . Many windows in our house needed repair due to his breaking 34 to steal money when he chose to live on the street. Yet none of this could compare to the emotional 35 Brett had done to our once quiet home.
Brett came to live with us when he was 12 years old. During the next few years I had dealt with Brett a 36 as possible, but inside I was shouting. “I don’t want him in my house another day, Lord! I just can’t 37 him!” Having wiped my tears, I continued 38 him as before.
When Brett was nearly 18, he landed again in Juvenile Hall(少管所). After that, my husband and I had to send Brett to a boarding school for helping 39 teens.
At the 40 ceremony, each graduate held a white rose to give to the person who had 41 the most to him or her. Brett spoke 42 to his parents and then spoke to me, “You did so much. You were always there, no matter 43 . My mom and dad, I was their kid. But you, 44 troubled enough by me, always 45 me such love. And I want you to know I love you for it.”
46 , I stood as Brett placed the white rose in my hand and hugged me 47 .
At that moment, tears 48 in my eyes again, this time not for disappointment but for 49 . Although I had struggled with silent 50 toward my stepson, Brett had seen only my actions. Love is action. We may not always have positive feelings about certain people in our lives, but we can love them.
A．sat B．sank C．bent D．dropped
A．ruined B．lost C．torn D．broken
A．danger B．place C．trouble D．order
A．off B．in C．up D．away
A．pain B．injury C．damage D．harm
A．patiently B．willingly C．strictly D．rudely
A．forgive B．educate C．stand D．control
A．parenting B．pardoning C．comforting D．feeding
A．lazy B．troublesome C．disappointing D．careless
A．opening B．official C．victory D．graduation
A．afforded B．meant C．supplied D．owed
A．lovingly B．sadly C．proudly D．nervously
A．where B．how C．what D．who
A．unless B．although C．because D．when
A．cost B．lent C．taught D．showed
A．Astonished B．Puzzled C．Encouraged D．Interested
A．surely B．roughly C．tightly D．fiercely
A．fell B．flowed C．moved D．gathered
A．pity B．happiness C．luck D．success
A．love B．anxiety C．anger D．car
My parents ran a small restaurant in Seattle. It was open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and my first job, when I was six years old, was diner’s shoes. My father had done it when he was young, so he taught me to do it right, telling me to offer to re-shine the shoes if the customer wasn’t .
Working in the restaurant was a of great pride because I was also working for the of the whole family. But my father made it clear that I had to certain standards to be part of the team. I had to be punctual, hard-working and to the customers.
I was paid for my work I did at the restaurant. One day I made the mistake of Dad I thought he should give me $10 a week. He said, “OK, then how about you me for the three meals a day you eat here? And for the times you bring in your buddies for free sodas?” He I owed him about $40 a week.
I remember home to Seattle after being away in the Army for about two years. I had just been to captain and was full of pride as I walked into my parents’ restaurant. The thing Dad said was, “How about you cleaning up tonight?” I cannot it! I’m an officer in the US Army! But it didn’t matter. As far as Dad was , I was just another member of the team. I the mop. Working for Dad had taught me that being loyal a team comes first. It doesn’t matter whether that ________ is involved in a family restaurant or the UN Peacekeeping Force.
A．blank B．real C．natural D．small
A．cleaning B．shining C．clearing D．sweeping
A．how B．what C．when D．where
A．disappointed B．puzzled C．content D．willing
A．resource B．defense C．robbery D．source
A．advantage B．strength C．benefit D．help
A．look up to B．look forward to C．come up to D．hold on to
A．generous B．polite C．grateful D．hopeful
A．never B．ever C．always D．seldom
A．asking B．persuading C．discussing D．telling
A．paying B．spending C．costing D．taking
A．expanded B．wondered C．figured D．scanned
A．going B．coming C．leaving D．returning
A．raised B．improved C．aroused D．promoted
A．right B．first C．just D．only
A．believe B．make C．help D．catch
A．appointed B．considered C．concerned D．thought
A．held up B．reached for C．laid out D．showed off
A．to B．in C．with D．of
A．work B．job C．effort D．team
This is about keeping a secret - one I don’t even know myself.
Today two girls came into my life with a . Yes, there were probably at least fifty other people around me, but what they had to wasn’t what I today.
I was trying to decide what I was going to have for dinner in the produce section I could hear two girls laughing and whispering.
One of the girls asked me how to choose the right cantaloupe (哈密瓜). I what little knowledge I had about placing two thumbs near the and pressing on it to see how it was. I spoke about the color and smell around that core. I took the time to help them one.
I really felt like I knew what I was about and because they asked me, I felt good about helping.
They were and I went about my business. Suddenly one of the girls walked up to me and said, "Can you keep a ?" A bit confused and stunned, I replied, "I believe I ." Then she toward me with her two hands cupped together as if she was going to me something.
"Now it’s yours, " she said she placed her hands in mine and smiled and walked away.
There was nothing in her hands.
There was nothing in mine, although, I felt like I was holding something. Apparently it was a secret. The girls disappeared into the next aisle and I never either one again.
Okay, some of you are just shrugging this off as some game. Perhaps they even made a fool of me without me realizing it.
I guess it’s the easiest secret to because I don’t know what it is.
A．gift B．message C．purpose D．question
A．recommend B．introduce C．serve D．offer
A．learn B．enjoy C．need D．seek
A．bowl B．spoon C．plate D．vegetable
A．when B．if C．whether D．although
A．shared B．gathered C．recalled D．regretted
A．top B．core C．bottom D．side
A．solid B．soft C．ripe D．big
A．remove B．weigh C．cut D．find
A．talking B．worrying C．concerning D．hesitating
A．beautiful B．grateful C．sincere D．serious
A．family B．business C．diary D．secret
A．should B．must C．can D．may
A．waved B．moved C．signed D．gestured
A．hand B．sell C．send D．require
A．since B．before C．while D．as
A．frankly B．heavily C．skeptically D．strangely
A．trusted B．cheated C．saw D．helped
A．excellent B．popular C．easy D．foolish
A．keep B．sell C．discover D．steal
"How did you do it, Dad? How have you to not take a drink for almost 20 years?" It took me almost 20 years to have the to even ask my father this very personal question. When Dad first drinking, the whole family was on pins and needles every time he a situation that, in the past, would have him drinking again. For a few years we were afraid to bring it up the drinking would begin again.
"I had this little poem that I recite to myself at least four to five times a day," was Dad's reply to my 18-year-old question. "The words were an instant relief and constant to me that things were never so that I could not handle them," Dad said. And then he the poem with me. The poem's simple, yet profound words immediately became part of my daily as well.
About a month after this talk with my father, I a gift in the mail from a friend of mine. It was a book of daily affirmations （誓词）with one affirmation for each day of the year.
It has been my experience that when you get with days of the year on it, you automatically turn to the that lists your own birthday.
I opened the book to November 10 to what words of wisdom this book had in store for me. I did a double-take and tears of and appreciation rolled down my face. There, on my birthday, was the same poem that had helped my father for all these years! It is called the Serenity （安详）Prayer:
God, grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the Courage to change the things I can; and the Wisdom to know the difference.
A．prepared B．promised C．managed D．performed
A．courage B．opportunity C．inspiration D．reason
A．began B．avoided C．permitted D．quit
A．got away with B．got into C．got down to D．got through
A．forbade B．started C．attracted D．caused
A．for fear B．for sure C．so that D．otherwise
A．should B．might C．would D．had to
A．unanswered B．unasked C．unexpected D．unwelcome
A．prayer B．performer C．inspector D．reminder
A．rough B．severe C．tough D．urgent
A．created B．explained C．spared D．shared
A．schedule B．routine C．habits D．customs
A．mistook B．posted C．accepted D．received
A．copied B．presented C．listed D．printed
A．something B．anything C．everything D．nothing
A．date B．page C．matters D．problems
A．doubtedly B．eventually C．patiently D．hurriedly
A．see B．recite C．repeat D．forecast
A．sadness B．loneliness C．disbelief D．belief
A．exact B．correct C．almost D．much
On a cold winter evening, I was walking home, tired and hungry, when suddenly came screams（呼喊声） from behind some tress. , I slowed down to listen, and that what I was hearing were the sounds of a fight. A woman was being not far from where I stood.
“Should I go to help her?” I thought. I was worried about my own ，and I regretted having suddenly decided to take a new way home that night. “ I’m hurt too? Shouldn’t I just to the nearest phone and call the police?..” But already the girl’s were growing weaker. I knew it was time for me to act fast because I could not the life of this unknown woman， it meant risking my own life.
I am not a man. I didn’t know where I found the and physical strength（体力）, but once I had finally to help the girl, I became suddenly changed. I ran behind the bushes and the attacker off the woman. Struggling, we fell to the ground, where we fought for a few minutes the man jumped up and escaped.
heavily，I stood up and came up to the girl, who was crying behind a tree. In the ，I could not see her clearly, but I could certainly her shock. Not wanting to frighten her any further, I at first spoke to her from a distance.
“It’s OK,” I said . “The man ran away. You’re safe now. ”There was a long stop and then I heard the words, said in both wonder and . “Dad, is that you?” And then, from behind the tree, stepped my youngest , Katherine.
A．Excited B．Frightened C．Interested D．Disappointed
A．knew B．understood C．realized D．imagined
A．attacked B．beaten C．robbed D．caught
A．money B．safety C．future D．family
A．What for B．So what C．What about D．What if
A．move B．walk C．run D．go
A．cries B．noises C．cheers D．sounds
A．save B．ignore C．change D．decide
A．although B．because C．as D．but
A．kind B．powerful C．mean D．brave
A．courage B．belief C．attitude D．hope
A．agreed B．planed C．promised D．decided
A．took B．dropped C．pulled D．got
A．unless B．after C．since D．until
A．Walking B．Drinking C．Breathing D．Fighting
A．daylight B．afternoon C．darkness D．midnight
A．feel B．see C．guess D．find
A．angrily B．softly C．loudly D．happily
A．shame B．peace C．pain D．surprise
A．son B．daughter C．grandson D．cousin
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出可以填人空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
I take the train to work every morning from a train station near my house. I can get to the station quite because there is a short cut(捷径)to the station. But in the summer, it can get quite smelly because of all the . So I always try to through it. Today I was trying to do so as usual something made me stop for a moment. I saw the most beautiful by an old woman walking in front of me with the help of a white .
She was short and and had white hair. She was walking as each step took some effort. I hadn’t specially noticed her ,until she stopped near a rubbish bin.
She slowly placed her walking stick the rubbish bin. Then she leaned(斜倚着)on it with her right hand. She bent down and the rubbish. She clearly found it and it took her a while. She some rubbish with her left hand and slowly straightened(伸直) herself up again. All the while she used the rubbish bin to herself. She threw the rubbish inside the bin and then walking. It all took her great effort（努力）.
There’s so much rubbish and no one ever does about it. I was moved to this old woman make such a great effort to keep even a small part of it ! I haven’t been able to thinking about that all day.
I want to follow her example. I’ve decided to pick up rubbish off the 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．until 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 noon 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 at
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