A group of graduates got together to visit their old university professor.
The conversation soon turned into complaints about 1 in work and life. Offering his 2 coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and 3 with a large pot of coffee and a 4 of cups — porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain-looking, some expensive, some beautiful — telling them to 5 themselves to the coffee.
When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said, “If you have 6 , all the nice-looking expensive cups have been 7 , leaving behind the plain and 8 ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the 9 of your problems and stress.”
“Be assured that the cup 10 adds no quality to the coffee. 11 it is just more expensive and in some cases 12 hides what we drink.”
“ 13 all of you really want is coffee, not the cup, 14 you consciously went for the best cups… And then you began 15 each other’s cups.”
“Now consider this: 16 is the coffee; the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. 17 are just tools to hold and contain life, and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the 18 of life we live. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we 19 to enjoy the coffee. Value the coffee, not the cups! Don't let the cups 20 you… enjoy the coffee instead.”
A．stress B．dream C．sorrow D．truth
A．friends B．customers C．fellows D．guests
A．carried B．returned C．arrived D．reached
A．kind B．variety C．sort D．number
A．devote B．expose C．help D．addicted
A．searched B．witnessed C．noticed D．discovered
A．taken up B．brought in C．sold out D．cut down
A．expensive B．cheap C．beautiful D．usual
A．point B．answer C．source D．result
A．by itself B．on its own C．for itself D．itself
A．At no time B．At times C．In no case D．In most cases
A．ever B．even C．never D．hardly
A．What B．That C．Which D．Whether
A．but B．so C．and D．for
A．suspecting B．liking C．envying D．eyeing
A．Love B．Life C．Future D．Failure
A．They B．We C．You D．What
A．quantity B．style C．quality D．standard
A．have B．hesitate C．forget D．fail
A．control B．drive C．puzzle D．amaze
The Hand
Thanksgiving Day was near. The first grade teacher gave her class a fun assignment to draw a
picture of ___36____ for which they were thankful.
Most of the class might be _37___ economically disadvantaged, but still many would __38___ the holidays with turkeys and other traditional goodies of the season. These, the teacher thought, would be the ___39___ of most of her students’ art. And they were.
But Douglas made a(n) __40___ kind of picture. Douglas was a different kind of boy. He was the teacher’s true child of misery,__41_____ and unhappy. As other children played at recess, Douglas was likely to stand close by her side. One could only guess the pain Douglas felt ___42___those sad eyes.
Yes, his picture was different. When__43____ to draw a picture of something for which he was thankful, he drew a____44____. Nothing else. Just a empty hand.
His abstract image captured the _45_____ of his classmates, Whose hand could it be ? One child guessed it was the hand of a farmer, because farmers__46_____ turkeys. Another suggested a police officer, because the police protect and __47____ people. And so the discussion went ------ until the teacher ___48__ forgot the young artist himself.
__49____ the children had gone on to other assignments, she_50_____ at Douglas’ desk, bent down, and asked him whose hand it was. The little boy looked away and murmured, “It’s yours, teacher.”
She recalled the __51___ she had taken his hand and walked with him here and there, as she had other student. How _52_____ had she said, “Take your hand, Douglas, we’ll go outside.” Or, “Let me show you how to hold your pencil.” Or, “Let’s do this together.” Douglas was most ____53__ for his teacher’s hand.
Brushing aside a tear, she went on with her work.
In fact, people __54___ not always say “thanks”. But they will remember the hand that ____55___ .
A．anything B．something C．nothing D．everything
A．suggested B．affected C．encouraged D．considered
A．celebrate B．share C．like D．avoid
A．purposes B．subjects C．motivations D．examples
A．good B．encouraging C．different D．exciting
A．merry B．naughty C．weak D．lively
A．behind B．beside C．before D．around
A．ordered B．asked C．forced D．persuaded
A．gift B．person C．hand D．wonder
A．thought B．description C．respect D．imagination
A．raise B．need C．buy D．sell
A．look at B．care for C．take away D．drive off
A．always B．almost C．usually D．therefore
A．Before B．Now that C．Since D．When
A．stared B．aimed C．paused D．glanced
A．chances B．forms C．ways D．times
A．seldom B．often C．soon D．much
A．thankful B．calm C．pleased D．comfortable
A．could B．must C．should D．might
A．move on B．stick above C．reaches out D．help out
It was a bitter, cold evening in northern Virginia many years ago. The old man was waiting for a ride across the 36 . The wait seemed 37 .
At last he heard the slight, steady rhythm of approaching hooves (马蹄) coming along the frozen path. Anxiously, he 38 as several horsemen came around the bend (转角处). He let the first one 39 . Then another, and another. Finally, as the 40 rider neared the spot where the old man sat like a snow statue, the old man 41 the rider’s eye and said, “
Sir, would you mind giving an old man a ride to the other side? There doesn’t appear to be a passage way by 42 .”
The rider replied, “Sure.” Seeing the old man was unable to 43 his half-froz
en body from the ground, the horseman got down and helped the old man onto the h
orse. The horseman took the old man not just across the river, but to his destination.
As they neared the tiny but cozy (舒适的) cottage, the horseman’s 44 caused him to ask, “Sir, I notice that you let several other riders go by without making a(n) 45 to get a ride. Then I came up and you 46 asked me for a ride. I’m curious why, on such a bitter winter night, you would wait and ask the last rider. 47 I had refused and left you there?”
The old man replied, “I’ve been 48 here for some time. I think I know people pretty good.” He continued, “I looked into the eyes of the other riders and immediately saw there was no 49 for my situation. But when I looked into your eyes, 50 was evident. I knew, 51 , that your gentle spirit would 52 the opportunity to give me help in my time of 53 .”
Those heartwarming comments 54 the horseman deeply.
“I’m most grateful for what you have said,” he told the old man. “May I never get too busy in my own affairs that I 55 to respond to the needs of others with kindness and compassion.”
With that, Thomas Jefferson turned his horse around and made his way back to the White House.
| A．town | B．river | C．country | D．island |
| A．meaningless | B．useless | C．careless | D．endless |
| A．watched | B．asked | C．waved | D．approached |
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Some myths are stories told since ancient times to explain the causes for natural happenings. The Greek myth that explains why there are changes of 21 is about Demeter, the goddess of
the harvest. She had a daughter, Persephone, whom she loved very much. Hades, god of the underworld, fell in love with Persephone, and he asked Zeus, the22 of the gods, to give Persephone to him as his23 . Zeus did not want either to disappoint Hades or to upset Demeter, so he said he w
ould not agree to the marriage, but neither would he24 it. Hades, therefore, decided to take the girl without25 . When Persephone was picking flowers in the garden, he seized her and took her to the underworld. When Demeter26 what happened to Persephone, she became so27 that she caused all plants to28 . People were in 29 of starving. But Demeter was determined not to let crops grow30 her daughter
, Persephone, was returned to her.31 , still not wanting to disappoint Hades, decided upon a condition for Persephone's32 . She could go back to her mother if she had not 33 anything while she was in the underworld. Demeter34 it because she did not know that Persephone had eaten several pomegranate (石榴) seeds in the underworld. When Zeus35 this, he agreed that Persephone could spend part of the year with her36 , but he added that since she had eaten the seeds, she must spend part of the year in the underworld. And so it37 that when Persephone is in the underworld, Demeter is sad and therefore38 not let the crops grow. That is39 we have winter when plants do not grow. When Persephone returns, Demeter is40 , it is spring, and plants begin to grow again.
A．periods B．time C．seasons D．age
A．winner B．ruler C．advisor D．fighter
A．wife B．lover C．partner D．daughter
A．accept B．forgive C．admit D．forbid
A．arrangement B．warning C．permission D．reason
A．let out B．worked out C．thought out D．found out
A．excited B．angry C．tired D．serious
A．danger B．hope C．turn D．case
A．since B．until C．after D．when
A．Persephone B．Zeus C．Demeter D．Hades
A．return B．change C．marriage D．journey
A．stolen B．found C．eaten
A．understood B．refused C．doubted D．accepted
A．discovered B．studied C．forgot D．prepared
A．daughter B．mother C．god D．ruler
A．works B．remains C．happens D．starts
A．should B．can C．dare D．will
A．where B．because C．why D．how
A．happy B．friendly C．fresh D．nice
Elizabeth Clay decided to go home and spend the holiday with her parents．The next day she drove her old car home along the road． 36 she found she got a flat．The 22-year-old student 37 to stop her car by the side of the road in the winter night and opened the trunk．No 38 tyre （轮胎）.
At this time, a car 39 ．Paul and Diane told Clay to 40 them to a service station near their 41 ．They arrived to see that it had no suitable tyres to 42 with her car．“Follow us home,” said Paul.
The couple called around to find a tyre．No 43 ．They decided to let her use their own car．“Here,” Paul said, handing Clay a 44 of keys, “Take our car．We 45 be using it over the holiday.”
Clay was 46 ．“But I’m going all the way to South Carolina, and I’ll be gone for two weeks,” she 47 them.
“We know,” Paul said．“We’ll be 48 when you get back, so it’s easy for you to find us．Here’s our 49 if you need to get in touch with us.”
Unable to believe her eyes, Clay watched as the 50 put her luggage into their car and then sent her off．Two weeks later she 51 to find her old car cleaned inside and out with three new tyres and the radio 52 .
“Thank you so much,” she said．“How much do I 53 you?” “Oh, no,” Paul said, “we don’t want any money．It’s our 54 .” Clay realized that 55 it might have been their pleasure, it was now her duty to pass on their “do unto others” spirit.
A．Suddenly B．Finally C．Immediately D．Fortunately
A．afforded B．wanted C．allowed D．managed
A．spare B．free C．full D．empty
A．passed B．stopped C．paused D．started
A．help B．push C．take D．follow
A．garage B．house C．shop D．hotel
A．compare B．match C．go D．deal
A．way B．message C．money D．luck
A．set B．number C．pair D．chain
A．can’t B．shouldn’t C．mustn’t D．won’t
A．satisfied B．worried C．astonished D．disturbed
A．persuaded B．advised C．reminded D．promised
A．happy B．here C．away D．busy
A．number B．name C．notice D．visa
A．repairmen B．cleaners C．friends D．couple
A．shocked B．happened C．returned D．came
A．produced B．fixed C．tied D．rebuilt
A．owe B．lend C．give D．offer
A．wish B．job C．duty D．pleasure
A．until B．unless C．since D．while
There was a boy who was sent by his parents to a boarding school (寄宿学校). 36 being sent away, this boy was the 37 student in his class. He was at the top in every 38 always with high marks.
But the boy changed after 39 home and attending the boarding school. His grades started 40 . He hated being in a 41 . He was lonely all the time. And there were especially dark times when he 42 committing suicide (自杀). All of this was because he felt 43 and no one loved him.
His parents started 44 about the boy. But they even did not know what was 45with him. So his dad decided to travel to the boarding school and 46 him.
They sat on the bank of the lake near the school. The father started asking him some casual questions about his classes, teachers and 47 . After some time his dad said, “Do you know, son, why I am here today?”
The boy answered back, “To 48 my grades?”
“No, no,” his dad replied. “I am here to tell you that you are the most 49 person for me. I want to see you 50 . I don’t care about grades. I care about you. I care about your happiness. YOU ARE MY LIFE.”
These words 51 the boy’s eyes to be filled with tears. He 52 his dad. They didn’t say anything to each other for a long time.
Now the boy had 53 he wanted. He knew there was someone on this earth who cared for him deeply. He 54 the world to someone. And today this young man is in college at the top of his class and no one has ever seen him 55 !
A．After B．Before C．When D．While
A．hardest B．naughtiest C．brightest D．dullest
A．exam B．activity C．game D．class
A．coming B．returning C．leaving D．reaching
A．rising B．increasing C．reducing D．dropping
A．group B．term C．company D．party
A．led to B．felt like C．thought back D．looked for
A．worthless B．careless C．concerned D．annoyed
A．caring B．turning C．worrying D．speaking
A．crazy B．true C．possible D．wrong
A．talk with B．listen to C．tell to D．care about
A．family B．friends C．study D．grades
A．realize B．analyze C．check D．test
A．outstanding B．important C．famous D．familiar
A．happy B．excellent C．interested D．satisfied
A．caused B．wanted C．encouraged D．forced
A．answered B．ignored C．hated D．hugged
A．nothing B．something C．everything D．anything
A．showed B．meant C．intended D．expressed
A．sad B．angry C．pleasant D．joyful