We all have storms through our lives. But we have no right to make everyone else suffer with our own 31 .
The carpenter I 32 to help me restore an old farmhouse had just finished a(n) 33 first day on the job. A flat tire made him lose an hour of work, his electric saw quit, and now his truck 34 to start.
While I drove him home, he sat in stony 35 .
On arriving, he invited me in to meet his family. As we walked toward the front door, he paused 36 at a small tree, 37 tips of the branches with both hands.
When opening the door, he underwent a(n) 38 transformation. His tanned face was wreathed in smiles, and he 39 his two small children and gave his wife a kiss.
The next day my 40 drove me to ask him about what I had seen. “Oh, that’s my trouble tree,” he replied. “I know I can’t 41 having troubles on the job, but the troubles don’t 42 to the house with my family. So I just 43 them up on the tree. Then in the morning I pick them up again.”
“ 44 thing is,” he smiled, “when I come out in the morning to pick them up, there aren’t nearly as 45 as I remember the night before.”
Putting 46 around our problems is a really good idea --- it prevents our difficulties from spilling over onto loved people, who can’t do anything about our problems. Why 47 them if they can’t help us?
So, plant yourself a trouble tree outside and use it 48 you come home. Be grateful that you have loved ones to go home to 49 your loved one is simply your beloved dog. And when you picked up your troubles on the way each morning, be 50 that they’re not as heavy as they were the night before.
A．unhappiness B．mistakes C．helplessness D．carelessness
A．informed B．hired C．trusted D．recommended
A．enjoyable B．smooth C．rough D．dull
A．intended B．desired C．hesitated D．refused
A．amazement B．astonishment C．embarrassment D．silence
A．regularly B．unusually C．briefly D．directly
A．cutting B．damaging C．watching D．touching
A．exciting B．amazing C．confusing D．annoying
A．hugged B．greeted C．thanked D．waved
A．preference B．sufferings C．curiosity D．doubt
A．avoid B．consider C．continue D．stand
A．lack B．belong C．exist D．stay
A．set B．throw C．give D．hang
A．Sad B．Terrible C．Funny D．Ridiculous
A．many B．few C．good D．light
A．defence B．boundaries C．sympathy D．secret
A．burden B．equip C．expose D．entertain
A．however B．whenever C．wherever D．whatever
A．so long as B．now that C．even if D．in case
A．shameful B．proud C．astonished D．grateful
Back in my country, when I was a child, I used to go to “market day” with my mother. One day each week, farmers used to ___1___ their fruit and vegetables into the city. They ___2___ one street to all cars, and the farmers set up tables for their ___3___. This outdoor market was a great place to ___4___. Everything was fresher than produce in grocery stores because the farmers brought it in ___5___ after the harvest. My mother and I always got there early in the morning to get the ___6___ produce.
The outdoor market was a wonderful adventure for a small child, ___7___ was like a festival — full of colors and ___8___. There are red tomatoes, yellow lemons, green lettuce, peppers, grapes, onions. The farmers did their own ___9___. They all shouted loudly for ___10___ to buy their produce. “Come and buy my beautiful oranges! They’re juicy and delicious and full of vitamins to ___11___ your children healthy and strong!”
Everyone used to ___12___ with the farmers over the ___13___ of their produce. It was like a wonderful drama in a theatre; the buyers and sellers were the “___14___” in this drama. My mother was an ___15___ at this. First, she picked the freshest, most attractive tomatoes, for example. Then she asked the price. The seller told her.
“What?” she said. She looked very surprised. “ So ___16___?”
The seller looked terribly ___17___. “My dear lady!” he replied. “I’m a poor, ___18___ farmer. These are the cheapest tomatoes on the market!”
They always argued for several minutes before agreeing ___19___ a price. My mother took her tomatoes and left. Both buyer and seller were ___20___. The drama was over.
1. A. carry B. take C. bring D. fetch
2. A. opened B. closed C. started D. stopped
3. A. produce B. goods C. food D. product
4. A. buy B. sell C. bargain D. shop
5. A. hurriedly B. immediately C. directly D. straightly
6. A. best B. finest C. freshest D. cheapest
7. A. who B. that C. which D. what
8. A. voices B. noises C. sounds D. accent
9. A. shopping B. business C. shouting D. advertising
10. A. customers B. producers C. themselves D. sellers
11. A. keepB. let C. expect D. make
12. A. argue B. talk C. discuss D. speak
13. A. order B. price C. quality D. form
14. A. viewers B. listeners C. actors D. directors
15. A. actress B. inventor C. advancer D. expert
16. A. wonderful B. exciting C. cheap D. expensive
17. A. injured B. hurt C. damaged D. wounded
18. A. excellent B. fair C. honest D. easy
19. A. with B. to C. in D. on
20. A. disappointed B. encouraged C. satisfied D. tired
Professional sports are very popular in the United States and they are big business. The most popular sports are basketball, football and baseball. ___1___ has its own season. And ___2___ supporters. Professional teams are named for the cities ___3___ they are located. When a team plays in a championship game, most people in the city ___4___ the game with interest and enthusiasm. Basketball is ___5___ around the world. Professional basketball games in the US ___6___ indoors during winter months. From November to April ___7___ can find a professional basketball game several nights a week in most large ___8___ cities. Basketball is an American sport. It ___9___ the national pastime.
The game is played in the evening ___10___ every night of the week and ___11___ weekends as well. The season begins in April and ___12___ in the October. Football ___13___ most popular professional sport in the US. It is played on Sundays ___14___ the fall from August to January. American football is different ___15___ international football, ___16___ Americans called soccer. Both games require ___17___ and specialized skills. Professional players are very ___18___.The most famous players ___19___ millions of dollars for their playing skill. American best players have higher ___20___ than the country’s president.
1. A. Every B. Both C. Each D. All
2. A. million B. millions C. million of D. millions of
3. A. when B. where C. who D. whose
4. A. follow B. walk C. run D. jump
5. A. well-known B. well C. known D. fame
6. A. played B. is played C. plays D. are played
7. A. somebody B. one C. anyone D. everybody
8. A. America B. England C. American D. English
9. A. was called B. has been called C. is called D. be called
10. A. nearly B. close C. closely D. near
11. A. at B. in C. on D. during
12. A. finish B. finishing C. finished D. finishes
13. A. became B. is become C. is becoming D. has become
14. A. during B. while C. on D. at
15. A. of B. from C. with D. about
16. A. when B. that C. where D. which
17. A. strong B. strength C. strengthen D. stronger
18. A. well pay B. good pay C. well paid D. good paid
19. A. make B. had C. got D. received
20. A. money B. salaries C. pay D. wage
Christopher Reeve is best known as the man who played Superman always fighting against the forces of evil(邪恶). He came to ___1___ the victory of good over bad. Now he has taken on his ___2___ fight.
In 1995, ___3___ riding his horse, Christopher Reeve was thrown to the ground. He broke his ___4___ and has been paralyzed ever since. He cannot move a muscle ___5___ his shoulder level and for six months after his accident he could not even ___6___ without help. ___7___, in spite of his terrible injuries, his goal is to carry on as ___8___ a life as he can. He now spends a lot of time traveling around America ___9___ for people who are in the same ___10___ as he is.
Over 215, 000 Americans suffer from spinal cord(脊髓) injuries, but 90% of them survive(幸存) and live to a great age. Almost ＄9 billion is spent every year ___11___ for these people, yet only ＄5 million is spent on the ___12___ to find a cure. Christopher Reeve is a very ___13___ man who, at the age of 9, will not accept that he will ___14___ walk again. He and many others believe that the only thing stopping ___15___ from finding a cure for their injuries is ___16___ for research.
In 1996, he founded the Christopher Reeve Foundation(CRF) to raise funds(资金) for medical research to treat and find a cure for spinal cord injuries, and also to support programs that improve the quality of life for ___17___ people. Christopher Reeve makes the best of his ___18___. He has conquered his ___19___. He has even returned to the ___20___ world with a ＄5, 000 wheelchair that can be controlled by sucking or puffing on a straw.
1. A. show B. play C. stand for D. win
2. A. hard B. serious C. interesting D. own
3. A. when B. before C. after D. by
4. A. shoulder B. arm C. back D. hand
5. A. above B. below C. from D. of
6. A. stand B. work C. breathe D. think
7. A. And B. however C. Still D. So
8. A. normal B. pleased C. easy D. ordinary
9. A. caring B. writing C. looking D. speaking
10. A. country B. illness C. situation D. part
11. A. treating B. caring C. serving D. curing
12. A. research B. patients C. hospital D. medicine
13. A. strong B. young C. determined D. handsome
14. A. later B. possibly C. hardly D. never
15. A. hospitals B. scientists C. chemists D. patients
16. A. money B. equipment C. time D. views
17. A. sick B. disabled C. ordinary D. poor
18. A. spinalcord B. illness C. position D. spirit
19. A. fear B. spinalcord C. disability D. victory
20. A. business B. movie C. sports D. pleasant
I played a racquetball game against my cousin Ed last week. It was one of the most __1__ and tiring games I’ve ever had. When Ed first phoned and ___2___ we play, I laughed quietly, figuring on an ___3___ victory. After all, Ed’s idea of ___4___ has always been nothing more ___5___ than lifting a fork to his mouth. ___6___ I can remember, Ed’s been the least physically fit member in the family, and ___7___ proud of himself. His big stomach has always ballooned out between his T-shirt and trousers. Although the family often ___8___ about that, Ed refused to buy a ___9___ T-shirt or to lose weight. So when Ed ___10___ for our game not only with the bottom of his shirt gathered inside his trousers but also with a stomach you could hardly ___11___, I was so surprised that I was ___12___. My cousin must have made an effort to get himself into shape. ___13___, at the point in our game when I’d have predicted(预计) the score to be about 9 to 1 in my favor, it was ___14___ 7 to 9 — and Ed was ___15___. The sudden realization was painful. We ___16___ to play like two mad men. When the score was 16 up, I was having serious ___17___ about staying alive until 21 years old, let alone ___18___ that many points. When the game finally ended, both of us were lying flat on our backs, too tired to ___19___. In a way, I think we both won: I the game, but cousin Ed my ___20___.
1. A. encouraging B. hopeless C. surprising D. regular
2. A. declared B. mentioned C. persuaded D. suggested
3. A. unforgettable B. unexpected C. easy D. early
4. A. exercise B. preparation C. joy D. fitness
5. A. time-saving B. comfortable C. suitable D. effort-making
6. A. As soon as B. As long as C. When D. Since
7. A. strangely B. personally C. reasonably D. eagerly
8. A. cared B. forgot C. quarreled D. joked
9. A. clean B. larger C. straight D. darker
10. A. set out B. got ready C. arrived D. returned
11. A. notice B. admire C. believe D. measure
12. A. nervous B. curious C. careless D. speechless
13. A. After all B. As a result C. Above all D. At last
14. A. mistakenly B. then C. instead D. naturally
15. A. leading B. coming C. waiting D. counting
16. A. pretended B. stopped C. continued D. decided
17. A. thoughts B. doubts C. situations D. problems
18. A. scoring B. completing C. receiving D. keeping
19. A. play B. start C. sleep D. move
20. A. friendship B. respect C. support D. favor
Trudy, an American girl, tried swimming across the English Channel. That was August 6, 1962. Her father had ___1___ her two things. One was not to pull her out of the water ___2___ she asked. The other was to give her a red sports ___3___ if she made it.
In gay spirits Trudy ___4___ out, swimming strongly. All the swimmers started at 7:09 in the morning. Her father and the trainer were going along in a boat beside her. At ten o’clock, rain began falling.
___5___, Trudy trod(踩) water while drinking and eating a chicken leg. Then she started swimming ___6___. The wind was ___7___ and the sea became rougher. Late ___8___ the wind became even worse. The trainer ___9___ it was useless trying to finish. He called to Trudy to ___10___.
“No human being could do it in this weather,” he said. “It’s ___11___ to go on. “however, her father shouted, “Don’t grab her. Let her ___12___. “At seven o’clock the tides(潮水) turned ___13___ her. It was more difficult to move a- head. But Trudy still swam on. She ___14___ victory was possible now, for the English coast was in ___15___.
It was getting dark. A sound could be heard ___16___ the wind；hundreds of car horns(喇叭) were cheering her on. With ___17___ strength, she finished the last 200 yards. At 9:35p. m., Trudy got out of water. She had swum some 35 miles in ___18___ the 21-mile-wide Channel ___19___ a strong storm. But she had made it in 14 hours and 30 minutes. “Well, Pop,” she said to her father. “I ___20___ I get my car this time, don’t I?”
1. A. given B. refused C. allowed D. promised
2. A. as B. unless C. even if D. when
3. A. suit B. shoe C. hat D. car
4. A. rushed B. left C. started D. worked
5. A. At midday B. In the morning C. In the evening D. In the late afternoon
6. A. faster B. better C. again D. across
7. A. stopping B. rising C. changing D. increasing
8. A. morning B. afternoon C. evening D. night
9. A. thought B. considered C. decided D. felt
10. A. keep up B. slow down C. give up D. take a rest
11. A. difficult B. stupid C. impossible D. unnecessary
12. A. go B. decide C. come out D. go on
13. A. towards B. with C. at D. against
14. A. realized B. noticed C. found out D. thought
15. A. the distance B. reach C. sight D. hand
16. A. over B. in C. with D. from
17. A. fresh B. greater C. weakening D. remaining
18. A. flying B. swimming C. crossing D. passing
19. A. in spite of B. because of C. against D. during
20. A. demand B. am afraid C. hope D. guess