Even though it was only October, my students were already whispering about Christmas plans. With each passing day everyone became more 31 waiting for the final school bell. Upon its 32 everyone would run for their coats and go home, everyone except David
David was a small boy in ragged clothes. I had often 33 what kind of home life David had, and what kind of mother could send her son to school dressed so 34 for the cold winter months, without a coat, boots, or gloves. But something made David 35 . I can still remember he was always 36 a smile and willing to help. He always 37 after school to straighten chairs and mop the floor. We never talked much. He 38 just smile and ask what else he could do ,then thank me for letting him stay and slowly 39 home.
Weeks passed and the 40 over the coming Christmas grew into restlessness until the last day of 41 before the holiday break. I smiled in 42 as the last of them hurried out the door. Turning around I saw David 43 standing by my desk.
“I have something for you” he said and 44 from behind his back a small box. 45 it to me, he said anxiously, “Open it. ”I took the box from him, thanked him and slowly unwrapped it. I lifted the lid and to my 46 saw nothing. I looked at David’s smiling face and back into the box and said. “The box is nice, David, but it’ s 47 . ”
“ Oh no it isn’t ,” said David “ It’s full of love, my mum told me before she died that love was something you couldn’t see or touch unless you know it’s there .”
Tears filled my eyes 48 Ilooked at the proud dirty face that I had rarely given 49 to. After that Christmas, David and I became good friends and I never forgot the meaning 50 the little empty box set on my desk.
A．courageous B．anxious C．serious D．cautious
A．warning B．calling C．ringing D．yelling
A．scolded B．wondered C．realized D．learned
A．modestly B．naturally C．inappropriately D．inaccurately
A．popular B．special C．upset D．funny
A．expressing B．delivering C．sharing D．wearing
A．practiced B．wandered C．stayed D．studied
A．would B．should C．might D．could
A．aim at B．head for C．put off D．turn to
A．excitement B．argument C．movement D．judgement
A．year B．school C．education D．program
A．vain B．return C．relief D．control
A．quietly B．sadly C．weakly D．helplessly
A．searched B．found C．raised D．pulled
A．Holding B．Sending C．Handing D．Leaving
A．delight B．expectation C．appreciation D．surprise
A．empty B．cheap C．useless D．improper
A．as B．until C．because D．though
A．advice B．support C．command D．attention
A．from B．behind C．over D．towards
The Best Holiday
I was unbelievably proud of my nine-year-old daughter. Emily 41 to buy a mountain bike. She’d been saving her pocket money all year, 42 doing small jobs to earn extra money.
By Thanksgiving, she had collected only $49. I said, “You 43 have your pick from my bicycle 44 .” “Thanks, Daddy. But your bikes are so old.” She was right. All my girls’ bikes were 1950’s models, not the kind a kid today would 45 choose.
As Christmas 46 near, Emily and I went bike shopping. As we left one store, she __47 a Salvation Army volunteer standing next to a big pot. “Can we give something, Daddy?” she asked. “Sorry, I’m out of 48 .”
Throughout December, Emily continued to 49 hard. Then one day, she made a __50 announcement. “You know all the money I’ve been saving?” she said hesitantly. “I’m going to give it to the poor people.” So one cold morning before Christmas, Emily handed her total savings of $ 58 to a volunteer who was really very 51 .
52 by Emily’s selflessness, I decided to contribute 53 of my old bicycles to a car dealer who was collecting used bikes for poor children.54 I selected a shiny model from my collection, however, it seemed as if a second bike took on a glow (发光). Should I contribute two? No, one would be enough. But I couldn’t 55 the feeling that I should give a second bike. When I later 56 the bikes, the car dealer said, “You’re making two kids very __57 , sir. Here are your tickets. For each bicycle contributed, we’re 58 away one chance to win a girls’ mountain bike.”
Why wasn’t I surprised when that second ticket proved to be the 59 ? I like to think it was God’s way of 60 a little girl for a sacrifice beyond her years－while giving her dad a lesson in the process.
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When I began married life more than 17 years ago, I weighed 118 pounds. After having two children, and years of ____21____ eating, I weighed 180 pounds. I was unhappy. I considered going on a ____22____, so I gathered information about it.
I ____23____ the South Beach Diet and how well it was ____24____ for some people in our area. I looked it up online and ____25____ for it. Even though I knew my husband loved me no matter how I ____26____ or how much I weighed. I decided that it would be a wonderful ____27____ for my husband to come home and see a new ____28_____, so I kept my South Beach experience a ____29____ from him. Later he left home for a two-week business trip.
I was surprised at all the ____30____ I could eat. It was great to have breakfast, ____31____ and dinner. The food was difficult to eat at first ____32____ I usually didn’t like such food. This made the daily menus hard, ____33____ I overcame (克服) the challenge.
The first two weeks there really ____34____ me change the way I thought about ____35____. It wasn’t chocolate or cheese or candy I ____36____, but fruit! Before my husband’s return, my children and I were amazed at how quickly the ____37____ was lost.
When my husband returned, I had ____38_____more than 30 pounds. When I saw my husband’s reaction at the airport I thought it was worth every minute on the diet! I have ____39_____ to lose weight and I am now less than 10 pounds from my final ____40____. I feel better than I have in years and I’m enjoying life much more!
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My chance came at last. Our school was going to hold a sports meet. I knew what it 41 to me so I got up very early to prepare for it. I 42 running and jumping. When I was 43 , I reminded myself of my promise and went on.
44 the time came nearer, I felt quite 45 . On the first day I came fourth in the 1500m 46 but I was far from 47 because what I wanted most was the highlight of the sports meeting—250x8 relay race. I would run the last leg for my team.
With a shot, the race began. All the students were 48 for their team. The competition was so 49 that I began to feel nervous. Before my turn came, my team was 50 the others. Even worse, I almost dropped the stick when I was trying to 51 it.
52 after that, there was nothing in my mind except to run as fast as possible. Just when I was approaching the finish line, my legs 53 . Then my promise came to mind again and 54 me to go on. To my surprise, I was the first to 55 the finish line!
56 , I had proved to myself and those who had often laughed at me that I am not 57 at all! My classmates greeted me warmly and I hugged them tightly. I had won the prize as well as their 58 .
From the sports meeting, I learnt that sometimes things are not so difficult as they 59 to be. Just try your best without fear and you might be surprised at the 60 .
A．mattered B．held C．meant D．brought
A．exercised B．practiced C．chose D．tried
A．tired B．upset C．lazy D．happy
A．For B．By C．With D．As
A．confident B．worried C．proud D．nervous
A．run B．jump C．race D．match
A．happy B．sad C．excited D．pleased
A．heading B．racing C．cheering D．shouting
A．difficult B．close C．heated D．near
A．running before B．leading C．falling behind D．catching up with
A．fetch B．hold C．pass D．take
A．Then B．But C．Thus D．Even
A．gave in B．gave out C．gave up D．gave away
A．had B．made C．let D．got
A．draw B．cut C．cross D．catch
A．At last B．After all C．Above all D．As a result
A．bad B．weak C．slow D．strong
A．congratulations B．respect C．support D．pride
A．seem B．hope C．look D．expect
A．beginning B．place C．result D．time
On receiving my learner driver license a couple of months ago, I started driving lessons straight away. In New Zealand, the __33__driving age is 15.
However it wasn’t __34__ two days ago that Dad finally allowed me to drive on the motorway. Our __35__ was Orewa, a seaside town about 60 kilometers away from my home in Auckland. That morning I __36__ sure I had enough to drink and went to the toilet (厕所) about three times __37__ we left. I thought I was totally __38__ for the journey, but nothing could have prepared me for my family’s __39__. "Relax! Don’t hold the steering wheel(方向盘) so __40__. The car is going zigzag (弯弯曲曲的)," called a nervous voice from the __41__. "Speed up. 70km/h isn’t fast enough. You are holding up the traffic," another voice ordered from the seat next to mine.
How __42__ ! My parents were really starting to get on my nerves. To satisfy them I sped up and within a second, an angry voice began to yell again. "Stop! __43__! Are you crazy? ” Everything did not go fine until I pulled off the motorway and drove into the city, __44__ the speed limit was only 50km/h.
My family seemed relieved (放心的) and __45__ telling me what to do. They all looked out of the windows and enjoyed the scenery . __46__, that silence didn’t last very long. My mum suddenly cried out, "Look at those birds above us. __47__ they lovely?"
How did she expect me to look up in the __49__? As the driver I had to __48__ . Who knows what would have happened if I had taken my eyes off the __50__? Four hours later we drove home. This time the journey was much __51__ than before as everyone else __52__ fast asleep. So, I just took my time and enjoyed the drive.
A．oldest B．youngest C．best D．worst
A．until B．unless C．after D．when
A．destination B．home C．city D．aim
A．thought B．decided C．kept D．made
A．when B．since C．before D．as
A．disappointed B．prepared C．excited D．upset
A．praises B．encouragements C．complaints D．cries
A．tightly B．lightly C．loosely D．happily
A．front sear B．back seat C．top seat D．empty seat
A．interesting B．moving C．puzzling D．annoying
A．Get out B．Move on C．Slow down D．Speed up
A．where B．while C．which D．why
A．began B．stopped C．continued D．forgot
A．Luckily B．Probably C．Warmly D．Sadly
A．Can’t B．Don’t C．Aren’t D．Won’t
A．air B．water C．ground D．woods
A．see B．concentrate C．check D．care
A．bird B．dog C．road D．car
A．easier B．flatter C．harder D．lower
A．felt B．began C．fell D．kept
God’s coffee
A group of class friends, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon 36 into complaints about stress in work and life.
Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the 37 and returned with a large pot of coffee and a couple of 38 ---porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some 39 looking, some expensive, some delicate --- telling them to 40 themselves to the coffee.
When all the students had a cup of coffee in 41 , the professor said :“ If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, 42 behind the plain and cheap ones. Whiles it is normal for you to 43 only the best for yourselves, that is the 44 of your problems and stress. Be assured that the cup itself 45 no quality to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. 46 all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you 47 went for the best cups… And then you began __48___ each other’s cups. Now consider this: Life is the ___49____; the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain life, and the type of cup we have does not 50 , nor change the quality of life we 51 . Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we 52 to enjoy the coffee God has 53 us. God brews the coffee, not the cups… Enjoy the coffee!”
The happiest people don’t have the best of everything. They just 54 the best of everything.
Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the 55 to God.
A．stopped B．looked C．grew D．turned
A．living-room B．waiting-room C．bedroom D．kitchen
A．cups B．pans C．bowls D．bottles
A．plain B．clean C．ugly D．fine
A．devote B．help C．dedicate D．enjoy
A．stomach B．hand C．mind D．mouth
A．falling B．leaving C．hiding D．keeping
A．hope B．wish C．need D．want
A．source B．resource C．energy D．reason
A．adapts B．puts C．adds D．applies
A．As B．What C．That D．Which
A．consciously B．cheerfully C．deliberately D．bravely
A．looking B．glaring C．eyeing D．glancing
A．tea B．water C．wine D．coffee
A．sign B．mean C．define D．signal
A．spend B．live C．hate D．love
A．fail B．succeed C．tend D．manage
A．shown B．taken C．sent D．provided
A．keep B．take C．make D．hold
A．complex B．remains C．rest D．complaints