Terry was a middle-aged leather trader whose repeated failure in career made him a depressed man, often __16__ that he had been cheated by others. One day he told his wife he was so __17__ with the city that he had to leave.
So his family moved to another city. It was the evening of a weekend. When Terry and his wife were busily __18__ up their new home, the light suddenly __19__. Terry was regretful to have forgotten to bring along __20__ and had to wait __21__ in a low mood. Just then he heard light, hesitant __22__ on his door that were clearly audible (听到) in the __23__ night.
“Who’s it?” he wondered, since Terry was a __24__ to this city. And this was the moment he especially hated to be __25__, so he went to the door and opened it __26__. At the door was a little girl, shyly asking, “Sir, do you have candles? I’m your neighbor. ” “No,” answered Terry in anger and shut the door __27__. “What a nuisance!” He complained over it with his wife. “No sooner had we settled down than the neighbor came to __28__ things.”
After a while, the door was knocked again. He opened it and found the same girl outside. __29__ this time she was __30__ two candles, saying, “My grandma told me the new neighbor downstairs might need candles. She __31__ me here to give you these.” Terry was very __32__ by what he saw. At that moment he suddenly realized what caused his __33__ in life. It was his __34__ and harshness (刻薄) with other people. The person who had cheated him in life was __35__ nobody else but himself, for his eyes had been blurred (蒙蔽) by his unsympathetic mind.
A．complaining B．telling C．hoping D．pretending
A．pleased B．disappointed C．exhausted D．encouraged
A．looking B．turning C．coming D．tidying
A．went on B．went down C．went out D．went through
A．candles B．matches C．lights D．bulbs
A．happily B．patiently C．hopefully D．helplessly
A．steps B．words C．knocks D．screams
A．dark B．quiet C．noisy D．crowded
A．newcomer B．stranger C．guest D．settler
A．called B．disturbed C．watched D．offered
A．surprisingly B．delightedly C．impatiently D．willingly
A．gently B．kindly C．politely D．violently
A．lend B．sell C．harness D．borrow
A．And B．But C．So D．For
A．holding B．hiding C．fetching D．lifting
A．suggested B．commanded C．sent D．forced
A．frightened B．pleased C．puzzled D．surprised
A．failure B．success C．complaint D．determination
A．warmth B．coldness C．kindness D．sympathy (同情)
A．doubtfully B．hardly C．actually D．nearly
Everyone enjoys a fitting reply; it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time!
When I was a senior in high school, I knew I wanted to pursue writing as a career.
Writing had basically me when I was only 7 years old, since that time, I’d been bombarded by guidance counselors and career planners who all me to have “a back-up plan” in case writing didn’t work out.
I’d never even a different career path, so I was very and worried. After much thought, I decided would be my “back-up plan,” and I signed up for a class through my high school.
This that every morning, I would serve as a teacher’s helper for my favorite 6th grade teacher, Mr. Ralston. Morning after morning, I showed up in Mr. Ralston’s classroom and papers for him.
Sometimes, I even a lesson or two. It was fun, and the students seemed to like me, so I was surprised when it came time for my . Mr. Ralston looked me right in the eyes and asked, “Do you really want to teach?”
“Had I really been that ?” I thought.
“Don’t misunderstand. You’ll do fine in teaching,” he continued. “But, is your really in it?”
“Not really,” I . “I want to write. I want to write news stories and fiction and poetry and so much more…but I’ve been told it’s tough to make it as a writer I thought maybe I would teach and then use my summers to pursue writing.”
As I shared with Mr. Ralston my hopes, dreams and carefully plotted-out back-up plan, he smiled and said, “Why are you preparing to with this back-up plan? If you want to be a writer, go for it! Pursue writing!”
Mr. Ralston’s to follow my dreams was the little nudge I needed to help me push past my of not making it as a writer and simply “Go for it!”
That’s what an encouraging word will do when spoken in love in season. So, let’s try and be like Mr. Ralston and speak that word of encouragement at just the right time and make a difference in someone’s life today.
A．even B．never C．already D．also
A．reminded B．entertained C．accompanied D．chosen
A．or B．and C．for D．but
A．urged B．forced C．taught D．persuaded
A．created B．taken C．considered D．examined
A．embarrassed B．confused C．annoyed D．frightened
A．writing B．teaching C．studying D．compiling
A．meant B．indicated C．suggested D．revealed
A．read B．set C．graded D．composed
A．reviewed B．skipped C．took D．presented
A．application B．evaluation C．instruction D．qualification
A．transparent B．shallow C．superior D．ambitious
A．eye B．mind C．heart D．focus
A．interrupted B．joked C．admitted D．apologized
A．unless B．if C．because D．so
A．up B．apart C．along D．off
A．fail B．follow C．depart D．compete
A．encouragement B．determination C．tendency D．attempt
A．dreams B．fears C．regrets D．mistakes
A．peak B．low C．due D．New
It was a terribly cold Christmas Eve with heavy snow outside. I stayed in bed, feeling upset because there wasn’t enough money to buy me the that I’d wanted that year.
Mum came back with some snow in her hair. “Come on, Matt!” she said. “Dress ! It’s freezing cold out tonight.”
, I went out in the cold with Mum and climbed up the sled beside her. She pulled it around the house and then stopped in front of the woodshed(柴房). She went in and with an armload of wood.
“I rode by Jensen’s today,” said Mum, “Little Jakey was out digging around in the snow. They’re out of wood, Matt.”
Jensen lived about two miles down the road. Her husband died 3 months ago, three children, Jakey being only 8 years old.
We loaded the sled high with . Then we went to the store and my mother took down some meat, a sack of flour and a smaller sack of shoes.
We rode the two miles to Jensen’s in . All the way I wondered why Mum bought them some shoes and candy as we didn’t have much money. Jensen had closer neighbors than us. It shouldn’t have been our .
We got to Jensen’s house and unloaded the wood as quietly as possible. Then we took the meat, flour and shoes to the door.
We . Jensen opened the door and let us in. “We brought you a few things, Jensen,” Mum said, the sack of flour and the meat on the table. Then Mum handed her the sack of shoes. Jensen bit her lower lip to keep it from trembling, tears welling out and down her cheeks.
“We also a load of wood, Jensen,” Mum added. She turned to me and said: “Matt, go and bring some in.”
I wasn’t the same person when I went back out to get the wood. Just then the scarf didn’t seem . The look on Jensen’s face and the smiles of her three children was the best Christmas gift of my life.
A．scarf B．overcoat C．shoes D．handbag
A．fashionably B．casually C．comfortably D．warmly
A．Unsteadily B．Unhurriedly C．Unwillingly D．Uncomplainingly
A．stepped away B．came out C．broke down D．fell over
A．adopting B．taking C．overlooking D．leaving
A．wood B．meat C．flour D．grass
A．surprise B．danger C．silence D．harmony
A．custom B．concern C．comment D．courage
A．signed B．chased C．knocked D．hesitated
A．taking away B．getting back C．giving out D．putting down
A．prepared B．bought C．borrowed D．required
A．expensive B．important C．ordinary D．available
As a young man, Al was a skilled artist, with a wife and two fine sons. One night, his older son developed a severe stomachache. Thinking it was only some common intestinal（肠的）disorder, neither Al nor his wife took the condition very . But the boy suddenly that night.
Knowing the death could have been avoided if he had only realized the seriousness of the situation, he always felt he was . To make matters worse, his wife left him a short time later, leaving him alone with his six-year-old younger son. The hurt and pain of the two situations were more than Al could , and he turned to alcohol for help. In time Al became a(n) .
As the alcoholism progressed, AL began to everything he possessed — his land, house, etc. Finally Al died alone in a small bar. Hearing of Al's death, I thought, "What a totally life! What a complete failure! "
As time went by, I began to my earlier rough judgment. I knew Al's now adult son, Ernie. He is one of the kindest, most caring, most loving men I have ever known. I saw the love between Ernie and his children, thinking that kindness and caring had to come from somewhere.
I hadn’t heard Ernie talk much about his . One day, I worked up my to ask him what on earth his father had done so that he became such a special person. Ernie said quietly, “As a child until I left home at 18, Al came into my room every night, gave me a kiss and said, ‘love you, son.’”
Tears came to my eyes as I realized that I had been a to judge Al as a failure. He had not left any material possessions behind. But he had been a kind loving father, and his best love.
A．angrily B．seriously C．easily D．happily
A．recovered B．laughed C．died D．cried
A．guilty B．happy C．experienced D．curious
A．expect B．see C．hear D．stand
A．beggar B．smoker C．worker D．alcoholic
A．lose B．donate C．spend D．save
A．successful B．limited C．satisfactory D．wasted
A．reuse B．revalue C．repeat D．recognize
A．mother B．brother C．father D．son
A．laughter B．courage C．shyness D．belief
A．fool B．winner C．wiser D．angel
A．left out B．take away C．left behind D．take out
The moment I stepped off the plane after a writer’s conference, my youngest son Jeremy greeted me and cried out, “Poster paper, Mama! I need poster paper. We’re having a at school.”
Being a housewife and writer, I felt like no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t keep up with the needs of my . Back at home, Jeremy kept reminding me of the poster paper, but I just couldn’t a minute for it. Gradually though, he began to speak more , almost he were talking to himself. Maybe he’ll just forget it, I thought hopefully. So I put Jeremy’s request at the of my long list of things to do.
My third day home I managed to take fifteen minutes to type an article when a small fell across my paper. I knew who it would be before I . Jeremy stood quietly watching me. Oh, Lord, please don’t let him say it again. I knew what he wanted but I needed to . I smiled at Jeremy and kept typing. He for a few more minutes, then turned and walked away. I almost didn’t hear his . “Competition is over tomorrow, anyway.” The small figure walking out of my room, a silent voice spoke urgently to my heart, “Get him that paper-now!”
“Let’s go to get the paper, Jeremy.” He stopped, and looked at me in “You’re going to the store just for me?” I . Suddenly, a look of shot across his face, erasing the disbelief. I don’t think I’ll ever that moment. Later that day, he worked silently on the all afternoon. And a few weeks later, a large yellow envelope came. Inside it was the Certificate of Award. So was I that I didn’t turned away from his to get him some poster paper.
A．race B．class C．ceremony D．competition
A．colleagues B．family C．neighbors D．relatives
A．spare B．wait C．spend D．lose
A．slowly B．softly C．confidently D．loudly
A．as soon as B．as long as C．as though D．even if
A．bottom B．top C．beginning D．corner
A．letter B．foot C．image D．shadow
A．woke up B．stood up C．got up D．looked up
A．rest B．type C．learn D．exercise
A．widely B．happily C．weakly D．politely
A．watched B．searched C．hesitated D．complained
A．comment B．footsteps C．warning D．advice
A．fell over B．sat down C．turned around D．walked away
A．peace B．astonishment C．relief D．silence
A．doubted B．argued C．apologized D．nodded
A．surprise B．sadness C．disappointment D．excitement
A．enjoy B．remember C．forget D．value
A．story B．question C．poster D．composition
A．grateful B．generous C．forgetful D．selfless
A．opinion B．request C．promise D．gift
Air travel makes some people very nervous. The crowds, the noise and flying itself can cause . But there are classes people can take to help them the fear of flying. And there is training for service dogs that suffer the same problem.
Service dogs almost never the side of the people they care for. You will see them working on buses, trains and other public systems. But the busy environment found at an airport can even the best trained working dog.
People with disabilities depend on their dogs. They want the animals to safely them through security areas. They also need the dogs to remain on duty on the airplane, even when the flying is not . This takes special . The Air Hollywood K9 Flight School is one place where such help can be found.
The school has a piece of equipment that provides the sights, sounds and even the feel of an airplane in flight. Dog trainers say training is based on a simple rule: preparation. Dogs need to be exposed gradually and to the environment, to loud noises, to sounds and other dogs so that when this experience happens to them on a daily basis, they're able to act in a way that they're used to acting and that they don't get .
Dog owners who the training at Air Hollywood K9 Flight School say they now feel much more at ease about future . Their dogs also seem ready for takeoff.
A．trouble B．unease C．accidents D．diseases
A．defeat B．describe C．sense D．record
A．professional B．varied C．free D．similar
A．approach B．bark C．leave D．take
A．association B．running C．transport D．society
A．trouble B．attract C．interrupt D．instruct
A．follow B．guide C．train D．land
A．nervously B．stressfully C．calmly D．enthusiastically
A．speedy B．relaxing C．dangerous D．smooth
A．interest B．attention C．training D．procedure
A．previous B．cooperative C．academic D．successful
A．repeatedly B．abruptly C．occasionally D．instantly
A．bored B．excitable C．energetic D．fragile
A．attended B．inquired C．overlooked D．recommended
A．career B．flights C．security D．generations