I can honestly say it was the best of times and the worst of times．I was joyfully 36 my first Child at the same time that my once-energetic mother was 37 her battle with a brain cancer．
For ten years，my courageous mother had fought，but none of the operations or other 38 had been successful．Finally，she became totally 39 unable to speak，walk，eat or dress on her own．As she grew closer and closer to death，my baby grew closer and closer to life．My biggest fear was that their lives would never 40 she and my baby could never 41 each other．
My fear seemed 42 ．A few weeks before my 43 date，mother went into a deep coma(昏迷)and doctors said she would never 44 ．So we brought her to her own house．As often as I could，I 45 her about the baby moving inside me．I hoped that somehow 46 inside，she knew．
On February 3rd，at about the same time my labor(分娩)started at hospital，the nurse at her house told me the 47 news：Morn opened her eyes，sitting up and smiling．I asked for the phone to be 48 to Morn’S ear．
“Morn，you’II have a new grandchild!”
“Yes!Yes!I know!”
Four words。four _49__ and beautiful words!
For the next tWO miracle weeks after I brought Jacob home，she gave US joy，smiling，holding Jacob and speaking to the family in complete 50 Then she quietly slipped back into a coma 51 and was finally free 52 the pain forever．
Memories of my son’s birth will always be 53 for me，but it was at this time that I learned an important truth about living． 54 both joy and sorrow are lasting only a short time，and often intertwined(相互纠缠)，love has the 55 to face both．And love can last forever．
A．hoping B．expecting C．waiting for D．taking care of
A．continuing B．starting C．completing D．losing
A．treatments B．methods C．measures D．injections
A．dull B．unmoved C．unconscious D．disabled
A．combine B．connect C．mix D．gather
A．replace B．bless C．know D．inspire
A．well-founded B．well—informed C．well—known D．well-planned
A．ready B．final C．due D．fixed
A．come over B．come up C．come back D．come around
A．discussed with B．talked to C．explained to D．described to
A．deep B．dangerous C．magic D．mysterious
A．strange B．fantastic C．impossible D．imaginary
A．built B．set C．felt D．put
A．accurate B．slow C．clear D．truthful
A．words B．idioms C．descriptions D．sentences
A．state B．setting C．reaction D．silence
A．off B．against C．from D．beyond
A．light-hearted B．bitter-sweet C．nice D．fresh
A．If B．As C．Since D．While
A．power B．strength C．force D．energy
When I was 17 years old, I left my comfortable home in a wealthy Midwestern suburb to live as a foreign exchange student in a lower-middle-class neighborhood in a foreign country. I in an apartment with no elevators, no dishwashers and one washer for 300 . The tile (瓷砖) floors were always and the rainy winter days there seemed endless. I to wash my clothes by hand in the bathtub and water was so costly, I trained myself to my waist-length hair in less than five minutes.
At that time there were no cell phones and the Internet didn’t exist. So for six months I had no at all with my family or friends in the US. I had no relatives there so I to face the fact that my to adapt and create a life for ,was one hundred percent up to me. At age seventeen my need for friends was and not knowing a soul was, needless to say, a bit stressful.
To to my stress, I didn’t speak the and had no familiarity with the monetary(货币的) system nor the transportation system. One more that created stress was my family. Of all the families in the city I lived, I was with the ones who spoke the least (or worst) English.
Living abroad and developing in a foreign language required persistence and determination. I made many mistakes the way. Now I’ve transformed (转变) my memories into my medals of honor (荣誉勋章). They’re the treasured stories that offer wisdom, provide me with insights into friends and family and provide me with the that I can surpass future challenges.
A．moved B．lived C．turned D．took
A．places B．names C．children D．families
A．warm B．empty C．tidy D．cold
A．tried B．asked C．learned D．forced
A．although B．since C．unless D．once
A．wash B．comb C．arrange D．adopt
A．contact B．quarrel C．letter D．chance
A．turned B．needed C．pretended D．stopped
A．imagination B．ability C．question D．career
A．myself B．other C．another D．none
A．impossible B．hopeless C．beneficial D．strong
A．adapt B．apply C．add D．reduce
A．truth B．language C．fact D．word
A．scene B．shortage C．fault D．challenge
A．own B．former C．host D．guest
A．occupied B．housed C．compared D．chosen
A．fluency B．trouble C．habit D．fame
A．over B．along C．in D．during
A．harmful B．beautiful C．hopeful D．hard
A．advantage B．confidence C．promise D．future
Two weeks before Christmas, Mother told me we were going to my grandmother's house for the holiday. Grandma and Uncle Henry lived on a farm some 15 miles out of town. They had no electricity or running water and what I considered the “good things” in life. They made no plans for Christmas. When Christmas Eve arrived, Mom told me in her best “I-mean-it” voice to all the decorations(装饰物) from our tree. She packed those up, all the trimmings(材料) for a turkey dinner.
Christmas morning dawned perfectly, with the sun brightly across a fresh blanket of snow. I sulked(生气) silently in the backseat of the car because my parents made our to grandma's. This was going to be the Christmas ever! Grandma was to see us as we walked up to her door. “What on earth are you doing here?” She stammered(结巴地说). “We weren't expecting . It's Christmas, and I don't even have a turkey to cook for you.” I knew . Mom said as we set boxes of things on the kitchen table. “That's we brought one with us.” “We have a tree,” Mom insisted. “ , what will we do with all these decorations?” Uncle Henry quickly knew Mom's meaning. He called me to join him, and we a perfect Christmas tree. Soon the house smelled fresh and piney as we decorated the tree, and the day was a festive air. The turkey dinner was very good, too. I was actually beginning to enjoy this unusual Christmas day!
Dessert was forgotten Mom came out with the final surprise-----a flaming(燃烧的) pudding! “Merry Christmas, mother,” Mom said. “Dear me!” Grandma gasped. “I haven't seen a flaming pudding since I left England before I was married.” Tears of filled her eyes.
I could not keep the tears my eyes, either. I knew then that Mom had also given me the best Christmas present ever—she had taught me what a beautiful thing it is to give.
A．prepared B．lacked C．refused D．desired
A．even B．too C．never D．hardly
A．replace B．return C．remove D．show
A．instead of B．by the side of C．along with D．in spite of
A．sad B．complete C．fresh D．separate
A．shinning B．setting C．breaking D．happening
A．But B．So C．And D．Then
A．progress B．way C．wish D．hope
A．last B．busiest C．best D．worst
A．expected B．eager C．surprised D．ready
A．anyone B．others C．some one D．no one
A．you B．them C．that D．this
A．how B．why C．where D．what
A．may B．will C．can D．must
A．Meanwhile B．Therefore C．However D．Otherwise
A．improved B．found C．caused D．changed
A．showed off B．went on C．filled with D．lighted up
A．until B．after C．because D．unless
A．sadness B．joy C．regret D．worry
A．onto B．back C．into D．from
As a child, there was nothing I liked better than Sunday afternoons at my grandfather’s farm. by miles of winding stone walls, the house provided endless hours of for a city kid.
I can still remember one afternoon I was eight years old. I’d wanted more than anything to be to climb the walls surrounding the farm. The walls were old; some stones were , others loose. Still, my yearning（向往）to climb across those walls so strong that finally, one spring afternoon, I took all my and entered the living room, where the had gathered after Sunday dinner.
“I, I want to climb the stone walls,” I said. a chorus(异口同声) went up from the women in the room. “Heavens, no!” they cried, “You’ll hurt yourself!” I wasn’t too ; the was just as I’d expected. Just I could leave the room, I was stopped by my grandfather’s loud voice. “Now wait a minute.” I heard him say, “Let the boy climb the stone walls. He has to learn to do things .”
For the next two hours I climbed those old walls and had the time of my life. Later I told my grandfather about my . I’ll never forget what he said. “Fred,” he said, smiling, “you made this day a (an) day just by being yourself. Always remember, there’s only one person in this whole world like you, and I like you as you are.”
Many years have passed then, and today I’m a host in the television program “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood”, seen by millions of children.
There have been over the years, but one thing the same: my suggestion left to children at the end of almost every program. “There’s only one person in this whole world like you,” The kids can hear me say, “and people would like you exactly as you are.”
A．Covered B．Extended C．Surrounded D．Spread
A．fruit B．fun C．richness D．wonder
A．when B．that C．while D．which
A．regretted B．allowed C．realized D．provided
A．remaining B．leaving C．missing D．losing
A．grew B．disappeared C．built D．turned
A．trouble B．mind C．heart D．courage
A．adults B．relations C．men D．women
A．Quietly B．Hurriedly C．Frequently D．Immediately
A．excited B．sad C．disappointed D．pleased
A．sound B．end C．response D．story
A．whenever B．while C．as soon as D．before
A．of himself B．in himself C．by himself D．to himself
A．news B．experience C．doubt D．wonder
A．special B．regular C．common D．usual
A．straightly B．exactly C．quietly D．rightly
A．since B．till C．until D．by
A．name B．named C．naming D．to name
A．jobs B．events C．adventures D．changes
A．becomes B．develops C．remains D．seems
Last spring, I was fortunate to be chosen to participate in an exchange study program. In my application letter, I was careful to how much I wanted to see France; evidently, my excitement really came through in my words. Once I that I was going, all I could think about was the fun of foreign travel and making all sorts of new and friends. While traveling was inspiring and meeting people was , nothing about my term in France was what I .
The moment I arrived in Paris, I was by a nice French couple who would become my host parents. My entire experience was pleasant and exciting I received some shocking news from my program coordinator (协调人); there had been a death in my host parents’ extended family (大家庭). They had to travel outside France for several weeks. That afternoon, I had to out of one family’s house and into another. The exchange coordinator told me I’d have a this time and asked whether I could share a bedroom with an English speaker. To avoid the temptation (诱惑) to my native language, I asked not to a room with an English-speaking roommate. When I got to my new room, I myself to my new roommate Paolo, a Brazilian (巴西人), the same age as I, whom I was surprised to find playing one of my favorite CDs! In just a few hours, we knew we’d be good friends for the rest of the .
I left France with many , so when people ask me what my favorite part of the trip was, they are always to hear me talk about my Brazilian friend Paolo and the scores of weekdays in class, weeknights in the town, and weekends France we enjoyed together. I love how people seem so different, but end up being so . The most valuable lesson I gained from studying in France wasn’t just to respect the foreign people to respect all people, for your next best friend could be just a continent away. I would recommend an exchange program to anyone who wants to experience foreign cultures and gain precious .
A．discuss B．express C．announce D．argue
A．approved B．knew C．warned D．denied
A．stubborn B．anxious C．appropriate D．interesting
A．boring B．upsetting C．exciting D．promising
A．expected B．liked C．doubled D．feared
A．sponsored B．witnessed C．greeted D．supported
A．until B．when C．since D．while
A．move B．travel C．walk D．rush
A．housekeeper B．leader C．roommate D．colleague
A．learn B．appreciate C．speak D．master
A．combine B．fit C．divide D．share
A．added B．introduced C．devoted D．adapted
A．term B．week C．month D．vacation
A．presents B．suitcases C．stories D．dreams
A．surprised B．disturbed C．embarrassed D．concerned
A．exploding B．exploring C．describing D．exposing
A．need B．shall C．must D．can
A．generous B．independent C．similar D．distant
A．and B．but C．or D．so
A．instructions B．friendships C．facts D．data
People from Great Britain brought the English language to North America in the 16th and 17th centuries. And in the 300 years, there have been so many in both places that now people can easily an English person from an American in the he or she talks.
Many old words in England but were kept in America. For example, 300 years ago people in Great Britain got their water from something they either a “aucet”, “spigot”, or a “tap”. All these words are heard in different parts of America, but only “tap” is still in England. Americans often make new words or change old ones. “Corn” is one kind of plant in America and in England.
Also, over the last three centuries the English language has thousands of new words for things that weren’t before. And often, American and English people used two names for them. A tin can is called “tin” for short in English, but a “can” in America. The word “radio” is all over the world, including America. But many English people call it a “wireless”. And almost anything something to do with cars, railroads, etc. has different in British and American English.
But now American and British English may be closer together. One thing is that people can hear a large amount of American speech daily in , on television, or from travelers. Because of this, Americans 60 to be influencing the British more and more. So some day, English may even be the same on both sides of the Atlantic.
A．past B．recent C．oldest D．latest
A．citizens B．inventions C．changes D．advances
A．pick B．tell C．take D．judge
A．voice B．place C．language D．way
A．disappeared B．stayed C．returned D．formed
A．said B．talked C．spoke D．called
A．then B．hardly C．clearly D．still
A．necessary B．native C．common D．lively
A．of B．into C．up D．out
A．another B．the other C．none D．something
A．discovered B．added C．improved D．learned
A．accepted B．known C．introduced D．understood
A．new B．short C．different D．surprising
A．produced B．made C．developed D．used
A．having B．bringing C．getting D．making
A．types B．names C．degrees D．parts
A．putting B．staying C．living D．growing
A．British B．American C．educated D．ordinary
A．families B．buses C．movies D．newspapers
A．need B．expect C．seem D．happen