I believe that families are not only blood relatives, but sometimes people who show up and love you when no one else will.
In May 1977, I was living in a Howard Johnson’s motel off Interstate 10 in Houston. My dad and I 41 a room with two double beds and a bathroom was too 42 for a 15-year-old girl and her father. Dad’s second marriage was 43 and my stepmother had 44 us both out of the house the previous week. Dad had no 45_ what to do with me. And that’s when my other family 46 .
Barbara and Roland Beach took me into their home 47 their only daughter, Su, my best friend, asked them to. I 48 with them for the next seven years.
Barb washed my skirts the same as Su’s. She 49 I had lunch money, doctors’ appointments, help with homework and nightly hugs. Barbara and Roland attended every football game where Su and I were being cheerleaders. 50 I could tell, for the Beaches there was no 51 between Su and me; I was their daughter, too.
When Su and I 52 college they kept my room the same for the entire four years I attended school. Recently, Barb presented me with an insurance policy they bought when I first moved in with them and had continued to pay on for 23 years.
The Beaches knew 53 about me when they took me in – they had heard the whole story from Su. When I was seven, my mother died and from then on my father relied on other people to _54 his kids. Before I went to live with the Beaches I had believed that life was entirely 55__ and that love was shaky and untrustworthy. I had believed that the only person who would take care of me was me.
56 the Beaches, I would have become a bitter, cynical (愤世嫉俗的) woman. They gave me a(n) 57 that allowed me to grow and change. They kept me from being paralyzed by my _58 , and they gave me the confidence to open my heart.
I 59 family. For me, it wasn’t the family that was there on the day I was 60 , but the one that was there for me when I was living in a Howard Johnson’s on Interstate 10.
A．lived B．shared C．possessed D．bought
A．cheap B．noisy C．small D．limited
A．in trouble B．in sight C．in place D．in parts
A．struck B．removed C．kicked D．knocked
A．plan B．choice C．chance D．idea
A．looked after B．showed up C．turned over D．came across
A．so B．because C．until D．while
A．worked B．traveled C．lived D．learned
A．worked out B．called up C．watched out D．made sure
A．As long as B．As far as C．As soon as D．As many as
A．change B．problem C．conflict D．difference
A．set off B．left for C．entered into D．admitted into
A．all B．little C．something D．nothing
A．supply B．teach C．encourage D．raise
A．different B．unfair C．easy D．hopeful
A．Thanks to B．In spite of C．Except for D．But for
A．home B．house C．ability D．lesson
A．choice B．failure C．past D．present
A．doubt about B．call on C．center on D．believe in
A．born B．accepted C．educated D．deserted
Leonardo da Vinci began painting the Mona Lisa in 1503. He was working a special painting for a church at that time,
the church painting was not
well. An Italian businessman asked da Vinci to paint a picture of his second
. This is the woman who
be seen in the Mona Lisa.
All in all, the Mona Lisa is a very good example of da Vinci's and it satisfied the husband. Da Vinci used
and light in a clever
in the painting. Da Vinci loved science and
. Right away a person can see that there is a lot of geometry (几何形状)in the Mona Lisa. The face of the Mona Lisa is made of many circles and
shapes like
. Even her
can be seen as a small part of a large circle. The woman in the
is sitting on a balcony (阳台)，and
can be seen behind her. Da Vinci loved to study rocks，so these can be seen
in his other paintings. The woman is sitting with her knees
the side. Her head is turned to look out of the painting. Her hands are
together in front of her. This way of
is now used by many
when they are being painted. The Mona Lisa is a
master.
A. up B. in C. on D. about
A. but B. thus C. however D. so
A. doing B. going C. making D. working
A. servant B. daughter C. nurse D. wife
A. must B. should C. might D. can
A. works B. jobs C. novels D. photos
A. heaviness B. black C. darkness D. oils
A. way B. picture C. hand D. eye
A. chemistry B. mathematics C. geography D. biology
A. square B. round C. long D. egg
A. balls B. sticks C. vases D. boxes
A. smile B. shout C. cry D. anger
A. church B. painting C. sofa D. house
A. trees B. buildings C. mountains D. flowers
A. by and by B. here and there C. over and over D. up and down
A. on B. by C. to D. beyond
A. caught B. held C. supported D. hung
A. painting B. living C. smiling D. sitting
A. women B. actresses C. girls D. models
A. remarkable B. strange C. frightening D. disgusting
A man and his girlfriend were married. It was a large .
All of their friends and came to see the lovely ceremony and to in the festivities and celebrations. All had a wonderful time. The bride was impressive her white wedding gown and the groom was very attractive in his black suit. Everyone could that the love they had for each other was .
A few months later, the wife came to the husband with a/an , "I read in a magazine about how we can our marriage," she offered. "Each of us will write a list of the things that we find a bit with the other person. Then, we can talk about how we can them and make our lives happier together."
The husband agreed. So of them went to a separate room in the house and thought of the things that annoyed them. They thought about this question for of the day and wrote down what they . The next morning, at the breakfast table, they decided that they would their lists.
"I'll start," offered the wife. She took out her list. It had many on it, enough to fill three pages. In fact, as she started reading the list, she noticed that tears were starting to appear in her husband's eyes.
"What's wrong?" she asked. "Nothing," the husband replied, "keep reading your list."
The wife continued to read until she had read all three pages to her husband. She placed her list on the table and her hands over the top of it.
"Now, you read your list," she said happily.
Quietly the husband , "I don't have anything on my list. I think that you are perfect the way you are. I don't want you to change anything for me. The wife, by his honesty and the depth of his love for her and his acceptance of her, turned her head and wept.
We have a wonderful world that is full of beauty, light and promise. Why waste time in this world looking for the bad, disappointing or annoying when we can look around us, and see the wonderful before us?
A．festival B．feast C．celebration D．holiday
A．family B．colleagues C．relatives D．neighbors
A．overcome B．undertake C．intake D．partake
A．dressed in B．pull on C．put on D．wore
A．say B．tell C．know D．learn
A．real B．actual C．true D．pure
A．proposal B．idea C．request D．command
A．expand B．strengthen C．broaden D．deepen
A．annoyed B．disturbed C．disturbing D．annoying
A．focus B．fix C．concentrate D．react
A．both B．all C．each D．neither
A．the remained B．the rest C．the left D．the following
A．came up B．came out C．came for D．came up with
A．go over B．make up C．look over D．turn to
A．matters B．topics C．items D．details
A．cleanly B．clearly C．proudly D．neatly
A．unfolded B．folded C．opened D．stretched
A．stated B．declared C．announced D．suggested
A．what B．where C．who D．that
A．encouraged B．criticized C．touched D．loved
A sufferer of Hansen’s Disease in Fiji, with twisted hands, became an internationally known artist. “My ____ I see as a gift led me to my life’s work,” he said. “If it had not been for it, none of these things would have ____.”
Some people succeed ____handicaps(残疾). Others succeed because of them. The ____is that our problems help to make us what we are. Those who____often learn the value of sympathy. And those who ____often teach others how to rise again. Our troubles can ____us in ways a carefree (无忧无虑的) existence cannot.
A ____is told about an Eastern village that through the centuries was known for its good pottery（陶器）. Especially ____were its pots, high as tables, wide as chairs; they were ____around the globe for their strong form and great beauty.
Legend has it that when each pot was seemingly ____, there was still one final step. The craftsman ____it---and then put it back together with gold filigree(金银丝).
A(n) ____pot was then transformed into a priceless work of art. What seemed finished wasn’t until it was broken.
So it is with ____! Broken by hardships, disappointments and tragedies, they can become ____and bitter. ____when mended by a hand of patience and love, the finished ____will be a work of beauty; a life that could ____reach its wholeness after it was broken.
If you feel broken, ____that you are a work of art! And you may not actually be complete until the ____are bonded with gold filigree of love.
A．sickness B．guilt C．danger D．complaint
A．failed B．spread C．happened D．stopped
A．in honour of B．in place of C．in advance of D．in spite of
A．decision B．truth C．excuse D．promise
A．escape B．suffer C．argue D．exist
A．fall down B．calm down C．get up D．turn up
A．scold B．shape C．trap D．disturb
A．story B．dream C．lie D．joke
A．boring B．frightening C．relaxing D．striking
A．saved B．lost C．admired D．stolen
A．counted B．purchased C．received D．finished
A．shared B．collected C．broke D．changed
A．ordinary B．precious C．small D．heavy
A．history B．culture C．people D．space
A．disappointed B．ashamed C．amused D．shy
A．Or B．But C．So D．Because
A．experiment B．building C．passage D．product
A．seldom B．never C．only D．sometimes
A．explain B．deny C．inform D．remember
A．edges B．pieces C．ends D．facts
There are two leading, complementary views on the sources of workplace stress. Understanding the difference between the two is the first step in learning how to cope with.
The first regards stress as coming from how you your situation. For example, one day your boss emerges from a long, closed-door meeting upset. Then she e-mails you requesting a meeting. Do you think you’d be fired? If your mind starts spinning a disaster, it’s enough to drive your body to a stress . To cope with it, you may not be able to avoid the stir, you can learn to change your response and your mind. Start keeping a list of everything in your day that causes stress. Is there something new or in your work life? Do certain colleagues make your boil? Find how every item the list makes you feel and then ask yourself, “Is my reaction correct?” This step is the to finding a way to deal with them, once you understand where your emotions are coming from.
The other view says outside factors, distressing work environments, mostly drive workplace stress. Common of stress-causing environments include non-communicative bosses, isolating work, and jobs that require much effort but offer little . Finding another job may be the most effective solution in the long run. But until the job market , find ways to regain a sense of control your . If you must endure a two-hour trip in rush-hour traffic to arrive at the office by 9 am, start your workday earlier, so you the worst time to travel. If you can’t your colleagues, shut your office door or take your work to a conference room for part of the day.
A．believe B．perceive C．receive D．relieve
A．feeling B．keeping C．looking D．turning
A．constantly B．currently C．immediately D．occasionally
A．situation B．reaction C．condition D．association
A．and B．even if C．but D．if
A．calm B．change C．set D．speak
A．creative B．different C．familiar D．successful
A．blood B．body C．head D．heat
A．among B．within C．on D．to
A．way B．key C．method D．technique
A．healthier B．newer C．readier D．stronger
A．as B．despite C．except D．like
A．appearances B．atmospheres C．categories D．characteristics
A．socially B．publicly C．organizationally D．personally
A．wealth B．profit C．award D．reward
A．puts up B．calls up C．picks up D．gets up
A．over B．on C．in D．at
A．positions B．properties C．spaces D．surroundings
A．avoid B．miss C．prevent D．resist
A．accept B．convince C．please D．stand
On a Friday night, a poor young artist stood at the gate of the subway station, playing his violin. Attracted by the great music, many of the passers-by their paces and put some money into his hat.
The next day, the artist came again. Different from the day before, he took out a large piece of paper and laid it on the ground. Then he the violin and began playing. On the paper it said, “Last night a gentleman named George Sang put an important thing into my hat by mistake. Please come to it soon.”
It caused a great excitement among the and people wondered what it could be. After about half an hour, a middle-aged man hurriedly ran there. “Yes, it’s you. You did come here. I knew that you’re an honest man and would certainly come here.”
The young violinist asked , “Are you Mr. George Sang?” The man nodded. “Did you lose something?” “It’s lottery,” said the man. The violinist took out a lottery ticket on which George Sang’s name was seen. “Is it?” he asked. George nodded promptly and the lottery ticket and kissed it.
The story turned out to be this: George Sang bought a lottery ticket. The awards opened yesterday and he won a of $500,000. He was so happy, but when he took out 50 dollars to put in the hat, the lottery ticket was also thrown in. The violinist was a student at an Art College and has planned to attend studies in Vienna, He has booked the ticket and would fly that morning. However he cancelled the and came back to wait.
Later someone asked the violinist, “At that time you were in need to pay the fee and you had to play the violin every day to make the money. Then why didn’t you the lottery for yourself?” The violinist said, “Although I don’t have much money, I live happily; but if I lose honesty I won’t be happy forever.”
Through our lives, we can gain a lot and lose so much, but being should always be with us.
A．sped up B．fastened up C．slowed down D．kept up with
A．adjusted B．adopted C．performed D．regulated
A．ask B．claim C．declare D．announce
A．Circumstance B．Environment C．surroundings D．crowd
A．calmly B．angrily C．carelessly D．indifferently
A．scratched B．tore C．seized D．caught
A．reward B．prize C．praise D．salary
A．interested B．skilled C．developed D．advanced
A．flight B．trip C．train D．study
A．show B．rent C．tuition D．travel
A．leave B．hold C．bring D．keep
A．warm-hearted B．honest C．honored D．kind-hearted