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
What is it that you love to do but never feel that you get it quite right? Perhaps you don't even try any more because you think what you do is not enough．
Discouragement seems to follow us a good part of the time, however hard we work, it seems that there is someone else who can do it much better．
I have always enjoyed music and it is to me that every musician has a of their own．My father _ several instruments and when he played with other people, it was not difficult to his sound in a group．Whether it was guitar or another instrument, he had his own sound．
I heard of a music teacher who commented to a discouraged student, " else can make the sound that you make．" The sound that you make may not be the same as someone else's, but who is to say which is ．It is said that, " is in the eye of the beholder .” . Perhaps it could be said that a delightful sound is in the ear of the ．
Every person has a different tone of voice that only to them, we all know people with an unforgettable laugh or a way of that is unique to them．It might not be the sound of your music or your voice at all．It be the way you whistle or the sound of your footsteps．
Each person has a（an） on the world in some way．Someone else can do what you do, but they cannot do it in the same way that you do it．The next time you feel , remember nobody else can make the sound that you make．
A．easy B．good C．simple D．hard
A．because B．although C．when D．if
A．seldom B．always C．never D．sometimes
A．satisfying B．convincing C．inspiring D．interesting
A．gift B．sound C．life D．song
A．played B．designed C．created D．checked
A．turn down B．call up C．pick out D．give off
A．loud B．powerful C．perfect D．special
A．once B．yet C．even D．still
A．Anybody B．Somebody C．Nobody D．Everybody
A．bigger B．better C．deeper D．lower
A．Beauty B．Interest C．Patience D．Honesty
A．speaker B．receiver C．listener D．looker
A．devotes B．adds C．adapts D．belongs
A．but B．yet C．and D．for
A．running B．walking C．jumping D．speaking
A．must B．might C．would D．should
A．choice B．opinion C．duty D．effect
A．exactly B．carefully C．cautiously D．seriously
A．annoyed B．puzzled C．discouraged D．bothered
People say one man's trash(垃圾) is another man's treasure. That comes to me as I the house purchased in 1962 by my parents. My mother passed away in 1996. My father left the house my sister and me when he died a few months ago.
After Dad was , we looked around the house where we grew up and that Dad loved so much. At first we felt so all the stuff(东西) left. Like so many of their generation, my parents everything. And like many in my generation, we faced anxious about what to abandon and what to keep.
As we started throwing out old phone books and every medical bill from every my parents ever saw, I also many hidden treasures. Mom's pocketbook was in their bedroom closet, which had everything in it, her hairbrush with hair, as if she were still here. And Dad, who was a World War II veteran(退伍兵) and a world traveler, everything -- from little spoons from all over the world to every letter he wrote to his parents while in the . The letters he wrote during the war his thoughts as a young man. Later, in the basement, I our old kitchen table, which brought back of my parents and sister and me having breakfast together.
I'm realizing all these things my parents' life journey. Each time I go to , I find something that reminded me of my childhood or teaches me something about my parents I knew. , from the shabby furniture to all the hidden treasures, means more to me than all the money in the world.
A．coincidence B．goal C．principle D．thought
A．looked for B．looked through C．looked into D．looked after
A．to B．for C．with D．by
A．retired B．ill C．gone D．injured
A．clean B．strange C．empty D．modern
A．pleased with B．familiar with C．astonished at D．disappointed at
A．saved B．enjoyed C．purchased D．designed
A．decisions B．bargains C．challenges D．responsibilities
A．person B．doctor C．neighbor D．child
A．bought B．discovered C．buried D．lost
A．just B．even C．only D．yet
A．liked B．bought C．kept D．lost
A．countryside B．school C．college D．army
A．receive B．direct C．sense D．describe
A．repaired B．cleaned C．spotted D．set
A．introductions B．memories C．descriptions D．communications
A．represented B．recognized C．instructed D．confirmed
A．the supermarket B．church C．my office D．the house
A．merely B．always C．really D．never
A．Everything B．Nothing C．Anything D．Something
Flood damage cleanupis anunforgettableexperienceforme. I have seen a number of news reports on television showing houses that have been by natural flooding and how the different there are coping and starting their flood damage cleanup. I have always felt for the families that have become victims of flooding however I couldn’t imagine what they were because I have never experienced flooding or flood damage cleanup at first until two years back.
My experience happened when I woke up early one morning because of the of water. As I started to get out of bed to turn on the light, I felt cold muddy water at my . I then realized that the power was . This probably happened due to the heavy and strong wind that were brought by a hurricane during the .
As the rains stopped, I decided to do my flood damage cleanup . Because I had only moved in the house and had only a few belongings, the amount of damage was . It involved only washing shoes and bags soap and water.
It was a good thing that most of my things were inside plastic buckets and most of the furniture that I bought was made of and plastic. This made my flood damage cleanup a lot easier. My cleanup work only the removal of mud from the apartment floors. It was also a good thing that the had hardwood floors. Had the apartment been covered with carpet, I would have had to a lot having the carpet cleaned if not replaced with a new one.
A．drowned B．washed C．affected D．removed
A．citizens B．householders C．owners D．residents
A．sorry B．worried C．excited D．glad
A．feeling B．doing C．speaking D．thinking
A．view B．hand C．thought D．sight
A．cleanup B．flooding C．earthquake D．landslide
A．smell B．shape C．taste D．sound
A．head B．neck C．feet D．breast
A．out B．in C．on D．down
A．rain B．snow C．frost D．fog
A．morning B．afternoon C．evening D．night
A．slowly B．gradually C．quickly D．frequently
A．unfolded B．unpacked C．uncovered D．unloaded
A．great B．big C．small D．tiny
A．with B．by C．through D．in
A．thrown B．dipped C．displayed D．stored
A．wood B．metal C．paper D．leather
A．undertook B．began C．involved D．engaged
A．bedroom B．kitchen C．building D．apartment
A．spend B．cost C．pay D．take
Ten years ago, my family moved to a new city, therefore I studied in the new primary school.. Sometimes, I felt very unhappy and lonely. Then one of my classmates invited me to her house for a dinner . I was a little anxious, but finally I gladly .
Not really knowing how the bus ride should be, I when I saw the landmarks on my friend’s hand-drawn map. But when I got close enough to the, I found none of the streets were shown on the map. I was on a busy road with cars driving past without a person in sight. I had no when the next bus would come, when a bus did come by, I got on. I told the bus driver where I wanted to go and he said that I had caught the bus, but he let me stay on. After he had finished his scheduled bus route, he to help me out. I gratefully showed him my little hand-drawn map but did not help much.
He finally me off at a main road to catch a different bus and was that he could not help me more. After a few minutes of walking, I noticed a bus pull up beside me. It was the bus driver. He explained that he didn’t want to leave me there . He sent out a call and someone radioed back, saying that the bus I needed to catch was about ten minutes away. At last I made it to the dinner party I was over an hour late.
I am forever thankful for the that this bus driver had for me. His act of kindness left a on my heart.
A．club B．conference C．party D．meeting
A．rejected B．accepted C．went D．got
A．long B．soon C．much D．far
A．got out B．got on C．got off D．got in
A．to showing B．showing C．shown D．to show
A．destination B．street signs C．building D．the corner
A．lying B．seating C．seated D．standing
A．know B．question C．idea D．way
A．so B．even C．and D．still
A．fast B．quickly C．happily D．ready
A．correct B．nice C．wrong D．fastest
A．offered B．refused C．supplied D．wanted
A．their B．him C．its D．it
A．kept B．dropped C．drove D．turned
A．sorry B．happy C．unhappy D．disappointed
A．foolish B．nice C．kindly D．same
A．helpful B．lonely C．unaccompanied D．alone
A．before B．although C．so D．as
A．kind B．concern C．attitude D．love
A．thought B．sign C．mark D．words
When my husband and I got married, he worked as a mechanic (机修工) from midnight to 8 a．m. However, I worked during the __ . So as he came home from work each morning, I was getting ready to _ _.
We had very little __ then, so when Valentine's Day came around that first year, I knew we couldn't ___ _ anything for each other. After he left to go to work the night before Valentine's Day, I decided to ___ _ and make a Valentine's Day card for him. I ___ wrote a poem on the front of the card. When he came home the next __ _， I felt foolish as I handed him the card, ___ _ that he wouldn't laugh at it. When he had finished ___ _ it, he slowly raised his head and looked at me. Then he reached down into his pocket. When he pulled his ___ _ out, he was holding __ .
He told me that he had _32_ it for me during his lunch hour, but he had been ___ _ to give it to me because he thought I might think it was ___ _， and that I might laugh at it.
It was a small heart made out of aluminum (铝). ___ _ I had stayed up all night making him a valentine card, he had been cutting out a __ _ for me. I still have the aluminum heart, and I ___ it in my desk. Every time I see it, all those ___ _ come flooding back to me. Over the years, we've been able to buy each other very nice, __ presents for Valentine's Day. But none has ever been as dear or ___ _ as much as those handmade gifts made from our hearts the first year that we were married.
A．day B．night C．weekend D．holiday
A．cook B．leave C．rest D．help
A．time B．chance C．money D．energy
A．buy B．choose C．find D．borrow
A．look out B．call back C．slow down D．stay up
A．still B．only C．even D．again
A．morning B．noon C．afternoon D．evening
A．imagining B．hoping C．guessing D．noticing
A．studying B．reading C．examining D．playing
A．hand B．foot C．arm D．leg
A．everything B．anything C．nothing D．something
A．written B．drawn C．made D．invented
A．surprised B．happy C．angry D．afraid
A．wrong B．difficult C．dangerous D．silly
A．Before B．Though C．While D．If
A．heart B．card C．toy D．book
A．change B．keep C．cut D．divide
A．problems B．pains C．memories D．choices
A．strange B．special C．expensive D．satisfying
A．meant B．proved C．influenced D．explained