I wandered in the park. The park bench was___21___ as I sat down to read beneath the long, straggly (蔓延的) branches of an old willow tree. I was disappointed by life with ___22___ reason to frown, for the world was intent on dragging me down.
___23___ that weren't enough to ruin my day, a young boy out of ___24___ approached me, all tired from play. He stood right before me and said with great excitement, "Look what I found!"
In his hand was a flower, and what a ___25___ sight, with its petals(花瓣) all worn --- not enough rain, or too little light. I faked a small ___26___, wanting him to take his dead flower and leave, and then ___27___.
But instead of leaving he sat next to my side and placed the flower to his nose and declared with surprise, "It surely smells pretty and it's beautiful, too. That's why I picked it; here, it's for you."
The weed before me was dying or dead. Not brilliant colors, orange, yellow or red. But I knew I must ___28___ it, or he might never leave. So I reached for the flower, and replied, "Just what Ineed."
But ___29___ him placing the flower in my hand, he held it mid-air without ___30___ or plan. It was then that I noticed for the very first time, that young boy could not see: he was blind.
My ___31___ trembled, and tears shone like the sun as I ___32___ him for picking the very best one. "You're welcome," he smiled, and then ran off to play, not ___33___ of the impact he'd had on my day.
I sat there and wondered how he ___34___ to see a self-pitying woman beneath an old willow tree. How did he ___35___ my difficult situation? ___36___ from his heart, he'd been blessed with true ___37___.
At last I could see, ___38___ the eyes of a blind child, the problem was not with the ___39___; the problem was me. And for all of those times I myself had been ___40___, I vowed(发誓) to see beauty, and appreciate every second that's mine.
I held that wilted(枯萎) flower up to my nose and breathed in the fragrance of a beautiful rose and smiled as that young boy.
A．equipped B．painted C．deserted D．taken
A．good B．temporary C．opposite D．mistaken
A．For fear B．As if C．Even though D．Now that
A．happiness B．fortune C．question D．breath
A．negative B．serious C．ridiculous D．pitiful
A．gift B．preference C．discussion D．smile
A．turned away B．wandered off C．stood up D．set out
A．take B．adjust C．comfort D．submit
A．in spite of B．instead of C．in case of D．because of
A．connection B．delay C．hesitation D．reason
A．heart B．hands C．voice D．legs
A．praised B．thanked C．approved D．delighted
A．hopeful B．content C．aware D．successful
A．managed B．promised C．desired D．accomplished
A．get across B．know of C．care about D．deal with
A．Actually B．Somehow C．Obviously D．Perhaps
A．love B．experience C．sight D．power
A．With B．Across C．Around D．Through
A．world B．flower C．complaint D．appearance
A．particular B．unforgettable C．blind D．sensitive
I hadn’t even got a chance to enter the store before an African American woman approached me and asked if I would help her return an item. The item she had 36 was intended for her daughter, but she had already received a 37 one. The lady 38 to exchange the item for something else in the store but she was told she needed an ID 39 the deal could not take place.
I went to the 40 with the woman so we could use my ID. The sales associate immediately started 41 her of asking the first 42 person she saw to help her. Although that was 43 , I didn’t understand why it 44 . After all, not everyone is given the opportunity to 45 an ID in this country.
Then, we asked to speak with a manager, who explained that there was no 46 to return the item without a receipt and then went on to say the woman could not 47 she purchased the item.
“ 48 I, a young white female, were to enter the store and request you to make an exchange without a receipt, I would not be 49 the privilege — as I have proof from the past.” I said. He must have realized at that moment what he had done, because he 50 to exchange the item.
There are many valuable lessons in the story. The first is to help a stranger in need. I 51 when the woman asked for my help, but 52in my head I asked myself, “Why not? What valid 53 do I actually have?” I had none, so I helped her.
The second lesson is not to judge a book by its 54 . The woman looked poor, but she 55 _ the same treatment as anyone else does.
A．purchased B．shown C．lost D．mended
A．same B．popular C．similar D．different
A．managed B．wanted C．refused D．promised
A．for B．or C．and D．so
A．counter B．department C．market D．window
A．warning B．informing C．reminding D．accusing
A．fair B．familiar C．impossible D．random
A．wrong B．true C．reasonable D．meaningful
A．mattered B．happened C．passed D．worked
A．leave B．pay C．find D．obtain
A．request B．place C．way D．need
A．answer B．prove C．support D．admit
A．Unless B．And C．Instead D．If
A．ordered B．asked C．denied D．given
A．agreed B．prepared C．failed D．remembered
A．struggled B．wondered C．hesitated D．nodded
A．totally B．gradually C．hardly D．quickly
A．feelings B．goals C．reasons D．ideas
A．design B．cover C．content D．price
A．deserved B．required C．received D．appreciated
People do not analyse every problem they meet. Sometimes they try to remember a solution from the last time they had a 36 problem. They often accept the opinion or ideas of other people. Other times they begin to act without 37 ; they try to find a solution by trial and error. However, when all of these methods 38 , the person with a problem has to start analysing. There are six 39 in analysing a problem.
40 , the person must recognize that there is a problem. For example, Sam’s bicycle is broken, and he cannot ride it to class as he usually does. Sam must 41 that there is a problem with his bicycle.
Next the person must 42 the problem. Before Sam can repair his bicycle, he must know why it does not work. For example, he must 43 the parts that are wrong.
Now the person must look for 44 that will make the problem clearer and lead to 45 solutions. For example, suppose Sam 46 that his bike does not work because there is something wrong with the brakes. 47 , he can look in his bicycle repair book and read about brakes, talk to his friends at the bike shop, or look at his brakes carefully.
After 48 the problem, the person should have several suggestions for a possible solution. Take Sam as an example 49, his suggestions might be: tighten or loosen the brakes; buy new brakes and change the old ones.
In the end, one 50 seems to be the solution to the problem. Sometimes the 51 idea comes quite 52 because the thinker suddenly sees something in a 53 way. Sam, for example, suddenly sees there is a piece of chewing gum stuck to a brake. He immediately hits on the solution to his problem: he must 54 the brake.
Finally the solution is 55 . Sam does it and finds his bicycle works perfectly. In short he has solved the problem.
A．serious B．usual C．similar D．common
A．practice B．thinking C．understanding D．help
A．fail B．work C．change D．develop
A．ways B．conditions C．stages D．orders
A．First B．Usually C．In general D．Most importantly
A．explain B．prove C．show D．see
A．judge B．find C．describe D．face
A．check B．determine C．correct D．recover
A．answers B．skills C．explanation D．information
A．possible B．exact C．real D．special
A．hopes B．argues C．decides D．suggests
A．In other words B．Once in a while C．First of all D．At this time
A．discussing B．settling down C．comparing with D．studying
A．secondly B．again C．also D．alone
A．suggestion B．conclusion C．decision D．discovery
A．next B．clear C．final D．new
A．unexpectedly B．late C．clearly D．often
A．simple B．different C．quick D．sudden
A．clean B．separate C．loosen D．remove
A．recorded B．completed C．tested D．accepted
It happened towards evening, when I was resting in a cafe. I 36 a pair of newly bought white leather shoes, which were rather expensive. Then 37 came to me.
He was in an unfit shirt, 38 pale and weak. He looked about eleven or twelve. No sooner39 begun to speak than he opened the box in his hand and took out the tools of shoe-polishing. He bent down, 40 my leather shoes, and began to shine them.
He was concentrating on his job when heavy rain began to pour 41 . People rushed into the cafe for protection from the 42 . More and more people crowded in and gradually 43 the boy from me.
Hours passed, and 44 turned dark. I had no shoes on my feet and wondered 45 the boy had been. I thought he would not 46 my leather shoes, and I would have to walk back home on 47 in the night.
When it was near midnight the rain 48 , people started to go out. The cafe 49
Closed. I had to move to the door, I was surprised to see the boy sleeping on the floor with his head leaning 50 a box. He held a package made of his shirt tightly in his arms.
I 51 him slightly and woke him up. He jumped up and rubbed his eyes for a while before he 52 me. Then he opened the 53 hurriedly, gave me my leather shoes, and apologized to me shyly.
I paid him and wrapped around him his unfit shirt, which 54 my leather shoes.
After saying goodbye to the boy, I was 55 home, with the image of the boy staying in my mind.
A．put on B．dressed C．wore D．wore out
A．a boy B．a woman C．a girl D．an old man
A．looked B．look C．to look D．looking
A．had I B．I had C．I did D．did I
A．taking up B．took off C．taking off D．took on
A．in B．down C．on D．up
A．wind B．snow C．rain D．fire
A．separated B．connected C．joined D．divided
A．this B．that C．it D．what
A．there B．where C．how D．what
A．polish B．clean C．turn D．return
A．feet B．my foot C．my bare feet D．my own foot
A．started B．began C．ended D．came
A．was B．was to be C．had been D．has been
A．against B．with C．under D．over
A．cover B．shook C．grasped D．caught
A．thanked B．made out C．recognized D．passed
A．wallet B．arms C．shoes D．package
A．was wrapping B．was wrapped C．had wrapped D．wrapped
A．on the way to B．on a way C．on my way D．in my way
From the time each of my children started school, I packed their lunches. And in each lunch, I 11 a note. Often written on a napkin (餐巾), it might be a thank-you for a 12 moment, a reminder of something we were happily expecting, or a bit of13 for the coming test or sporting event.
In early grade school they 14 their notes. But as children grow older they becomes self-conscious(有自我意识的), and 15 he reached high school, my older son, Marc, informed me he no longer 16 my daily notes. Telling him that he no longer needed to 17 them but I still needed to write them, I18 until the day he graduated.
Six years after high school graduation, Marc called and asked if he could move 19 for a couple of months. He had spent those years well, graduating from college, 20 two internship (实习) in Washington, D.C., and 21 , becoming a technical assistant in Sacramento, 22 short vacation visits, however, he had lived away from home. With his younger sister leaving for college, I was 23 happy to have Marc back. Since I was 24 making lunch for his younger brother, I 25 one for Marc, too. Imagine my 26 when I got a call from my 24-year-old son, 27 his lunch.
“Did I do something 28 ? Don’t you love me 29 ,Mom?” were just a few of the questions he threw at me as I30 asked him what was wrong. “My note, Mom,” he answered. “Where’s my note?”
A．carried B．found C．included D．held
A．difficult B．special C．comfortable D．separate
A．congratulation B．improvement C．explanation D．encouragement
A．loved B．answered C．wrote D．examined
A．lately B．by the way C．by the time D．gradually
A．received B．understood C．enjoyed D．collected
A．copy B．read C．take D．send
A．held up B．gave up C．followed D．continued
A．out B．home C．to college D．to Sacramento
A．organizing B．planning C．comparing D．completing
A．hopefully B．finally C．particularly D．certainly
A．Because of B．Instead of C．Except for D．As for
A．especially B．immediately C．equally D．generally
A．once B．again C．still D．even
A．packed B．fetched C．bought D．filled
A．fear B．surprise C．anger D．disappointment
A．waiting for B．worrying about C．caring for D．asking about
A．wrong B．funny C．strange D．smart
A．any more B．enough C．once more D．better
A．interestingly B．bitterly C．politely D．laughingly
A true apology is more than just acknowledgement of a mistake. It’s recognition that something you’ve said or done has damaged a relationship—and that you care enough about that relationship to want it __46__ .
It’s never __47__ to acknowledge you are in the wrong. Being human, we all need the art of apology. Look back and think how __48__ you’ve judged roughly, said __49__ things, pushed yurself ahead at the expense of a friend. Some deep thought lets us know that when __50__ a small mistake has been made, your __51__ will stay out of balance until the mistake is acknowledged and your regret is __52__.
I remember a doctor friend, telling me about a man who came to him with __53__ illnesses: headache, insomnia, stomachaches and so on. No physical __54__ could be found. Finally the doctor said to the man, “__55__ you tell me what’s on your conscience, I can’t help you.”
After a short silence, the man told the doctor that he __56__ all the money that his father gave to his brother, who was __57__. His father had died, so only he himself knew the matter. The doctor made the man write to his brother making an __58__ and enclosing a __59__. In the post office, the man dropped the letter into the mail box. As the letter disappeared, the man burst into tears. “Thank you, doctor,” he said, “I think I’m all right now.” And he __60__.
A．built B．formed C．repaired D．damaged
A．difficult B．easy C．foolish D．shy
A．long B．often C．much D．soon
A．unusual B．harmful C．worthless D．unkind
A．hardly B．even C．only D．such
A．sense B．brain C．weight D．feeling
A．apologized B．explained C．offered D．expressed
A．strange B．fatal C．various D．dangerous
A．sign B．injury C．cause D．symptom
A．Whenever B．Unless C．Suppose D．Although
A．neglected B．accepted C．seized D．wasted
A．mad B．lost C．abroad D．dead
A．order B．excuse C．agreement D．apology
A．note B．card C．check D．photo
A．should B．did C．had D．was