The Price of a Dream
I grew up poor, living with my wonderful mother. We had little money but plenty of love and attention. I was 36 and energetic. I understood that no matter how poor a person was, he could still 37 a dream.
My dream was to be a sportsman. 38 I was sixteen, I had started playing baseball. I could throw a ninety-mile-per-hour fastball and hit anything that moved on the football field. I was also 39 . My high-school coach was Ollie Jarvis, who not only believed in me, but taught me 40 to believe in myself. He 41 me the difference between having a dream and realizing the dream. One particular 42 with Coach Jarvis changed my life forever.
It was the summer between my junior and senior years, and a friend recommended (推荐) me for a summer job. This meant a chance for money in my pocket—money for a new bike and new clothes, and the 43 of savings for a house for my mother. Then I realized I would have to 44 summer baseball to deal with the work schedule, and that meant I would have to tell Coach Jarvis I wouldn’t be playing.
When I told Coach Jarvis, he was as 45 as I expected him to be. “You have your whole life to work,” he said. “Your playing days are limited. You can’t 46 to waste them.” I stood before him with my head hanging, trying to think of the 47 that would explain 48 him why my dream of buying my mom a house and having money in my pocket was worth facing his 49 in me.
“How much are you going to make at this job, son?” he asked. “Three twenty-five an hour,” I replied.
“Well,” he asked, “is $3.25 an hour the 50 of a dream?”
That simple question made it 51 to me the difference between 52 something right now and following a dream. I 53 myself to sports that summer, and within the year I was 54 by the Pittsburgh Pirates to play baseball, and was 55 a $20,000 contract. In 2000, I bought my mother the house of my dream!
A．happy B．polite C．shy D．honest
A．lose B．have C．make D．need
A．By the time B．The time C．At one time D．At a time
A．right B．popular C．lucky D．confident
A．how B．why C．when D．whether
A．gave B．taught C．brought D．asked
A．accident B．matter C．problem D．experience
A．aim B．idea C．start D．purpose
A．keep up B．put up C．give up D．pick up
A．mad B．happy C．frightened D．shameful
A．adopt B．afford C．affect D．effect
A．answers B．excuses C．words D．ways
A．for B．to C．on D．in
A．sadness B．regret C．hopelessness D．disappointment
A．source B．prize C．price D．allowance
A．direct B．clear C．clean D．straight
A．wanting B．changing C．dreaming D．choosing
A．provided B．devoted C．headed D．imagined
A．worked B．mentioned C．fired D．hired
A．paid B．got C．offered D．signed
I was walking around in a shop, when I saw a cashier (收银员) saying to a boy who was 5 or 6 years old, “I’m sorry, but you don’t have enough money for this doll.”
The little boy still stood there, sadly, holding the .
I walked toward him and asked who he wished to give this to.
“My sister wanted the doll so much for Christmas. She was that Santa Claus would bring it to her.”
“Maybe Santa Claus will bring it to her. Don’t be .”
But he replied , “No, Santa Claus can’t bring it to her now. I have to give the doll to my so she can give it to my sister when she goes there. My sister has gone to be with God. Daddy says that Mommy is going there very soon too, I think she can take it to my sister.”
My heart stopped.
The boy continued, “I asked Mommy not to go until I from the shop.”
Then he showed me a nice photo of him, “I want Mommy to take my picture with her, so she won’t me.”
I quickly my wallet (钱包) and said, “Let’s again. Perhaps you do have enough for the doll?”
“OK,” he said. I some money without him seeing and we started to it. There was enough for the doll and even some money.
The boy said, “Thank God! I asked God last night to make sure I had enough money for the doll. He me! I also wanted to buy a white rose for Mum, because Mum loves white roses. But I didn’t to ask God for too much. He gave me enough to buy the doll and a white rose. How it is!”
The that the little boy had for his mother and his sister me greatly.
A．bag B．money C．basket D．hands
A．doll B．shop C．sweet D．model
A．sure B．shocked C．excited D．proud
A．calm B．surprised C．amazed D．worried
A．easily B．angrily C．sadly D．happily
A．cousin B．friend C．mommy D．neighbor
A．but B．so C．or D．though
A．quickly B．clearly C．simply D．nearly
A．held back B．looked around C．came back D．came around
A．change B．forget C．need D．influence
A．picked up B．took away C．sent off D．reached for
A．cover B．beg C．check D．watch
A．added B．borrowed C．returned D．connected
A．repeat B．count C．report D．show
A．useless B．special C．spare D．unnecessary
A．heard B．understood C．followed D．recognized
A．dare B．expect C．agree D．stop
A．funny B．strange C．dangerous D．wonderful
A．respect B．love C．patience D．suffering
A．upset B．puzzled C．troubled D．moved
To celebrate the end of our exams, my friends and I went to a fast food restaurant. We ____ hamburgers and Coca Colar at the counter. When our ____ came, I started walking towards an empty table. By bad luck, my purse strap (带子) got ______ on a chair and the tray (托盘) that I was holding slipped ______ my hands and went flying in the air. The tray, and its contents,
_____ on a man who was just about to ______ a bite of his sandwich. I stared, greatly _____, as the drinks soaked (浸湿) his white shirt.
Then I ______ my eyes and prepared myself for his burst of ______. Instead, he said “It’s
OK” to _____ me before he disappeared into washroom. Still shaky and unsure____ to do next,
my friends and I went to a table and sat there, trying our best to look ______. A moment later, the man came out of the washroom and _____ our table. My heart almost stopped _____. I thought he was going to ask for my father’s ______ and call him.
To my surprise, he merely smiled at us, handed us some cash and said, “______ yourself new
hamburgers.” He then walked ______ without even finishing his food.
He could have made what was already an uncomfortable situation worse, ______he chose a different way and gave us a reason to believe that there is still______ in this world. I’ll never______his action.
A．ordered B．made C．arranged D．demanded
A．food B．turn C．bill D．menu
A．fixed B．caught C．cut D．tied
A．by B．in C．from D．out
A．knocked B．fell C．stood D．hung
A．take B．taste C．swallow D．chew
A．discouraged B．disappointed C．shocked D．annoyed
A．rolled B．rubbed C．narrowed D．closed
A．bitterness B．anxiety C．anger D．sorrow
A．satisfy B．comfort C．encourage D．praise
A．how B．who C．what D．where
A．mild B．honest C．calm D．modest
A．pushed B．approached C．drew D．laid
A．beating B．breaking C．sinking D．trembling
A．help B．position C．number D．job
A．Prepare B．Buy C．Find D．Cook
A．on B．around C．up D．away
A．so B．since C．although D．but
A．kindness B．happiness C．politeness D．brightness
A．forget B．refuse C．oppose D．ignore
Life is never easy for any of us. Each time I feel hopeless or ____ I will always tell myself not to give up — just a few more steps and I will get over it.
When I was three, my father died and my mother had to go abroad to earn a living. From that day on I would ___ my mother only once a year. I began a ____life living with my mean uncle. I was made to do lots of ____ that most children don’t have to do. I was____ of my uncle, so I did everything he asked me to. However, my sisters didn’t have to do the same kind of work that I did.
I was the shy quiet younger sister who was always left at home____.I tried very hard to please my sisters so they would play with me and ____ me. I tried very hard to be a good girl for the family so that I could earn their love. It seemed that I was living the life of someone else, just trying to____.
With all I’ve been through, you would think I would be filled with hatred and__ _.But I do not have any hatred in my heart____.Often at the end of each day I would think about the ____ things that I did that day.
In 2002 the man that I once thought would be the one with whom I would ____ my life left me. It has been so long now that the pain has____.The only way I could do this was to focus on the positive things in life and ____ the bad ones.
The attitude that I have has given me the____ to continue my journey and encouraged me to move on whenever there are difficulties in front of me.
A．ashamed B．sad C．amazed D．excited
A．see B．call C．miss D．contact
A．comfortable B．meaningful C．difficult D．strange
A．exercise B．sports C．training D．housework
A．fond B．scared C．tired D．proud
A．personally B．foolishly C．carelessly D．alone
A．feed B．like C．teach D．admire
A．survive B．compete C．complain D．recover
A．danger B．hope C．joy D．anger
A．gradually B．actually C．naturally D．regularly
A．good B．easy C．small D．whole
A．impress B．change C．share D．replace
A．increased B．escaped C．continued D．disappeared
A．blame B．forget C．admit D．keep
A．strength B．knowledge C．chance D．way
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项
John has been alone on the road visiting clients(客户) for more than three weeks. He couldn’t wait to back to London to see his family. Mother’s Day was , and on Mother’s Day he managed to go back home on time in the past, but this year he was just too . While he was in a small town just outside of Little Rock, he drove by a shop. He said to himself, “I know I will do; I will send my some roses.”
He went into the small and saw a young man talking to the clerk. “How many roses can I get six dollars, madam?” the boy . The clerk was trying to explain that roses were . Maybe the young man would be happy with some other flowers.
“No. I to buy roses.” he said. “My mom was sick so much last year and I didn’t get to much time with her. I want to get something . It has to be red because that’s her favorite.”
The clerk looked up at John and was just shaking her head. Something inside of John was by the boy’s voice. He looked at the clerk and said secretly that he would for the boy’s roses. The clerk looked at the man and said, “OK, I’ll give you twelve red roses for your six dollars.” The young man almost up. He took the flowers and ran away from the store. It was worth the money that John gave. And he felt very .
A．look B．take C．go D．give
A．climbing B．putting C．going D．coming
A．never B．seldom C．usually D．hardly
A．crazy B．clever C．happy D．tired
A．cloth B．bread C．flower D．shoe
A．that B．what C．how D．where
A．children B．father C．mother D．wife
A．pool B．field C．shop D．school
A．on B．in C．at D．for
A．asked B．answered C．noticed D．begged
A．cheap B．expensive C．pretty D．essential
A．used B．have C．go D．dare
A．spend B．cost C．share D．waste
A．colorful B．special C．tidy D．single
A．roses B．cloth C．paper D．shoes
A．covered B．offered C．moved D．tired
A．pay B．ask C．hunt D．look
A．young B．smart C．honest D．handsome
A．fell B．sat C．walked D．jumped
A．unhappy B．happy C．bored D．sorry
Life is often like a game of cards—you can’t help the hand you’re dealt, but you can help the way you play it. It’s easy for us to do something without careful thinking, but it’s hard for us to take back what we have done.
There was once a who repeated a bit rumor(谣言) about a neighbor. Within a few days the whole community the story. The person it concerned was deeply and annoyed. Later, the woman responsible for the rumor learned that it was completely . She was very sorry and went to a old man to find out what she could do to the damage.
“Go to the marketplace,” he said, “and a chicken, and have it . Then on your way home, pluck its feathers and drop them along the road.” surprised by this advice, the woman did she was told.
The next day the wise man said, “Now, go and collect all those you dropped yesterday and them back to me.”
The woman the same road, but to her disappointment, the wind all the feathers away. After searching for , she returned with only three in her hand. “You see,” said the old man, “It’s easy to drop them, it’s impossible to get them back. So it is with rumor. doesn’t take much to spread a rumor, but you do, you can never completely make up for the wrong.”
A．boy B．man C．woman D．chicken
A．knew B．found C．realized D．recognized
A．wounded B．hurt C．injured D．attacked
A．collecting B．sparing C．spreading D．sharing
A．polite B．untrue C．suitable D．illegal
A．wise B．famous C．stupid D．noble
A．do B．ruin C．cause D．repair
A．provide B．charge C．bargain D．buy
A．bought B．dropped C．killed D．flown
A．one by one B．all in all C．day by day D．step by step
A．As B．Although C．Despite D．Instead
A．that B．it C．what D．which
A．feathers B．words C．action D．rumors
A．bring B．keep C．hold D．break
A．copied B．followed C．had D．instructed
A．blew B．should blow C．had blown D．blown
A．days B．times C．hours D．periods
A．but B．so C．and D．thus
A．He B．This C．That D．It
A．unless B．once C．until D．whether