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 1 a room with two double beds and the bathroom was too 2 for a 15-year-old girl and her father. Dad’s second marriage was 3 and my stepmother had 4 us both out of the house the previous week. Dad had no 5_ of what to do with me. And that’s when my other family 6 .
Barbara and Roland Beach took me into their home 7 their only daughter, Su, my best friend, asked them to. I 8 with them for the next seven years.
Barb washed my skirts the same as Su’s. She 9 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. As far as I could tell, for the Beaches there was no 10 between Su and me; I was their daughter, too.
When Su and I 11 college they kept my room the same for the entire four years I attended school. Recently, Barb presented me with an insurance they _12_ when I first moved in with them and had continued to pay on for 23 years.
The Beaches knew 13 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 _14 his kids. Before I went to live with the Beaches I had believed that life was entirely 15__ and that love was shaky and untrustworthy. I had believed that the only person who would take care of me was me.
16 the Beaches, I would have become a bitter, cynical (愤世嫉俗的) woman. They gave me a(n) 17 that allowed me to grow and change. They kept me from being paralyzed(麻痹的) by my _18 , and they gave me the confidence to open my heart.
Now I 19 family. For me, it wasn’t the family that was there on the day I was 20 , but the one that was there for me when I was living in a Howard Johnson’s on Interstate
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．took 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．change B．problem C．conflict D．difference
A．set off B．left for C．entered into D．admitted into
A．paid B．bought C．had D．owned
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
I used to be ashamed of my grandma. I know that's a ____16____ thing to say, but it was true until today, so I have to____17___ it.
The____18____ started when my friend Katy found Grandma's false teeth floating in a glass on the bathroom sink. I was so used to seeing them that I____19____ took notice of them. But Katy shouted, laughing and____20____ to talk to them. I had to get down on my knees and____21____ her to shut up so my grandma wouldn't____22____ and get hurt.
After that happened, I____23____ there were a million things about Grandma that were embarrassing（令人窘迫）.
Once she took Jill and me out to Burger King. ____24____ ordering our hamburgers well-done, she told the person behind the counter, "They'll have two Whoppers (巨无霸) well-to-do. " Jill burst out laughing, but I almost____25____.
After a while, I started wishing I could____26____ Grandma in a closet. I even complained to my parents. Both my parents said I had to be careful not to make Grandma feel____27____ in our home.
Then last Wednesday, something happened that____28____ everything completely. My teacher told us to help find interesting old people and____29____ them about their____30____ for a big Oral History project. I was trying to think of someone when Angie pushed me gently.
"Volunteer your grandmother," she whispered. "She's____31____ and rich in experience."
That was the last thing I ever thought Angie would say about my grandma.
This is how I ended up on____32____ today interviewing my own grandmother before the whole school assembly (集合). All my friends and teachers were listening to her____33____ she was a great heroine. I was____34____ of my grandma and hoped she would____35____ know that I had been ashamed of her.
A．funny B．common C．terrible D．clear
A．admit B．receive C．refuse D．show
A．quarrel B．accident C．trouble D．adventure
A．already B．always C．simply D．hardly
A．enjoying B．pretending C．imagining D．continuing
A．warn B．demand C．advise D．beg
A．mind B．hear C．see D．fall
A．expected B．declared C．realized D．doubted
A．Because of B．Except for C．Such as D．Instead of
A．died B．cheered C．disappeared D．suffered
A．meet B．avoid C．arrange D．hide
A．independent B．inconvenient C．unwelcome D．unfamiliar
A．changed B．finished C．stopped D．Prepared
A．interview B．report C．tell D．write
A．news B．lives C．advantages D．achievements
A．free B．popular C．interesting D．embarrassing
A．show B．stage C．duty D．time
A．and then B．even if C．so that D．as if
A．sure B．proud C．ashamed D．afraid
A．never B．even C．still D．once
Since my family were not going to be helpful, I decided I would look for one all by myself and not tell them about it till I’d got one.
I had seen an agency (中介机构) advertised in a local newspaper. I rushed out of the 61in search of it. I was wildly excited, and as 62 as if I were going on the stage. Finding the 63 quite easily, I ran breathlessly through a door which said “Enter without knocking, if you please.”
The simple atmosphere of the office 64 me. The woman looked carefully at me 65 through her glasses, and then 66 me in a low voice. I answered softly. All of a sudden I started to feel rather 67 . She wondered why I was looking for this sort of 68 . I felt even more helpless when she told me that it would be 69 to get a job without 70 . I wondered whether I ought to leave, 71 the telephone on her desk rang. I heard her say: “ 72 , I’ve got someone in the 73 at this very moment who might 74 .” She wrote down a 75 , and held it out to me, saying: “ Ring up this lady. She wants a 76 immediately. In fact, you would have to start tomorrow by cooking a dinner for ten people.”
“ Oh yes,” said I — 77 having cooked for more than four in my life. I 78 her again and again, and rushed out to the 79 telephone box. I collected my thoughts, took a deep breath, and rang the number. I said confidently that I was just what she was looking for. I spent the next few hours 80 cook books.
A. bed B house C. agency D. office
A．proud B．pleased C．nervous D．worried
A．family B．door C．place D．stage
A．calmed B．excited C．frightened D．disturbed
A．as usual B．for a while C．in a minute D．once again
A．advised B．examined C．informed D．questioned
A．encouraged B．dissatisfied C．hopeless D．pleased
A．place B．job C．advice D．help
A．difficult B．helpless C．possible D．unusual
A．ability B．experience C．knowledge D．study
A．after B．since C．until D．when
A．Above all B．As a matter of fact C．As a result D．In spite of that
A．family B．house C．office D．restaurant
A．hire B．accept C．suit D．offer
A．letter B．name C．note D．number
A．cook B．help C．teacher D．secretary
A．almost B．never C．nearly D．really
A．answered B．promised C．thanked D．told
A．outside B．local C．closest D．nearest
A．borrowing B．buying C．reading D．writing
Fill Her Tank First
The summer of 1975 I’d just graduated from college in Southern California and received a 1968 Ford Capri for a graduation present. I had my first job, in Los Angeles. One Sunday night, __36__ myself a very independent grown-up, I left my uncle’s place in South Laguna after a visit, without __37__ to him that I had less than an __38__ of a tank of gas and no cash to buy __39__ on the way to L.A. I pulled onto the Pacific Coast Highway and watched the needle __40__ as I headed north. When I started running on fumes, I pulled into a __41__. There was no self-service __42__; there were no credit cards, no ATMs.
I begged the guy at the station. I __43__ write him a check for gas, I said, or I could sleep in my car and try to __44__ to a town with a bank the next morning. As he was informing me that I could sleep in my car but he’d have me __45__, a station wagon __46__ to the next pump. The driver--- a thin, plain, middle-aged guy---overheard the tail end of my __47__ request. As the attendant went to serve him, he nodded at me. “__48__ her tank first,” he said.
“Really?” I said. Hope __49__. “Oh, thank you. Thank you. But please. I just need two dollars’ __50__. I just need to go home.”
“Fill it,” he __51__ to the attendant. Then to me, “You will do the same one day, for someone else.”
I keep looking for that unlucky young person, __52__ to save her night on the road. Meanwhile, in case she never __53__ up, I try for other acts of random kindness. That __54__ driver is always at the pump a few feet away, __55__ the attendant to fill mine first.
A．thinking B．hoping C．knowing D．showing
A．confirming B．convincing C．admitting D．concerning
A．eighty B．eight C．eighth D．eighths
A．another B．more C．much D．some
A．drop B．increase C．reduce D．decrease
A．train station B．bus station C．railway station D．gas station
A．at one time B．at a time C．at times D．at that time
A．could B．might C．should D．must
A．scramble B．drive C．climb D．walk
A．ordered B．helped C．warned D．arrested
A．went up B．drove up C．pulled up D．drew into
A．tried B．succeeded C．reasoned D．failed
A．Fill B．Filled C．Filling D．To fill
A．increased B．raised C．accumulated D．fired
A．value B．worthy C．worth D．money
A．pardoned B．repeated C．said D．spoke
A．ensuring B．supposing C．hoping D．considering
A．shows B．goes C．grows D．comes
A．easy-going B．polite C．powerful D．quiet
A．introducing B．instructing C．interesting D．interacting
Checks have largely taken the place of money as a means of 36 , for they are widely accepted everywhere. 37 this is very 38 for both buyer and seller, it should not be forgotten that checks are not real money: they are quite 39in themselves. A shop-keeper runs a certain40when he accepts a check and he is quite 41 his rights if, on occasion, he 42 to do so. People do not always know this and are 43 if their good faith is called in question. A wealthy friend of mine told me he had an extremely 44 experience.
One day he decided to buy a particularly fine pearl necklace at a famous jewelry shop which keeps a large__45 of precious stones and asked if he could pay 46 check, the assistant said that this was quite 47 . But the moment my friend signed his name, he was invited into the manager’s office. The manager was very polite, but he explained that someone 48 exactly the same name had presented them with a worthless check not long ago. My friend got very angry at it and said he would buy a necklace 49 . When he got up to go, the manager told him that the police would arrive at any moment and he had better stay 50 he wanted to get into serious trouble. Sure enough the police arrived, __51 to my friend for the 52 , but explained that a person who had used the same name as his 53 for a number of recent robberies. Then the police asked my friend to 54 out a note which had been used by the thief in a number of shops. The note read, “I have a gun in my pocket, ask no questions and give all the money in the safe.” Fortunately, my friend’s handwriting was quite__55__ the thief’s. He was not only allowed to go without further delay, but to take the pearl necklace with him.
A．change B．exchange C．trade D．business
A．Because B．If C．Though D．Since
A．favourite B．popular C．profitable D．convenient
A．dangerous B．priceless C．unimportant D．valueless
A．chance B．risk C．opportunity D．danger
A．within B．out of C．without D．beyond
A．refuses B．agrees C．fails D．hates
A．unhappy B．ashamed C．shocked D．puzzled
A．uninteresting B．unreasonable C．unforgettable D．unpleasant
A．amount B．accident C．stock D．number
A．in B．by C．with D．on
A．in need B．in common C．in use D．in order
A．used B．with C．named D．by
A．anywhere B．somewhere C．somewhere else D．everywhere
A．unless B．otherwise C．if D．whether
A．coming B．sticking C．apologizing D．checking
A．manner B．behavior C．inconvenience D．treatment
A．responsible B．answered C．charged D．blamed
A．copy B．read C．take D．bring
A．unlike B．different C．dissimilar D．dislike
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，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
This morning, as I was getting close to the supermarket, I saw a small 36 gathering around an elderly woman with blood under her face. I stopped and asked if I could 37 . I told her I was certified（授予证书的）in first aid. Then I 38 someone for a first aid kit（工具箱）. But she didn’t want help, saying she was fine. But she wasn’t fine. I asked her to 39 with me and we 40 about her routine of getting groceries. People brought out ice packs, water and paper towels from the 41 nearby. I put on the gloves from the first aid kit, and cleaned her up a bit, but 42 I just talked to her and held her hand.
Two 43 happened to be passing by and 44 to help check her out a bit. Finally, after ten minutes the 45 arrived and I talked to the emergency medical team and they __46 .
I was certified in first aid years back, and I got re-certified a month ago, but I never 47 it once. However, I realized being certified isn’t 48 about providing the aid. I didn’t stop the bleeding. I didn’t 49 to examine her. Mostly it was about providing comfort for people in a difficult 50 . The certification gave me the 51 to do that: to kneel on the sidewalk, holding an old woman’s hand, and to help make those _ 52 few minutes just a little bit better.
If you’re not certified in first aid, I can’t 53 it strongly enough. It takes four hours of your time at your 54 Red Cross. With what you’ll 55 , maybe you’ll be able to help someone like the old lady one day.
A．people B．public C．traffic D．crowd
A．watch out B．look out C．help out D．make out
A．paid B．sent C．applied D．scolded
A．stay B．walk C．accompany D．shop
A．looked B．cared C．talked D．quarreled
A．hospital B．supermarket C．station D．office
A．mostly B．maybe C．simply D．extremely
A．policemen B．volunteers C．clerks D．doctors
A．refused B．stopped C．lay D．woke
A．ambulance B．family C．driver D．officer
A．operated on B．turned up C．ran away D．took over
A．liked B．noticed C．used D．met
A．necessarily B．possibly C．hopefully D．commonly
A．want B．teach C．permit D．try
A．place B．situation C．life D．position
A．harm B．confidence C．lesson D．wish
A．confusing B．moving C．scary D．friendly
A．recommend B．demand C．support D．explain
A．formal B．national C．local D．private
A．recognize B．offer C．allow D．Learn