Long long ago, there was a small village． This village had a 1 tradition． At the beginning of every year, any boy who had reached the age of majority （the state of legally being an adult） was given land and money to build a home． The boy had to 2 his home before winter． If his home failed to endure the cold weather in winter, the villagers could not 3 him in any way．
One 4 , Paul and Marc reached their majority． They 5 their land and money and decided to search nearby villages for ideas on building their homes． In each village, they found the nicest 6 and talked to the owners． Each owner gladly offered 7 ．
After Marc saw several homes, he 8 the best ideas and went back to his own land． Paul, 9 , continued collecting more ideas． Soon he had so many great ideas that he began to 10 some of them． But he always believed he could find even better ideas in the next village．
Marc began building his home． He had several false starts, 11 his home gradually rose from his land． By fall, Marc had finished his home． It wasn't perfect, but it was strong and he could 12 it later． Paul enjoyed all the beautiful homes and 13 with home owners． The first snow came and Paul, realizing he was running out of time, 14 back to his land． He built the best home he could in the time he had, but it was 15 ． The first winter storm destroyed his home and he froze to 16 ． The villagers mourned for him．
Marc 17 the winter． Each year, Marc searched for other good ideas he could use to make his own home look better． He became a leader in the village, 18 a family, and lived a happy, content life．
We all build and improve our own mental homes． It’s 19 and fun for us to search for ideas from other mental home owners, but we only improve our own mental home if we actually 20 the best ideas．
A．strange B．hopeful C．literary D．cultural
A．find B．make C．complete D．buy
A．help B．encourage C．scold D．persuade
A．winter B．summer C．autumn D．spring
A．exchanged B．received C．recognized D．advice
A．girls B．jobs C．houses D．presents
A．rooms B．drinks C．attention D．advice
A．expected B．gathered C．created D．understood
A．similarly B．finally C．however D．furthermore
A．forget B．believe C．replace D．doubt
A．because B．although C．but D．so
A．repair B．rebuild C．sell D．improve
A．conversations B．achievements C．struggles D．arguments
A．drove B．rushed C．flew D．moved
A．weak B．funny C．small D．amazing
A．blindness B．death C．sadness D．illness
A．experienced B．loved C．survived D．spent
A．brought B．earned C．contacted D．raised
A．slow B．easy C．dangerous D．special
A．realize B．bring C．collect D．apply
The passengers on the bus watched with sympathy(同情)as Susan made her way carefully up the steps. She paid the driver and then, using her hands to ____ the seats, settled in one of them.
It had been a year since Susan became blind. As the result of an accident she was suddenly thrown into a world of____. Susan's husband Mark watched her____ into hopelessness and he was____ to use every possible means to help his wife.
Finally,Susan felt ready to ____ to her job, but how would she get there? She used to take the bus, but she was now too____ to get around the city by herself. Mark____ to ride the bus with Susan each morning and evening____ she could manage it by herself. For two weeks, Mark____ Susan to and from work each day. He taught her how to rely on her other____, specifically her hearing, to decide where she was and how to adapt to(适应) her new____.
At last, Susan decided that she was ready to try the trip ____. Monday morning arrived. Before she left, she hugged her husband ____, her eyes filled with tears of gratitude(感激) . She said goodbye and, for the first time, they went their____ ways. Each day went perfectly, and a wild excitement____ Susan. She was doing it!
On Friday morning, Susan took the bus to work____. As she was getting off the bus, the driver said, "Miss, I sure____ you. "Curious, Susan asked the driver____.
"You know ,every morning for the____ week, a fine-looking gentleman in a military uniform has been standing across the corner watching you until you enter your office building safely, "the bus driver said.
Tears of happiness poured down Susan's cheeks. She was so lucky for he had given her a gift more powerful than____. That is the gift of love that can bring light where there is darkness.
A．touch B．catch C．count D．feel
A．weakness B．sickness C．darkness D．sadness
A．run B．sink C．jump D．step
A．inspired B．determined C．honored D．pleased
A．return B．adjust C．contribute D．stick
A．tired B．surprised C．sad D．frightened
A．volunteered B．attempted C．continued D．struggled
A．when B．as C．until D．after
A．drove B．directed C．accompanied D．sent
A．feeling B．organs C．skills D．senses
A．position B．environment C．status D．role
A．on her own B．in person C．to her benefit D．on foot
A．politely B．calmly C．briefly D．tightly
A．mixed B．separate C．fixed D．lonely
A．took charge of B．took place of C．took advantage of D．Took hold of
A．as usual B．as a rule C．as well D．as a result
A．respect B．envy C．know D．support
A．what B．how C．why D．who
A．past B．same C．first D．next
A．courage B．will C．sight D．wisdom
Mr West wanted to buy his wife a Christmas present,but he was always very ____, so he was never able to find time to go to the shop. At last, when it was the week _ __ Christmas,and the shops were very crowded, he decided that he couldn't __ __ any longer. He worked in an office, and __ __ had lunch in a restaurant, but one day he bought some sandwiches,ate them ____ and went out to a big shop near his ____ during his lunch hour.
The shop was full of women, who were also buying ____ during their lunch hour. Mr West stood ____ at the edge of a crowd of ____ who were pushing forward to try to get to the people who were ____ necklaces and earrings. He tried to move forwards slowly, taking his turn with the others, but more and more women were ____ into the shop the whole time and pushing selfishly ____ him. Afterhalf an hour, he was just as ____ from the people who were selling the necklaces as he had been when he came in,and his lunch hour was' coming in ____, so he decided to change his ____ 0f doing things. He put his head down, gave a sudden loud shout andstarted to ____ his way towards the ____ of the crowd as hard as he could.
The women around him became very ____ when they saw what he was doing,and began to scold（责备）him."Why can't you behave like a ____?" they shouted.
"Ladies," he answered them, "I have been behaving like a gentleman for the past half an hour, and it has got me ____, so now I am starting to behave like a lady!"
A. busyB; lazyC. freeD. bored
A．behind B．around C．before D．after
A．work B．stay C．think D．wait
A．never B．seldom C．sometimes D．usually
A．slowly B．quickly C．worriedly D．happily
A．car B．house C．office D．restaurant
A．clothes B．sandwiches C．food D．presents
A．politely B．timely C．alone D．freely
A．men B．women C．children D．strangers
A．examining B．choosing C．selling D．buying
A．knocking B．coming C．entering D．jumping
A．past B．behind C．over D．against
A．near B．far C．up D．out
A．an end B．a top C．a stop D．the limit
A．idea B．way C．measure D．plan
A．step B．go C．push D．pull
A．center B．edge C．back D．front
A．surprised B．angry C．afraid D．nervous
A．woman B．lady C．man D．gentleman
A．nowhere B．anywhere C．somewhere D．everywhere
It's Saturday morning. Tony's sitting at thekitchen table, ____ with a piece of bread. He's noteven ____.Is he ill? No, but he does have a____.He has nothing to do because the Internet is down.
When he ____ up this morning, Tony wasfeeling ____.He jumped out of bed full of plans forthe weekend ____. It would be a weekend like any other — a great weekend. But that was ____ heturned on his computer and ____ he was unable togo online. Having no Internet changes everything.
Every weekend,Tony ____ goes online to email friends, read the ____ to keep up with what'shappening in the world and ____ a few online chessgames with his cousin Helen to finish the weekendoff. The perfect weekend - online!
Just as Tony is ____ how he can possibly havea normal weekend without the Internet, his mumwalks into the ____. "Cheer up,Tony. Don't ____ the Internet any more,OK?"Tony makes no ____ butsighs. "Go and play chess with Helen!" Tony's mum ____."Oh,yes! Helen lives just around ____.Wecan meet and play chess face to face for a ____. Maybethis weekend won't be so bad," Tony ____,as he walks to the phone. There is ____ without the Internetafter all.
A．cutting B．playing C．eating D．thinking
A．hungry B．generous C．equal D．confident
A．lifestyle B．problem C．pressure D．tradition
A．dialed B．rang C．stood D．woke
A．great B．peaceful C．urgent D．unusual
A．around B．above C．ahead D．away
A．after B．before C．until D．when
A．thought B．guessed C．surprised D．found
A．usually B．nearly C．especially D．already
A．disasters B．news C．reports D．documents
A．admire B．explore C．play D．involve
A．suffering B．wondering C．realizing D．supposing
A．living-room B．hall C．kitchen D．study
A．talk about B．care about C．think about D．look about
A．answer B．progress C．movement D．choice
A．requests B．cries C．solves D．suggests
A．edge B．distance C．corner D．end
A．challenge B．champion C．ceremony D．change
A．promotes B．smiles C．reacts D．continues
A．study B．task C．weekend D．life
The best gift I've received was from two youngboys. At that time, I didn't have a lot of money or ahuge home. As a single mom with three youngchildren of my own, life is so ____.
They were boys with dirty faces a bit older thanmy children, but they always ____ my yard. Itseemed that they were more than ____ to avoidstaying in their own homes, for reasons that I shallnot describe here.
I must feed my children who were ____ thirsty and hungry, so I ____ a lot of time baking so manyhealthy muffins(松饼). Thesetwo boys almost grewup in our yard,and they were ____ to pray with usbefore they would have a ____ with my family.
We would also ____ food,laughter, books andgames with them. And a while later, they ____. Ididn't know where they had gone and I oftenwondered what had __ in their lives, andmeanwhile I hoped for the ____.
During one of the darkest times in my personallife,no one came to visit me. I felt really lonely thesedays. I even wondered if God had ____ me. OnMother's Day,my children ____ home from school.We were sitting together talking when I heard a ____ on the door.
I went to answer it, and there ____ two clean-faced, tall, smiling boys holding two bundles ofbeautiful flowers I had ever seen. They said to me,"Do you ____ us? You used to feed us muffins!They were so ____. We wanted to come back andthank you and say Happy Mother's Day ____ youwere really like a ____ to us!"I was so moved that Icouldn't help crying, and ____ them again andagain.
A．unfair B．real C．interesting D．hard
A．visited B．repaired C．cleaned D．approached
A．ashamed B．nervous C．happy D．surprised
A．always B．already C．seldom D．still
A．spared B．saved C．spent D．wasted
A．upset B．anxious C．kind D．glad
A．meal B．rest C．drink D．bath
A．buy B．share C．collect D．pack
A．changed B．regretted C．refused D．disappeared
A．happened B．gone C．remained D．turned
A．excuse B．luck C．best D．fortunate
A．hugged B．forgotten C．blamed D．doubted
A．missed B．left C．called D．arrived
A．shock B．notice C．noise D．knock
A．stood B．lay C．existed D．followed
A．like B．remember C．support D．influence
A．awful B．expensive C．delicious D．salty
A．before B．if C．though D．because
A．teacher B．mom C．friend D．sister
A．invited B．touched C．praised D．thanked
For my daughter's 19th birthday, we bought hertickets to go and see Linkin Park, as they wereplaying in our city. We didn't really have the ____ but we knew how much this band meant to her.
The night before she was like a ____ atChristmas. Every so often she got up and came to ____ with us, because she couldn't ____. On the night of the ____ it was good to see her so ____ and excited,as
she and her boyfriend set off.
Needless to say when they ____ after midnight, with T-shirts and lots of pictures of the band, ____ her telling about how fantastic they had been, we knew the money had been well ____.This will be amemory she would ____ forget, and nor would we.
____ full of excitement from the night before, the following day they ____ to go shopping on the other side of the city. My husband and I ____,loving the fact that she had not ____ that quality as she grew up.
Later that day they returned, with faces full of happiness and warmth. They presented my husband and me with a ____ each. On each present were the words "Because you are the ____ mum/dad in the world". When we said our thank-yous and told her she didn't have to, we asked her ____ she had bought us gifts. Her ____ was simply "Just because Ilove you".
This wasn't something ____ from ourdaughter;she had always given us a gift when shewanted to express her ____, and each gift wasalways a welcome surprise. It could have beenanything,it wouldn't have mattered, and it was theact itself and the feelings behind it.
A．money B．time C．interest D．news
A．worker B．student C．kid D．parent
A．dance B．learn C．walk D．sit
A．speak B．sleep C．stand D．leave
A．concert B．holiday C．party D．travel
A．healthy B．happy C．pretty D．surprised
A．stayed B．left C．returned D．turned
A．worrying about B．caring for C．looking at D．listening to
A．lent B．earned C．saved D．spent
A．ever B．never C．often D．neither
A．Still B．Only C．Just D．Also
A．continued B．tried C．decided D．struggled
A．refused B．cried C．shouted D．laughed
A．kept B．lost C．realized D．discovered
A．gift B．prize C．ticket D．picture
A．richest B．oldest C．best D．cleverest
A．where B．how C．when D．why
A．way B．answer C．suggestion D．idea
A．important B．ordinary C．new D．valuable
A．feelings B．concerns C．understandings D．opinions