In January 1986 I saw a show about cartooning called “Funny Business” on TV. I had always wanted to be a __36__but never knew how. So I wrote to the host of the_37_, cartoonist Jack Cassady, asking for advice on entering the profession(职业).
Two weeks later I got a (n) __38__letter from Jack, answering my questions about materials and process(过程). He also __39__ me not to get discouraged if I was refused__40__. He said the cartoon samples（样本） I sent him were good and worthy of publication（出版）.
I got very __41__, finally understanding how the whole process__42__. I sent my best cartoons to Playboy and New Yorker, ___43___ the magazines rejected（拒绝）me immediately. Discouraged, I put my art supplies in the box and__44__to forget all about cartooning.
To my__45__, in June 1987 I got another letter from Jack, although I hadn’t even__46__ him for the former advice. Here’s what he said:
Dear Scott,
I was reviewing my “Funny Business” mail file when I again came__47__ your letter and your cartoons. I remember answering you letter.
I’m writing to encourage you to submit(提交) your ideas to various publications again. I hope you have __48__ done so and are making progress and having some__49__ too. Sometimes encouragement in the funny business is hard to come by. That’s__50__ I am encouraging you to hang in there and keep drawing.
I wish you good luck.
Sincerely,
Jack
I was deeply__51__because Jack had nothing to gain—including my thanks. I acted on his__52__, took out my art supplies and inked the sample strips(漫画连载) that__53__ became Dilbert.
I feel__54__that I wouldn’t have tried cartooning again if Jack hadn’t sent the second letter. As Dilbert became more successful I came to __55__ Jack’s simple act of kindness.
A．singer B．writer C．actor D．cartoonist
A．show B．television C．wedding D．party
A．surprising B．encouraging C．shocking D．disappointing
A．allowed B．suggested C．insisted D．warned
A．at first B．first of all C．at last D．in the end
A．confused B．anxious C．excited D．enthusiastic
A．performed B．advanced C．behaved D．worked
A．but B．so C．and D．though
A．concluded B．persuaded C．decided D．thought
A．disappointment B．surprise C．sorrow(悲伤) D．satisfaction
A．asked B．hoped C．wished D．thanked
A．across B．over C．off D．through
A．still B．ever C．already D．yet
A．trouble B．fun C．difficulty D．problem
A．what B．which C．how D．why
A．touched B．interested C．shocked D．influenced
A．warning B．encouragement C．advice D．view
A．surprisingly B．finally C．constantly D．freely
A．concerned B．uneasy C．worried D．certain
A．understand B．honor C．appreciate D．respect
I devote myself to music because of my grandmother. My mom and I lived with grandparents from the time I was two until I was eight. And even then, I was at their house before and after school every day while my mother was at work.
Grandma loved music. It was her that first _31 me to Elvis Presley as a very young child, and once I heard his music, I was truly in 32 with it. Most five-year-olds ask for 33 for birthdays, but I wanted Elvis’albums. I would play them non-stop and 34 to the music in my grandma’s family room though my movements didn’t look good.
Grandma played the piano and 35 me to sing “America the Beautiful” and “Somewhere over the Rainbow”. I 36 started playing music on the piano, and soon Grandma was paying for me to take piano lessons from a lady living in the 37 . I would come home from __38 and walk three houses down for my lesson. I _39 took about nine months of lessons, but it was enough to give me a(n) 40 and allow me to continue to teach myself.
Last month when I came home to visit Grandma in the hospital, I brought along my guitar with me. She was in a lot of pain, but the music seemed to _41 her soul. She had me sing some songs and when I started to sing “Somewhere over the Rainbow”, her weakened voice 42 in with mine for a few lines. That experience was one of the most 43 of my lifetime and one I will certainly cherish forever. I told her of my music career and she was very _44 and said, “That’s wonderful!” I _45 to play for her throughout the week I was home.
My grandma passed away two days ago. In my opinion, part of her will live on through every song I write or sing in my life.
A．sent B．left C．remembered D．introduced
A．debate B．love C．agreement D．doubt
A．music B．space C．gifts D．toys
A．wave B．sleep C．dance D．play
A．forced B．prepared C．enabled D．taught
A．generally B．finally C．fortunately D．suddenly
A．hotel B．apartment C．neighborhood D．countryside
A．school B．hospital C．street D．office
A．exactly B．only C．completely D．seldom
A．explanation B．celebration C．translation D．foundation
A．comfort B．blame C．attract D．find
A．joined B．poured C．moved D．fell
A．surprising B．moving C．puzzling D．tiring
A．sad B．calm C．bored D．pleased
A．refused B．expected C．continued D．pretended
Every person has some unforgettable experiences in his life .Some will remain in his heart as instructive stories to his life. I believe that we often tell ourselves the stories in order to keep our sanity(通情达理). These stories stay inside ourselves.
Many of the stories that I have kept inside myself are in the 36 of lessons that have taught me something about life. These lessons are 37 to carry with me. They require no outside 38 to store them in. No one can 39 me of them. They 40 their freshness without having to be renewed. And I can offer them to others wi
thout 41 them myself.
I remember there is a lesson which is about a little girl who was 42 from a serious disease. Her only chance of 43 was to have a blood transfusion(输血) 44 her five-year-old brother. The doctor asked the little boy 45 he would be willing to give his 46 to his sister. He took a47 breath and said he would do it if it would save her life.
As the transfusion took place, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled as he watched the color48 to her cheeks. Then his 49 disappeared. He looked up at the doctor and asked in a trembling 50 . “Will I start to 51 right away?”
Being so 52 , the lovely little boy had 53 the doctor. He thought he was going to die after he gave blood to his sister.
This was my lesson in “54 ”. I learned that a candle loses 55 by lighting another candle.
A．cost B．form C．use D．number
A．difficult B．interesting C．harmful D．easy
A．space B．computer C．container D．ground
A．remind B．rob C．warn D．inform
A．remain B．lead C．value D．develop
A．damaging B．destroying C．stealing D．losing
A．hearing B．dead C．suffering D．free
A．recovery B．worsening C．treat D．respond
A．toward B．of C．from D．to
A．which B．if C．when D．how
A．blood B．life C．time D．health
A．slow B．deep C．short D．quick
A．review B．replace C．reduce D．return
A．courage B．smile C．breath D．color
A．voice B．body C．condition D．state
A．die B．disappear C．hesitate D．leave
A．foolish B．ridiculous C．young D．handsome
A．misunderstood B．worried C．hated D．liked
A．asking B．receiving C．crying D．giving
A．anything B．nothing C．something D．everything
Some years ago the captain of a ship was very interested 36 medicine. He always 37 medical books to sea and liked to talk about different diseases. One day a lazy sailor on his ship pretended 38 ill. He lay on his bunk（铺位） and groaned as if he 39 very sick. The captain came to see him and was very pleased to have a patient to40 . He told the man to rest for a few days and41 the other sailors do his work. Three days later 42 sailor pretended that he had43 with his chest. 44 the captain looked in his medical books and told the “sick” man 45.
The other sailors were very 46 because they had47 work to do. The patients had the best food and laughed at their friends when the captain was not 48 .49 the mate（大副）decided to punish the sick men and mixed up some soap, soot（烟灰）, glue and other unpleasant things. Then he got50 from the captain to give his new medicine to the “sick” men. When they tasted the medicine, they really did feel ill. It was 51horrible that one of the patients jumped out of his bunk, ran up on deck and climbed the 52 mast（桅杆）on the ship. The captain 53 that the men had tried 54 him. So he made them 55 very hard for the rest of the ship on the sea.
A．on B．for C．at D．in
A．fetched B．carried C．had D．got
A．be B．was C．to be D．being
A．will be B．were C．is D．should be
A．look for B．look in C．look back D．look after
A．got B．took C．sent D．made
A．other B．the other C．another D．other’s
A．something wrong B．wrong something C．anything wrong D．wrong anything
A．Before long B．Once more C．Suddenly D．Certainly
A．to drink some water B．to eat something C．to have a rest D．to do more work
A．pleased B．sorry C．angry D．surprised
A．more B．much C．lots of D．little
A．out B．at home C．present D．appear
A．At first B．At the beginning C．At last D．At the end
A．agreement B．permission C．permit D．promise
A．very B．much C．so D．quite
A．highest B．high C．higher D．very high
A．heard B．heard of C．realized D．guessed
A．cheating B．cheat C．cheated D．to cheat
A．worked B．to work C．work D．working
Even though it was only October，my students were already whispering about Christmas plans. With each passing day everyone became more__36__ waiting for the final school bell. Upon its__37__ everyone would run for their coats and go home，everyone except David.
David was a small boy in ragged clothes. I had often__38__ what kind of home life David had，and what kind of mother could send her son to school dressed so__39__for the cold winter months without a coat，boots，or gloves. But something made David__40__.I can still remember he was always__41__a smile and willing to help. He always__42__ after school to straighten chairs and mop the floor. We never talked much.He__43__ just simply smile and ask what else he could do，then thank me for letting him stay and slowly__44__ home.
Weeks passed and the__45__ over the coming Christmas grew into restlessness until the last day of__46__ before the holiday break. I smiled in__47__ as the last of them hurried out of the door. Turning around I saw David__48__ standing by my desk.
“I have something for you，”he said and__49__from behind his back a small box.__50__ it to me，he said anxiously，“Open it.” I took the box from him，thanked him and slowly unwrapped it. I lifted the lid and to my__51__ I saw nothing. I looked at David’s smiling face and back into the box and said，“The box is nice，David，but it’s__52__.”
“Oh，no. It isn’t.” said David.” It’s full of love. My mum told me before she died that love was something you couldn’t see or touch unless you know it’s there.”
Tears filled my eyes___53__ I looked at the proud dirty face that I had rarely given__54__ to. After that Christmas，David and I became good friends and I never forgot the meaning__55__the little empty box set on my desk..
A．anxious B．courageous C．serious D．cautious
A．warning B．ringing C．calling D．yelling
A．scolded B．wondered C．realized D．learned
A．modestly B．naturally C．inaccurately D．inappropriately
A．popular B．upset C．special D．funny
A．expressing B．delivering C．wearing D．sharing
A．practised B．wandered C．studied D．stayed
A．would B．should C．might D．could
A．aim at B．turn to C．put off D．head for
A．argument B．excitement C．movement D．judgment
A．school B．year C．education D．program
A．relief B．return C．vain D．control
A．weakly B．sadly C．quietly D．helplessly
A．searched B．found C．raised D．pulled
A．Holding B．Handing C．Sending D．Leaving
A．delight B．expectation C．appreciation D．surprise
A．cheap B．empty C．useless D．improper
A．as B．until C．because D．though
A．advice B．support C．attention D．command
A．from B．behind C．over D．towards
Cheerful Charlie was a very special boy. When he was still in his mother’s tummy(肚子), she had had an accident, which 36 that Charlie couldn’t walk. But that had never been a(n) 37 for him; he had always been happy. When he became older, they had started calling him Cheerful Charlie because of his joyful and 38 nature. He really brightened everything up for those around him.
There wasn’t a postman, or a taxi driver who wasn’t 39 to see Charlie. “Cheer up, Mr Postman, that way you’ll 40 more letters today!” he would say, or “That was great, Mr Taxi Driver. You 41 that thing better than anyone else.” He also had great ideas and 42 for everything; and he shared them so 43 that, just about every day in that town, someone did a great job, or 44 something new, thanks to Charlie’s ideas.
One day, though, he came up against a real 45 . A young boy came to town on his holidays. He was known as Waterworks and was a real crybaby. No matter what Charlie said to him, Waterworks would always find some 46 to be sad: “I don’t have many sweets…my parents didn’t buy me that toy…” Everything seemed so bad to him. But Cheerful Charlie wasn’t going to be 47 , and he kept spending more time with Waterworks, 48 trying to cheer him up, just as he did with everyone.
Then, one day, when they were together in the street, someone 49a pie from a window above by chance, and it landed 50 on Charlie’s head. He got such a fright that he couldn’t even move his lips. He was speechless, and 51 Waterworks was just about to cry, he 52 Charlie’s happy words so much that he finally said, “Wow, Charlie, that’s a nice clown mask (小丑面具) you just 53 !”
On saying those words, Waterworks felt so 54 that he finally understood why Charlie was always so happy and cheerful. He realized that he was so used to Charlie’s enthusiasm that he couldn’t help but see the fun 55 of everything.
A．reflected B．meant C．told D．predicted
A．problem B．mistake C．excuse D．topic
A．sensitive B．humorous C．responsible D．enthusiastic
A．surprised B．moved C．pleased D．disappointed
A．send B．write C．print D．find
A．paint B．play C．park D．repair
A．theories B．solutions C．comments D．impressions
A．eagerly B．carefully C．quickly D．generously
A．cleared B．noticed C．enjoyed D．invented
A．difficulty B．surprise C．risk D．disaster
A．means B．reason C．method D．value
A．let down B．taken up C．set free D．driven away
A．hardly B．quickly C．constantly D．specially
A．aimed B．moved C．threw D．dropped
A．ahead B．right C．almost D．even
A．because B．but C．therefore D．although
A．missed B．loved C．envied D．disliked
A．set on B．put on C．build up D．make up
A．ordinary B．sorry C．good D．curious
A．result B．wonder C．side D．influence