There was a man who played the piano in a small bar. There were not too many 36 , but because he was a good piano player, some people 37 came in every night just to hear him play. But one night, a patron (老主顾) told him he didn’t want to hear him play but to sing a song.
The man said, “I have never 38 that before in public. I think I’m 39 at playing the piano.”
But the customer 40 . He told the waiter, “I’m 41 listening to the piano day after day. I want to hear something new and I want that guy to sing.”
The waiter 42 across the room, “Hey, buddy! If you want to get 43 , sing a song. The patrons are asking you to sing!”
44 in order to bring some money home that night, the piano player who had never sung in public did so for the very first time. And 45 had ever heard the song Mona Lisa sung before 46 that night by Nat King Cole, and it surprised all, including the 47 himself!
He had talent he was 48 on! He may have lived the rest of his life as a no-name piano player in a no-name bar, but because he had to sing, he 49 to become one of the best-known entertainers in America.
You, too, have skills and 50 . You may not feel as if your “talent” is particularly 51 , but it may be better than you think! And with persistence (坚持), most skills can be 52 . Besides, you may as well have no ability at all if you sit on whatever talent you 53 ! The 54 is not “What ability do I have that is useful?” It is 55 “How will I use whatever ability I have?”.
Just think a minute…
A．waiters B．customers C．singers D．players
A．never B．still C．ever D．only
A．practiced B．shown C．dreamed D．done
A．better B．richer C．easier D．sooner
A．agreed B．confused C．insisted D．charged
A．familiar with B．fond of C．used to D．tired of
A．served B．explained C．shouted D．complained
A．changed B．broadcast C．paid D．drunk
A．So B．And C．Because D．But
A．nobody B．anybody C．somebody D．everybody
A．until B．after C．since D．when
A．waiter B．singer C．patron D．owner
A．sitting B．waiting C．depending D．playing
A．went up B．went on C．went off D．went away
A．advantages B．character C．principle D．abilities
A．unique B．surprising C．famous D．great
A．recognized B．wasted C．improved D．impressed
A．imagine B．possess C．expect D．develop
A．decision B．answer C．question D．solution
A．even B．rather C．pretty D．fairly
The students at Sandy’s high school were badly shaken by the news that a classmate had 36 himself. The suicide note read: “It’s hard to 37 when nobody cares if you die.”
Glen, a teacher, realized this was a 38 moment about the importance of making people feel
39 . He asked his class to imagine they were about to 40 and to write a note “telling someone how and why you 41 him or her.”
Sandy, who had a 42 relationship with her mother, decided to write her 43 . Her letter read: “We’ve had some 44 times and I haven’t always been a very good 45 ,but I know I’m lucky to have you in my life. You’re the 46 person I’ve ever known, And even when I disagree with you, I never 47 you love me and want what’s best for me. Thanks for not 48 up on me”.
When her mom read the note, she cried and hugged Sandy 49 but said little.
The next morning, Sandy found a 50 on her mirror: “Dearest Sandy, I want you to know being your mother is ,by far, the most important thing in my life. 51 I got your note, I thought I had lost your love and 52 . I felt like such a failure. I intended to 53 it all last night. Your note saved my 54 .”
Be careful not to underestimate the 55 of expressed appreciation. It won’t always save a life, but it will always make someone’s life better.
A．sacrificed B．defeated C．abandoned D．killed
A．live B．imagine C．struggle D．think
A．sad B．final C．teachable D．great
A．ashamed B．valued C．excited D．scared
A．die B．fail C．retire D．survive
A．miss B．hate C．admire D．appreciate
A．close B．casual C．bad D．personal
A．classmate B．mom C．father D．teacher
A．free B．delightful C．pleasant D．rough
A．daughter B．student C．friend D．trainer
A．best B．wisest C．luckiest D．gentlest
A．trust B．doubt C．consider D．predict
A．taking B．going C．giving D．looking
A．coldly B．hesitantly C．shyly D．tightly
A．note B．gift C．notice D．reminder
A．Since B．Until C．though D．When
A．confidence B．courage C．respect D．heart
A．end B．make C．get D．fall
A．life B．time C．money D．honor
A．push B．price C．meaning D．power
Water costs money．In some places water is hard 31 ．What 32 when a town has these problems？A small town in California found a happy 33 ．
Very 34 rain ever fell there．The town had no water35 ．The water it used was 36 from a river 300 miles away．As more people37 live in the town 38 water was needed．Now water 39 to be brought in from 600 miles away．All these cost 40money．
The town 41 a plan．It found 42 to clean its “dirty” water．Once the cleaned water was reused43 many ways．Five 44 lakes were built．Here people could swim and fish and go 45 ．They46 have picnics in their new parks．Farmers had more water47 their crops．New factories can be built，now that they have the promise of 48 ．
In most places，water is used and thrown 49．The town that saved 50 water has saved the town！
A．supplying B．getting C．to get D．to supply
A．little B．a little C．few D．a few
A．fetch B．take C．brought in D．guided
A．come to B．came to C．coming to D．came for
A．many B．plenty of C．more D．many more
A．has B．had C．must D．needed
A．many B．a few C．a great many D．a lot of
A．put B．made C．supply D．noticed
A．a way B．ways C．an answer D．a key
A．for B．by C．at D．in
A．man-making B．man-make C．man-made D．man made
A．boating B．to boat C．to boating D．on boating
A．must B．could C．needed D．had to
A．as B．with C．for D．to
A．water enough B．enough water C．crops enough D．enough crops
A．off B．of C．away D．out of
A．it’s B．its C．one’s D．his
I was driving in the car. It was raining. The car suddenly slid (滑) off of the__36__road and turned upside down. The roof of the car was damaged and my__37__was trapped in the window. I could not move it__38__the glass on my face and the pressure from the roof. I was__39__.It was still raining and I was afraid that the ditch (壕沟) I was in would__40__ with water. I was also afraid that the car would__41__as I could smell gasoline.
Then two male truck drivers came to me and tried to__42__me.They got a car jack and_43__the top of the car and released me. Then they __44__me out of the car. Two young women stepped forward and__45__to take me to the hospital. I immediately realized that I was_46__hurt.I had hurt my back and I was in a lot of__47__.At the hospital，I was Xrayed and the__48__told me that there was something serious.The__49__on my face were also done with and I was given pain__50__.
This__51__in the South in 1958，a time of segregation (种族隔离)__52__ “black” people and “white” people. As it happened，the two men and the two women who were so__53__to help me were all African Americans. Whoever they are，I__54__life has been good and kind to them as they were to me. I am always thankful to them and I will never__55__them.
A．clean B．wet C．white D．wide
A．hand B．foot C．head D．body
A．except for B．thanks to C．ahead of D．because of
A．tired B．comfortable C．scared D．surprised
A．put on B．show up C．hold on D．fill up
A．catch fire B．set off C．make a difference D．break down
A．see B．help C．answer D．encourage
A．lifted B．broke C．burnt. D．checked
A．threw B．kicked C．pulled D．pushed
A．refused B．offered C．wished D．pretended
A．seriously B．strangely C．slowly D．commonly
A．pity B．sadness C．luck D．pain
A．man B．woman C．doctor D．helper
A．cuts B．smiles C．signs D．expressions
A．instruction B．medicine C．training D．treatment
A．changed B．disappeared C．occurred D．began
A．after B．with C．for D．between
A．kind B．worried C．careful D．eager
A．doubt B．hope C．think D．imagine
A．fight B．fear C．forget D．scold
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。
Three kids to go until my turn to dive (跳水). At the front of the line, a girl in a pink swim suit is 36 and climbs onto the diving board. Will she change her 37, like I did last week, I wonder? Encouraged by the teacher, the Pink Girl 38. Only two kids to go. I feel very 39. You don’t have to do this, I tell myself. 40 next week is the pool party, my brain 41. You will be the 42 one who can’t go on the diving board.
As I am thinking, another girl dives into the 43. Then it’s my little brother Travis’ turn. I 44 my eyes, and then open them just in time to see him jump off the 45. He comes out of the water and smiles. I can’t help 46, too. Nothing scares that kid.
Then I realize it’s my 47. I climb onto the diving board. 48 are diving at the other end of the pool. Everywhere, everyone is 49. Except me.
“What are you 50?” asks the kid after my turn.
I step forward. Then I 51 Travis standing by the pool. “You can do it!” he shouts. That’s what I’ve 52 told him when he was 53 to tie his shoes or write his name.
I take a deep breath and step out into nothing. My body 54, and then I feel the water. I swim in the water for a while before I pull myself to the 55, where my face finds the sun. I DID IT!
A．slow B．right C．ready D．tired
A．answer B．mind C．plan D．role
A．climbs B．jumps C．kicks D．walks
A．nervous B．strange C．surprised D．angry
A．Because B．Unless C．But D．Though
A．argues B．doubts C．decides D．understands
A．same B．next C．last D．only
A．sea B．river C．lake D．pool
A．close B．wipe C．cover D．hurt
A．roof B．line C．board D．ladder
A．dancing B．smiling C．opening D．stopping
A．way B．hope C．mistake D．turn
A．Parents B．Kids C．Classmates D．Teachers
A．moving B．laughing C．studying D．changing
A．looking for B．waiting for C．paying for D．caring for
A．imagine B．remember C．see D．watch
A．never B．seldom C．sometimes D．always
A．offering B．agreeing C．learning D．refusing
A．drops B．shakes C．breaks D．rests
A．surface B．door C．beach D．sky
阅读下面短文,从短文后各题所给的四个选项中,选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
I live in a big city. It’s noisy and dirty and I got very 36.At the weekends I like to leave the city and get some 37 air and a good rest. A few weeks ago I decided to go to see my 38 . I was really looking forward to it.
My parents live a long way 39.I went to see them with James, a friend, and we drove on Friday night. In the middle of the 40 it began to rain. The road become very 41 and it was difficult to drive. We arrived home just after midnight, feeling very 42.The next 43 it was still raining. James took his 44 to a garage which was very good.
In the afternoon the 45 improved, we wanted to go for a 46. My parents lent us their car. That was no good. Their car didn’t 47.We rang up the garage. “Oh,” They said, “Your car 48 be ready till tomorrow.” So it wasn’t 49 to go for a drive. We decided to play a word game. When we didn’t agree 50 a word we looked for a dictionary. It wasn’t there. 51 my mother remembered, “I lent it to your sister. She took it with her when she left.” The word game wasn’t any good 52 a dictionary.
On Sunday my mother dropped a heavy box on her 53 and we had to hire a 54 to take her to hospital. When James and I drove back we got stuck in a car accident. Next time I want a rest, I’ll stay 55.
A．angry B．surprised C．tiring D．tired
A．warm B．cool C．cold D．fresh
A．comrades B．friends C．parents D．hometown
A．away B．here C．there D．far
A．day B．night C．journey D．road
A．narrow B．wet C．dirty D．dry
A．happy B．excited C．tired D．thirsty
A．morning B．day C．afternoon D．evening
A．clothes B．car C．books D．machine
A．car B．clothes C．weather D．work
A．drive B．look C．trip D．walk
A．move B．roll C．begin D．work
A．mustn’t B．couldn’t C．wouldn’t D．won’t
A．interesting B．necessary C．possible D．wonderful
A．on B．over C．for D．with
A．Luckily B．Suddenly C．Gradually D．Quickly
A．for B．in C．with D．without
A．foot B．leg C．head D．floor
A．truck B．taxi C．bike D．bus
A．in the country B．in the city C．in my office D．in the garage