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
“Billy! It is February 25, 2099, seven o’clock. Time to 1and go to school.” said the clock-robot 2a mental voice. Then the kitchen-robot gave him toast and eggs. Billy was 3. While he was eating, the whole wall 4a TV screen and Billy thought that it was great having robots to do 5for him. Billy ate his meal watching a TV 6. When he finished eating, the 7gave him his clothes very fast and 8him. Then Billy went off to school.
When Billy went outside, he saw a car with no 9waiting for him. The car said, “Hello, I will be 10you to school every day. Now would you please 11your school ID card?” said the car. So Billy showed the car his school ID card and got in. The 12began to talk to Billy about his school and his schoolwork. After that the car said, “I will 13your homework today 14you will have a very, very important lesson to 15in school today. Please put your homework on the blackboard.” Billy did so.
The car checked Billy’s homework and then said, “You are a(n) 16student. All of your homework is 17.” When they 18the school, Billy said to the car, “Goodbye. See you later.” The car said to Billy, “Good luck in your school.” Billy got into the classroom and 19his seat at the front of the room. Then his teacher came in and said, “Welcome, children! Today we will have a hard but 20lesson — ‘How do robots help a human being?’...”
1. A. get upB. show up C. take up D. dress up
2. A. in B. on C. with D. by
3. A. angry B. amazed C. worried D. quick
4. A. changed for B. became of C. looked like D. turned into
5. A. something B. anything C. everything D. nothing
6. A. show B. screenC. set D. box
7. A. driver-robot B. clock-robot C. kitchen-robot D. clothes-robot
8. A. dressed B. cleaned C. pushed D. pleased
9. A. teacher B. student C. robot D. driver
10. A. driving B. accommodating
C. loadingD. holding
11. A. give B. show C. send D. lend
12. A. teacher B. driver C. robot D. car
13. A. check B. prepare C. inspect D. do
14. A. if B. when C. but D. because
15. A. miss B. learn C. study D. check
16. A. energetic B. optimistic C. great D. handsome
17. A. easy B. difficult C. correct D. wrong
18. A. rushed in B. got to C. turned to D. left off
19. A. took B. found C. made D. kept
20. A. easyB. important C. boring D. influential
I do a lot of management training each year for the Circle K Company. Among the topic we ___1___ in our classes is the ___2___ of quality employees.
What has ___3___ you to stay long enough to become a manager?” I asked.
After a while a new manager ___4___ the question and said slowly, “It was a baseball ___5___.”
Cynthia said that she ___6___ to take a Circle K clerk job as an interim(临时的) job ___7___ she looked for something else. On her second day behind the counter, she received a ___8___ from her nine-year-old son, Jessie. He needed a baseball glove for Little League. She ___9___ that as a single woman, ___10___ was tight, and her first ___11___ would have to go for paying bills.
When Cynthia arrived for work the ___12___ morning, Patricia, the store manager, handed her a box. “I overheard you ___13___ to your son yesterday,” she said, “and I know that it is ___14___ to explain things to kids. This is a baseball glove for Jessie. I know you have to pay bills before you can buy gloves. You know we can’t ___15___ good people like you as ___16___ as we would like to, ___17___ we do care, and I want you to know how ___18___ you are to us!”
The thoughtfulness, empathy(同情) and love of the store manager ___19___ that people remember more how much an employer ___20___ than how much he pays.
1. A. discuss B. write C. learn D. find
2. A. managing B. selling C. keeping D. seeking
3. A. made B. ordered C. forced D. caused
4. A. made B. took C. raised D. replied
5. A. pole B. glove C. hole D. match
6. A. ought B. liked C. had D. used
7. A. when B. because C. while D. though
8. A. letter B. call C. notice D. announcement
9. A. turned out B. pointed out C. explained D. complained
10. A. work B. food C. money D. clothing
11. A. bill B. check C. day D. visit
12. A. last B. first C. next D. past
13. A. lying B. talking C. crying D. murmuring
14. A. good B. easy C. hard D. necessary
15. A. thank B. use C. employ D. pay
16. A. many B. early C. soon D. much
17. A. nor B. but C. and D. however
18. A. kind B. terrible C. much D. important
19. A. shows B. insists C. realizes D. recognizes
I grew up in a community called Estepona. I was 16 when one morning, Dad told me I could drive him into a___1___ village called Mijas, on condition that I took the car in to be ___2___ at a nearby garage. I readily accepted. I drove Dad into Mijas, and ___3___ to pick him up at 4 pm, then dropped off the car at the ___4___. With several hours to spare, I went to a theater. ___5___, when the last movie finished, it was six. I was two hours late!
I knew Dad would be angry if he ___6___ I’d been watching movies. So I decided not to tell him the truth. When I ___7___ there I apologized for being late, and told him I’d ___8___ as quickly as I could, but that the car had needed a major repairs. I’ll never forget the ___9___ he gave me. “I’m disappointed you ___10___ you have to lie to me, Jason. ” Dad looked at me again. “When you didn’t ___11___, I called the garage to ask if there were any ___12___, and they told me you hadn’t yet picked up the car. ” I felt ___13___ as I weakly told him the real reason. A ___14___ passed through Dad as he listened attentively. “I’m angry with ___15___. I realize I’ve failed as a father. I’m going to walk home now and think seriously about ___16___ I’ve gone wrong all these years. ” “But Dad, it’s 18 miles!” My protests and apologies were ___17___. Dad walked home that day. I drove behind him, ___18___ him all the way, but he walked silently.
Seeing Dad in so much ___19___and emotional pain was my most painful experience. however, it was ___20___ the most successful lesson. I have never lied since.
1. A. lonely B. small C. distant D. familiar
2. A. kept B. washed C. watched D. serviced
3. A. agreed B. planned C. determined D. promised
4. A. village B. community C. garage D. theater
5. A. however B. Then C. Therefore D. Still
6. A. realized B. found out C. thought D. figured out
7. A. went B. ran C. walked D. hurried
8. A. started B. left C. arrived D. come
9. A. word B. face C. look D. appearance
10. A. find B. decide C. believe D. feel
11. A. turn up B. drive out C. go away D. come out
12. A. questions B. problems C. mistakes D. faults
13. A. ashamed B. frightened C. nervous D. surprised
14. A. nervousness B. sadness C. silence D. thought
15. A. you B. myself C. me D. yourself
16. A. where B. how C. why D. when
17. A. meaningless B. useless C. helpless D. worthless
18. A. asking B. persuading C. begging D. following
19. A. physical B. practical C. personal D. natural
20. A. indeed B. always C. also D. almost
Some myths are stories told since ancient times to explain the causes for natural happenings. The Greek myth that explains why there are changes of ___1___ is about Demeter, the goddess of the harvest. She had a daughter, Persephone, whom she loved very much. Hades, god of the underworld, fell in love with Persephone, and he asked Zeus, the ___2___ of the gods, to give Persephone to him as his ___3___. Zeus did not want either to disappoint Hades or to upset Demeter, so he said he would not agree to the marriage, but neither would he ___4___ it. Hades, therefore, decided to take the girl without ___5___. When Persephone was picking flowers in the garden, he seized her and took her to the underworld. When Demeter ___6___ what happened to Persephone, she became so ___7___ that she caused all plants to ___8___ People were in ___9___ of starving. But Demeter was determined not to let crops grow ___10___ her daughter, Persephone, was returned to her. ___11___, still not wanting to disappoint Hades, decided upon a condition for Persephone’s ___12___. She could go back to her mother if she had not ___13___ anything while she was in the underworld. Demeter ___14___ it because she did not know that Persephone had eaten several pomegranate(石榴) seeds in the underworld. When Zeus ___15___ this, he agreed that Persephone could spend part of the year with her ___16___, but he added that since she had eaten the seeds, she must spend part of the year in the underworld. and so it ___17___ that when Persephone is in the underworld, Demeter is sad and therefore ___18___ not let the crops grow. That is ___19___ we have winter when plants do not grow. When Persephone returns, Demeter is ___20___, it is spring, and plants begin to grow again.
1. A. periods B. seasons C. time D. age
2. A. winner B. ruler C. advisor D. fighter
3. A. wife B. lover C. partner D. daughter
4. A. forbid B. forgive C. admit D. accept
5. A. arrangement B. warning C. reason D. permission
6. A. let out B. worked out C. thought out D. found out
7. A. excited B. tired C. angry D. serious
8. A. grow fast B. start growing C. stop growing D. grow slowly
9. A. danger B. hope C. turn D. case
10. A. since B. until C. after D. when
11. A. Persephone B. Zeus C. Demeter D. Hades
12. A. return B. change C. marriage D. journey
13. A. stolen B. found C. eaten D. heard
14. A. understood B. refused C. doubted D. accepted
15. A. discovered B. studied C. forgot D. prepared
16. A. daughter B. mother C. god D. ruler
17. A. works B. remains C. happens D. starts
18. A. should B. can C. dare D. will
19. A. where B. because C. why D. how
20. A. nice B. friendly C. fresh D. happy
One evening, Mr Green was driving his car along a lonely country road. He had ___1___ $10 000 from the bank in town. Suddenly a man in rags stopped him and asked for ___2___. Mr Green told him to get on and continued his way. ___3___ he talked to the man, he ___4___ that he had just broken out of prison. Mr Green was very afraid at the ___5___ of the money. Suddenly he saw a police－car and had a ___6___ idea. He ___7___ speed and drove as quickly as possible. Then he found the police-car running ___8___ him. After a mile ___9___ the police-car passed him and ordered him to stop. A policeman came up. Mr Green had hoped to tell him about the trouble but the man put a gun to Mr Green’s ___10___.
The policeman said he wanted Mr Green’s name and ___11___ and Mr Green obeyed. The policeman wrote it down in his notebook and put it in his ___12___. “You ___13___ appear at the police station. “ He said. Then he talked to Mr Green about ___14___ driving. Mr Green started up his car again. He had ___15___ all hope of his ￡10,000, but as he reached a more lonely part, the robber said he wanted to ___16___. Mr Green stopped and the man said. “___17___. You’ve been ___18___ to me. This is what I can do in ___19___.” And he handed Mr Green the policeman’s ___20___, which was stolen while the policeman was talking to Mr Green.
1. A. taken B. held C. brought D. drawn
2. A. money B. help C. a lift D. a ride
3. A. As B. Since C. Then D. Because
4. A. recognized B. learned C. supposed D. expected
5. A. sight B. idea C. touch D. thought
6. A. fast B. bright C. strange D. bad
7. A. put on B. got on C. took on D. had on
8. A. behind B. with C. after D. beside
9. A. and so B. or so C. and so on D. or so on
10. A. head B. shoulder C. back D. neck
11. A. number B. home C. place D. address
12. A. car B. pocket C. hand D. trousers
13. A. shall B. will C. would D. need
14. A. careful B. normal C. drunk D. dangerous
15. A. held out B. build up C. given up D. turn over
16. A. run away B. break away C. set out D. get out
17. A. I’m sorry B. You’re welcome C. That’s all right D. Thank you
18. A. kind B. polite C. known D. necessary
19. A. all B. fact C. return D. the end
20. A. gun B. pen C. money D. notebook