Mom had lived in a nursing home for the past three and a half years, suffering the increasing effects of dementia(老年痴呆). They were tough years, actually 21 for us family members than for her, I believe. She suffered very little __22__ in those final years, less than she __23__ when living in her own home. This was because other people took better care of her than she did herself.
All dementia is not alike. Mom’s form 24 her short-term memory more than her long-term memory. By the time she went to the nursing home, her short-term memory was _25__ non-existent. We learned to _26___ our conversations with her to old things of the past. Usually, she could connect with these __27__ and seem to enjoy us __28___ about them. I noticed in her last year that her long-term memory was __29___., too. And it became ever more __30_ to engage her. In her last six months, we had very little __31___ of her responding, though a few times she __32__us. So, when we called her, we would just __33___ to tell her about our lives, things we were doing, things our children and grandchildren were doing. The __34__ would be short. We would tell her we loved her; she would either be __35__ or make some grunting(咕哝) sounds.
__36__ I expected Mom’s death, it was still bad news to hear. She is __37___. Even one-way conversations were more __38__ than no conversations.
So now, all we have are __39__ and a few physical items that were hers or gifts from her. On Mother’s Day this year we will send no __40__, no gift, make no call. But we will remember her.
A．luckier B．quicker C．busier D．harder
A．worry B．pain C．noise D．fear
A．reported B．suggested C．noticed D．heard
A．led B．bothered C．blamed D．attacked
A．never B．almost C．still D．again
A．give B．practice C．direct D．pass
A．schedules B．experiences C．data D．poisons
A．hearing B．asking C．caring D．talking
A．performing B．finishing C．failing D．changing
A．difficult B．strange C．necessary D．hopeful
A．opportunity B．choice C．expectation D．sign
A．promised B．annoyed C．fooled D．surprised
A．plan B．continue C．happen D．pretend
A．voice B．calls C．treatments D．happiness
A．disappointed B．friendly C．sure D．silent
A．Because B．If C．Though D．But
A．followed B．left C．lost D．gone
A．disturbing B．relaxing C．satisfying D．challenging
A．memories B．hopes C．rules D．excuses
A．bill B．card C．problem D．mail
I close my eyes and can still hear her—the little girl with a ___1___ so strong and powerful we could hear her halfway down the block. She was a(n) ___2___ peasant who asked for money and ___3___ gave the only thing she had——her voice. I paused outside a small shop and listened. She brought to my mind the ___4___ of Little Orphan Annie. I could not understand the words she ___5___, but her voice begged for ___6___. It stood out from the noises of Arbat Street, pure and impressive, like the chime of a bell. She sang ___7___ an old-style lamp post in the shadow of a building, her arms extended and ___8___ thrown back. She was small and of unremarkable looks. Her brown hair ___9___ the bun(发髻) it had been pulled into, and she occasionally reached up to ___10___ a stray piece from her face. Her clothing I can’t recall. Her voice, on the other hand, is ___11___ imprinted in my mind.
I asked one of the translators about the girl. Elaina told me that she and hundreds of others like her throughout the ___12___ Soviet Union add to their families’ income by working on the streets. The children are unable to ___13___ school, and their parents work fulltime. These children know that the consequence of an ___14___ day is no food for the table. Similar situations occurred during the Depression(萧条) in the United States, but those American children were ___15___ shoeshine boys of the ___16___. This girl was real to me.
When we walked past her I gave her money. It was not out of pity ___17___ rather admiration. Her smile of ___18___ did not interrupt her singing. The girl watched us as we walked down the street. I know this because when I looked back she smiled again. We ___19___ that smile, and I knew I could never forget her courage and ___20___ strength.
1. A. will B. strength C. voice D. determination
2. A. American B. Chinese C. Japanese D. Russian
3. A. in return B. in turn C. by hand D. in silence
4. A. voice B. image C. story D. looks
5. A. said B. murmured C. used D. sang
6. A. attention B. love C. help D. mercy
7. A. across B. from C. under D. from underneath
8. A. hands B. feet C. head D. face
9. A. fell out B. escaped C. did up D. tied to
10. A. remove B. tear C. cut off D. dress
11. A. never B. permanently C. occasionally D. sometimes
12. A. latter B. rich C. former D. great
13. A. attend B. finish C. leave D. enjoy
14. A. unhappy B. unsatisfied C. unusual D. unsuccessful
15. A. faced B. real C. faceless D. visible
16. A. twenties B. thirties C. forties D. teens
17. A. and B. while C. but D. or
18. A. contempt B. pity C. bitterness D. thanks
19. A. stopped B. shared C. won D. exchanged
20. A. full B. inner C. brave D. fighting
The Eskimos believed that a human being is made up of a body, a soul, and a name, and it is not ___1___ unless it has all three. This ___2___ has a great ___3___ on the Eskimos daily life and runs like a golden ___4___ through the Eskimos culture.
As for the soul of man, the Eskimos do not claim to know exactly what it is… but, who does? They see it, however, as the beginning of life, and the energy ___5___ which life cannot continue.
An Eskimo’s name is ___6___ to give life of ___7___. It has in it all the good qualities of all the persons who have been called by it. Many Eskimos believe that a newborn baby ___8___ because it wants ___9___ name and will not complete until it gets it.
Immediately after a birth, some wise elders ___10___ to ___11___ the child. The name that is ___12___ must be ___13___ of someone who has died ___14___. When my son was born, everyone realized that ___15___ was great-grandfather, Mequsaq(who had died a few months ___16___,) who had been reborn in him. The newborn baby had a slight squint(看一眼) in ___17___ eye that old Mequsaq had ___18___ to the enemy ride in the battle. This was taken as a ___19___ from the name spirit that the baby ___20___ be called Mequsaq.
1. A. separate B. complete C. serious D scientific
2. A. thought B. idea C. belief D. theory
3. A. result B. effect C. control D. touch
4. A. thread B. line C. way D. rope
5. A. with B. without C. by D. along
6. A. believed B. taken C. held D. regarded
7. A. his own B. its own C. own D. itself
8. A. sobs B. laughs C. weeps D. cries
9. A. it B. his C. her D. its
10. A. run B. discuss C. gather D. appear
11. A. name B. call C. hold D. dress
12. A. decided B. selected C. elected D. demanded
13. A. this B. these C. those D. that
14. A. recently B. long ago C. just now D. meanwhile
15. A. this B. that C. it D. who
16. A. since B. later C. ago D. before
17. A. the other B. the same C. the different D. other
18. A. hurt B. wounded C. lost D. injured
19. A. choice B. decision C. notice D. sign
20. A. could B. might C. would D. should
In kindergarten your idea of a good friend was the person who let you have the red crayon(蜡笔) when all that was left was the ugly black one.
In primary school your ___1___ of a good friend was the person who went to the bathroom with you; ___2___ your hand as you walked through the scary(可怕的) halls; ___3___ their lunch with you when you left ___4___ on the bus; saved a ___5___ on the back of the bus for you; knew ___6___ you had a crush on(迷恋) and never understood why. In ___7___ school your idea of a good friend was the person who let you ___8___ their social studies homework; went to that “cool” party with you ___9___ you wouldn’t wind up(结束) being the only fresher there; did not let you lunch ___10___.
In pre-university your idea of a good friend was the person who gave you___11___ in their new car; comforted you when you broke up with Nick or Susan: found you a(n) ___12___ to the prom(舞会) or went to the prom with you(both without dates); helped you pick a university and assured you that you would get into that ___13___; helped you deal with your parents who were having a ___14___ time letting you go.
On the threshold(开始) of ___15___ your idea of a good friend was the person who was there ___16___ you just couldn’t deal with your parents; assured you that now you and Nick or you and Susan were ___17___ together, you could make it through anything; just silently hugged you as you ___18___ through blurry(模糊的) eyes at 18 years of memories; and reassured you that you would ___19___ it in university as well as you had these past 18 years; and most importantly ___20___ you off to university knowing you were loved.
1. A. idea B. thought C. mind D. sight
2. A. placed B. shook C. held D. waved
3. A. cooked B. seized C. shared D. bought
4. A. ours B. hers C. his D. yours
5. A. ticket B. seat C. chair D. stand
6. A. what B. that C. who D. why
7. A. primary B. secondary C. college D. pre-university
8. A. do B. see C. check D. copy
9. A. and B. so C. as D. but
10. A. together B. far C. lonely D. alone
11. A. seat B. time C. money D. rides
12. A. car B. excuse C. friend D. date
13. A. school B. prom C. club D. university
14. A. good B. wonderful C. hard D. modern
15. A. boy B. baby C. child D. adulthood
16. A. where B. when C. how D. why
17. A. back B. happy C. up D. over
18. A. looked B. went C. came D. passed
19. A. have B. get C. make D. take
20. A. put B. got C. took D. sent
George had stolen some money, and had been caught by the police. Now his ___1___ was about to begin. He felt ___2___ that he would be sent to prison for a long time. Then he ___3___ that his friend Jim was one of the members of the jury(陪审团). He succeeded in seeing him ___4___. He said to him, “Jim, I know that the jury will find me guilty of having stolen the money. I can’t hope to be found ___5___ of taking it. But I should be grateful ___6___ you if you could ___7___ the other members of the jury to ___8___ some strong ___9___ for me to their statement that they consider me seriously guilty.”
“Well, George,” answered Jim, “I shall ___10___ try to do what I can for you as an old friend, ___11___ I cannot promise you will be highly ___12___ with the result. The other eleven members of the jury are not ___13___ good terms with me.” Of course, George was very ___14___, but he did not have a ___15___ to see Jim for some time after the trial. At last, ___16___, Jim visited him in prison. George ___17___ him very much for what he had done.
“Well, George,” Jim told him, “___18___ I thought, those eleven men were very ___19___ to persuade, but I managed it in the end ___20___ tiring them out. You know, those fools had all wanted to find you not guilty!”
1. A. punishment B. trial C. sentence D. arrest
2. A. doubtful B. firm C. sure D. uncertain
3. A. wondered B. imagined C. explained D. discovered
4. A. secretly B. rarely C. often D. openly
5. A. guilty B. moral C. not moral D. not guilty
6. A. for B. with C. to D. of
7. A. please B. try C. persuade D. advise
8. A. add B. add up C. increase D. increase up
9. A. feeling B. mercy C. care D. excuse
10. A. difficulty B. easily C. certainly D. uncertainly
11. A. so B. but C. thus D. then
12. A. surprised B. supposed C. satisfied D. separated
13. A. in B. by C. on D. of
14. A. lucky B. unlucky C. pleased D. disappointed
15. A. time B. hope C. chance D. reason
16. A. moreover B. however C. therefore D. thus
17. A. complained B. criticized C. thanked D. envy
18. A. as B. like C. if D. though
19. A. foolish B. easy C. clever D. difficult
20. A. in B. by C. with D. after
Norman Cousins was a businessman from the United States who often traveled around the world on business. He enjoyed his ___1___ and traveling.
Then, after returning to the United States from a ___2___ trip to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic(USSR), Mr. Cousins got sick. Because he had pushed his body to the ___3___ of its strength on the trip, a change began to take place ___4___ him. The material between his bones became ___5___.
In less than one week after his return, he could not ___6___. Every move that he ___7___ was painful. He was not able to sleep at night. The doctors told him that they did not know how to cure Mr. Cousins’ problem and he might never ___8___ over the illness. Mr. Cousins, however, refused to give up ___9___ Mr. Cousins thought that ___10___ thoughts were causing bad chemical changes in his body. He did not want to take medicine to cure himself. ___11___, he felt that happy thoughts or ___12___ might cure his illness.
He began to ___13___ on himself while still in the hospital by watching funny shows on television. Mr. Cousins quickly found that 10 minutes of real laughter during the ___14___ gave him two hours of pain-free sleep at night. ___15___ the doctors could not help him, Mr. Cousins left the hospital and checked into a hotel room where he could ___16___ his experiments with laughter. For eight days, Mr. Cousins rested in the hotel room watching funny shows on television, reading funny books, and sleeping ___17___ he felt tired. Within three weeks, he felt well ___18___ to take a vacation to Puerto Rico where he began running on the beach for ___19___. After a few months, Mr. Cousins returned to work. He had laughed himself back to ___20___.
1. A. time B. holiday C. sleep D. work
2. A. boring B. tiring C. dangerous D. pleasant
3. A. top B. degree C. problem D. limit
4. A. from B. around C. inside D. beside
5. A. weak B. ill C. false D. painful
6. A. speak B. breathe C. stand D. see
7. A. made B. did C. took D. gave
8. A. look B. get C. turn D. think
9. A. effort B. hope C. treatment D. arrangement
10. A. foolish B. unusual C. funny D. unhappy
11. A. Instead B. however C. Therefore D. Otherwise
12. A. sleep B. travel C. laughter D. television
13. A. rescue B. operate C. try D. experiment
14. A. day B. week C. month D. year
15. A. Promising B. Deciding C. Doubting D. Recognizing
16. A. invent B. begin C. continue D. prove
17. A. until B. whenever C. unless D. so that
18. A. soon B. completely C. slowly D. enough
19. A. exercise B. illness C. rest D. pleasure
20. A. power B. sense C. health D. happiness