Sometimes I really doubt whether there is love between my parents. Every day they are very busy trying to 31 in order to pay the high tuition for my brother and me. They don’t act in the 32 ways that I read in books or I see on TV. In their opinion, “I love you” is too 33 for them to say. Sending flowers to each other on Valentine’s Day is even more out of 34.
One day, my mother was sewing a quilt. I sat down beside her. “Mom, I have a question to ask you. Is there _35 between you and Dad?” I asked her in a very low voice. She didn’t answer immediately. She 36 her head and continued to sew the quilt.
I was very worried because I thought I had _37_ her. I was 38_ and I didn’t know what I should do. But at last I heard my mother say the following words:
“Susan,” she said thoughtfully, “Look at this thread．Sometimes it __39_, but most of it disappears in the quilt. The thread really makes the quilt _40__. If life is a quilt, then love should be a thread．It can hardly be seen _41 , but it’s really there. Love is 42_.”
I listened carefully but I __43_ her until the next spring. At that time, my father suddenly _44 seriously. My mother had to stay with him in the hospital for a month. When they returned from the hospital, they both looked __45_. It seemed both of them had had a serious illness. After they were back, every day in the morning and dusk, my mother helped my father 46__ on the country road．
“Dad, how are you feeling now?” I asked him one day.
“Susan, don’t _47 me.” he said gently. “To tell you the truth, I just like walking with your mom.”_48_ his eyes, I know he loves my mother deeply.
Once I thought love meant flowers, gifts and 49 . But from this experience, I understand that love is just _50_ in the quilt of our life. Love is inside, making life strong and warm.
A．keep fit B．rise early C．collect money D．earn money
A．romantic B．magic C．fantastic D．attractive
A．simple B．luxurious C．relaxing D．easy
A．question B．the question C．reach D．control
A．feeling B．quarrel C．love D．smile
A．bowed B．shook C．nodded D．raised
A．hurt B．injured C．wounded D．harmed
A．in great surprise B．with deep depression C．in a great embarrassment D．at extreme sorrow
A．happens B．comes about C．occurs D．appears
A．warm and soft B．hot and hard C．thin and cool D．strong and durable
A．more or less B．here and there C．somewhere and sometime D．anywhere or anytime
A．inside B．outside C．faraway D．nearby
A．could believe B．wouldn’t recognize C．couldn’t understand D．might know
A．got stuck B．got sick C．threw up D．became disabled
A．quite healthy B．fairly red C．very pale D．much surprised
A．walk slowly B．go hurriedly C．run fast D．jump high
A．think about B．worry about C．talk with D．laugh at
A．Saying B．Seeing C．Reading D．Writing
A．fresh roses B．gold ring C．beautiful jewelry D．sweet kisses
A．a needle B．a thread C．the cloth D．the cotton
Our tolerating ability is indeed way beyond our imagination. But not until the very critical moment will we 21 our potential tolerating ability.
There was a woman in the countryside who got married at the age of 18 and had to escape with her two daughters and a son wherever she could at the age of 26 due to the Japanese army’s invasion. Many people in the village at that time could not 22 the suffering of being a fugitive（亡命者） and wanted to commit suicide. After she knew about it, she would come to those23 ,saying, “Don’t do that 24 thing. There are no such setbacks(挫折) that we could not overcome!”
Finally she insisted until the day when all the Japanese armies were kicked out of China. 25 , her son died of disease without sufficient 26 and nutrition in those days of hardships. Her husband, after knowing the death of his son, lay in bed for two days without eating and drinking anything. She teared to her husband and said, “We have a tough destiny, but however tough our lives will be, we should also 27 . Though our son has passed away, we can have another. ”
After giving birth to the second 28 , her husband died of edema（水肿病）, which almost 29 her away. But eventually, she 30 and held the three young children in her arms, saying, “My sweet hearts, don’t feel scared. You still have me, your dear mum!”
It took her pain efforts to 31 her children up and the life of her family was getting better and better. Two daughters were married and so was his son finally. She said to everyone she met, “Look! What I said is 32 right. There are no such setbacks that we could not overcome! My life is so happy now!” She was 33 gradually and could not do the farm work anymore. So she stayed at home and did some sewing work.
Nevertheless, the Heaven seemed to show no affection to her who had undergone a34 life. She got her leg broken 35 when she was nursing her grandson. Due to her old age that posed a great risk to her operation, she did not receive operation and had to lie in bed all day long. Her children all cried heavily, while she merely said, “Why do you cry? I am still living.”
36 she could not rise from bed, she did not complain about anything and anybody. Instead, she sat on the bed and did some sewing work. She had learnt scarves-weaving, crafts-making, etc. All her neighbors spoke 37 of her skills and came to learn from her.
She lived until 86. Before she went to Heaven, she said to her children, “You all should live to your best. There are no such setbacks that we could not overcome!”
We will only get to realize our own iron will and strong tolerating ability after getting 38 heavily. Therefore, no matter what you are suffering from now, do not merely complain about the 39 of our destiny and maintain low-spirited all the time. There are no such setbacks that we could not overcome. Only those who have no confidence and courage to overcome setbacks will be 40 at last!
A．recognize B．realize C．reduce D．reach
A．bear B．see C．find D．feel
A．houses B．villages C．women D．people
A．hard B．silly C．easy D．smelly
A．Therefore B．However C．Furthermore D．Besides
A．food B．water C．medicine D．clothes
A．persist B．help C．work D．accept
A．child B．son C．daughter D．baby
A．get B．give C．blew D．put
A．stopped B．cried C．sighed D．recovered
A．raise B．teach C．build D．love
A．nearly B．absolutely C．almost D．naturally
A．dying B．growing C．aging D．complaining
A．happy B．long C．normal D．rough
A．purposely B．accidently C．suddenly D．quietly
A．As though B．Even though C．As long as D．Ever since
A．hurt B．ill C．excited D．stricken
A．unfairness B．unhappiness C．unfitness D．uncomfortableness
A．hit B．improved C．defeated D．hurt
My sister and I have been a headache for my mother, because my father was in the army, he was not around too often. __21__, my mother brought us up almost single-handedly and it must have __22__ real strength of mind to bring up such naughty and stubborn children who got out from one trouble only to get into another.
Bonus and I weren’t scholars either. __23__, we hated studying from the very beginning. We were __24__ to spend time with our schoolbooks---out of the fear of Mum’s scolding. I almost did not make it to 10th grade. That entire summer Mum __25__ that I read my schoolbooks from the very first chapter till the last.
I left __26__ college at 18. In my second year of college, while I was studying for my final exams, I got a phone call from Mum __27__ my sister had failed her 9th grade exams. Mum was heartbroken. My mother was an English teacher in a famous school in the city and it was a(n) __28__ for her.
Then started another __29__ for my Mum. There always seemed to be people who would come and talk about how well their children were doing __30__ my mother would be having a tough time making sure we stayed on the right path. Mum was __31__ that we would do well for ourselves. She never let my sister and me __32__ that we had lost out on something and always told us: “Let this be a lesson. We are going to work really really hard...__33__ will change.”
Things did change, but very slowly and __34__, one little step at a time. Last year I finished with law school and started working. My mother’s belief in me __35__. And just a few days ago I got a phone from Bonus. She had __36__ the exam with honors and was __37__ to the best university in the country. I was in tears. Later that night I __38__ Mum: “Mum, your two little failures didn’t do as badly as everybody thought.” Mum __39__ and said: “You are my daughters and I knew you the best. I always knew that you would succeed. It was just a __40__ of time.”
A．However B．Thus C．Otherwise D．Besides
A．devoted B．spent C．taken D．wasted
A．In that case B．In this way C．On the other hand D．On the contrary
A．pleased B．annoyed C．forced D．advised
A．demanded B．concluded C．promised D．mentioned
A．at B．for C．from D．after
A．announcing B．reading C．knowing D．saying
A．shame B．challenge C．pride D．honor
A．experiment B．research C．conflict D．trial
A．though B．while C．as D．unless
A．determined B．astonished C．satisfied D．concerned
A．predict B．imagine C．guess D．feel
A．Environment B．Society C．Circumstances D．Impressions
A．quickly B．extremely C．smoothly D．gradually
A．made up B．paid off C．took on D．burst out
A．attended B．received C．passed D．failed
A．accepted B．allowed C．admitted D．permitted
A．questioned B．convinced C．persuaded D．called
A．nodded B．laughed C．shouted D．joked
A．matter B．period C．waste D．length
Every morning a woman baked Chapati, an Indian cake, for her family and an extra one for a hungry passerby. She would place the extra cake on the ___(21)___ for someone to take it.
She noticed a hunchback (驼背) came every day and took the extra cake. Instead of expressing ___(22)___, he would mutter (嘀咕) the following words as he went his way: “The evil you do ___(23)___ with you. The good you do, comes back to you!”
This went on day after day. The woman felt very ___(24)___. One day, she decided to ___(25)___ him. She added poison to the cake she prepared for him! As she was about to place it on the window, her hands trembled. She threw his cake into the fire ___(26)___, prepared another one and put it on the window.
As usual, the hunchback came, ___(27)___the cake and muttered the same words. The hunchback proceeded on his way, ___(28)___ nothing about the fight in the mind of the woman.
The woman had a ___(29)___ who had gone to a distant place to ___(30)___ his fortune. Every day, as the woman placed the cake on the window, she offered a ___(31)___ for him. For many months she had no news of him and she prayed for his ___(32)___ return.
That evening, there was a knock on the door. Opening it, she was surprised to find her son standing there. His clothes and shoes were ___(33)___. He was starved and ___(34)___.
Looking at his mother he said, “Mom, it’s a(n) ___(35)___ I' m here. When 1 was but a mile away, I was so starved that I collapsed (晕倒). I would have died, but for a whole ___(36)___ an old hunchback gave me.”
As the mother heard those words, her face turned ___(37)___. She leaned against the door for ___(38)___. Had she not burnt it in the fire, it would have ___(39)___ her own son!
It was then that she ___(40)___ the significance of the words: “The evil you do remains with you. The good you do, comes back to you!”
A．door B．roof C．stone D．window
A．concern B．hope C．gratitude D．regret
A．agrees B．remains C．differs D．fights
A．annoyed B．delighted C．disappointed D．relieved
A．look into B．get rid of C．search for D．argue with
A．immediately B．fortunately C．purposely D．carefully
A．checked up B．picked up C．ate up D．threw up
A．asking B．answering C．knowing D．wondering
A．daughter B．husband C．relative D．son
A．get B．have C．seek D．tell
A．greeting B．hello C．kiss D．prayer
A．double B．happy C．safe D．warm
A．broken out B．worn out C．cut out D．thrown out
A．strong B．free C．happy D．weak
A．event B．miracle C．mistake D．surprise
A．cake B．egg C．meal D．supply
A．black B．green C．pale D．yellow
A．fear B．strength C．support D．weight
A．helped B．killed C．missed D．surrounded
A．valued B．recognized C．remembered D．realized
Back in the fifteenth century in Nuremberg lived a family with eighteen children. They were so poor that two children, who wanted to pursue their talent for 26 knew their father would never be 27 able to send either of them to Nuremberg to study at the Academy.
So they tossed (掷) a coin. Albrecht Durer, the younger, 28 the toss and went off to Nuremberg. Albert went down into the dangerous 29 and for the next four years, financed his brother, who did so well that his works were even better than those of most of his 30 . By the time he graduated, he was beginning to earn 31 fees by drawing for wealthy people. When the young artist returned home, at dinner he drank a 32 to his beloved brother for the years of 33 that had enabled him to fulfill his 34 .He said, “Albert, my blessed brother, now it is your 35 to go to Nuremberg to pursue your dream, and I will take care of you.”
With tears in his eyes, Albert held his hands close to his right cheek and said, “No, brother, I cannot go. Look... look what four years in the mines have done to my 36 !The bones in every finger have been 37 at least once. Lately I have been suffering from arthritis (关节炎) so badly in my right hand that I cannot even hold a 38 to return your toast, much less make delicate （细腻的）lines with a pen or a brush. No, brother..., for me it is too 39 .”
Deeply moved, Albrecht painstakingly drew his brother’s 40 hands with palms（手掌） together and thin fingers stretched skyward. He called his powerful drawing 41 “Hands”, to which the entire world immediately opened their hearts and later they 42 it “ the Praying Hands”.
The next time when you see a copy of that 43 creation, take a second look. Let it be your 44 , if you still need one, that no one ever makes it 45 !
A．assistance B．art C．science D．dreaming
A．fundamentally B．frequently C．financially D．flexibly
A．won B．lost C．ended D．started
A．mountains B．oceans C．deserts D．mines
A．classmates B．colleagues C．professors D．brothers
A．convenient B．considerable C．considerate D．confident
A．beer B．drink C．drop D．toast
A．selfish donation B．no education C．hard work D．rich experience
A．attempt B．ambition C．appointment D．assessment
A．turn B．dream C．kindness D．hope
A．health B．body C．mind D．hands
A．injured B．strengthened C．sharpened D．used
A．knife B．spoon C．glass D．pen
A．urgent B．unnecessary C．messy D．late
A．overused B．dark C．wide D．fragile,
A．seriously B．simply C．carefully D．gently
A．sold B．bought C．found D．renamed
A．longing B．touching C．challenging D．disturbing
A．reminder B．aid C．guide D．coach
A．along B．aside C．alone D．aware
I was listening to the radio while 1 was driving home from coaching basketball yesterday. I could tell right away that there was something 41 by the mood of the speaker. There had been a plane crash. What made the 42 even more tragic was that Bob Collins，the morning show man, was among those who had been killed. Throughout my 40-minute 43 , I listened as sincere love and affection from the audience 44 .The more I listened about how this man had influenced those around him, the more 45 I became.
That was because I wanted to know 46 we as a culture, wait until somebody has passed away before we tell them how much they 47 to us? Why do we wait until it is too late before we 48 someone up after they have died? Yes，49 memory after memory about someone's good 50 does help us cope with the sadness of losing someone special to us. But as we 51 remember this person, our words fall short of the ears that most need to hear 52 .
Just once, 53 a gathering of death，1 would like to see a celebration of life, 54 stories are told, tears fall down，laughter rings out；and as the speaker 55 his or her loving tribute(颂词), the person they are 56 rises from the chair and gives them a 57 hug! Wouldn’t that be 58 !
Life is too short to leave kind words 59 . How I wish that when the unavoidable funeral finally comes，we could say 60 with the knowledge that they knew exactly how people felt about them while they were here on earth.
A．important B．wrong C．pleasant D．unnoticed
A．speaker B．radio C．station D．story
A．drive B．silence C．ride D．tour
A．poured in B．grew up C．broke out D．got through
A．determined B．delighted C．discouraged D．devoted
A．what B．that C．if D．why
A．impress B．love C．mean D．affect
A．bring B．build C．pick D．bury
A．recovering B．showing C．sharing D．losing
A．qualities B．manners C．records D．attitudes
A．barely B．lovingly C．suddenly D．finally
A．him B．them C．it D．us
A．as for B．apart from C．except for D．instead of
A．where B．because C．whether D．which
A．mentions B．writes C．pays D．ends
A．staring B．listening C．honoring D．talking
A．tight B．quick C．cold D．necessary
A．anything B．nothing C．everything D．something
A．untouched B．unsaid C．unfinished D．unpacked
A．hello B．sorry C．goodbye D．thanks