Dear son,
The day that you see me old and I am already not in good health, have patience and try to understand me.
If I get dirty when eating, if I can not dress, have patience and remember the hours I 26 teaching it to you. If, when I speak to you, I 27 the same things thousand and one times, do not 28 me, listen to me. When you were small, I had to read to you thousand and one times the same story 29 you got to sleep. When I do not want to have a 30 , neither shame me nor scold me. Remember when I had to chase you with thousand excuses I 31 , in order that you wanted to bathe. When you see my 32 little about new technologies, give me the necessary time and do not look at me with your mocking(嘲弄) smile. I taught you 33 to do so many things: to eat good, to dress well, to confront life…. When at some moment I lose the memory or the 34 of our conversation, let me have the necessary time to remember, and if I cannot do it, do not become nervous, as the most important thing is not our conversation but surely to be with you and to have you 35 to me.
If ever I do not want to eat, do not force me. I know well 36 I need to and when not. When my 37 legs do not allow me to walk, give me your 38 , the same way I did when you gave your first 39 . And when someday I say to you that I do not want to 40 any more ---- that I want to rest forever, do not get ___41__. Someday you will understand.
Try to understand that my age is not lived but survived. Some day you will discover that, despite my mistakes, I always wanted the 42 thing for you and that I tried to prepare the way for you. You must not feel sad, angry or impotent(无可奈何) for seeing me 43 you. You must be next to me, try to understand me and to help me as I did it when you 44 living. Help me to walk, help me to end my way with love and 45 . I will pay you by a smile and by the immense love I have had always for you.
I love you, Son
Your father
A．paid B．spent C．cost D．took
A．praise B．think C．repeat D．criticize
A．interrupt B．disturb C．look D．avoid
A．when B．after C．since D．until
A．rest B．word C．shower D．sleep
A．discovered B．invented C．noticed D．assumed
A．knowing B．fearing C．enjoying D．consulting
A．what B．when C．how D．why
A．news B．attitude C．material D．thread
A．talking B．listening C．responding D．appealing
A．where B．how C．that D．when
A．tired B．short C．long D．strong
A．leg B．ear C．hand D．mind
A．step B．pace C．laugh D．cry
A．talk B．live C．write D．sleep
A．careful B．interested C．calm D．angry
A．last B．first C．best D．most
A．near B．behind C．below D．against
A．made B．started C．earned D．found
A．mercy B．care C．excuse D．patience
It was a cold winter day that Sunday. The parking lot to the 36 was filling up quickly. I noticed, as I got out of my car, fellow church members were 37 among themselves as they walked in the church. As I got 38 , I saw a man leaning up against the wall outside the church. He was almost lying down 39 he was asleep. His hat was 40 down so you could not see his face. He wore shoes that looked 30 years old, too 41 for his feet, with holes all over them and his toes 42 out. I guessed this man was 43 and asleep, so I walked on 44 through the doors of the church. We all talked for a few minutes, and someone 45 the man lying outside. People whispered but no one took 46 to ask him to come in, 47 me. A few moments later church began. We were all waiting for the Preacher(牧师) to take his 48 and to give us the Word, 49 the doors to the church opened. In 50 the man walking down the church with his head down. People gasped and whispered and made 51 . He made his way down the church and up onto the pulpit(讲坛) where he took off his hat and coat. My heart 52 .
There stood our preacher……he was the “homeless man”. The preacher took his Bible and 53 it on his stand.
“54 , I don’t think I have to tell you what I am preaching about today. If you 55 people by their appearance, you have no time to love them.”
A．school B．lecture C．park D．church
A．arguing B．whispering C．stating D．speaking
A．closer B．clearer C．lower D．farther
A．even though B．so that C．as if D．even if
A．dragged B．pulled C．dropped D．pushed
A．big B．bad C．ugly D．small
A．reached B．went C．stuck D．ran
A．homeless B．hopeless C．helpless D．careless
A．out B．by C．across D．from
A．invited B．mentioned C．took D．called
A．pleasure B．measure C．courage D．trouble
A．except B．besides C．without D．including
A．turn B．place C．time D．seat
A．when B．before C．as D．after
A．rushed B．hurried C．came D．entered
A．decision B．choices C．faces D．jokes
A．sank B．fell C．broke D．failed
A．threw B．set C．laid D．folded
A．Brothers B．Folks C．Supporters D．Members
A．judge B．hate C．treat D．test
There was a terrible rainstorm unexpectedly. The rain caused the streets 36 and the subway system almost came to a stop.
Unfortunately, this happened during the morning rush hour. Many people who were going to work were 37 to go home. Some struggled to __38 a taxi or to get on a bus. Still others faced the ___39_ bravely, walking miles to get to work.
I 40 to be one of people on the way to work that morning. I went from subway line to subway line only to find that most _41_had stopped. After making my way __42__ crowds of people. I finally found a subway line that was __43_. Unfortunately, there were so many people waiting to __44 the subway that I could not even get down the stairs to the 45 .So I took the train going in the opposite direction, and then switched back to the downtown train. Finally, after what seemed like forever, the train __46 my stop. Then I had to walk several blocks in the increasingly heavy rain. When I got to my office, I was _47_ through, exhausted and 48.
My co-workers and I spend most of the day drying off. When it was 5:00 pm, I was ready to go home. I was about to turn off my computer __49_I received an email from Garth, my Director:
I would like to thank all of you who made the effort and 50 reported to work. It is always relaxing, at times like these, when employees so clearly show their 51 to their jobs. Thank you.
Garth’s email was short, but I learned more from that 52 message than I ever did from a textbook. The email taught me that a few words of __53 can make a big difference. The rainstorm and the traffic __54_ had made me tired and upset. But Garth’s words immediately __55__ me and put a smile back on my face.
A．break B．flood C．sink D．crash
A．forced B．refused C．adjusted D．gathered
A．order B．pay C．call D．search
A．climate B．scenery C．storm D．burden
A．used B．promised C．deserved D．happened
A．practice B．routine C．process D．service
A．to B．through C．over D．for
A．operating B．cycling C．turning D．rushing
A．check B．carry C．find D．board
A．street B．ground C．floor D．platform
A．paused B．crossed C．reached D．parked
A．wet B．weak C．sick D．hurt
A．ashamed B．discouraged C．surprised D．puzzled
A．hardly B．casually C．absolutely D．eventually
A．devotion B．donation C．connection D．reaction
A．accurate B．urgent C．brief D．humorous
A．promise B．appreciation C．advice D．guidance
A．troubles B．signals C．rules D．signs
A．corrected B．supported C．amazed D．refreshed
Learning experiences happen to us throughout our lives. Not long ago, I had one that I would like to 16 .
I was going to Marblehead with my sailboat team. The team was racing down the highway at 85 mph 17 we realized we were 18 . Luckily, we saw a rest area ahead. I had a brand new $20 bill. I was so 19 because I had never had that kind of cash before. But spending it on 20 seemed like throwing it away. We all rushed into the pizza line. 21 I got a pizza and a drink, and walked to my table. About half way through the meal, I 22 I had not actually handed any money to the cashier. I had just 23 out, and nobody had noticed, I felt terrible.
My conscience( 良心) opened its mouth and swallowed me in one big bite. I couldn’t24 over it. I just couldn’t go back to the cashier and 25 for my stolen pizza. I was so upset that I 26 to give myself the pleasure of an ice-cream for 27 that someone would say, “ Hey, Jeff, why don’t you use the change 28 the pizza instead of that nice, new $20 bill?” I was not so 29 of my cash now.
For the next two years, whenever I was 30 of the “pizza incident”, I would say to myself, “ Don’t think about it...”
I have learned two things from this 31 . Maybe I was a fool for 32in to my conscience, and being too stupid to appreciate a 33 pizza. But the real lesson is that even if you get away from what you have done, your conscience 34 up with you.
This reflect the saying, “ A coward(懦夫) dies a thousand deaths; a hero dies one.” I was a coward and have felt terrible about that incident at least a thousand times. If I had been a “35 ” and gone back to pay for the pizza, I would have felt a little uncomfortable about it only once, or maybe twice.
|
When I was young, I belonged to a club that did community service work. There was one specific 16 that was unusual for me. I spent three or four hours handing out warm dinner to the homeless out in the streets. After that I went to a homeless shelter not far from the Bay Bridge.
I was in high school and at the time my sister was too young to 17 . She wanted to help, 18 she made four or five dozen chocolate chip cookies for me to 19 and hand out to people. When 20 to the homeless shelter, I passed out the 21 meals. I began making sandwiches and 22 them with the crowd. I had the containers with my 23 cookies in them and began to 24 , offering them to anyone near me.
I 25 an old gentleman and said, “Sir, would you like a cookie?” He stopped and turned around, looked at me rightly and said, “What did you say? Did you call me sir?” I told him I 26 , and his eyes 27 a little bit and said, “No one has 28 called me sir.” So he was completely moved. It 29 me.
I explained I had been raised that 30 color and social status, everyone deserved respect. It 31 me to think that just because he was homeless, no one 32 him the honor. It broke my heart. I just didn’t understand 33 no one ever called him sir? I had never thought that anyone was below me because I wasn’t raised that way. Every 34 person deserves to be treated with respect. Years later, I still carry that memory and the 35 it taught me. Sometimes, what we take for granted can really make a difference in someone’s life.
How have you made a difference to others? How have others made a difference to you?
A．accident B．incident C．event D．affair
A．participate B．attend C．choose D．go
A．however B．but C．yet D．so
A．bring B．fetch C．collect D．take
A．arriving B．getting C．reaching D．coming
A．remained B．remaining C．remain D．left
A．shared B．gave C．helped D．assisted
A．classmate’s B．schoolmate’s C．sister’s D．family’s
A．walk around B．knock around C．come around D．stand around
A．went B．came C．approached D．met
A．had B．called C．would D．do
A．watered B．cried C．tore D．dropped
A．already B．ever C．never D．yet
A．hit B．occurred C．struck D．beat
A．in spite of B．regardless of C．concerned about D．for fear of
A．strengthened B．saddened C．frightened D．pleased
A．handed B．offered C．provided D．supplied
A．what B．when C．whether D．why
A．single B．poor C．ordinary D．normal
A．lesson B．class C．truth D．reality
In the early 1800’s, a boy named John lived in an orphanage (孤儿院) with several other children. Every day was 31 working and Christmas was the one day of the year 32 the children did not work and received a gift — an orange. The children valued it so much that they kept it for weeks, and even 33 — smelling it, touching it and loving it. Usually they tried to kept it for so 34 that it often went bad before they ate it.
This year John knew he would soon be 35 enough to leave. He would save the orange until his birthday in July. If he preserved it 36 , he might be able to eat it on his birthday.
Christmas day finally came. The children were so 37 as they entered the dining hall. In his excitement, John knocked over something, causing a big 38 . Immediately the master shouted, “John, leave the hall and there will be no orange for you.” John’s heart 39 . He turned and ran back to the cold room so that the children wouldn’t see his tears.
Then he heard the door open and the children entered. Little Elizabeth with a 40 on her face held out her small hands. “Here John,” she said, “this is for you.” As John 41 his head, he saw a big juicy orange all peeled (剥皮) and quartered ……. Each child had sacrificed (舍弃) their own orange by 42 a quarter and had created a big, beautiful orange for him.
John never forgot the sharing, love and personal sacrifice his friends had shown him that Christmas day. 43 that day, after he became rich, every year he 44 send oranges all over the world to children everywhere. His 45 was that no child would ever spend Christmas without a special Christmas fruit!
A．forced B．passed C．taken D．spent
A．as B．when C．while D．which
A．months B．days C．years D．seasons
A．much B．soon C．long D．far
A．old B．strong C．tall D．experienced
A．seriously B．softly C．secretly D．carefully
A．nervous B．excited C．pleasant D．eager
A．cry B．disappointment C．surprise D．noise
A．jumped B．stopped C．broke D．settled
A．look B．tears C．comfort D．smile
A．shook B．lifted C．put D．turned
A．sharing B．breaking C．eating D．taking
A．In return for B．In case of C．In memory of D．In search of
A．must B．would C．might D．should
A．desire B．idea C．meaning D．thinking