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
It was a cold winter. The day my husband fell to his death, it started to snow, just 31 any November day. His 32 , when I found it, was lightly covered with snow. It snowed almost every day for the next four months, while I sat on the couch and watched it 33 . One morning, I walked slowly 34 and was surprised to see a snow remover clearing my driveway and the bent back of a woman clearing my walk. I dropped to my knees and crawled back upstairs, 35 those good people would not see me. I was 36 . My first thought was, how would I ever 37 them? I didn’t have the 38 to brush my hair, 39 clear someone’s walk.
Before Jon’s death, I felt proud that I 40 asked for favors. I identified myself by my competence and 41 . So who was I if I was no longer capable? How could I 42 myself if I just sat on the couch every day and watched the snow fall?
Learning to receive the love and 43 from others wasn’t easy. Friends cooked for me and I cried. Finally, my friend Kathy said, “Mary, cooking for you isn’t a 44 for me; it makes me feel good to be able to do something for you.”
Over and over, I heard 45 words from the people who supported me during those 46 days. One wise man told me, “You aren’t doing nothing because being fully open to your 47 may be the hardest work you will ever do.”
I am not the person I 48 was, but in many ways I have changed for the 49 . I’ve been surprised to learn that there is incredible freedom coming form 50 one’s worst fear and walking away whole. I believe there is strength, for sure, in accepting a dark period of our life.
A．on B．in C．like D．for
A．body B．soul C．shoe D．footprint
A．sweep up B．drop off C．fall down D．pile up
A．upstairs B．downstairs C．indoors D．outdoors
A．so B．yet C．and D．for
A．delighted B．disappointed C．annoyed D．ashamed
A．pay B．award C．reward D．treat
A．courage B．strength C．spirit D．power
A．stand alone B．leave alone C．sit alone D．let alone
A．frequently B．gradually C．hardly D．uncertainly
A．intelligence B．independence C．excellence D．qualification
A．achieve B．praise C．respect D．promote
A．supply B．support C．contribution D．similar
A．burden B．job C．business D．sorrow
A．sensitive B．same C．considerate D．similar
A．blue B．rainy C．bright D．snowy
A．despair B．difficulty C．pain D．regret
A．still B．once C．even D．never
A．worse B．less C．more D．better
A．facing B．noticing C．managing D．expressing
Just recently I had been wondering if there was much point in doing little acts of kindness. So often they get 36 , and occasionally they come back to bite you!
Then, just last week, after a long travel, I found myself 37 at a bus station. The bus was four hours late! So, I guess I wasn’t in a good 38 .
That’s when a woman asked me if I had any spare 39 to help her get a bus ticket.
“Oh, sure,” I said sarcastically (挖苦地). “How much would you like?”
As I spoke, I mentally kicked myself for my 40 and reached into my bag for some money. As I handed her five dollars, I heard low sounds from her stomach because of real 41 .
I reached back into my bag and brought out a 42 I had bought earlier. I handed it to her with a(n) 43 that I hoped would make up for my earlier tone of voice. Getting a 44 look at her now, I realized she was extremely tired, like she had had several months of 45 days!
As she took the food, a look of 46 washed over her. In return, she tried to give me a Milwaukee bus ticket! I don’t live in Milwaukee and the ticket will probably 47 be used, but I took it.
A few minutes later she came back over, apologized, and told me she was still 48 of five dollars. I took some singles out of my bag and slipped a twenty in there as well. 49 , the voice in my head told me I was being a fool.
Five minutes later she came back again and tried to 50 my twenty. When I said it was for her so she could get something else to 51 , and that I was completely serious and I wasn’t taking it 52 , she started crying and hugged me.
From now on, when I wonder if it is 53 trying to help someone, I will remember that woman. Maybe I am really making a 54 for someone. So, sure, sometimes my efforts might not be noticed, and sometimes they might come back to bite me, but they might actually 55 another human being!
A．ignored B．appreciated C．acknowledged D．forgiven
A．examined B．trapped C．confused D．delayed
A．habit B．place C．mood D．situation
A．change B．time C．hand D．energy
A．appearance B．attitude C．selfishness D．experience
A．pain B．anxiety C．hunger D．fear
A．souvenir B．ticket C．gift D．cake
A．shout B．smile C．apology D．praise
A．quick B．gentle C．good D．cold
A．dark B．tough C．mysterious D．special
A．relief B．regret C．doubt D．anger
A．once B．often C．sometimes D．never
A．ashamed B．aware C．short D．proud
A．Eventually B．However C．Therefore D．Besides
A．return B．show C．share D．earn
A．do B．trade C．add D．eat
A．away B．out C．back D．over
A．hard B．fun C．useless D．worth
A．difference B．profit C．decision D．suggestion
A．excite B．help C．educate D．inspire
In Britain, people have different attitudes to the police. Most people generally 1them and the job they do-although there are certain people who do not believe that the police should have the power that they do.
What does a policeman actually do? It is not a(n) 2job to describe. After
all, a policeman has a number of jobs in one. A policeman often has to control traffic,either on foot in the center of a town, or in apolice car on the roads. Indeed, in Britain, he might be in the Traffic Police and spend all, or a lot of, his time 3up and down main roads and motorways. A traffic policeman has to help keep the traffic moving, stop 4motorists and help when there is an accident.
A policeman has to help keep the 5 , too. If there is a fight or some other
disturbance, we 6the police to come and restore order. And they often have to7situation at great risk to their own 8.
We expect the police to solve crimes, of course; so an ordinary policeman,
9he is not a detective(侦探), will often have to help 10and arrest criminals.
And who do we call when there is an emergency-an air crash, a 11, a
road accident, or a robbery? We call the police. So a policeman has to be 12to face any unpleasant emergency that may happen in the 13world.
The police do an absolutely necessary job. They do it 14well and I
support them, but I do not envy policemen. I do not think that I could 15do
the job of a policeman.
1.A.dislike B.join C.appreciate D.admire
2.A.funny B.pleasant C.interesting D.easy
3.A.walking B.driving C.wandering D.searching
4.A.resting B.tiredC.speeding D.drunken
5.A.peace B.silence C.situation D.condition
6.A.wait for B.call C.think of D.expect
7.A.turn to B.avoid C.deal with D.treat
8.A.safety B.families C.future D.friends
9.A.although B.as if C.however D.even if
10.A.get rid of B.question C.look for D.sentence
11.A.power failure B.fire C.thunder storn D.thief
12.A.provided B.promised C.prepared D.presented
13.A.future B.modern C.real D.whole
14.A.extremely B.specially C.surprisingly D.particularly
15.A.hardly B.forever C.ever D.never
As Christmas is coming, there are presents to be bought, cards to be sent, and rooms to be cleaned. Parents are ___36___ with difficult jobs of hiding presents from curious young children. If the gifts are large, this is sometimes a real ___37___. On Christmas Eve, young children find the excitement almost unbearable. They are torn between the wish to go to bed early so that Father Christmas will bring their presents quickly and the wish to ___38___ up late so that they will not ___39____ the fun. The wish for gifts usually proves stronger. But though children go to bed early, they often lie ___40___ for a long time, hoping to get a short ___41___ at Father Christmas.
Last Christmas, my wife and I ___42___ hid a few large presents in the storeroom. I ___43___ the moment when my son, Jimmy, would ___44___ me where that new bike had come from, but ___45___ he did not see it.
On Christmas Eve, ___46___ took the children hours to go to sleep. It must have been nearly___47___ when my wife and I went quietly into their room and began ___48___ stockings. Then I pushed in the ___49____ I bought for Jimmy and left it beside the Christmas tree. We knew we would not get much sleep that night, for the children were ___50___ to get up early. At about five o’clock the next morning, we were ___51___ by loud sounds coming from the children’s room — they were shouting excitedly! ___52_____ I had time to get out of bed, young Jimmy came riding into the room on his new bike, and his sister, Mary, followed close behind pushing her new baby carriage. ____53_____ the baby arrived. He moved ___54____ the hands and knees into the room dragging a large balloon behind him. Suddenly it burst. That woke us up ___55___. The day had really begun with a band(巨响) !
A．faced B．met C．filled D．pleased
A．question B．matter C．Problem D．business
A．get B．stay C．stand D．wake
A．lose B．break C．miss D．leave
A．awake B．wake C．asleep D．sleep
A．look B．stare C．glare D．watch
A．hopefully B．busily C．gladly D．successfully
A．liked B．feared C．surprised D．hated
A．answer B．tell C．ask D．search
A．sadly B．unluckily C．possibly D．fortunately
A．it B．they C．I D．we
A．morning B．midnight C．evening D．daybreak
A．filling B．sewing C．mending D．preparing
A．present B．stocking C．bike D．tree
A．going B．sure C．glad D．excited
A．troubled B．frightened C．woken D．shocked
A．Before B．After C．Until D．Since
A．Even B．And C．Soon D．Then
A．with B．on C．over D．by
A．all B．nearly C．happily D．completely
Recently I was invited to attend a party that helps children seriously injured in the big earthquake that happened this May. I went because I 31 .
At the party, all the children were given paints in bright, beautiful colors. After a short time, as I 32 , I saw blue clouds, orange sunrises and purple flowers. The33 were all bright.
The boy sitting next to me was painting a heart, but it was 34 and lifeless. It lacked (缺乏) the bright colors that his fellow (同伴) “_35_” had used.
I thought maybe he took the only paint that was 36 and it just happened to be dark. But when I asked him about it, he said his 37 was that color. I asked him why and he told me that he was very 38 . He looked straight into my eyes and said, “There is 39 anyone can do that will help.”
I certainly 40 why he was sad. I said, “It isn’t 41 that there is nothing anyone can do to help. Other people may not be 42 to make you recover better…but we can do things 43 giving bear hugs (拥抱), which will 44 when you are feeling sad.” I also told him that I’d be happy to give him one 45 he could see what I meant. He immediately gave me a huge hug and I thought my own heart would burst with the 46 I felt for this sweet boy.
As the day was coming to an end, I was getting ready to 47 home. I turned around and found that standing there with 48 on his face was the little boy. He said, “My heart is 49 colors. It is getting brighter. Those 50 really do work.” On my way home I felt my own heart had changed to a brighter color, too.
A．moved B．touched C．hated D．cared
A．looked up B．looked down C．looked over D．looked around
A．pictures B．walls C．pencils D．lights
A．bright B．dark C．active D．brave
A．artists B．writers C．teachers D．visitors
A．used B．chosen C．allowed D．left
A．hand B．heart C．skin D．memory
A．wise B．silly C．sick D．healthy
A．anything B．something C．everything D．nothing
A．understood B．doubted C．noticed D．liked
A．wrong B．true C．reasonable D．clear
A．happy B．anxious C．able D．willing
A．to B．after C．like D．for
A．use B．help C．cheer D．enjoy
A．so that B．as if C．even if D．in case
A．feeling B．love C．sense D．impression
A．reach B．be C．settle D．go
A．a surprise B．anger C．a smile D．fear
A．changing B．having C．developing D．drawing
A．words B．smiles C．hugs D．photos