The Pecan Thief
When I was six years old, I was visiting my grandfather's farm in Kansas. Grandpa had sent me into the 36 to gather pecans for us to enjoy later.
Pecan picking was really 37 work and my little basket was only half full. I wasn't about to 38 Grandpa down. Just then something caught my 39 . A large brown squirrel was a few feet away. I watched as he picked up a pecan, hurried to a tree and 40 in a large hole in the trunk. A moment later the squirrel 41 out and climbed down to the ground to pick up another nut. Once again, he took the pecan back to his hiding place.
Not so 42 anymore, I thought. I dashed over to the tree and looked into the hole. It was 43 with pecans! Golden pecans were right there for taking. This was my 44 . Handful by handful, I scooped all of those pecans into my basket. Now it was full! I was so 45 of myself. I couldn't wait to show Grandpa all the pecans. 46 , I ran back and shouted, “Look at all the pecans!” He looked into the basket and said, “Well, well, how did you find so many ? ” I told him how I'd 47 the squirrel and taken the pecans from his hiding place.
Grandpa congratulated me on how smart I'd been in observing the squirrel and his habits. Then he did something that 48 me. He handed the basket back to me and put his arm gently 49 my shoulders.
“That squirrel worked very hard to gather his winter 50 of food, ” he said. “Now that all of his pecans are gone, don't you think that little squirrel will 51 the cold winter? ”
“I didn't think about that,” I said.
“I know, ” Grandpa said. “But a good man should never take 52 of someone else's hard work.”
Suddenly I felt a bit 53 . The image of the starving squirrel wouldn't 54 my mind. There was only one thing I could do. I carried the basket back to the tree and poured all the nuts into the hole.
I didn't eat any pecans that night, but I had something much more filling—the 55 of knowing I had done just the right thing.
A．woods B．rooms C．holes D．roads
A．dirty B．hard C．light D．easy
A．settle B．let C．have D．keep
A．sweater B．basket C．hand D．eye
A．joined B．lived C．disappeared D．discovered
A．held B．jumped C．stood D．found
A．secret B．strange C．anxious D．patient
A．filled B．covered C．rebuilt D．decorated
A．time B．choice C．achievement D．chance
A．afraid B．ashamed C．proud D．careful
A．Otherwise B．However C．Therefore D．Besides
A．followed B．driven C．protected D．caught
A．annoyed B．satisfied C．delighted D．surprised
A．off B．beside C．around D．over
A．cost B．supply C．support D．preparation
A．escape B．spend C．flee D．survive
A．place B．notice C．charge D．advantage
A．unconfident B．guilty C．embarrassed D．nervous
A．leave B．open C．cross D．occupy
A．inspiration B．expectation C．satisfaction D．impression
I work as a volunteer（志愿者）for an organization that helps the poor in Haiti. Recently I took my son Barrett there for a week, hoping to 36 him.
Before setting out, I told Barrett this trip would be tiring and 37. For the first two days, he said almost nothing. I worried the trip was too 38 for a 17-year-old. Then, on Day three, as we were 39 over high rocky mountains, he turned to me and grinned（咧嘴笑）, “Pretty hard. ”
After that there was no turning back. A five-year-old girl, wearing a dress several sizes 40 large and broken shoes, followed Barrett around, mesmerized （着迷）. He couldn’t stop 41 . Later he said 42. “I wish I could speak French.” I was 43－this from a boy who hated and 44 French classes throughout school.
Usually silent, he 45 Gaby, our host, and kept asking questions about the country and its people. He blossomed（活泼起来）.
46 , the moment that really took 47 breath away occurred in a village deep in the mountains. I was 48 a woman villager for an article. 135 centimeters tall, she was small in figure but strong in 49 . Through determination, she had learned to read and write, and 50 to become part of the leadership of the 51 .
Learning her story, Barrett was as 52 as I by this tiny woman’s achievements. His eyes were wet and there was a 53 of love and respect on his face. He had finally understood the importance of my work.
When leaving for home, Barrett even offered to stay 54 as a volunteer. My insides suddenly felt struck. This 55 achieved all I’d expected. Soon he will celebrate his 18th birthday. He’ll be a man.
A．comfort B．please C．attract D．educate
A．rough B．dangerous C．troublesome D．violent
A．little B．much C．fast D．slow
A．moving B．running C．climbing D．looking
A．too B．very C．even D．so
A．joking B．crying C．shouting D．smiling
A．patiently B．regretfully C．lightly D．cheerfully
A．ashamed B．disappointed C．determined D．surprised
A．took up B．went in for C．fought against D．called off
A．befriended B．disregarded C．avoided D．recognized
A．Thus B．Even C．Meanwhile D．However
A．my B．his C．our D．her
A．asking B．interviewing C．arranging D．describing
A．brain B．wish C．will D．health
A．appeared B．struggled C．hesitated D．failed
A．village B．city C．organization D．state
A．pleased B．bored C．puzzled D．touched
A．combination B．composition C．connection D．satisfaction
A．in B．behind C．out D．away
A．interview B．flight C．article D．trip
It was a cold winter’s night when I stopped for gas on my way home from work. I was tired and had a slight 36 .
I worked in a 37 doctor’s office and this was one of those days when the unexpected happened, making the schedule run 38 than usual. It seemed I was going to be late 39 home and my husband, being the 40 person, would be ready to pronounce me late once again. Maybe 41 I hurried, I could still make it home.
I was heading inside to 42 for my gas when I noticed an older couple at the counter. I heard them asking for 43 to the local hospital. It was the same hospital that I had just 44a few minutes ago.
The young man at the counter was trying to be 45in explaining how to get there, with two other people making 46 . One of them was 47 trying to give them a whole different route back. It was then that I walked over to the couple and said, “Would you like to follow me to the 48 ?”
A look of 49 crossed the woman’s face.
“I’m going right by there,” I said, which wasn’t a(an) 50 since I had just made up my mind to do 51 that.
I got in my car and began the journey back. I was trying to watch to be sure they were right 52 me. It took only fifteen minutes to get there as rush hour traffic was beginning to 53 . I felt better than I had all day and my headache was nearly gone.
Later, as I arrived home, my husband 54 , “So you aren’t ever late any more.”
I said, “Sometimes it’s 55 to be late.”
A．break B．fever C．cold D．headache
A．foreign B．common C．busy D．noisy
A．earlier B．later C．easier D．simpler
A．getting B．cooking C．calling D．working
A．tough B．punctual C．generous D．careful
A．as B．since C．while D．if
A．pay B．change C．wait D．search
A．opinions B．trouble C．directions D．money
A．reached B．visited C．called D．left
A．skilled B．helpful C．experienced D．active
A．comments B．promises C．jokes D．offers
A．only B．still C．even D．ever
A．station B．office C．hospital D．hotel
A．panic B．relief C．sadness D．peace
A．duty B．fact C．reason D．lie
A．partly B．properly C．exactly D．perfectly
A．across B．before C．beside D．behind
A．go up B．die down C．speed up D．turn down
A．teased B．shouted C．burst D．laughed
A．possible B．usual C．good D．safe
My family came to America in 1985. _21_ of us spoke a word of English. Each morning
I disliked going to school for fear of not __22__what people were saying.
Very soon my mother noticed something was__23__me. The pain and care I saw in her
moonshaped eyes made me burst into tears. I explained to her the __24__I had of going to school. “Learning English is not __25__，” my mother said. She cheerfully __26__the two of us work together to learn the language at home. The__27__and determination my mother had were admirable because English was as __28__ to her as it was to me.
That afternoon，I saw my mother in a different light as she __29__me by the school
fence. She was the shortest of all the mothers there， 30 , her face with her welcoming smile and big，black eyes was the most __31__. The afternoon sun shone__32__on her long，black hair creating an atmosphere that made her different from others.
My mother and I immediately began reading together and __33__five new words a
day. My mother，with her encouraging attitude，made the routine (惯例) fun and interesting. The fact that she was sacrificing (牺牲) her__34__ time before going to work so that I could learn English made me see the __35__she owned. Very soon I began to understand what everyone was saying.
A．All B．One C．Some D．None
A．hearing B．mastering C．understanding D．noticing
A．changing B．disappointing C．hurting D．troubling
A．fear B．emotion C．sense D．difficulty
A．dull B．necessary C．impossible D．good
A．decided B．suggested C．promised D．allowed
A．wish B．consideration C．confidence D．progress
A．new B．strange C．familiar D．good
A．sent for B．picked up C．waited for D．looked for
A．so B．but C．because D．however
A．hopeful B．relaxing C．confusing D．exciting
A．directly B．brightly C．slightly D．clearly
A．discussing B．reviewing C．remembering D．writing
A．working B．shopping C．learning D．resting
A．determination B．sadness C．joke D．modesty
A few weeks ago, I followed a friend into an art supply store．I found him picking out tubes of water-color paint, which __36__ me because he’s not an artist.
"I 37 up for a water-color class, and it starts next week," he said．"I really don’t have 38_ for it, but it was on my list of 50 things to do before I die, so I _39__ it．Every few months I look at the list and decide what to focus on next． 40 I had the list, I complained a lot about what I was 41 _ in my life．Now I just bury myself in doing these things．Write your own list．and you’ll 42 what I mean．"
So that night．I did just that, and he was right．The list revealed （显露出） a whole lot about what was __43__ to me．It also revealed how _44___ behind I am at getting to the things I really want．
I filled up the first twenty __45__ quickly, but then began to think carefully．
Eventually I __46_ items I’ve thought about for years, and __47__ I’ve carried with me since I was young．When I 48 the list later, some entries surprised me．
First, I want to _ 49_ much more, particularly now that my children are 50_ and can go with me to see the world．I would like to take them to bike through Denmark and camp in the Canadian Rockies．
I’m also surprised to _51_ some things on the list that need to be done soon．If I’m going to learn to roller-blade （轮滑）, __52_, I’d better start before I turn 50．
Like my friend, I now have an alternative to __53__．When I’m bored with life, I take out my list．
My friend told me the _54_ was preparing the ground so that life could work in mysterious ways．"If you want your ship to come in, you must build a dock （码头）," he said．
Thanks to my _55__, I’m working on some big docks．
A．surprised B．moved C．pleased D．excited
A．made B．took C．signed D．gave
A．interest B．concern C．time D．emotion
A．went for B．called for C．accounted for D．cared for
A．Because B．After C．Before D．Although
A．doing B．missing C．pushed D．engaged
A．admire B．abolish C．spot D．see
A．important B．strange C．beneficial D．special
A．slightly B．slowly C．possibly D．hopelessly
A．thoughts B．lists C．ideas D．blanks
A．studied B．added C．dropped D．obtained
A．burdens B．challenges C．dreams D．responsibilities
A．reviewed B．discovered C．wrote D．appreciated
A．play B．relax C．travel D．hike．
A．wealthier B．cleverer C．healthier D．older
A．write B．put C．find D．leave
A．such as B．for instance C．in fact D．in particular
A．complaining B．relaxing C．objecting D．adjusting
A．problem B．key C．answer D．question
A．hobbies B．optimism C．list D．wishes
The story goes that some time ago, a man had a very lovely little daughter．One day the man 1 his 3-year-old daughter for2_ _ a roll of gold wrapping paper．Money was tight and he became3 when the child tried to decorate a4 to put under the Christmas tree．However , the little girl brought the gift to her father the next morning and said, "This is for you, Daddy．"
The man was5 by his earlier6 , but his anger flared again when he found out the box was __7 ．He yelled at her, stating, "Don’t you know, when you give someone a present, there is 8 to be something inside?" The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and cried, "Oh, Daddy, it’s not empty at all．I blew kisses into the box．They are all for you, Daddy．"
The father was crushed. He 9 his arms around his little girl, and he begged for her 10 ．Only a short time later, an 11 took the life of the child. It is also told that her father kept that gold box by his bed for many years and whenever he was discouraged, he would take out a(an) 12 kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there．In a very real sense, each one of us, as human beings, has been given a gold container 13 unconditional love and kisses．．．from our children, family members, friends and God. There is simply no other __14 , anyone could hold, more 15 than this．
A．asked B．praised C．begged D．punished
A．wasting B．stealing C．selling D．holding
A．glad B．angry C．sad D．upset
A．room B．hall C．box D．ball
A．puzzled B．surprised C．scared D．embarrassed
A．overwork B．overreaction C．overcoat D．overtime
A．empty B．heavy C．full D．wet
A．happened B．seemed C．supposed D．used
A．put B．turned C．handed D．gave
A．kindness B．forgiveness C．sadness D．carelessness
A．overcoat B．incident C．accident D．action
A．imaginary B．kind C．gentle D．warm
A．filled with B．pleased with C．crowded with D．equipped with
A．world B．feeling C．possession D．love
A．expensive B．precious C．comfortable D．interesting