Although I love my life, it hasn’t been a lot of fun as I’ve been ill for 28 years.
Music has always been a great love of mine and, in my 20s, when my ___36___ was more manageable, I ___37___ ten years as a professional singer in restaurants, playing and singing folk songs. ___38___ that was years ago and times have changed. ___39___ I live with my mother on a country farm.
Two years ago, I decided that I would need to have some kind of extra work to ___40___ my disability pension(残疾抚恤金). ___41___ I needed to sleep in the afternoons, I was limited in my ___42___. I decided that I would consider ___43___ to singing in restaurants.
My family are all musicians, so I was ___44___ when I went into our local music store. I explained that I wanted to sing again but using recorded karaoke music. I knew that discs were very expensive and I really didn’t have a lot of ___45___ to get started. And ___46___ you find only three to four songs out of ten on a disc that you can ___47___ use.
When I told the owner of the shop about my ___48___, he gave me a long, thoughtful ___49___. “This means a lot to you, doesn’t it?” he said. “Come with me.”
He led me ___50___ the crowded shop and to a bench with a large professional karaoke box on it. He placed his large hand ___51___ on his treasure and said, “I have 800 karaoke songs in here. You can take your ___52___ and I’ll record them for you. That should get you started.”
I ___53___. Thanking him, I made a time with him to listen to all the songs and choose ___54___ that I could sing. I have come full circle with his help.
His ___55___ still warms my heart and makes me do just that bit extra, when I have the chance.
A．sadness B．tiredness C．sickness D．loneliness
A．enjoyed B．kept C．shared D．set
A．Eventually B．Unfortunately C．Surprisingly D．Gladly
A．Then B．Sometime C．Meanwhile D．Now
A．make up for B．get rid of C．take advantage of D．add up to
A．As B．Though C．Before D．If
A．condition B．choices C．positions D．movement
A．living up B．getting on C．going back D．reaching out
A．interviewed B．found C．invited D．recognized
A．time B．energy C．knowledge D．money
A．once B．seldom C．often D．thus
A．hardly B．nearly C．formerly D．actually
A．family B．idea C．offer D．job
A．view B．look C．sight D．face
A．along B．towards C．through D．over
A．lovingly B．pitifully C．gratefully D．unhappily
A．turn B．role C．step D．pick
A．ought to cry B．should have cried C．could have cried D．had to cry
A．the ones B．few C．the rest D．more
A．devotion B．kindness C．trust D．courage
Haddy’s parents are different than the average（普通人）. While she was 36 up they required her to 37 . First of all she had to work around their home. Later on Haddy worked for other people.
When Haddy was 14 years old her mother and father told her that they were no 38 going to buy her clothes. Sure, they would continue to buy shoes for her and also the special clothes 39 suits, but 40 else was her responsibility. Some people thought that they were 41 . But they wanted to teach Haddy some 42 lessons. One thing she learned was
that nothing is cheap or 43 . She learned how to deal with her money 44 . Another thing she learned was how to keep from 45 out her clothes too fast.
Also, even 46 Haddy went to school she was 47 to work. All through her high school and 48 years she worked as well as studied. Haddy’s parents had plenty of 49 but they felt she would 50 her education more if she had to 51 it. And strange 52 it may seem, they had heard that students who worked part-time generally got 53 grades than students who did no work.
Now Haddy is a mother herself. She requires her 54 to do the same 55 she did, especially working part-time as they go to school.
A．going B．bringing C．growing D．getting
A．study B．play C．learn D．work
A．longer B．sooner C．less D．fewer
A．and B．or C．as D．like
A．what B．anything C．nothing D．everything
A．responsible B．lazy C．poor D．careless
A．difficult B．daily C．valuable D．useless
A．free B．expensive C．useful D．proper
A．quickly B．slowly D．suddenly
A．working B．wearing C．giving D．taking
A．when B．as C．until D．since
A．permitted B．required C．ordered D．forced
A．school B．work C．primary D．college
A．time B．children C．money D．work
A．value B．have C．use
A．enjoy B．pay C．pay for D．work for
A．if B．as C．although D．though
A．worse B．better C．more D．less
A．husband B．mother C．parents D．children
A．as B．what C．which D．that
I once had a friend who grew to be close to me. Once when we were sitting on the edge of a swimming pool, she 21 the palm (手掌) of her hand with some water and 22 it before me, saying, “You see the water 23 contained in my hand? It stands for love.”
This was how I saw it: 24 you keep your hand carefully open and allow it to 25 there, it will always be there. However, if you 26 to close your fingers round it and try to 27 it, it will spill through the first cracks（缝隙） it 28 .
Now I see this is the biggest 29 that people make when they meet 30 …they try to possess（拥有，占用） it, they demand, they 31 …and just like the water spilling out of your hand, love will 32 from you. For love is meant to be free, you cannot 33 its nature even in your lifetime. If there are people you love, allow them to be 34 beings.
Give, but don’t expect. Advise, but don’t 35 . Ask, but never demand.
It might sound 36 , but it is a lesson that may take a lifetime to 37 . It is the secret to true love. To truly practice it, you must sincerely feel 38 expectations from those who you love.
If you love something, set it free; if it 39 , it’s yours; if it doesn’t, it 40 was.
A．washed B．painted C．filled D．wetted
A．constantly B．carefully C．hurriedly D．nervously
A．Though B．Before C．Once D．If
A．leave B．remain C．stand D．fall
A．attempt B．fail C．refuse D．agree
A．watch B．protect C．possess D．drink
A．loses B．digs C．breaks D．finds
A．choice B．decision C．joke D．mistake
A．love B．hope C．trouble D．failure
A．give B．expect C．suggest D．allow
A．escape B．suffer C．learn D．hear
A．test B．observe C．keep D．change
A．order B．imagine C．remind D．invite
A．possible B．important C．simple D．complex
A．express B．describe C．think D．practice
A．other B．no C．many D．some
A．comes back B．stands up C．drops in D．leaves off
A．seldom B．often C．never D．always
When someone has deeply hurt you, it can be extremely difficult to let go of your anger. But forgiveness is possible and it can be surprisingly 36 to your physical and 37 health.
"People who forgive 38 less depression, anger and stress and more hopefulness," says Frederic Luskin, Ph.D., 39 of Forgive for Good. "So it can help 40 on the .wear and tear on our organs, reduce the wearing out of the immune system and 41 people to feel more vital."
So how do you start the forgiveness? Try 42 these steps:
Calm yourself. To defuse (缓解) your 43 and try a simple stress-management technique.
"Take a couple of breaths and think of 44 that gives you pleasure: a 45 scene in nature, someone you love," Luskin says.
Don’t 46 an apology. "Many times the person who hurt you has no 47 of apologizing," Luskin says. "They may have wanted to hurt you or they just don’t see things the same 48 . So if you wait for people to apologize ,you could be waiting a(n) 49 long time. "Keep in mind that forgiveness does not necessarily mean 50 to the person who upsets you.
Take the control away from your offender. Mentally replaying your 51 gives power to the person who caused you pain. " 52 of focusing on your hurt feelings, learn to look for the love, beauty and kindness 53 you," Luskin says.
Try to see things from the other person’s perspective (立场；视角). If you empathize (有同感) with that person, you may 54 that he or she was acting out of ignorance, fear even love.
Recognize the benefits of forgiveness. Research has shown that people who forgive report more energy, better 55 and better sleep patterns. Don’t forget to forgive yourself. "For some people, forgiving themselves is the biggest challenge," Luskin says.
"But it can rob you of your self-confidence if you don’t do it. "
A．beneficial B．harmful C．helpless D．suitable
A．chemical B．wealthy C．technical D．mental
A．own B．show C．direct D．prove
A．author B．owner C．professor D．publisher
A．insist B．save C．wait D．depend
A．require B．wish C．invite D．allow
A．forgiving B．turning C．following D．counting
A．sadness B．anger C．hunger D．energy
A．something B．anything C．nothing D．everything
A．thoughtful B．dull C．beautiful D．still
A．call for B．hunt for C．bid for D．wait for
A．invention B．invitation C．intention D．attention
A．way B．means C．method D．approach
A．helpfully B．carefully C．patiently D．awfully
A．giving in B．giving away C．giving up D．giving out
A．wound B．hurt C．cut D．damage
A．Because B．In honour C．Instead D．In search
A．around B．above C．beneath D．below
A．forget B．realize C．announce D．doubt
A．housing B．salary C．safety D．appetite
Coming home from school that dark winter day so long ago, I was filled with excitement of having the weekend off. But I was 41 into stillness by what I saw. Mother, seated at the far end of the sofa, was 42 with the second-hand green typewriter on the table. She told me that she couldn’t 43 fast and then she was out of work. My shock and embarrassment at finding Mother in tears was a perfect proof of how 44 I understood the pressure on her. Sitting beside her on the sofa, I began very slowly to understand. “I guess we all have to 45 something,” Mother said quietly. I could 46 her pain and the tension of 47 the strong feeling that were interrupted by my 48 . Suddenly, something inside me lit up. I reached out and put my arms around her. She broke then. She put her face 49 my shoulder and sobbed. I held her 50 and didn’t try to talk. I knew I was doing what I should, what I could and that was 51 . At that moment, feeling Mother’s 52 with feelings, I understood for the first time her being easy to 53 . She was still my mother, 54 she was something 55 : a person like me, capable of fear, 56 and failure. I could feel her pain as she must have felt mine on a thousand occasions when I sought57 in her arms.
A week later Mother took a job selling dry goods at half the salary the radio station __58 .
“It’s a job I can do, though.” She said simply. But the evening practice on the green typewriter continued. I had a very 59 feeling now when I passed her door at night and heard her 60 away across the paper. I knew there was something more going on in there than a woman learning to type.
A．fooled B．tricked C．puzzled D．shocked
A．crying B．smiling C．thinking D．whispering
A．write B．type C．grasp D．glance
A．seldom B．adequately C．little D．much
A．fail B．win C．forgive D．gain
A．realize B．understand C．sense D．recognize
A．holding back B．putting away C．holding on D．coming out
A．attitude B．attempt C．arrival D．admission
A．by B．upon C．beside D．against
A．tightly B．attentively C．gently D．cheerfully
A．enough B．little C．all D．nothing
A．forehead B．face C．fingers D．back
A．content B．break C．conquer D．control
A．therefore B．although C．yet D．however
A．more B．excellent C．strange D．huge
A．wound B．pride C．success D．hurt
A．kindness B．memory C．comfort D．support
A．supplied B．offered C．paid D．contributed
A．different B．distinct C．pleasant D．sympathetic
A．crying B．striking C．tapping D．sewing
My goddaughter, Shari, owns The Berry Factory in Sacramento, California, and her mother, Joan, and I were helping with the Valentine’s Day rush. We’d dipped hundreds of berries, arranged gift baskets and packaged orders to be 36 around the country.
By the end of the day, the two middle-aged women, Joan and I, were exhausted. But Shari didn’t seem tired. That was 37 Shari. 38 she was very busy, I’d seen her give away berries to everyone—parking attendants, mail carriers and hairdressers. “For me?” they would say, bursting into 39 .
40a“thank you”, Shari took us out for dinner. But there was a 45-munite41 at her favorite restaurant. “No big 42 . There’s an
other place just up the road,” she said, driving up there. This time we walked right 43 .
When th
e waitress came to 44 our drink orders, Shari 45 into her handbag, pulling something out. “ I want you to have these,” she said,46 the waitress a box of chocolate-dipped strawberries. “ She will love those berries!” I thought.47 the waitress seemed very surprised instead. She only let out a “
thank you”48 grabbing the box and rushing into the kitchen.
A few minutes later, the waitress returned 49 our iced tea. “ I apologize,” she said. “ My best friend and I had 50 to send each other something every Valentine’s Day. But she 51 last year. I didn’t know how I’d 52 this day without her. Then you handed me that box.”
“ I’m so sorry to hear that,” said Shari. “ It’s not much, but I hope you can53 them.”
“ Oh, I will,” the waitress said. “ See, every year we 54 sent each other the same thing: a box of chocolate-dipped strawberries bought from our favorite store, The Berry 55 .”
A．brought B．produced C．travelled D．shipped
A．ordinary B．typical C．strange D．healthy
A．If B．Since C．Though D．Until
A．a smile B．tears C．laughter D．song
A．By B．Without C．Through D．As
A．discussion B．wait C．choice D．talk
A．mistake B．deal C．idea D．matter
A．out B．along C．in D．away
A．ask B．tell C．bring D．take
A．looked B．passed C．reached D．pushed
A．handing B．forcing C．removing D．providing
A．But B．Or C．And D．So
A．until B．before C．after D．while
A．for B．to C．from D．with
A．promised B．explained C．imagined D．recognized
A．passed out B．passed away C．passed by D．passed through
A．look through B．break through C．get through D．follow through
A．impress B．treasure C．value D．enjoy
A．always B．hardly C．sometimes D．still
A．Market B．Store C．Factory D．Garden