I learned about life from an ant farm. When I was seven years old, my family tried to __1__ an ant farm at home. First, we put clean sand in a thin glass box, and then we brought some ants from the backyard and placed them into the __2__ home.
Shortly after the new __3__ were dropped into the glass structure, they got to work making tunnels. I was amazed that each one knew __4__ what to do. After hours of staring, I realized that the ants had particular given jobs. With my mom’s help, I kept a journal of what happened each day and __5__ the ants. My favorite was the biggest, Cinderella. I drew a picture of her in my journal, which I still have.
On day five a disaster __6__ the ant farm. While I was __7__ the ants, I had put my face so close to the structure that I accidentally tipped it over, __8__ in all the tunnels. Although the ants __9__ their earthquake, one by one they began to die. I was __10__ as I watched them give up their tunnel-building to carry the bodies to a corner of the farm. My mother reported that the ants were dying of “frustration”—feeling annoyed and impatient as they couldn’t control the situation. They simply could not __11__ the reality that their tunnels had been destroyed. Cinderella was the last to die; she did so while carrying a dead ant on her back.
Although much time has passed, I still think of that ant farm. Mom had hoped it would teach me about the natural world, __12__ it taught me much more. __13__ the years, I came to realize the ants were a study in the benefits of __14__. Working together, they were able to create a(n) __15__ world for themselves. I also learned that they should be __16__ for their hard work. Day in and day out, each labored at their task. The ant farm demonstrated that teamwork and perseverance are indeed two key __17__ to success. But there was an even larger lesson that I did not __18__ until recently: Disaster is a natural part of life, and must be __19__. Unlike the ants, humans cannot give up when they face __20__. Unlike the ants, we have to realize that if a tunnel caves in, we just have to build another.
A．get B．buy C．run D．find
A．empty B．new C．strange D．distant
A．guests B．settlers C．friends D．members
A．probably B．roughly C．exactly D．normally
A．named B．trained C．compared D．measured
A．affected B．struck C．kicked D．beat
A．removing B．teaching C．observing D．collecting
A．turning B．rushing C．filling D．caving
A．experienced B．predicted C．faced D．survived
A．annoyed B．horrified C．moved D．thrilled
A．reflect B．ignore C．confirm D．stand
A．and B．but C．so D．or
A．In B．For C．From D．Over
A．teamwork B．devotion C．responsibility D．organization
A．relaxing B．amusing C．moving D．amazing
A．supported B．inspired C．admired D．admitted
A．certificates B．approaches C．ingredients D．circumstances
A．give B．realize C．take D．adopt
A．accepted B．suffered C．achieved D．managed
A．challenges B．barriers C．pressure D．disappointment
Recently a Russian friend came to visit me. It was one of her lifelong dreams to visit London. She ______ at lunchtime and we ______ a tiring afternoon going round the Tower of London. ______, by 5 o’clock I couldn’t help ______ that she didn’t seem as enthusiastic as she had been ______. I asked if ______ was wrong and she said, “This is all very interesting but where is the ______ and where are the men in bowler hats (圆顶礼帽)? Why did everyone _____ to get on the bus at the bus stop instead of making a queue? It’s very ______ from the books I’ve read about England.”
Her______ made me think. It’s true that people don’t ______ much any more: nowadays you often find that everyone just jumps on the bus. Or maybe this is only in London. Also the idea of a man standing up and offering his______ to a woman on a train or bus is ______ these days, although my father still does it!
Speaking of the______: well, we all know that a hundred years ago there used to be fog all year round in London, but we______ have much fog; nowadays we have pollution from all the cars! Over the last few years in_____ London had been one of the hottest places in Europe, although we still get more than enough rain in the season.
What about the city men in their working “uniform”? Well, you can still see some city gentlemen in their smart ______ , but men hardly ever_____ bowler hats. A few things don’t ______, though. If you try to______ a conversation with an English person on the underground in London, she or he will probably look at you as if you were mad!
A．left B．went C．arrived D．returned
A．lost B．spent C．took D．wasted
A．However B．But C．So D．And
A．looking B．understanding C．watching D．noticing
A．earlier B．later C．recently D．usual
A．all B．everything C．nothing D．something
A．ticket B．picture C．fog D．uniform
A．wait B．pull C．back D．push
A．different B．similar C．familiar D．strange
A．notes B．records C．comments D．lists
A．stop B．queue C．stand D．wait
A．drink B．book C．seat D．bag
A．unusual B．polite C．different D．common
A．air B．weather C．pollution D．season
A．sooner or later B．no more C．no sooner D．no longer
A．autumn B．spring C．summer D．winter
A．dress B．suits C．jackets D．shirts
A．wear B．mend C．prepare D．buy
A．remain B．continue C．turn D．change
A．finish B．start C．stop D．break
Learning experiences happen to us throughout our lives. Not long ago, I had one that I would like to .
I was going to Marblehead with my sailboat team. The team was racing down the highway at 85 mph we realized we were . luckily, we saw a rest area ahead, I had a brand-new $20 bill. I was so because I had never had that kind of cash before. But spending it on seemed like throwing it away. We all rushed into the pizza line. I got a pizza and a drink, and walked to my table. About halfway through the meal, I I had not actually handed my money to the cashier. I had just out, and nobody had noticed．I felt terrible. My conscience(良心) opened its mouth and swallowed me in one big bite. I couldn’t over it. I just couldn’t go back to the cashier and for my stolen pizza．—-I was so upset that I to give myself the pleasure of an ice cream in that someone would say, “Hey, Jeff, why don’t you use the change the pizza instead of that nice , new $20 bill? I was so of my cash now.
For the next two years, whenever I was of the “pizza incident”, I would say to myself, “Don’t think about it.”
I have learned two things from this . maybe I was a fool for in to my conscience , and being too stupid to appreciate a pizza．But the real lesson is that even if you get away from what you have done, your conscience will up with you.
This reflects(反映) the saying, “A coward(懦夫) dies a thousand deaths, a hero dies one.” I was a coward and have felt terrible about that accident at least a thousand times. If I had been a “ ” and gone back to pay for the pizza, I would have felt a little uncomfortable about it only once, or maybe twice.
A．say B．spare C．share D．explain
A．as B．while C．then D．when
A．lost B．tired C．hungry D．anxious
A．excited B．eager C．satisfied D．encouraged
A．rest B．food C．travel D．drink
A．Luckily B．Finally C．Actually D．immediately
A．thought B．Recognized C．noticed D．realized
A．walked B．left C．worked D．found
A．look B．get C．turn D．think
A．ask B．pay C．apologize D．send
A．refused B．wanted C．hoped D．meant
A．hope B．surprise C．anger D．fear
A．into B．with C．for D．from
A．sure B．upset C．proud D．pleased
A．warned B．reminded C．thought D．told
A．story B．experiment C．Experience D．mistake
A．turning B．taking C．handing D．giving
A．free B．cheap C．plain D．delicious
A．make B．Wake C．catch D．put
A．coward B．fool C．loser D．Hero
Michael Greenberg is a very popular New Yorker. He is not famous in sports or the arts. But people in the streets him, especially those who are .
For those people, he is "Gloves" Greenberg. How did he get that ? He looks like any other businessman, wearing a suit and carrying a briefcase (公文箱). But he's _. His briefcase always has some gloves.
In winter, Mr. Greenberg does not like other New Yorkers, who just look at the sidewalk and the street. He looks around at . He stops when he someone with no gloves. He gives them a pair and then he , looking for more people with cold .
On winter days, Mr. Greenberg gloves. During the rest of the year, he gloves. People who have heard about him him gloves, and he has many in his apartment.
Mr. Greenberg doing this 21 years ago. Now, many poor New Yorkers know him and his behavior. But people who don't know him are sometimes him. They don't realize that he just wants to make them .
It runs in the . Michael's father always helped the poor as he believed it made everyone happier. Michael Greenberg feels the . A pair of gloves may be a thing, but it can make a big difference in winter.
A．learn from B．know about C．look down upon D．look after
A．old B．poor C．kind D．busy
A．job B．chance C．name D．message
A．calm B．crazy C．different D．curious
A．feel B．sound C．act D．dress
A．cross over B．drive along C．keep off D．hurry down
A．people B．cars C．street numbers D．traffic lights
A．sees B．chooses C．greets D．helps
A．holds up B．moves on C．hangs out D．turns around
A．eyes B．ears C．faces D．hands
A．searches for B．gives away C．stores up D．puts on
A．buys B．steals C．returns D．borrows
A．call B．send C．lend D．show
A．began B．remembered C．delayed D．enjoyed
A．study B．dislike C．understand D．excuse
A．sorry for B．satisfied with C．proud of D．surprised by
A．smart B．happy C．special D．rich
A．family B．city C．neighborhood D．company
A．honor B．pain C．same D．cold
A．small B．useful C．delightful D．comforting
At the age of sixteen, I joined a volunteer group with my dad. After we arrived, we “our family”was living in a trailer(拖车) that was in condition. A crew had been working on it for two weeks, every time they finished one problem, another surfaced.
We decided the only reasonable was to build a new house-something unusual but under these circumstances. The family was with their new house.
While we ate lunch together, I asked the family’s three boys, Josh, Eric and Ryan,“What do you want for your new ?”we were when Josh responded,“I just want a bed.”
The boys had slept in a bed! They were accustomed to plastic mats. we decided beds would be the perfect . A few volunteers drove to the nearest city and beds and new bedding.
When we saw the delivery truck coming, we told the family about the . We could hardly ourselves. It was like watching children on Christmas morning.
As we the frames of the beds together, Eric ran into the house to us. As my father slipped a pillowcase (枕套) onto one of the pillows, Eric asked,
“What is that?”
“A pillow,”he replied.
“What do you it?”Eric continued to ask.
“When you go to sleep, you put your on it,”I answered softly. Tears came to our eyes as he handed Eric the pillow. “Oh . . . that’s soft,”he said, it tightly.
Now, when my sister or I start to ask for something that seems urgent, my Dad gently asks,“Do you have a pillow?”We know exactly what he .
A．imagined B．discovered C．supposed D．required
A．bright B．strange C．perfect D．poor
A．but B．for C．so D．once
A．effort B．purpose C．solution D．treatment
A．amazing B．expensive C．rare D．necessary
A．careful B．patient C．thrilled D．nervous
A．kitchen B．pool C．room D．family
A．upset B．glad C．disappointed D．shocked
A．still B．just C．never D．seldom
A．award B．gift C．lesson D．target
A．bought B．made C．rent D．returned
A．program B．journey C．opportunity D．surprise
A．contain B．believe C．feel D．express
A．awkward B．confused C．excited D．restless
A．fitted B．moved C．tied D．replaced
A．amuse B．guide C．inform D．watch
A．do with B．come with C．try on D．begin with
A．body B．head C．back D．hands
A．waving B．hugging C．pushing D．pulling
A．explains B．means C．proves D．reflects
What’s your dream? I remember when I was a child, someone would always come up and ask, “What are you going to be when you grow up ?
Well, it started out as being a cowboy or super hero. Later it was a fireman or an artist. My dreams of the future ______ as I grew older. When, at last , I was in college, I had my heart set on becoming a computer programmer. So I studied and ______ for that life.
Now, I’m designing software full-time and I’m ____ that I’ve realized my dream. _____, there’s a “thief” which goes around stealing our dreams and _____ us of the necessary mental state to _____ our goals. Sometimes, it will come as a parent, a friend or a co-worker, but the ______ one is just ourselves.
We find ourselves just about reaching the pinnacle(顶点), and this “small” voice says, “ You’ll never _____ it. Very few have ever done this ______.” And on and on the “small” voice predicts some kind of _______.
Failure, though, is exactly how dreams are realized. It is one of the most important tools we have ____ it teaches us good lessons. And, when we learn these lessons well, we are ready for success, ______ is probably just around the corner.
There is no “overnight” success, but with perseverance(毅力), it will ______.
So be _____ to your dream, and don’t let anyone _____ it from you—especially yourself.
A．achieved B．disappeared C．changed D．combined
A．asked B．looked C．prepared D．waited
A．shocked B．curious C．puzzled D．content
A．However B．Therefore C．Besides D．Finally
A．reminding B．ridding C．robbing D．informing
A．record B．find C．set D．reach
A．cleverest B．greatest C．strangest D．bravest
A．make B．understand C．find D．support
A．successfully B．sincerely C．bravely D．happily
A．pity B．danger C．failure D．accident
A．when B．because C．before D．although
A．what B．which C．that D．it
A．develop B．stay C．come D．return
A．equal B．useful C．true D．polite
A．borrow B．steal C．separate D．expect