We had moved from Cairo to Mt. Vernon, Illinois, away from my grandmother when I was eight years old. I missed her 36 . I was told I was her favorite grandchild; she was my favorite granny. Mother must have sensed my 37 , for she would take my little brother and me back to visit my Granny on occasions.
She didn’t live in a big house or have expensive things, but I never 38 it; I just knew she loved me and I loved her back.
We had lived, for a time, next door to her 39 my father was away during World War II.
Granny had never had very much in the way of 40 or material things. But it was the little things she gave me that had always 41 . Things like letting me dip my fingers in the sugar bowl or the coffee she let me drink from her 42_. She allowed me to sit on top of her kitchen table to enjoy those privileges.
She also had a vinegar bottle that sat high on a shelf that was 43 , in my eyes; I asked if I could have it someday. It was given to me in a box after her 44 . She remembered in her last days; love is like that.
She didn’t have much; 45 did we. But she did something for my brother and me. I will always remember she 46 her pennies in a glass jar. I am sure Granny could have used those pennies herself 47 she saved them to give us when we came to 48 her.
I don’t remember how much we 49 on our visits, nor was the 50 important. It was the idea that she remembered us, and cared about us, when we were away from her.
Those 51 , of when I was a child, still give me 52 feelings now. I often wonder, after all those years, when I am lucky enough to find a 53 lying on the ground 54 , if it could possibly be Granny tossing me pennies from 55 .
A．suddenly B．unfortunately C．terribly D．properly
A．longing B．tasting C．dissatisfying D．worrying
A．found B．saw C．remarked D．minded
A．while B．if C．unless D．though
A．house B．car C．money D．possession
A．gone B．mattered C．saved D．respected
A．jar B．glass C．bottle D．cup
A．beautiful B．expensive C．heavy D．big
A．birthday B．death C．accident D．change
A．so B．and C．neither D．however
A．hid B．discovered C．saved D．liked
A．since B．or C．because D．but
A．visit B．invite C．help D．comfort
A．spent B．wasted C．collected D．counted
A．penny B．time C．money D．amount
A．memories B．adventures C．friendships D．achievements
A．bright B．warm C．sad D．interesting
A．bottle B．jar C．table D．penny
A．anywhere B．nowhere C．somewhere D．everywhere
A．hell B．heaven C．God D．sky
In the fall of 1985, I was a bright-eyed girl heading off to Howard University, aiming for a legal career and dreaming of sitting on a Supreme Court bench. Twenty-one years later I am still a bright-eyed and one with quite a different story to tell.
My grandma, a(n) woman, graduated from college at the age of 65. She was the first in our family to reach that . But one year after I entered college, she developed cancer. I made the choice to withdraw from college to her. This meant that school and my personal dream would have to .
Then I got married with another dream: building my family from a of adopted and biological children. In 1999, we adopted our first son. A year later came our second adopted boy. , the following year, we adopted son number three. In 2003, I gave birth to another boy.
You can how totally occupied I became, raising four boys under the age of eight! Our home was a complete zoo－a joyous zoo. Not surprisingly, I never did it back to college full-time. But I never my dream either. I had only one choice: make it work. That meant taking as as one class each term.
The hardest part was feeling about the time I spent away from the boys. They often wanted me to home with them. There certainly were times I wanted to . But I knew I should set a(n) for them to follow for the rest of their lives.
In 2007, I graduated from the University of North Carolina. It took me over 21 years, but I got my college degree!
I am not , just single-minded. It always me that from the , challenges look huge, but when you’re in the midst of them, the same ones seem . Not everything you want arrives in your life in one day. It’s a (n) . Remember: little steps can lead to big dreams.
A．judge B．graduate C．housewife D．dreamer
A．sensitive B．desperate C．amazing D．curious
A．plan B．goal C．decision D．record
A．care for B．turn to C．approve of D．stand by
A．grow B．wait C．expect D．keep
A．connection B．relation C．combination D．comparison
A．Therefore B．Then C．Otherwise D．Finally
A．imagine B．state C．observe D．doubt
A．take B．make C．intend D．get
A．build up B．focus on C．refer to D．gave up
A．few B．little C．much D．many
A．satisfied B．inspired C．confused D．guilty
A．head B．leave C．find D．stay
A．break B．continue C．quit D．relax
A．leader B．time C．example D．challenge
A．proud B．special C．responsible D．usual
A．hurt B．failed C．struck D．troubled
A．end B．bottom C．outside D．inside
A．normal B．funny C．unbearable D．strange
A．experiment B．solution C．performance D．process
完形填空（共20小题；每小题1分，满分20分）
The famous composer（作曲家）, Albert Roussel, didn’t have a good start in this career. However, he achieved a great deal of success as a result of a .
Roussel’s parents died when he was eight and he went to live with his . As a little boy, he fell in love with music and himself about it by reading through the family collection that his mother kept, which there were a lot of related books.
Three years later, Roussel’s grandfather died, and his mother’s sister decided to him. Her husband was a kind man and for young Roussel’s music lessons. One summer vacation at a Belgian seaside added a second to his life—the sea. Then he studied to be a naval cadet（海军学员），but still made time to study .
In the French Navy, he and two friends found the time to a band, playing the works of Beethoven and other . Roussel also began composing. On Christmas day 1892, he had his first chance to as a composer, which turned out to be a success.
That success Roussel to write a wedding march（婚礼进行曲），and one of his navy friends to show it to a famous conductor, Edouard Colonne. When Roussel’s friend with the manuscript（手稿）, he reported that Colonne had advised Roussel to his naval career and devote his life to music.
Not long , at the age of 25, Roussel decided to Edouard Colonne’s advice. He gave his heart and soul to his composing and a major force in twentieth century French music. Because of Eduoard Colonne’s inspiring , Roussel devoted his life to music—but Rousssel’s friend later admitted that he had made it up. He said he had never even shown Roussel’s manuscript to the famous conductor.
A．joke B．lie C．guess D．hope
A．neighbor B．aunt C．teacher D．grandfather
A．taught B．chose C．improved D．asked
A．among B．between C．within D．before
A．miss B．catch C．raise D．leave
A．paid B．applied C．looked D．waited
A．page B．love C．wish D．job
A．art B．English C．dance D．music
A．deal with B．make for C．set up D．take away
A．teachers B．professors C．composers D．singers
A．perform B．produce C．study D．publish
A．found B．encouraged C．forbade D．wanted
A．came B．brought C．refused D．offered
A．went B．returned C．left D．ran
A．give up B．keep to C．begin with D．focus on
A．however B．therefore C．afterwards D．then
A．repeat B．change C．correct D．follow
A．became B．replaced C．improved D．grasped
A．will B．request C．order D．advice
A．school B．navy C．music D．work
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
It was half an hour before midnight on December 24th last year. I was a ticket-counter supervisor for a major airline and was looking forward to the ____ of my shift(轮班) at Stapleton International Airport in Denver. My wife was waiting up for me at home so that we could ____ our gifts for Christmas.
Just then，a very ____ gentleman went up to me. He asked how he could get to Cheyenne，Wyoming. He had just arrived from Philadelphia and ____ his connecting flight. I pointed him to the ground transportation area，where he could rent a ____.And then I called my wife to let her know I would be home ____.
About fifteen minutes later，the gentleman ____ and informed me that all the buses were full and there were no cars ____.I told him that he had to stay for a night at the airport. Hearing that，he burst into ____.
I tried to make him calm down. He explained that his name was Tom，and that his only son was ___ ill at home and was not expected to ____ another year. He expected that this would likely be the ____ Christmas with his son.
I told Tom to ___ his luggage and wait for me at the gate. I was driving to Cheyenne. I called my wife Kathy，telling her about it and not to wait up for me. I drove fast ___ and we arrived in Cheyenne around 2∶30 a．m.
Kathy was still ___ me when I got home in the early morning. We traded gifts and then our conversation ____ Tom. For Kathy and me，there was no ___ that driving Tom to Cheyenne was the ____ choice.
A couple of days later，I ____ a Christmas card with a picture of Tom and his family. In it，Tom thanked me for the special ____ he had received that holiday season，but I knew the best gift was mine.
A．end B．turn C．role D．change
A．expect B．get C．exchange D．make
A．kind B．helpless C．sad D．worried
A．mistook B．missed C．caught D．continued
A．bus B．flight C．room D．car
A．soon B．late C．early D．lately
A．left B．moved C．came D．returned
A．reliable B．present C．available D．acceptable
A．laughter B．tears C．anger D．sorrow
A．really B．slightly C．seriously D．unluckily
A．suffer B．live C．share D．grow
A．last B．best C．happiest D．hardest
A．hand B．find C．pack D．collect
A．for a while B．all around C．all the way D．from time to time
A．waiting for B．caring for C．thinking of D．depending on
A．remembered B．recalled C．concerned D．contained
A．idea B．doubt C．point D．problem
A．main B．only C．nice D．great
A．received B．sent C．saved D．discovered
A．drive B．help C．deal D．gift
It’s a tradition for Ann Sutton to seek help for one or two families around Christmas. The Suttons’ dinner conversation often turned to local families . This year, the youngest daughter Kate was that Santa Claus would make a special visit a 22-year-old single mother named Ashley.
One Sunday, the rang. A representative from a local organization was calling to say the Ann had requested for Ashley had fallen through. No Santa Claus, no presents, nothing. Ann saw the cheer from her children’s faces at the news. Without a word, Kate ran into her room. Soon, Kate returned with her piggy bank, her face set with . And now she the coins and dollar bills out, one by one, onto the kitchen table: $3.30. “Mom,” she told Ann, “I know it’s not much. maybe this will buy a present for the baby.” everyone was reaching into pockets and purses. Soon, the money on the kitchen table. The total: $130.
The next morning, Ann told her coworkers about her daughter’s latest project. Throughout the day, more coworkers with contributions. Each time a little money came in, Ann called home. And with each from her mother, Kate would scream into the phone and do a little dance of victory. With the story of Kate’s gift beyond Ann’s office, she received more contributions. By the end of the day, the total was now $500—plenty of a Christmas for Ashley’s family.
That evening, Kate went with her mother to the money. They bought plenty of household necessities. They had enough to buy food for a Christmas dinner. On Christmas Eve, Ann through the pouring rain to where the family lived. When Ashley opened the door, Ann stood under her umbrella and wished the woman a Merry Christmas. Then Ann began to unload the gifts from the car. With so many gifts to take inside, she abandoned the umbrella. Ashley her in the rain. Soon both women were wet through, and the surprise had turned to something deeper, the kind of that brought them close to tears.
A．in charge B．in need C．in return D．in turn
A．excited B．surprised C．ashamed D．disappointed
A．with B．without C．to D．from
A．doorbell B．phone C．alarm D．clock
A．pleasure B．permission C．information D．aid
A．rise B．show C．take D．disappear
A．determination B．peace C．surprise D．puzzle
A．collected B．counted C．chose D．found
A．Or B．And C．But D．So
A．Gradually B．Finally C．Immediately D．Constantly
A．made up B．picked up C．took up D．piled up
A．put up B．came out C．set off D．dropped by
A．greeting B．report C．letter D．gift
A．spreading B．sharing C．starting D．inventing
A．spend B．deliver C．make D．receive
A．even B．always C．already D．yet
A．walked B．drove C．ran D．cycled
A．astonished B．embarrassed C．bored D．frightened
A．took B．held C．joined D．attended
A．sympathy B．sadness C．anxiety D．joy
Life is a series of choices and we can’t always foresee the consequences.
Harry Saleem, an obese( too fat) man with too much money and power, faced a(n) . Outside his office waited his personal , bringing him the news about the only medicine that could save his life. On the other side of the world, one of his engineers waited for his decision on an important of business.
His secretary asked him she could bring the doctor in. The billionaire businessman made his . “No. let the fool wait,” answered Saleem, “business comes first.” the health problem caused by his huge weight, he was still about making money. He a fat finger, and one of his staffs to switch on a large television set.
On the screen appeared his engineer. They talked by satellite directly to each other although they were thousands of miles . “It’s all ready to explode, Mr. Saleen,” he said, “just one .” His engineer was standing above Pakan Valley in South America. A few months ago, it had been a rainforest. Then Saleem’s men came, cutting down all the valuable trees and the villagers to move out. the valley, a dam had been built. This would provide power for the factories that Saleem planned to build in that area. The factories would bring him great .
He saw no reason to delay. He ordered the engineer to press the button. There, in the valley, a cloud of dust rose, by a dull explosion. A large river changed its course and water flooded into the valley.
“Good, that’s that. Now, get that doctor in here,” he .
The doctor came in with a worried look and started to examine his patient. “You are doing very well, Mr. Saleen. The only medicine is saving your life. But the difficulty is getting more of it.”
“Can you get more? Money is no problem.” Saleen said. “Tell me what you need and we’ll get it.”
The medicine was made of a plant, which is . There is only one place in the world where the plant grows.”
“Where?” asked the businessman, .
The doctor smiled. “Well, luckily, the plant comes from one of the lands you own, sir. It comes from a place in South America, known as Pakan Valley.”
A．choice B．opportunity C．consequence D．problem
A．employee B．secretary C．doctor D．engineer
A．amazing B．interesting C．heart-breaking D．important
A．event B．matter C．incident D．accident
A．that B．whether C．until D．unless
A．decision B．mistake C．promise D．plan
A．Besides B．Except C．Instead D．Despite
A．addicted B．crazy C．interested D．dying
A．arose B．rose C．raised D．aroused
A．began B．stopped C．hesitated D．hurried
A．apart B．away C．far D．aside
A．look B．word C．moment D．while
A．forcing B．asking C．forbidding D．stopping
A．Above B．Along C．Through D．Across
A．profits B．advantages C．preference D．achievements
A．follow B．to follow C．following D．followed
A．demanded B．recommended C．commanded D．suggested
A．healthy B．wealthy C．worried D．frightened
A．common B．usual C．rare D．normal
A．delightedly B．thoughtfully C．impatiently D．cautiously