It was a cold winter. The day my husband fell to his death, it started to snow, just 1 any November day. His 2 , 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 3 . One morning, I walked slowly 4 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, 5 those good people would not see me. I was 6 . My first thought was, how would I ever 7 them? I didn’t have the 8 to brush my hair, 9 clear someone’s walk.
Before Jon’s death, I felt proud that I 10 asked for favors. I identified myself by my competence and 11 . So who was I if I was no longer capable? How could I 12 myself if I just sat on the couch every day and watched the snow fall?
Learning to receive the love and 13 from others wasn’t easy. Friends cooked for me and I cried. Finally, my friend Kathy said, “Mary, cooking for you isn’t a 14 for me; it makes me feel good to be able to do something for you.”
Over and over, I heard 15 words from the people who supported me during those 16 days. One wise man told me, “You aren’t doing nothing because being fully open to your 17 may be the hardest work you will ever do.”
I am not the person I 18 was, but in many ways I have changed for the 19 . I’ve been surprised to learn that there is incredible freedom coming form 20 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
Tom was a middle-aged leather trader (皮货商) whose repeated failure in career made him a depressed man, often __21_ that he had been cheated by others. One day he told his wife he was so __22__ with the city that he had to leave.
So his family moved to another city. It was the evening of a weekend. When Tom and his wife were busily _23_ up their new home, the light suddenly __24_. Tom was regretful to have forgotten to bring along 25__ and had to wait _26_ in a low mood. Just then he heard light, hesitant 27_ on his door that were clearly audible (听到) in the __28__ night.
“Who’s it?” he wondered, since Tom was a _29__ to this city. And this was the moment he especially hated to be __30__, so he went to the door and opened it __31_. At the door was a little girl, shyly asking, “Sir, do you have candles? I’m your neighbor. ” “No,” answered Tom in anger and shut the door __32__.“What a nuisance (麻烦事)!” He complained over it with his wife. “No sooner had we settled down than the neighbor came to _33__ things.”
After a while, the door was knocked again. He opened it and found the same girl outside. __34_ this time she was _35__ two candles, saying, “My grandma told me the new neighbor downstairs might need candles. She _36_ me here to give you these.” Tom was very _37__ by what he saw. At that moment he suddenly realized what caused his _38__ in life. It was his _39_ and harshness (刻薄) with other people. The person who had cheated him in life was _40__ nobody else but himself, for his eyes had been blurred (蒙蔽) by his unsympathetic （无同情心的）mind.
A．complaining B．telling C．hoping D．pretending
A．pleased B．disappointed C．exhausted D．encouraged
A．looking B．turning C．coming D．tidying
A．went on B．went down C．went out D．went through
A．candles B．matches C．lights D．flashlights
A．happily B．patiently C．hopefully D．helplessly
A．steps B．words C．knocks D．screams
A．dark B．quiet C．noisy D．crowded
A．newcomer B．stranger C．guest D．settler
A．called B．disturbed C．watched D．offered
A．surprisingly B．delightedly C．impatiently D．willingly
A．gently B．kindly C．politely D．violently
A．lend B．sell C．harness D．borrow
A．And B．But C．So D．For
A．holding B．hiding C．fetching D．lifting
A．suggested B．commanded C．sent D．forced
A．frightened B．pleased C．puzzled D．surprised
A．failure B．success C．complaint D．determination
A．warmth B．coldness C．kindness D．nearly
A．doubtfully B．hardly C．actually D．sympathy
Sneaker is a kind of shoe worn by many people all over the world. Some say that the word “sneaker” is another word for tennis shoe, 36 no one really knows where the word came from. 37 say it came from the old English verb “sneak”, which38 moving silently and quickly. The only thing we are 39 is that when you put on a pair of sneakers, you 40 light-hearted, light-footed and ready to play.
Sneakers of some kind are used by 41 who play tennis, basketball, and other sports. New design has been made 42 for people who run slowly. But perhaps sneakers are 43 used by children in the United States. In fact American children of44 ages would much rather play in sneakers than anything else, except perhaps45 at all.
New York City once held a poetry contest (诗歌比赛) for children. The subject was only “sneaker”. Thousands of children sent in their46 and praised the sneakers they love. One prize winner called47 poem “The Sneaker and the World Peace”. “When everyone is wearing sneakers,” she said, “it will be impossible to 48 .”
American school children can be seen every day 49 sneakers of all colours. They put them on in the morning and take them off50 . Sneakers are51 washed. In fact the older and dirtier they are, the52 loveable they are. When their sneakers wear out (穿破), children hate to throw them off. How do you explain the closeness between53 ? Perhaps another young 54in the New York Poetry Contest said it best. “A shoe is just a shoe,” he said. “But a sneaker is a 55 .”
A．however B．but C．or D．and
A．All B．Some C．People D．The others
A．appears B．remains C．means D．wants
A．excited about B．sure of C．surprised at D．pleased with
A．think B．feel C．consider D．suggest
A．men B．women C．those D．these
A．lovely B．specially C．lively D．cheaply
A．only B．greatly C．hardly D．finally
A．all B．some C．little D．old
A．some shoes B．no shoes C．no children D．some sneakers
A．photos B．compositions C．poems D．drawings
A．her B．his C．its D．their
A．explain B．guide C．hate D．love
A．dressing B．wearing C．putting on D．having
A．the next day B．at noon C．at bedtime D．in the evening
A．forever B．always C．seldom D．sometimes
A．much B．many C．most D．more
A．sneakers and other shoes B．boys and girls C．children and sneakers D．winners and sneakers
A．girl B．man C．woman D．winner
A．sneaker B．friend C．poem D．shoe
There are about fifteen hundred languages in the world. But 36 a few of them are very 37 .English is one of these. Many, many people use it, not only in England and the U.S.A., but in other parts of the world. About 200,000,000 speak it as their own language. It is difficult to say how many people are learning it as a 38 language. Many millions are 39 to do so.Is it easy or difficult to learn English? Different people may have different 40 Have you ever 41 ads of this kind in the newspapers or magazines? "Learn English in six weeks, or your 42 back..." "Easy and funny! Our records and tapes 43 you master your English in a month. 44 the first day your 45 will be excellent. Just send …"Of course, it never 46 quite like this.
The only language that seems easy to learn is the mother tongue. We should 47 that we all learned our own language well when we were48 . If we could learn English in the sameway, it would not seem so difficult. 49 what a small childdoes. He listens to what people say. He tries what he hears. When he is using the language, talking in it, 50 in it allthe time. Just imagine how much 51 that gets!
So it is52 to say that learning English is easy, because a good command of English 53 upon a lot of practice. And practice needs great effort and 54 much time. Good teachers, records, tapes, books, and dictionaries will 55 . But they cannot do the student's work for him.
A．not B．quite C．only D．very
A．difficult B．important C．helpful D．easy
A．native B．foreign C．useful D．mother
A．learning B．enjoying C．trying D．liking
A．questions B．problems C．ideas D．answers
A．found B．watched C．noticed D．known
A．knowledge B．time C．money D．English
A．make B．help C．let D．allow
A．From B．On C．Since D．After
A．spelling B．grammar C．English D．pronunciation
A．happened B．looked C．seemed D．felt
A．know B．remember C．understand D．think
A．students B．children C．babies D．grown-ups
A．Imagine B．Mind C．Do D．Think of
A．using B．thinking C．trying D．practicing
A．time B．money C．language D．practice
A．hard B．easy C．funny D．silly
A．depends B．tries C．has D．takes
A．uses B．takes C．gets D．costs
A．do B．work C．help D．master
Somebody might say, “I want to be a big fish, as big as Bill Gates, in a big pool, as large as Microsoft.” However, we all know it is 36 for a green hand(新手) in the field. Then you have to 37 the question carefully. No matter 38 side you choose to take, you have your chance to succeed. Now the problem is which can provide you more 39 .
I choose to be a big fish in a small pool. A big company may provide you a 40 starting point, but a small company offers you opportunity to practice various 41 . During the 42 , you may 43 yourself, recognize your 44 points and find your potentiality(潜力). What’s more, 45 so many limitations and rules in a small company, if you are competent you have 46 chances to climb to a higher point. Finally, being a big fish (although) in a small pool, gives a green hand 47 self-confidence which is quite important for 48 .
49 , you should not be confined(使局限) to your small pool, and be 50 with being a big fish there. You should always dream of being a big fish in a big pool!
A．impossible B．uninteresting C．unnecessary D．uncorrectable
A．think B．recognize C．consider D．realize
A．what B．whether C．how D．which
A．help B．chances C．advice D．money
A．high B．proper C．rich D．practical
A．jobs B．tools C．skills D．topics
A．success B．perform C．products D．process
A．increase B．improve C．impress D．encourage
A．weak B．reasonable C．strong D．amazing
A．without B．because of C．except for D．with
A．less B．equal C．no D．more
A．various B．serious C．precious D．former
A．succeed B．success C．successful D．succeeded
A．Personally B．Certainly C．Immediately D．Generally
A．satisfied B．proud C．relaxed D．regretted
One winter term during college, I took a history class to fulfill a requirement.
The professor was a 1 fellow with red hair. He would walk shyly into the room wearing his hooded (带帽的) winter coat, once not even 2 the hood during the lecture. He was terribly nervous in class and lowered his head 3 looking up through his glasses at his students.
So I 4 a little game for myself. I would try to find something in his lecture to ask him an intelligent question about, 5 me to pay attention rather than letting my eyes close. He was obviously 6 to have a question to answer. In fact, his answers were always interesting.
I continued to do this every day of the course and found myself actually enjoying the subject. The professor seemed to become a bit more 7 and some of the other students even 8 from time to time. My little game had saved me from being bored, as it was 9 to do. And, I learned quite a bit about ancient world history. Except for all of his strange __10 , he was indeed quite an expert in his field.
On the last day of his class, we gathered our 11 and headed out the door. The shy, red-haired professor 12 directly in front of me, with obvious efforts, as I reached the door, and put out his hand. He said, “I want to thank you for making this class so interesting.” As he shook my hand and 13 for the first time, I was so surprised. To me, it had been a pleasant way to 14 the time. I had no idea that all of my question asking had any 15 on him or the others at all.
Each of us, through the things we say and do, can have a great effect not just on our own experiences, but those of others.
A．strange B．patient C．popular D．proud
A．cleaning B．noticing C．removing D．wearing
A．hardly B．simply C．absolutely D．quickly
A．played B．continued C．created D．bought
A．reminding B．forcing C．allowing D．telling
A．angry B．surprised C．sad D．pleased
A．relaxed B．traditional C．reasonable D．concerned
A．gave up B．fell behind C．look back D．joined in
A．designed B．permitted C．challenged D．forbidden
A．explanation B．appearance C．secret D．hobby
A．collection B．friends C．game D．books
A．waited B．apologized C．greeted D．stepped
A．regretted B．smiled C．cried D．required
A．pass B．save C．fix D．waste
A．guidance B．result C．mercy D．effect