阅读下面短文,掌握其大意,然后从各题所给的四个选项(A、B、C、D)中,选出最佳选项,并在答题纸上将该选项标号涂黑。
My grandparents built and lived in a small 600-square-foot cottage for most of their adult lives. They actively practiced living a 21 life. Saving and avoiding overspending was their life 22 for their whole life. 23 seeking satisfaction through material items, they chose to spend 24 time together, with family, and in nature.
Over the years my grandparents noticed 25 changes in their community. Every year more farmland was 26 to build larger and larger homes. With houses’ prices 27 , many of their neighbors sold their little homes and lands. 28 only their small house was still on the block, surrounded by a sea of tall buildings. Countless family members 29 my grandparents to expand their home. But they didn’t want a bigger place and were 30 with what they had.
In many ways, I’ve modeled my life after my grandparents. Through their example I learned an important 31 : It is absolutely possible to live a small and fulfilling life.
My grandparents lived in a small home, but they owned a(n) 32 garden. They loved gardening deeply because it not only 33 their grocery bill, but also improved their health and gave them a(n) 34 to be outside. They said, “ 35 you live in a small home or an apartment, you don’t have to give up gardening.”
My grandparents avoided lifestyle creep(攀比) by paying for their own home in cash and building it themselves. They also recycled and 36 everything. For instance, they drove the same car for over 15 years and didn’t buy anything new until their stuff was 37 worn out.
My grandparents taught me that living well on 38 isn’t about feeling bad for myself. 39 , it’s about giving yourself the time, freedom, and money to seek your dreams. You know: Becoming debt free, living in a smaller home, and others are a few ways to 40 your life.
A.dull B.simple C.single D.busy
A.attitude B.experience C.principle D.standard
A.Rather than B.More than C.Other than D.Apart from
A.shopping B.work C.break D.quality
A.obvious B.delicate C.enjoyable D.flexible
A.improved B.ruined C.discovered D.distributed
A.taking up B.making up C.going up D.turning up
A.Probably B.Suddenly C.Instantly D.Eventually
A.forced B.encouraged C.persuaded D.ordered
A.content B.angry C.cautious D.familiar
A.lesson B.theory C.truth D.sentence
A.small B.special C.ordinary D.huge
A.reduced B.handled C.checked D.handled
A.platform B.stage C.excuse D.solution
A.As if B.Even if C.Only if D.What if
A.sewed B.created C.sold D.reused
A.thoroughly B.generally C.nearly D.hardly
A.more B.less C.better D.worse
A.What’s more B.As a result C.On the whole D.On the contrary
A.risk B.manage C.limit D.destroy
My name is Scott and I am 36 years old. I have spent most of my adult life doing an 41 job, so I had a very cynical (愤世嫉俗的) view of life and the world around me. I saw no point in trying to 42 my life or the lives of the people around me.
Two years ago my wife 43 me to return to school and work toward a career where I would find satisfaction. So I entered Long Beach City College to pursue a 44in history. Last term I took a political science class. The 45 Dr. Rock had such a great effect on me. He 46in the Air Force, worked in the U.S. nuclear program and served in the White House. When I asked another instructor 47 someone who was so overqualified worked at a small community college, she 48 told me because he wanted to.
This 49 me, so I asked Dr. Rock himself why he did not pursue a better role in his career. What he told me has changed my 50 forever. He told me that by working at the college he would be able to 51 the kinds of students he believed would make a 52in the world. He said that 53 the right motivation and support, the students he taught could become the future leaders of our country. He said that he preferred the inner city 54 because the students there showed the 55 promise and cared deeply for their education.
Dr. Rock paid attention to the needs of the community. He taught me how to care and 56 us to take part in our community in any way we 57 .
I thought that I was the 58 one that was affected by his lessons, but at the end of the term I found that the entire class had felt the same 59 that came over me. Dr. Rock taught us how to60 our country, our community and ourselves.
A.irregular B.unsatisfying C.impatient D.unfamiliar
A.taste B.feel C.better D.respect
A.convinced B.suggested C.ordered D.informed
A.degree B.reward C.success D.career
A.headmaster B.classmate C.officer D.instructor
A.played B.served C.assisted D.succeeded
A.where B.how C.why D.whether
A.angrily B.hurriedly C.nervously D.simply
A.interested B.frightened C.worried D.troubled
A.feeling B.spirit C.life D.family
A.remember B.reach C.watch D.calm
A.promise B.decision C.difference D.choice
A.beyond B.through C.for D.with
A.environment B.college C.education D.background
A.most B.usual C.deepest D.strongest
A.forced B.warned C.encouraged D.invited
A.could B.did C.should D.had
A.few B.just C.first D.only
A.time B.change C.pressure D.reaction
A.appeal to B.make for C.turn to D.care about
My father was in the navy, which meant that my mother was married to both my father and the sea. As was often the case, we had to pack our belongings into boxes and 36 those we had grown to love. We would arrive at our new home and find ourselves once again 37 at the pier(码头)waving good-bye to my father as his 38 pulled him away from us. My mother would turn my brother and me around before the ship was out of 39 , wipe our tears, and take us back home to start the process of 40 in the new environment again.
Throughout the years of changing 41 , schools and friends, there remained one constant in my childhood — my mother. For both my 42 and me, she was the cook, maid and teacher. She played these roles while 43 some type of part-time job. Leaving a promising career is just one of the 44 which my mother made for my family as we moved around the world with our father every three years or so. 45 she had to deal with only a small budget, my mother 46 managed to make each house to be the very home that is safe and 47 .
This probably sounds like a depressing way to live, 48 with two small children: “single” parenthood, short-term friendships, and the inability to 49 a career or establish a home. But it was not for my mother. She turned this 50 into adventure for us all! Each relocation was a chance to 51 another part of the world. My mother greeted each new culture, climate and neighborhood. Each new house was a 52 to rearrange furniture, make curtains and 53 pictures. Every part-time job was an opportunity to learn something new and work with interesting people.
No matter how difficult the life was, she was always having a 54 attitude. She always had strength in the face of struggle and change. My mother was so 55 all those years of my childhood — she was my island in a sea of change. She is my hero.
A.leave behind B.leave out C.leave off D.leave for
A.living B.staring C.standing D.going
A.car B.ship C.train D.plane
A.range B.shape C.sight D.control
A.adapting B.suiting C.matching D.fitting
A.names B.jobs C.addresses D.directions
A.father B.classmates C.brother D.relatives
A.performing B.seeking C.waiting D.applying
A.programs B.sacrifices C.contribution D.cooperation
A.Once B.While C.When D.Unless
A.somewhere B.somewhat C.sometime D.somehow
A.romantic B.comfortable C.mysterious D.wealthy
A.generally B.actually C.especially D.unfairly
A.desert B.pursue C.affect D.limit
A.lifestyle B.value C.journey D.opportunity
A.acquire B.explore C.occupy D.realize
A.load B.sadness C.result D.challenge
A.hang B.draw C.take D.sell
A.changeable B.cautious C.positive D.negative
A.experienced B.brave C.ordinary D.annoyed
I found out one time that doing a favor for someone could get you into a lot of trouble. I was 36 the eighth grade at the time, and we were having a final 37 . During the test,the girl 38 next to me whispered something,but I didn’t understand. So I leaned(倾斜) over her way and found out that she was trying to ask me 39 I had an extra pen. She showed me that 40 was out of ink and would not write.I happened to have an extra one,so I took it out of my pocket and put it on her desk.
Later, after the test papers had been 41 the teacher asked me to 42 in the room when all the other students 43 . As soon as we were alone, she began to talk to me about 44 it meant to grow up;she mentioned how important it was to stand 45 your own two feet and be responsible for your own acts. For a long time, she talked about __46 _and emphasized the fact that when people do something dishonest,they really 47 themselves.She made me promise that I would think 48 about all the things she had said. Then she told me I could 49 . I walked out of the room wondering 40 she had chosen to talk to me about all those things.
Later on,I found out that she thought I had cheated on the test. When she saw me lean over to talk to the gir1 next to me, it looked 51 I was copying answers 52 the girl’s test paper. So I came to find her and tried to explain about the pen, but all she could say was it seemed very strange to her that I hadn’t 53 anything about the pen the day she talked to me right after the test. 54 I tried to explain that I was just doing the girl a favor 55letting her use my pen, I was sure she continued to believe that I had cheated on the test.
A.from B.on C.in D.at
A.lesson B.test C.class D.papers
A.seat B.seating C.sitting D.sit
A.whether B.why C.where D.that
A.one B.that C.it D.hers
A.handed B.turned in C.given out D.marked
A.work B.read C.stay D.study
A.gone out B.were studying C.were there D.were dismissed
A.how B.why C.what D.which
A.by B.on C.to D.with
A.honesty B.faith C.confidence D.reliability
A.improve B.punish C.cheat D.help
A.well B.highly C.honestly D.seriously
A.leave B.go on C.sit down D.refuse
A.if B.whether C.why D.how
A.like B.as though C.as D.that
A.for B.by C.from D.at
A.mentioned B.asked C.answered D.realized
A.Long before B.As long as C.Just as D.Even though
A.with B.by C.in D.through
A 12-year-old boy saw something in a shop window that set his heart racing. But the 1 – five dollars was far beyond Reuben Earle’s money. Five dollars would 2 almost a week’s food for his family.
But hearing the sound of hammering (捶打的声音) from a side street, Reuben had a(n) 3 . He ran towards the sound and discovered he could 4 the hessian sacks (麻袋) which were thrown away and sell them for five cents a piece.
Every day 5 , Reuben walked down the town, collecting 6 . On the day the school closed for the summer, no student was more 7 than Reuben, for he had more time for his “work”. Then one day the time had 8 .
Reuben ran down Water Street to the 9 . “Please, Mister. I have to sell the sacks now.” The man took the sacks, 10 into his pocket and placed four coins in Reuben’s hand. Reuben said a thank you and 11 home. On arriving home, Reuben uncovered the tin can 12 he kept the money. He poured the coins out and began to count. He had 13 .
Then he headed for the shop. “I have the money,” he told the owner 14 . The man went to the window and 15 Reuben’s treasure. He wiped the dust off, carefully wrapped (包裹) it in brown paper and 16 it to Reuben.
Racing home, Reuben shouted, “Here, Mom! Here!” He placed a small 17 in her hands. She unwrapped it carefully. A jewel box 18 . Dora lifted the lid (盖子), tears beginning to fill her eyes. Dora had 19 received such a gift; she had no jewelry 20 her wedding ring. Speechless, she smiled and gathered her son into her arms.
A.price B.cost C.worth D.value
A.buy B.offer C.enjoy D.expect
A.question B.try C.idea D.schedule
A.sell B.collect C.fetch D.bury
A.before dinner B.in class C.at church D.after school
A.the money B.the sacks C.the paper D.the tin cans
A.pleased B.surprised C.worried D.tired
A.passed B.ended C.come D.wasted
A.hotel B.school C.bank D.store
A.hid B.reached C.stole D.put
A.stayed B.walked C.got D.ran
A.when B.which C.while D.where
A.none B.enough C.little D.much
A.calmly B.honestly C.proudly D.angrily
A.took out B.gave out C.set out D.left out
A.lent B.threw C.handed D.took
A.box B.ring C.book D.letter
A.opened B.dropped C.appeared D.broke
A.often B.never C.just D.ever
A.including B.with C.as well as D.except for
Most people have no idea of the hard work and worry that go into the collecting of those interesting birds and animals that they pay to see in the zoo. One of the questions that is always asked of me is 36 I became an animal collector in the first 37 .The answer is that I have always been interested in animals and zoos. According to my parents, the first word I was able to say with any 38 was not the traditional “mamma” or “daddy”,39 the word “zoo”, which I would 40 over and over again with a exciting 41 until someone, in groups to 42 me up, would take me to the zoo. When I 43 a little older, we lived in Greece and I had a great 44 of pets, ranging from owls(鹰) to seahorses, and I spent all my spare time 45the countryside in search of fresh specimens to 46 to my collection of pets.
47 on I went for a year to the City Zoo, as a student 48 , to get experience of the large animals, such as lions, bears, bison and ostriches,49 were not easy to keep at home. When I left, I 50 had enough money of my own to be able to 51 my first trip and I have been going 52 ever since then. Though a collector's job is not an easy one and is full of 53 ,it is certainly a job which will appeal 54 all those who love animals and 55 .
A.how B.where C.when D.whether
A.region B.field C.place D.area
A.clearness B.emotion C.feeling D.affection
A.except B.but C.except for D.but for
A.recite B.recognize C.read D.repeat
A.volume B.noise C.voice D.pitch
A.close B.shut C.stop D.comfort
A.grew B.was growing C.grow D.grown
A.many B.amount C.number D.much
A.living B.seeing C.liking D.exploring
A.increase B.include C.add D.enrich
A.later B.further C.then D.farther
A.servant B.keeper C.member D.assistant
A.who B.they C.of which D.which
A.pay B.finance C.allow D.provide
A.normally B.often C.usually D.regularly
A.unhappiness B.sorrows C.excitement D.disappointments
A.for B.with C.to D.from
A.voyage B.travel C.journey D.Trip