As a young girl growing up in rural Alabama, I never understood why my mom spent so much time baking. And she always made my brother and me 36 her. A whole day every other week was devoted to making bread. It always made our small arms tired.
Despite our best efforts, the flour dust always went everywhere. I 37 to be outside with my playmates, and never 38 my mom’s desire for quality family time with her children, at least when it came to spending it in the 39 . Years have gone by, and I have become a mother myself. I prefer to leave most of the cooking to my husband and he loves it. He’s quite 40 at doing it, too.
On one occasion my husband was 41 dinner, and I was at the kitchen table going through the day’s mail when our little son, Cody, asked if he could help 42 . My husband said yes, and I sat there amused, watching them.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“Helping dad cook.” he replied with a big 43 on his face. I thought back to those 44 when my mom asked me to help her bake bread, and I was 45 , but obeyed. Perhaps she was trying to create something more than just fresh bread—maybe a few lasting 46 .
As I watched Cody do it with all his attention, I realized that he had 47 a lasting moment for me, a moment filled with a deep sense of family. I wanted to hold the moment and make it longer, and appreciate the memories my mom had given me years ago in her kitchen.
A．copy B．help C．notice D．admire
A．improved B．encouraged C．longed D．blamed
A．wondered B．appreciat C．judged D．challenged
A．kitchen B．restaurant C．bedroom D．school
A．unhappy B．weak C．astonished D．skilled
A．preparing B．choosing C．making D．having
A．play B．work C．cook D．make
A．get uptear B．surprise C．smile D．mark
A．dreams B．time C．mysteries D．accidents
A．excited B．regretful C．confident D．unwilling
A．memories B．choices C．opportunities D．goals
A．continued B．created C．failed D．served
In this modern world, we rush around all day with no time for stillness. And when we are 48 to be still, we're in line for something, or waiting at a doctor's appointment, or on a bus or train. This comes at a 49 : we lose that time for consideration, for observing and listening. We lose peace. And 50 yet: sometimes no action is better than too much action at all. You can run around crazily, but get nothing done. Take a moment to think about how you spend your days? Are you always 51 through your schedule?
Is this how you want to spend your life? If not, take a moment to be still. Don't think about what you have to do, or what you've done already. 52 be in the moment. Then after a minute or two of doing that, consider your 53 , and how you'd like it to be. See your life with less movement and less rushing. See it with more stillness and more peace. It's pretty simple: all you have to do is sit still for a little bit each day. Once you've got 54 to that, try doing less each day. Find happiness now, in this moment, instead of waiting for it.
Value the stillness. It's a treasure and it's 55 to us, always.
A．forced B．ordered C．invited D．told
A．cost B．risk C．loss D．danger
A．later B．worse C．better D．deeper
A．breaking B．rushing C．living D．going
A．Nearly B．Ever C．Just D．Already
A．life B．belief C．road D．future
A．addicted B．accustomed C．permitted D．ready
A．available B．convenient C．potential D．reasonable
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
I was six when I joined my father's fields in Okla. By the time I was eight, I was helping Dad 36 old furniture. He gave me a cent for every nail I 37 out of old boards. I got my first real job, at JM's Restaurant when I was 12. My main responsibilities were 38 tables. At that age, it was 39 going to work and glimpsed at my friends run off to swim or play. I didn't necessarily like work, but I loved what working 40 me to have. Because of my job, I was always the first one to buy something delicious. This made me 41 .
Word that I was trustworthy and hard-working 42 around town. A local clothing store offered me credit despite my young age. I immediately bought an expensive coat and shoes on credit. I was 43 only 65 cents an hour, and I already owed the store keeper $90!
So I learned 44 the danger of easy credit. I paid it off as soon as I could. My first job taught me 45 and brought me a level of personal satisfaction few of my friends had 46 . As my father, who worked three jobs, once told me, “If you understand sacrifice and 47 , there are not many things in life you can't have.” How right he was.
A．make B．paint C．sell D．repair
A．pulled B．put C．picked D．pressed
A．sweeping B．packing C．clearing D．emptying
A．easy B．heavy C．difficult D．pleasant
A．allowed B．preferred C．taught D．managed
A．proud B．rich C．grateful D．hopeful
A．showed B．got C．flew D．carried
A．raising B．spending C．counting D．making
A．greatly B．actually C．hardly D．really
A．self-development B．self-control C．self-criticism D．self-confidence
A．lost B．improved C．developed D．experienced
A．responsibility B．promise C．independence D．ambition
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Why should you go to college? One important answer to this question is more __16___. As opposed to generations of the past, high school graduates today are _17___ to get the number of high-paid jobs that were __18__ available. The U.S. has been changed from a manufacturing-based economy into an economy based on ___19_, and the importance of a college education today can be _20___ to that of a high school education forty years ago. It __21__ as the gateway to better choices and more opportunity.
There are __22_ reasons as to why it is important to go to college. When students _23__ a post-secondary education, they have the opportunity to read books and listen to the __24__ of top experts in their fields. It __25__ students to think, ask questions, and __26_ new ideas, which allows for additional growth and ___27_ and provides college graduates with an edge in the job market __28__ those who have not experienced a higher education.
The importance of a college education is also because of the opportunity to __29__ valuable resources. The more connections which are __30___ during your college career, the more _31___ you will have when you begin your job search. Once you have ended your job search and have started your career, ___32__, the importance of a college education has not been exhausted. Having a college degree often __33_ greater promotion opportunity.
So, why should you go to college? The reasoning does not begin and end with the _34___ aspect. A good education is __35__ from many different viewpoints, and while the importance of a college education is quite evident for many high school students, what is often not as clear is how they will pay for that education.
A．time B．freedom C．respect D．opportunity
A．likely B．unable C．afraid D．unwilling
A．once B．just C．never D．also
A．nature B．culture C．knowledge D．agriculture
A．referred B．added C．devoted D．compared
A．follows B．serves C．unites D．disappears
A．additional B．secret C．interesting D．financial
A．discuss B．ignore C．experience D．imagine
A．stories B．requests C．suggestion D．lecture
A．helps B．encourages C．forbids D．advises
A．design B．explore C．change D．refuse
A．development B．payment C．agreement D．experiment
A．for B．over C．in D．with
A．admire B．satisfy C．gain D．notice
A．removed B．collected C．explained D．controlled
A．inventions B．choices C．worries D．salaries
A．besides B．therefore C．however D．otherwise
A．saves B．includes C．ensures D．means
A．life B．character C．communication D．job
A．free B．rare C．beneficial D．absent
You must have heard these words like how happy it is to be a child． But would you 16 change places with a child? Think of the years at school: the years 17 living in constant fear of examinations and school 18 ． Every movement you make, every thought you think is 19 by some adults． Think of the 20 you had to go to bed early, you had to eat 21 thing that was supposed to be good for you． Remember 22 “gentle” pressure was given to you with words like “If you don’t do as I say, I will…”． I’m sure you will never forget!
23 these are only part of child’s 24 ． No matter how kind and loving parents may be, children often 25 from some terrible and illogical 26 since they can’t understand the world around them． They often have such fears in the dark or in the dream． Adults can 27 their fears with other adults 28 children have to face their fears alone．
But the most 29 part of childhood is a period when you 30 to go out of it, the period when you go into adolescence（youth）．Teenagers start to be 31 their parents and this causes them great 32 ． There is a complete lack of self-confidence during this time． Adolescents pay much attention to their 33 and the impression they make on others．They feel shy, awkward and clumsy（笨拙的）． Feelings are strong and hearts 34 broken． Teenagers 35 moments of great happiness or black despair． And through this period, adults seem to be more unkind than ever．
A．willing B．unhappily C．friendly D．honestly
A．spent B．taken C．had D．devoted
A．results B．exercises C．reports D．teachers
A．observed B．seen C．known D．watched
A．years B．times C．evenings D．days
A．helpful B．harmful C．hateful D．delicious
A．what B．why C．that D．how
A．Though B．Even so C．But D．Therefore
A．difficulties B．life C．trouble D．fears
A．gain B．suffer C．receive D．get
A．troubles B．fears C．diseases D．worries
A．enjoy B．deliver C．share D．break
A．while B．when C．so D．however
A．exciting B．interesting C．painful D．forgettable
A．have B．need C．remember D．begin
A．dislike B．be against C．cheat D．be for
A．unhappiness B．interests C．happiness D．determination
A．confidence B．patience C．appearance D．action
A．really B．truly C．naturally D．easily
A．pass B．experience C．face D．take
Joe Biggs was a butcher. His shop was in a village in the beautiful south of England, and he 31 in it for many years while his father was there. Then when his father reached the age of 65, he stopped working in the shop, and Joe was alone in it, so he had to work 32 .
Joe worked five and a half days a week. His shop 33 at one o’clock on Thursday, and it was closed the whole of Sunday. Saturdays were the 34 days.
Most of Joe’s 35 came to his shop from the nearest town, but sometimes he got up earlier than usual in the morning and 36 into the city to choose meat. It was 37 there.
Joe had a big 38 in his shop, but he tried not to buy too 39 meat at a time, and to 40 it before he bought more.
One 41 a woman came into the shop at five minutes to one. “Sorry I’m late,” she said, “but some friends have just telephoned to say that they are coming to 42 tonight, and I need more 43 .”
Joe only had one piece of meat in the shop. He had sold all the others 44 in the day. He took the piece 45 and said to the woman, “This is 6.5 pounds.”
“That piece is too 46 .” the woman said. “Haven’t you got anything bigger?”
Joe went 47 the room behind his shop, opened the refrigerator, put the piece of meat into it, took it out 48 and shut the door of the refrigerator 49 , then he brought the piece of meat back to the woman and said, “This piece is bigger and more expensive. It’s 8.75 pounds.”
“Good,” the woman answered with a smile, “give me 50 of them, please.”
A．lived B．studied C．worked D．played.
A．more B．harder C．later D．again
A．shut B．started C．opened D．served
A．hardest B．easiest C．quietest D．busiest
A．customers B．meat C．buyers D．friends
A．walked B．flew C．drove D．ran
A．easier B．fresher C．nearer D．cheaper
A．refrigerator B．room C．kitchen D．cupboard
A．much B．expensive C．fresh D．adequate
A．eat B．cook C．sell D．freeze
A．Thursday B．Sunday C．Monday D．Saturday
A．party B．dinner C．lunch D．dance
A．food B．vegetable C．meat D．fruit
A．later B．earlier C．quicker D．cheaper
A．in B．up C．away D．out
A．small B．large C．cheap D．bad
A．outside B．from C．into D．through
A．still B．again C．even D．back
A．carefully B．quickly C．lightly D．heavily
A．both B．none C．each D．all