In this modern world, we rush around all day, doing things, talking, emailing, sending and reading messages. We are always on, always connected, always thinking, always talking. There is no ___31___ for stillness.
And when we are ___32 ___to be still because we’re in line for something, or waiting at a doctor’s appointment, or on a bus or train, we often ___33 ___something to do. Some will play with mobile devices, others will read something. Being still isn’t something we’re ___34 ___.
This comes at a ___ 35___: we lose that time for ___ 36___, for observing and listening. We lose peace.
And ___37___ yet: sometimes too much action is worse than no action at all. You can run around crazily, but get ___ 38___done.
Take a moment to think about ___39___ you spend your days. Are you constantly rushing around? Are you constantly reading and answering ___40 ___, checking on the news and the latest stream of information? Are you always ___41___through your schedule?
Is this how you want to spend your ___42___? If so, peace be with you. If not, take a moment to be ___43___. Don’t think about what you have to do, or what you’ve done already. ___44___be in the moment.
Then after a minute or two of doing that, consider your life, and how you’d ___45___ it to be. See your life with less movement, less doing, less rushing. See it with more stillness, more consideration, more ___46___.
Then be that vision.
It’s pretty simple: all you have to do is sit still for a little bit each day. ___47___you’ve gotten used to that, try doing less each day. Breathe when you feel yourself moving too___48___. Slow down. Be present. Find happiness now, in this moment, instead of ___49___ for it.
___50 ___ the stillness. It’s a treasure, and it’s available to us, always.
A．place B．chance C．freedom D．time
A．forced B．ordered C．invited D．told
A．have B．find C．buy D．get
A．familiar with B．curious about C．used to D．interested in
A．cost B．risk C．loss D．danger
A．play B．food C．sleep D．consideration
A．further B．worse C．farther D．deeper
A．everything B．anything C．nothing D．something
A．how B．where C．why D．whether
A．questions B．problems C．phones D．messages
A．walking B．rushing C．stepping D．going
A．school B．youth C．work D．life
A．silent B．patient C．still D．quiet
A．Nearly B．Ever C．Just D．Already
A．like B．decide C．choose D．need
A．activity B．research C．study D．peace
A．Because B．Until C．Once D．Unless
A．frequently B．slowly C．fast D．quickly
A．asking B．sending C．calling D．waiting
A．Value B．Miss C．Owe D．Hold
Since my family were not going to be helpful, I decided I would look for one all by myself and not tell them about it till I’d got one.
I had seen an agency (中介机构) advertised in a local newspaper. I rushed out of the 61in search of it. I was wildly excited, and as 62 as if I were going on the stage. Finding the 63 quite easily, I ran breathlessly through a door which said “Enter without knocking, if you please.”
The simple atmosphere of the office 64 me. The woman looked carefully at me 65 through her glasses, and then 66 me in a low voice. I answered softly. All of a sudden I started to feel rather 67 . She wondered why I was looking for this sort of 68 . I felt even more helpless when she told me that it would be 69 to get a job without 70 . I wondered whether I ought to leave, 71 the telephone on her desk rang. I heard her say: “ 72 , I’ve got someone in the 73 at this very moment who might 74 .” She wrote down a 75 , and held it out to me, saying: “ Ring up this lady. She wants a 76 immediately. In fact, you would have to start tomorrow by cooking a dinner for ten people.”
“ Oh yes,” said I — 77 having cooked for more than four in my life. I 78 her again and again, and rushed out to the 79 telephone box. I collected my thoughts, took a deep breath, and rang the number. I said confidently that I was just what she was looking for. I spent the next few hours 80 cook books.
A. bed B house C. agency D. office
A．proud B．pleased C．nervous D．worried
A．family B．door C．place D．stage
A．calmed B．excited C．frightened D．disturbed
A．as usual B．for a while C．in a minute D．once again
A．advised B．examined C．informed D．questioned
A．encouraged B．dissatisfied C．hopeless D．pleased
A．place B．job C．advice D．help
A．difficult B．helpless C．possible D．unusual
A．ability B．experience C．knowledge D．study
A．after B．since C．until D．when
A．Above all B．As a matter of fact C．As a result D．In spite of that
A．family B．house C．office D．restaurant
A．hire B．accept C．suit D．offer
A．letter B．name C．note D．number
A．cook B．help C．teacher D．secretary
A．almost B．never C．nearly D．really
A．answered B．promised C．thanked D．told
A．outside B．local C．closest D．nearest
A．borrowing B．buying C．reading D．writing
Fill Her Tank First
The summer of 1975 I’d just graduated from college in Southern California and received a 1968 Ford Capri for a graduation present. I had my first job, in Los Angeles. One Sunday night, __36__ myself a very independent grown-up, I left my uncle’s place in South Laguna after a visit, without __37__ to him that I had less than an __38__ of a tank of gas and no cash to buy __39__ on the way to L.A. I pulled onto the Pacific Coast Highway and watched the needle __40__ as I headed north. When I started running on fumes, I pulled into a __41__. There was no self-service __42__; there were no credit cards, no ATMs.
I begged the guy at the station. I __43__ write him a check for gas, I said, or I could sleep in my car and try to __44__ to a town with a bank the next morning. As he was informing me that I could sleep in my car but he’d have me __45__, a station wagon __46__ to the next pump. The driver--- a thin, plain, middle-aged guy---overheard the tail end of my __47__ request. As the attendant went to serve him, he nodded at me. “__48__ her tank first,” he said.
“Really?” I said. Hope __49__. “Oh, thank you. Thank you. But please. I just need two dollars’ __50__. I just need to go home.”
“Fill it,” he __51__ to the attendant. Then to me, “You will do the same one day, for someone else.”
I keep looking for that unlucky young person, __52__ to save her night on the road. Meanwhile, in case she never __53__ up, I try for other acts of random kindness. That __54__ driver is always at the pump a few feet away, __55__ the attendant to fill mine first.
A．thinking B．hoping C．knowing D．showing
A．confirming B．convincing C．admitting D．concerning
A．eighty B．eight C．eighth D．eighths
A．another B．more C．much D．some
A．drop B．increase C．reduce D．decrease
A．train station B．bus station C．railway station D．gas station
A．at one time B．at a time C．at times D．at that time
A．could B．might C．should D．must
A．scramble B．drive C．climb D．walk
A．ordered B．helped C．warned D．arrested
A．went up B．drove up C．pulled up D．drew into
A．tried B．succeeded C．reasoned D．failed
A．Fill B．Filled C．Filling D．To fill
A．increased B．raised C．accumulated D．fired
A．value B．worthy C．worth D．money
A．pardoned B．repeated C．said D．spoke
A．ensuring B．supposing C．hoping D．considering
A．shows B．goes C．grows D．comes
A．easy-going B．polite C．powerful D．quiet
A．introducing B．instructing C．interesting D．interacting
Checks have largely taken the place of money as a means of 36 , for they are widely accepted everywhere. 37 this is very 38 for both buyer and seller, it should not be forgotten that checks are not real money: they are quite 39in themselves. A shop-keeper runs a certain40when he accepts a check and he is quite 41 his rights if, on occasion, he 42 to do so. People do not always know this and are 43 if their good faith is called in question. A wealthy friend of mine told me he had an extremely 44 experience.
One day he decided to buy a particularly fine pearl necklace at a famous jewelry shop which keeps a large__45 of precious stones and asked if he could pay 46 check, the assistant said that this was quite 47 . But the moment my friend signed his name, he was invited into the manager’s office. The manager was very polite, but he explained that someone 48 exactly the same name had presented them with a worthless check not long ago. My friend got very angry at it and said he would buy a necklace 49 . When he got up to go, the manager told him that the police would arrive at any moment and he had better stay 50 he wanted to get into serious trouble. Sure enough the police arrived, __51 to my friend for the 52 , but explained that a person who had used the same name as his 53 for a number of recent robberies. Then the police asked my friend to 54 out a note which had been used by the thief in a number of shops. The note read, “I have a gun in my pocket, ask no questions and give all the money in the safe.” Fortunately, my friend’s handwriting was quite__55__ the thief’s. He was not only allowed to go without further delay, but to take the pearl necklace with him.
A．change B．exchange C．trade D．business
A．Because B．If C．Though D．Since
A．favourite B．popular C．profitable D．convenient
A．dangerous B．priceless C．unimportant D．valueless
A．chance B．risk C．opportunity D．danger
A．within B．out of C．without D．beyond
A．refuses B．agrees C．fails D．hates
A．unhappy B．ashamed C．shocked D．puzzled
A．uninteresting B．unreasonable C．unforgettable D．unpleasant
A．amount B．accident C．stock D．number
A．in B．by C．with D．on
A．in need B．in common C．in use D．in order
A．used B．with C．named D．by
A．anywhere B．somewhere C．somewhere else D．everywhere
A．unless B．otherwise C．if D．whether
A．coming B．sticking C．apologizing D．checking
A．manner B．behavior C．inconvenience D．treatment
A．responsible B．answered C．charged D．blamed
A．copy B．read C．take D．bring
A．unlike B．different C．dissimilar D．dislike
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，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
This morning, as I was getting close to the supermarket, I saw a small 36 gathering around an elderly woman with blood under her face. I stopped and asked if I could 37 . I told her I was certified（授予证书的）in first aid. Then I 38 someone for a first aid kit（工具箱）. But she didn’t want help, saying she was fine. But she wasn’t fine. I asked her to 39 with me and we 40 about her routine of getting groceries. People brought out ice packs, water and paper towels from the 41 nearby. I put on the gloves from the first aid kit, and cleaned her up a bit, but 42 I just talked to her and held her hand.
Two 43 happened to be passing by and 44 to help check her out a bit. Finally, after ten minutes the 45 arrived and I talked to the emergency medical team and they __46 .
I was certified in first aid years back, and I got re-certified a month ago, but I never 47 it once. However, I realized being certified isn’t 48 about providing the aid. I didn’t stop the bleeding. I didn’t 49 to examine her. Mostly it was about providing comfort for people in a difficult 50 . The certification gave me the 51 to do that: to kneel on the sidewalk, holding an old woman’s hand, and to help make those _ 52 few minutes just a little bit better.
If you’re not certified in first aid, I can’t 53 it strongly enough. It takes four hours of your time at your 54 Red Cross. With what you’ll 55 , maybe you’ll be able to help someone like the old lady one day.
A．people B．public C．traffic D．crowd
A．watch out B．look out C．help out D．make out
A．paid B．sent C．applied D．scolded
A．stay B．walk C．accompany D．shop
A．looked B．cared C．talked D．quarreled
A．hospital B．supermarket C．station D．office
A．mostly B．maybe C．simply D．extremely
A．policemen B．volunteers C．clerks D．doctors
A．refused B．stopped C．lay D．woke
A．ambulance B．family C．driver D．officer
A．operated on B．turned up C．ran away D．took over
A．liked B．noticed C．used D．met
A．necessarily B．possibly C．hopefully D．commonly
A．want B．teach C．permit D．try
A．place B．situation C．life D．position
A．harm B．confidence C．lesson D．wish
A．confusing B．moving C．scary D．friendly
A．recommend B．demand C．support D．explain
A．formal B．national C．local D．private
A．recognize B．offer C．allow D．Learn
I had been playing hockey（冰球）for about10 years. I wasalways the one sittingat the end of the bench, and 36 got into a game. I went to all the 37 and showed up even when it was so 38 that your ‘breath froze’ andwhen the otherplayers had decided to stay home. I felt I had 39 enough and thought of quitting.
I finally decided to 40 the news to mymom that I was leaving the team.Mymommay have looked like atiny and quiet lady but on 41 my words, she said, “Remember, ‘A quitter never wins and a winner never quits.’ Your mother didn’t raise 42 ,so think about yourself in a 43 way and see yourself as a winner!”So I worked harder than ever at getting in better shape, 44 my shot（投球） accuracy and changing my 45 .
Once in a match, we 46 our first game badly. What’s worse, one of our best players got hurt.I was sitting at my 47 place,at the end of the bench,when the coach came over and told me I was going 48 . I was nervous, excited and terrified all at the same time.
The opposing team was fast and I had to admit I was a little 49 .But my mom’s words 50 out in my head like a church bell.Instead of being afraid, I was “pumped” and I very quickly found that all my 51 work waspaying off.I was as fast a skater as anyone else on the ice, and I seemed to get the 52 to score.The crowd went quiet. All the time I spent on the ice when everyone had gone home had 53 me for this moment.
Won!I won!
The lesson I learned from my mom’s 54 has stayed with me over the years.Ihear them whenever I am faced with a challenge, or whenever I 55 myself.
A．once B．seldom C．usually D．evenB
A．meetings B．shows C．matches D．practices
A．cloudy B．wet C．cold D．windy
A．suffered B．explained C．planned D．escaped
A．write B．break C．read D．speak
A．noticing B．gathering C．hearing D．analyzing
A．talkers B．dreamers C．attackers D．losers
A．positive B．familiar C．brief D．convenient
A．testing B．improving C．questioning D．affecting
A．aim B．taste C．habit D．attitude
A．lost B．controlled C．practiced D．continued
A．usual B．safe C．secret D．private
A．off B．in C．by D．up
A．annoyed B．awkward C．scared D．bitter
A．put B．rang C．gave D． stood
A．exact B．extra C．creative D．casual
A．chance B．message C．order D．note
A．spared B．requested C．prepared D．sent
A．actions B．reasons C．words D．promises
A．judge B．express C．comfort D．doubt