A daughter thought life was unpromising to her and complained to her father about it. She did not know how she was going to 21 and wanted to give up. She was 22 of fighting and struggling. It seemed as if one problem was just solved before a new one 23 .
Her father, a cook, took her to the 24 . He filled three pots with water and placed each on a high 25 . Soon the pots came to a 26 . In one he placed carrots, in the second he placed eggs, and the last he placed ground coffee beans. He let them sit and boil, without saying a word.
The daughter sucked her teeth and 27 waited, asking repeatedly what he was doing. In about twenty minutes he turned off the 28 . He fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. He pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then he spooned the coffee out and placed it in another. Turning to her he asked, “Darling, what do you see?”
“Carrots, eggs, and coffee,” she replied.
He brought her closer and asked her to 29 the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. He then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the 30 , she observed the hard-boiled egg! Finally, he asked her to taste the coffee. She smiled 31 she tasted its rich flavor. She humbly asked, “What does it mean, Father?”
He explained that each of them had faced the same 32 , boiling water, but each 33 differently. The carrot went in 34 and hard. But after being subjected to the boiling water, it 35 and became weak. The egg had been 36 . Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior. But after sitting 37 the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, 38 . After they were in the boiling water, they had 39 the water.
“Which are you?” he asked his daughter. “When adversity knocks on your door, 40 do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?”
A．make out B．make it C．make up D．make through
A．typical B．conscious C．tired D．warned
A．raised B．arose C．disappeared D．faded
A．room B．market C．kitchen D．grocery
A．shelf B．temperature C．fire D．table
A．boil B．cool C．hot D．smoke
A．happily B．calmly C．casually D．impatiently
A．lights B．burners C．tap D．water
A．see B．carry C．feel D．fetch
A．shell B．pack C．bag D．cover
A．since B．as C．before D．if
A．occasion B．point C．variety D．adversity
A．reflected B．answered C．abandoned D．reacted
A．stable B．weak C．strong D．sensitive
A．softened B．widened C．shortened D．sharpened
A．half-done B．easily-broken C．easily-got D．hard-boiled
A．over B．for C．through D．on
A．however B．otherwise C．besides D．moreover
A．melted B．absorbed C．polluted D．changed
A．what B．how C．when D．why
When studying in a middle school，I read a quote that went something like：“If you live each day as if it were your last，someday you’ll most certainly be right. ”It made a deep 36 on me, and since then, for the past 33 years，I have 37 in the mirror every morning and asked myself：“If today were the last day of my life， 3 8 I want to do what I am about to do today?” And whenever the answer has been “No” for too many days in a 39，I know I need to change something.
Remembering that I’ll be 40 soon is the most important tool I’ve ever known to help me make the big 41 in life because almost everything falls away in the face of death， 42 only what is truly important.
About a year ago I was 43 with cancer. My doctor even advised me to go home and get my affairs 44 order，which is a doctor’s way of telling people to prepare to die. I 45 with that diagnosis all day. 46，at last an advanced test showed that it was a very rare cancer that is 47 with surgery. I had the surgery and I’m fine now.
48 wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all 49 . No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be，because death is very likely the single best invention of 50 . It is life’s change agent. It clears out the old to 51 for the new. Right now the new is you. But someday not too 52 from now，you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic，but it is quite true.
Your time is 53，so don’t waste it living someone else’s 1ife. Don’t be 54 by dogma(教条) —which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner 55 . And most importantly，have the courage to follow your heart.
A．joke B．impression C．curse D．decision
A．1ost B．seen C．looked D．found
A．could B．would C．should D．might
A．row B．hurry C．1ine D．moment
A．frustrated B．successful C．rich D．dead
A．choices B．apologies C．fortune D．impressions
A．telling B．proving C．leaving D．confirming
A．round B．diagnosed C．cured D．treated
A．at B．on C．for D．in
A．1ived B．met C．got D．did
A．So B．However C．But D．Therefore
A．changeable B．incurable C．curable D．fatal
A．Everyone B．Anyone C．Someone D．No one
A．escape B．want C．avoid D．share
A．disease B．destination C．1ife D．science
A．make way B．make up C．make for D．make our
A．away B．distant C．short D．long
A．1ost B．1imited C．rare D．enough
A．trapped B．wasted C．cheated D．excited
A．confusion B．voice C．love D．direction
There are many kinds of friends. Some are always 36 you, but don't understand you. Some say only a few words to you, but understand you. Many people will step in your life, but only 37 friends leave footprints.
I shall always recall (回忆) the autumn and the girl with the 38 . She will always bring back the friendship between us. I know she will always be my best friend.
It was the golden season. I could see the yellow leaves 39 on the cool 40 . In such a season, I liked walking alone in the leaves, 41 to the sound of them.
Autumn is a 42 season and life is uninteresting. The free days always get me 43 . But one day, the sound of a violin 44 into my ears like a stream (小溪) flowing in the mountains. I was so surprised that I jumped to see what it was. A young girl, standing in the wind, was 45 in playing her violin.
I had 46 seen her before. The music was so nice that I listened quietly. Lost in the music, I didn't know that I had been 47 there for so long but my existence (存在) did not seem to disturb her.
Leaves were still falling. Every day she played the violin in the corner of the building 48 I went downstairs to watch her performance. I was the only listener. The autumn seemed no longer lonely and life became 49 . 50 we didn't know each other, I thought we were already good friends. I believe she also loved me.
Autumn was nearly over. One day, when I was listening carefully, the sound suddenly
51 . To my astonishment (惊讶), the girl came over to me.
“You must like violin.” she said.
“Yes. And you play very well. Why did you stop?” I asked.
Suddenly, a 52 expression appeared on her face and I could feel something unusual.
“I came here to see my grandmother, but now I must leave. I once played very badly. It was your listening every day that 53 me.” she said.
“In fact, it was your playing 54 gave me a meaningful autumn,” I answered, “Let's be friends.”
The girl smiled, and so did I.
I never heard her play again in my life. I no longer went downstairs to listen like before. Only thick leaves were left behind. But I will always remember the fine figure (身影) of the girl. She is like a 55 —so short, so bright, like a shooting star giving off so much light that it makes the autumn beautiful.
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The day before Father's Day, Mrs. Berry asked her students to make a card for their fathers. She passed out paper and pieces of cloth. Elizabeth looked for a while at the blue cloth and began to cut it. Then she 21 her paper in half and began writing. When Elizabeth finally looked at the message the teacher gave on the paper, she noticed something else. She felt her 22 grow hot -- she hadn't heard that anyone who didn't have a father could make one for a grandfather or an uncle. As her teacher walked to her, Elizabeth tried 23 her card with her arm, but Mrs. Berry gently 24 it so that she could read it. Elizabeth sat 25 , waiting for her to say something, but she saw a 26 roll down Mrs. Berry's face. She had never made Mrs. Berry so upset.
When school was over, Elizabeth 27 until all the other kids left so that she could28 . "I'm sorry for not listening. I'll make another card 29 you want. I'll do it 30 and bring it tomorrow."
" 31 are you talking about?" asked Mrs. Berry.
"My Father's Day card. I know you're upset because I didn't do it 32 ."
"Elizabeth, that was the 33 card in the whole class. It was so 34 that it made me cry."
Elizabeth was so 35 that she ran out of the classroom. When her mom came home from work that night, Elizabeth 36 to give her the card early. On the front of the card was a 37 of Elizabeth's mom, with a blue piece of cloth cut like her hair. Inside the card she had written:
Dear Mom,
I know you work really hard to be both a mommy and a（n）38 . I want to thank you and 39 you a happy Father’s Day.
Love,
Elizabeth
When her mom read the card she started 40 , just like Mrs. Berry did.
A．close B．open C．spread D．folded
A．heart B．face C．eyes D．feet
A．covering B．holding C．doing
A．caught B．left C．lifted D．put
A．alone B．still C．up D．down
A．tear B．smile C．hair D．sweat
A．worked B．waited C．stood D．studied
A．apologize B．stop C．understand D．stay
A．because B．until C．unless D．if
A．just here B．at once C．at home D．at school
A．Who B．Whose C．Which
A．carefully B．quickly C．wrong D．right
A．worst B．best C．favorite D．simplest
A．wild B．ugly C．sweet D．hard
A．happy B．regretful C．brave D．rude
A．seemed B．decided C．refused D．promised
A．address B．phone number C．drawing D．writing
A．brother B．sister C．daddy D．aunt
A．wish B．hope C．want D．congratulate
A．laughing B．joking C．worrying D．crying
Valentine’s Day may come from the ancient Roman feast of Lupercalia. 36 the fierce wolves roamed nearby, the old Romans called 37 the god Lupercus to help them. A festival in his 38 was held on February 15th. On the eve of the festival the 39 of the girls were written on 40 of paper and placed in jars. Each young man 41a slip. The girl whose name was 42 was to be his sweetheart for the year.
Legend 43 it that the holiday became Valentine’s Day 44a Roman bishop named Valentine. Emperor Claudius II 45 the Roman soldiers NOT to marry or become engaged. Claudius felt married soldiers would 46 stay home than fight. When Valentine 47 the Emperor and secretly married the young couples, he was put to death on February 14th, the 48 of Lupercalia. After his death, Valentine became a 49 . Christian bishop moved the holiday from the 15th to the 14th—Valentine’s Day. Now the holiday honors Valentine 50 of Lupercus.
Valentine’s Day has become a major 51 of love and romance in the modern world. The ancient god Cupid and his 52 into a lover’s heart may still be used to 53 falling in love or being in love. But we also use cards and gifts, such as flowers or jewelry, to do this. 54 to give flower to a wife or sweetheart on Valentine’s Day can sometimes be as 55 as forgetting a birthday or a wedding anniversary.
A．While B．When C．Though D．Unless
A．upon B．back C．off D．away
A．honor B．belief C．hand D．way
A．problems B．secrets C．names D．intentions
A．rolls B．piles C．works D．slips
A．cast B．caught C．drew D．found
A．given B．chosen C．elected D．delivered
A．tells B．means C．makes D．has
A．after B．since C．as D．from
A．ordered B．appealed C．imagined D．believed
A．other B．simply C．rather D．all
A．disliked B．resisted C．defeated D．dishonored
A．celebration B．arrangement C．feast D．eve
A．goat B．saint C．model D．weapon
A．because B．made C．instead D．learnt
A．part B．representative C．judgment D．symbol
A．story B．wander C．arrow D．play
A．describe B．require C．demand D．alarm
A．Keeping B．Disapproving C．Supporting D．Forgetting
A．constructive B．damaging C．strengthening D．responding
School was over and I felt quite tired. I sat at the very 36 of the crowded bus because of my anxiety(焦虑) to go home. Sitting there makes me 37 like a shiny coin in a pile of dull pennies.
Janie, the 38 , tried to break the uncomfortable 39 by starting a conversation. I tried to mind my manners and politely 40 her, but usually I am too busy thinking about my day. On this day, 41 , her conversation was worth listening to.
“My father’s sick,” she said to no one in 42 , I could see the anxiety and fear in her eyes. “What’s wrong with him?” I asked. With her eyes wet and her voice tight from fighting the tears, she 43 , “Heart trouble.” Her eyes lowered as she continued. “I’ve 44 lost my mum, so I don’t think I can stand losing him.”
I was shocked. My 45 ached for her. And this reminded me of the great 46 my own mother was thrown into when her father 47 . I saw how hard it was, and still is, for her. I wouldn’t like anyone to 48 that.
Suddenly I 49 Janie wasn’t only a bus driver. That was just her job. She had a whole world of 50 and concerns, too. I suddenly felt very selfish(自私). I realized I had only thought of people as far as what their purposes were in m
y life. I paid no 51 to Janie 52 she was a bus driver. I had judged(评价) her by her 53 and brushed her off as unimportant.
For all I know, I’m just another person in 54 else’s world, and may not even be 55 . I should not have been so selfish and self-centered. Everyone has places to go to, people to see and appointment to keep. Understanding people is an art.
A．front C．side D．middle
A．stand for B．stand up C．stand out D．stand by
A．doctor B．driver C．teacher D．classmate
A．mood B．condition C．atmosphere D．occasion
A．listen to B．argue with C．explain to D．talk to
A．however B．instead C．therefore D．otherwise
A．surprise B．particular C．purpose D．silence
A．replied B．shouted C．cried D．spoke
A．totally B．already C．completely D．heavily
A．leg B．stomach C．heart D．head
A．pain B．respect C．happiness D．disappointment
A．was lost B．was away C．died D．was sick
A．go against B．go for C．go by D．go through
A．realized B．recognized C．argued D．explained
A．family B．school C．friend D．job
A．money B．attention C．respect D．time
A．unless B．though C．because D．while
A．voice B．job C．family D．look
A．anyone B．someone C．everyone D．nobody
A．happy B．smart C．important D．useful