I pulled into the driveway of my Mum’s house and saw my two-year-old daughter’s smiling face staring out the window at me. Vanessa had stayed with her grandma for a week, while her mommy, Georgia ,was in hospital 36 complications(并发症) in her second pregnancy. Vanessa, who missed her room and toys, 37 awaited the arrival of daddy to pick her up and take her to see her mother. After the visit we’d go home where I had a surprise for her.
Vanessa and I spent an hour with Georgia and then 38 home.
I got Vanessa out of her snowsuit, 39 on the sofa and sat beside her. “Vanessa, you know you’re going to have a new brother or sister soon.”
“I know, Daddy. Mommy’s bringing it home with her.”
“That’s right .”I smiled. “well, the baby is going to need a 40 to sleep in. I hope you don’t mind, but I put your cradle in the new baby’s room.”
“Where will I sleep, Daddy?”
“ Follow me.” I led her down the hall to her room. “I have a 41 for you.”
When Vanessa turned the corner and screamed with pleasure. “It’s a bed ,Daddy! My very own bed!” She 42 up and down on the mattress with 43 happiness on her face.
“ I guess this means I’m growing up,” said Vanessa.
First beds are first milestones. For the first time we are free to get out of bed without 44 someone lift us from our cradles. We are trusted to handle the freedom with respect and are expected to 45 new rules. First days of school, first loves, firsts jobs，first homes or apartments, first child；they’re all 46 in life. Each comes with 47 and responsibilities and it all starts with the first bed..
A．instead of B．as to C．due to D．regardless of
A．anxiously B．surprisingly C．purposely D．especially
A．stayed B．headed C．missed D．left
A．bent B．lay C．settled D．sighed
A．camp B．basket C．house D．cradle
A．prize B．surprise C．word D．promise
A．bounced B．turned C．climbed D．laughed
A．pure B．little C．exact D．sudden
A．joining in B．giving in C．sending for D．waiting for
A．build B．ignore C．follow D．break
A．obstacles B．memories C．scenes D．milestones
A．sorrow B．joys C．interest D．pride
Zigfried，a little mouse，blew his breath on the frosty window of the farmhouse and rubbed it to see the outside.Still nobody came.Maybe today，he thought____.It was only a few days before Christmas and he was watching for a miracle (奇迹)．
This farmhouse had been____too long.It needed a family.Zigfried’s____made a noise.He realized that he hadn’t eaten anything since yesterday.He jumped from the windowsill (窗沿)，grabbed a____from his home，and went next door to Farmer Mike’s.
Farmer Mike’s house had been a great place for the little mouse____the farmer married a wife who had a cat.Zigfried____when he thought of it.He looked around cautiously as he____into the room where grain was stored and was quite____as he filled his bag with wheat.He was turning to leave when suddenly he___a hot breath about his ear.His heart beat___，and without thinking he started to run and luckily____the cat’s paws (爪子)．
The next afternoon Zigfried heard some good news：a____family would be moving into the farmhouse soon.Zigfried’s granny would arrive on Christmas Eve to____with him.He hoped that the family would come before his granny came.Before long，a car came____the road leading to the house，with butter sandwiches，cheese and chocolate.
Zigfried’s Christmas miracle did arrive!
The house came____the next few days.Zigfried____every single hour of them.____，the day before Christmas when he was drinking hot chocolate with a____smile at the door of his home，he heard the____of the children of the family about what they might get for Christmas.What？A cat？The____froze on his face；his mouth fell wide open.After a long while，he at last found his voice：“Hey! Whose Christmas miracle is this？”
A．carefully B．excitedly C．hopefully D．proudly
A．shabby B．noisy C．messy D．empty
A．mouth B．nose C．stomach D．throat
A．bag B．stick C．bowl D．coat
A．although B．until C．whereas D．unless
A．leapt B．sniffed C．trembled D．withdrew
A．broke B．marched C．paced D．stole
A．curious B．nervous C．pitiful D．sensible
A．took B．released C．felt D．drew
A．strongly B．irregularly C．slowly D．wildly
A．escaped B．seized C．rubbed D．scratched
A．close B．happy C．new D．young
A．celebrate B．communicate C．compete D．compromise
A．across B．from C．off D．up
A．alive B．loose C．open D．still
A．counted B．enjoyed C．missed D．wasted
A．However B．Instead C．Moreover D．Therefore
A．bitter B．forced C．polite D．satisfied
A．introduction B．discussion C．comment D．debate
A．blood B．smile C．tear D．sweat
A little girl lived in a simple and poor house on a hill.Usually she ____ play in the small garden.She could see over the garden fence and across the valley a wonderful house with shining golden windows high on another hill.____ she loved her parents and her family，she desired to live in such a house and ____ all day about how wonderful and exciting ____ must feel to live there.
At the age when she gained some ____ skill and sensibility(识别力)，she ____ her mother for a bike ride ____ the garden.Her mother finally allowed her to go，____ her keeping close to the house and not ____ too far.The day was beautiful.The little girl knew ____ where she was heading！____ the hill and across the valley，she rode to the ____ of the golden house.
____ she got off her bike and put it against the gate post，she focused on the path ____ to the house and then on the house itself.She was very disappointed when she ____ that all the windows were ____ and rather dirty.
So ___ and heartbroken，she didn’t go any further.She ____，and all of a sudden she saw an amazing ____.There on the other side of the valley was a little house and its windows were golden.Looking at her little home，she ____ that she had been living in her golden house filled with love and care.Everything she dreamed was right there in front of her nose!
A．might B．should C．would D．must
A．Unless B．Although C．Since D．But
A．dreamed B．worried C．asked D．shouted
A．this B．that C．it D．which
A．different B．scientific C．musical D．basic
A．begged B．blamed C．invited D．paid
A．inside B．outside C．through D．along
A．insisting on B．relying on C．arguing about D．wondering about
A．traveling B．running C．riding D．walking
A．madly B．rapidly C．exactly D．possibly
A．Over B．Down C．Around D．Beside
A．windows B．steps C．center D．gate
A．Until B．As C．While D．Because
A．getting B．introducing C．leading D．moving
A．felt B．learned C．concluded D．found
A．transparent B．bright C．plain D．wide
A．anxious B．angry C．serious D．sad
A．turned around B．cheered up C．settled down D．dropped in
A．hill B．valley C．background D．sight
A．imagined B．decided C．realized D．guessed
I used to believe in the American Dream，which meant a job，a mortgage (按揭)，credit cards，success.I wanted it and worked toward it like everyone else，all of us ____ chasing the same thing.
One year，through a series of unhappy events，it all fell ____.I found myself homeless and alone.I had my truck and $56.I ____ the countryside for some place I could rent for the ____ possible amount.I came upon a shabby house four miles up a winding mountain road ____ the Potomac River in West Virginia.It was ____，full of broken glass and rubbish.I found the owner，rented it，and ____ a corner to camp in.
The locals knew nothing about me，____ slowly，they started teaching me the ____ of being a neighbor.They dropped off blankets，candles，and tools，and began ____ around to chat.They started to teach me a belief in a ___ American Dream—not the one of individual achievement but of ___.
What I had believed in，all those things I thought were ____ for a civilized life，were nonexistent in this place.____ on the mountain，my most valuable possessions were my ____ with my neighbors.
Four years later，I moved back into ____.I saw many people were having a really hard time，___ their jobs and homes.I managed to rent a big enough house to ____ a handful of people.There are four of us now in the house，but over time I’ve had nine people come in and move on to other places.We’d all be in ____ if we hadn’t banded together.
The American Dream I believe in now is a shared one.It’s not so much about what I can get for myself; it’s about ____ we can all get by together.
A．separately B．equally C．violently D．naturally
A．off B．apart C．over D．out
A．crossed B．left C．toured D．searched
A．fullest B．largest C．fairest D．cheapest
A．at B．through C．over D．round
A．occupied B．abandoned C．emptied D．robbed
A．turned B．approached C．cleared D．cut
A．but B．although C．otherwise D．for
A．benefit B．lesson C．nature D．art
A．sticking B．looking C．swinging D．turning
A．wild B．real C．different D．remote
A．neighborliness B．happiness C．friendliness D．kindness
A．unique B．expensive C．rare D．necessary
A．Up B．Down C．Deep D．Along
A．cooperation B．relationships C．satisfaction D．appointments
A．reality B．society C．town D．life
A．creating B．losing C．quitting D．offering
A．put in B．turn in C．take in D．get in
A．yards B．shelters C．camps D．cottages
A．when B．what C．whether D．how
We have been driving in fog all morning，but the fog is lifting now.The little seaside villages are ____ ，one by one.“There is my grandmother’s house，”I say，____ across the bay to a shabby old house.
I am in Nova Scotia on a pilgrimage (朝圣) with Lise，my granddaughter，seeking roots for her，retracing (追溯) ____ memory for me.Lise was one of the mobile children，____ from house to house in childhood.She longs for a sense of ____，and so we have come to Nova Scotia where my husband and I were born and where our ancestors ____ for 200 years.
We soon ____ by the house and I tell her what it was like here，the memories ____ back，swift as the tide (潮水)．
Suddenly，I long to walk again in the ____ where I was once so gloriously a child.It still ____ a member of the family，but has not been lived in for a while.We cannot go into the house，but I can still walk ____ the rooms in memory.Here，my mother ____ in her bedroom window and wrote in her diary.I can still see the enthusiastic family ____ into and out of the house.I could never have enough of being ___ them.However，that was long after those childhood days.Lise ___ attentively as I talk and then says，“So this is where I ____； where I belong.”
She has ____ her roots.To know where I come from is one of the great longings of the human ____.To be rooted is“to have an origin”．We need ____ origin.Looking backward，we discover what is unique in us; learn the ____ of“I”．We must all go home again—in reality or memory.
A．appearing B．moving C．exposing D．expanding
A．referring B．travelling C．pointing D．coming
A．shared B．short C．fresh D．treasured
A．passed B．raised C．moved D．sent
A．home B．duty C．reality D．relief
A．built B．lived C．remained D．explored
A．catch up B．pull up C．step down D．come down
A．falling B．turning C．rushing D．bringing
A．yard B．village C．room D．house
A．adapts to B．appeals to C．belongs to D．occurs to
A．across B．through C．along D．past
A．lay B．played C．stood D．sat
A．marching B．looking C．breaking D．pouring
A．between B．with C．near D．behind
A．wonders B．listens C．reacts D．agrees
A．began B．grew C．studied D．stayed
A．deepened B．recognized C．accepted D．found
A．heart B．rights C．interest D．behaviors
A．one B．its C．that D．every
A．meaning B．expression C．connection D．background
When Joe was about to start school，all signs pointed to success.Yet things turned out to be quite___.The fourth grade even found him at the___of the class.Joe struggled day and night，but it did not____－until one stormy afternoon.
On that afternoon，____the math teacher started to introduce difficult concepts，dark clouds covered the sky，and the storm set in.Hard though she tried to make the kids____，the thunder won the battle for their attention.No one____the concepts.Except for Joe.He understood them and answered all the questions correctly.The teacher patted him on the back，and told him to go around to the others and explain how he had managed it.____by his newfound success，Joe moved quickly throughout the room.Soon math time was followed by the time for____.All children naturally drew____pictures on such a day.Except for Joe.
Since then，Joe started____.Though he never made it to the top，his math teacher was always____and curious about the change：Why had that stormy day changed Joe?
On the day Joe graduated，he presented the teacher with his most____possession－the picture of a bright yellow sun.On the picture Joe had written：This is the day I____my brightness.
A．unfair B．boring C．disappointing D．dangerous
A．center B．top C．beginning D．bottom
A．happen B．work C．finish D．last
A．until B．since C．because D．as
A．concentrate B．change C．hide D．sit
A．challenged B．grasped C．doubted D．admitted
A．Relieved B．Surprised C．Encouraged D．Puzzled
A．class B．sports C．art D．tea
A．great B．dark C．different D．strange
A．improving B．painting C．recovering D．studying
A．worried B．amazed C．friendly D．cautious
A．familiar B．expensive C．admirable D．precious
A．woke up to B．put up with C．got on with D．looked down upon