It was a bright spring afternoon when Freda told me she wouldn’t need me any more. I had just finished my four-hour work － 36 up and down the stairs of her three-storey home, cleaning the floor and washing the dished. She was 37 jeans and a sweater. Sitting at the table I had just 38 a pile of papers spread around her. Her husband’s 39 was going to be reduced by thirty percent. And they were trying to live as if it had 40 happened. I felt sorry for her, but I also felt a sense of 41 .
I had been cleaning Freda’s house for five years and had 42 an unexpected relationship with the family. It was not just 43 I had become an expert at scraping（刮掉）dirt stuck to their wooden floor. 44 that I had learned exactly how to place toys on the girls’ beds. It was 45 than that, for I felt I had become a part of their 46 .
Freda stayed at home with the kids, 47 I would often see her in the morning 48
them to school. And I’d be there when they 49 home at lunch for sandwiches and piano practice. I had 50 them grow up. Now I was fired, but the 51 thing was that I still wanted to keep scraping away the dirt and dust for the family.
I left Freda’s 52 relationship with my clients（主顾）. Who am I 53 them? As a matter of fact. I’m 54 an employee － the lowest kind of employee. But I’m also a trusted 55 of the family. I can’t help worrying about what happens around me.
A．moving B．coming C．jumping D．stepping
A．hanging B．making C．changing D．wearing
A．washed B．cleaned C．swept D．brushed
A．duty B．pay C．work D．money
A．never B．seldom C．already D．yet
A．loss B．surprise C．fear D．regret
A．started B．improved C．developed D．broken
A．why B．what C．that D．which
A．but B．and C．or D．for
A．less B．more C．least D．most
A．story B．life C．activity D．experience
A．so B．as C．since D．however
A．taking B．bringing C．meeting D．calling
A．left B．marched C．went D．returned
A．found B．noticed C．watched D．realized
A．possible B．great C．proper D．strange
A．meaning B．result C．nature D．importance
A．for B．to C．with D．at
A．merely B．certainly C．probably D．hardly
A．member B．person C．relative D．companion
Tuesday the twelfth was my birthday. I 16a day of cake and presents 17__ it turned into a day of mystery(神秘). Someone sent a bottle with a letter and a treasure map 18 . It said there was a treasure of over 20 million dollars. I didn’t know if it was a trick(恶作剧) or if I should 19 it. If it was 20 , it would be the best present I had ever got. I decided to 21 . Two of my friends came and we rented a truck. 22 , I thought about turning back twice during this trip, but I didn’t think it was a23 decision for me to make. I 24 to give this trip twice the effort(努力) I had been putting in. This would take all my trust in order for me to find the 25 .
“The map says you have to turn when you see a large stone with a red circle,” said one of them.
“What do we do after the turn?” I asked 26 .
“It says we should see a tree. We are 27 to turn 20 meters north of it and dig.
We got there and dug. We had 28 at first digging but we got better and worked very 29 . My trousers were dirty but I kept digging 30 I hit something. It was a large metal box. We 31 the lock and looked inside. There was a letter. It read:
“The lesson you have learned will be very 32 . If you put as much 33in anything you do as you did in finding the 34 , you will have found the key to making over 20 million dollars.”
This was a trick from my parents. I thought I would never forget this 35 birthday present.
A．expected B．accepted C．passed D．planned
A．or B．but C．and D．so
A．above B．away C．inside D．nearby
A．trust B．forget C．refuse D．share
A．common B．easy C．interesting D．real
A．choose B．try C．ask D．think
A．Luckily B．Finally C．Probably D．Actually
A．wise B．big C．different D．quick
A．hated B．failed C．needed D．remembered
A．pleasure B．truth C．help D．aim
A．gratefully B．sadly C．angrily D．seriously
A．allowed B．required C．forced D．encouraged
A．training B．experience C．trouble D．fun
A．quickly B．badly C．tiredly D．carefully
A．since B．if C．because D．until
A．repaired B．opened C．changed D．cleaned
A．valuable B．necessary C．satisfying D．painful
A．time B．money C．health D．energy
A．bottle B．map C．letter D．tree
A．pretty B．perfect C．special D．expensive
One dark stormy night, an elderly couple hurried into a hotel and asked whether they could be 36 for the night, “I’m very sorry,” the clerk on night shift said politely, “we are all 37 tonight. 38 ,you could stay in my room if you don’t mind. I’m39 ,so I’ll be here.” The young man gave the sincere advice.
The elderly couple accepted his 40 with gratitude. They apologized for the 41 they had caused him. The next day, the rain stopped and it 42 . When the old gentleman went to pay his bill, the same clerk said, “The room you and your wife stayed in is not a proper 43 room in this hotel, so you don’t need to pay.”
The old gentleman nodded in 44 : “You are an employee that every boss in the hotel business would dream of . Perhaps someday I’ll build a hotel for you.” The clerk was 45 but, deciding that the guest must have been46 , he gave the remark 47 thought.
Two years later, the young man received a letter from the old gentleman, in which he 48 the experience of that dark stormy night. The letter also 49 a formal invitation, asking that young man to pay a visit.
At a street corner in Manhattan, the young man met his 50 guest. The old gentleman, pointing to a magnificent new building 51 over the crossroads, “Look, that is the hotel I 52 to build for you. I hope you will 53 it for me .Remember what I said then? Well, I was 54 about it.”
The young man stammered, “But…will there be any 55 , sir? Why do you choose me? And who are you?”
“My name is William Aster.” This building was none other than the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, a symbol of supreme status and honor in New York.
A．put up B．put away C．stay up D．set up
A．preserved B．conserved C．booked D．occupied
A．Meanwhile B．Moreover C．Otherwise D．However
A．on duty B．on display C．on stage D．on hand
A．service B．view C．offer D．invitation
A．Instruction B．consideration C．Inconvenience D．interruption
A．cleared away B．picked out C．cleaned up D．cleared up
A．living B．double C．admirable D．luxury
A．appreciation B．admiration C．surprise D．excitement
A．excited B．skeptical C．annoyed D．respectful
A．lacking B．covering C．joking D．cheating
A．not more B．no more C．some D．another
A．described B．stated C．recited D．recalled
A．swapped B．included C．attached D．added
A．former B．original C．formal D．primitive
A．displaying B．towering C．flying D．hovering
A．determined B．promised C．tended D．intended
A．get B．keep C．manage D．make
A．sensitive B．concerned C．curious D．serious
A．Scene B．situation C．condition D．Occasion
I was sitting in the surgical waiting area at the hospital waiting for word of my wife's operation. The small room was filled with other families and friends, who were ___36___ waiting to hear how their loved ones were doing.
There was a young boy sitting quietly in the ___37___ . He held a small box of ___38___ in one hand and a tablet(写字板) in the other. Every so often he'd place the tablet on his lap and draw something. As the hours passed I began to see the room almost ___39___ . And there was a strange silence.
"Daddy, when is Mommy going home?" the young boy asked, breaking the ___40___.
"Tomorrow." his father replied. The boy picked up his crayons and ___41___ something on the tablet.
I ___42___ him as he moved his feet back and forth, looking up at the ceiling and then toward the sunshine-filled window. "When's ___43___, Daddy?" he asked. His father ___44___ him over to sit by him. "Come, ___45___ here next to me," he said with a gentle tone in his voice.
___46___ his things, the little boy walked slowly to his father's side from the corner.The man ___47___ out and held his son by his shoulder.
"There are three days in life. Yesterday, today and tomorrow. One is over and done, one we live in, the other we ___48___ . We can't live in yesterday, but if we are happy enough today, we will be even happier tomorrow," he said in an attempt to ___49___ the boy.
The little boy looked at him for a moment and said, "If Mommy is going home tomorrow, I'll be ___50___. So, I want it to be tomorrow already, Daddy."
Now hanging on every word of this ___51___ , I leaned forward to hear his response. It was ___52___.
"Son, the one great thing about today is once it ___53___, it is already almost tomorrow."
I thought about how ___54___ it was. Even in my adult life, I still live waiting for what tomorrow may ___55___. Now I know that it is already "almost tomorrow".
A．eagerly B．patiently C．happily D．curiously
A．chair B．corner C．distance D．shadow
A．gifts B．toys C．chalks D．crayons
A．dark B．full C．empty D．clean
A．promise B．rule C．record D．silence
A．wrote B．drew C．printed D．carved
A．followed B．found C．watched D．caught
A．today B．yesterday C．future D．tomorrow
A．knocked B．ordered C．called D．pulled
A．stand B．sit C．lie D．sleep
A．gathering B．forgetting C．saving D．choosing
A．got B．took C．set D．reached
A．spend B．waste C．kill D．expect
A．frighten B．satisfy C．persuade D．warn
A．happier B．calmer C．smarter D．sadder
A．story B．argument C．conversation D．discussion
A．humorous B．silly C．positive D．perfect
A．ends B．starts C．passes D．lasts
A．meaningful B．important C．interesting D．fantastic
A．happen B．come C．bring D．need
Early one morning, I witnessed romance at one the least-expected places in the world—a room in a rest home. At the time, my father 36 a room with three other gentlemen.
Before my daddy lived in the rest home, an elderly 37 was sent there. Since there wasn’t a double room 38 , they were forced to separate the couple. The gentleman, Mr.West, was 39 in the bed beside Daddy. His wife, Mrs.West, shared a room with several other ladies down the hall.
When I went to see Daddy that morning, I 40 Mr.West. Three employees were working with him. He hadn’t eaten a bite of food 41 he was sent several days earlier. I could 42 by the expression on the nurses’ faces that they were worried about him. Mr.West 43 to open his mouth for any of them.
“Go and get Mrs.West, ” the nurse told her helper. “Maybe Mr.West will eat 44 her. ”
In a few minutes a kind-looking lady was 45 into the room. Her smile was contagious（传染的）and Mr.West smiled 46 . I felt as though I was intruding（侵入）on a 47 moment, but I couldn’t take my eyes off the couple. The love between them was obvious, as Mrs.West patted Mr.West’s hand.
With a soft voice, Mrs.West tried to 48 Mr.West to eat. To everyone’s surprise, Mr.West 49 his mouth and began to enjoy the 50 and his wife’s company. While the nurses fed him, he stared at his sweetheart with a smile on his face. Mrs.West began singing a song for him. The 51 on his once solemn（严肃的）face became even brighter.
Tears 52 my eyes. The nurse then 53 the curtain around the couple to give them some quality time alone. I discovered that 54 doesn’t only exist when we’re young and in love. Romance 55 a lifetime and grows stronger with age.
A．lived B．stayed C．shared D．had
A．husband. B．couple C．gentleman D．wife
A．accessible B．acknowledge C．available D．acceptable
A．sent B．lain C．placed D．fixed
A．understood. B．found C．knew D．met
A．after B．before C．since D．while
A．say B．tell C．get D．look
A．expected B．demanded C．refused D．promised
A．to B．for C．about D．on
A．reached B．sent C．wheeled D．carried
A．brightly B．quietly C．lightly D．secretly
A．personal B．personnel C．selfish D．private
A．convince B．make C．force D．urge
A．closed B．opened C．was opening D．was closed
A．coffee B．fruits C．food D．sweets
A．happiness B．appearance C．worry D．expression
A．filled in B．filled with C．filled D．were filled with
A．pulled B．dragged C．put D．pushed
A．love B．romance C．happiness D．smile
A．is B．remains C．lasts D．continues
After the earthquake hit northeast Japan on March 11, 2011, many touching stories that I saw with my own eyes happened around me.
I had to walk home since all the 36 had stopped after the quake. On my way home I 37 an old Japanese lady at the bakery shop who was giving out free bread, which made my heart 38 . A middle-aged Japanese man was holding a sign that read, “Please use our 39 .” He was 40 his house for people to go to the restroom.
My friend wanted to 41 others. He stood in the cold with a sign “If you are okay with a motorcycle, I will 42 you to your house.” And then I saw him take one gentleman home, all the way to a faraway place!
Then the next day I drove to 43 my car with gas. There was a 44 of gas now and many gasoline stations were either closed or had very 45 lines. I got 46 , since I was behind 15 cars. Finally, when it was my 47 , the man smiled and said, “ 48 this situation, we are only selling each person $ 30 worth of gas. Is that alright?” “Of course, I’m just glad that we are all able to 49 ,” I said. His smile gave me so much 50 .
I saw a man at the evacuation (疏散) center 51 when people brought food to him, It was the first time in three days that food has been brought to their center. However, after he wiped the tears, his next 52 surprised me. “I am very 53 that we are provided with food. But people in the city next to us haven’t 54 any food at all. Please go to that centre as well.” And when hearing that, I realized there is a bright future on the other side of this 55 .
A．traffic B．rescue C．communication D．businesses
A．missed B．caught C．noticed D．heard
A．hungry B．soft C．broken D．warm
A．toilet B．hotel C．hospital D．house
A．advertising B．opening C．repairing D．decorating
A．encourage B．save C．charge D．help
A．drive B．follow C．lead D．bring
A．start B．fill C．check D．wash
A．plenty B．lack C．variety D．kind
A．direct B．straight C．long D．short
A．worried B．lucky C．excited D．annoyed
A．time B．turn C．duty D．decision
A．Apart from B．Together with C．Because of D．Instead of
A．share B．offer C．tolerate D．transform
A．comfort B．fun C．trouble D．entertainment
A．waiting B．grabbing C．sleeping D．crying
A．promises B．roles C．actions D．words
A．upset B．grateful C．surprised D．proud
A．bought B．supplied C．prepared D．received
A．city B．center C．lesson D．disaster