In the doorway of my home, I looked closely at my 23-year-old son, Daniel. In a few hours he would be flying to France to 36 a different life. It was a transitional(过渡的)time in Daniel's life. I wanted to 37 him some words of significance. But nothing came from my lips, and this was not the 38 time I had let such moments pass.
When Daniel was five, I took him to the bus stop on his first day of kindergarten. He asked, “What is it going to be like, Dad? Can I do it?” Then he walked 39 the steps of the bus and disappeared inside. The bus drove away and I said nothing. A decade later, a similar 40 played itself out. I drove him to college. As I started to leave, I tried to think of something to say to give him 41 and confidence as he started this new stage of life. Again, words 42 me.
Now, as I stood before him, I thought of those 43 opportunities. How many times have I let such moments 44 ? I don't find a quiet moment to tell him what they have 45 to me. Or what he might 46 to face in the years ahead. Maybe I thought it was not necessary to say anything.
What does it matter in the course of a lifetime if a father never tells a son what he really thinks of him? 47 as I stood before Daniel, I knew that it did matter. My father and I loved each other. Yet, I always 48 never hearing him put his 49 into words. Now I could feel my palms sweat and my throat tighten. Why is it so 50 to tell a son something from the heart?
My mouth turned dry, and I knew I would be able to get out only a few words clearly. “Daniel,” I said, “If I could have picked, I would have picked you.” That's all I could say. He hugged me. For a moment, the world 51 , and there were just Daniel and me. He was saying something, but tears misted my eyes, and I couldn't understand what he was saying. All I was 52 of was the stubble(短须)on his chin as his face pressed 53 mine. What I had said to Daniel was 54 . It was nothing. And yet, it was 55 .
A.experience B.spend C.enjoy D.shape
A.show B.give C.leave D.instruct
A.last B.first C.very D.next
A.upward B.into C.down D.up
A.sign B.scene C.scenery D.sight
A.interest B.instruction C.courage D.direction
A.failed B.discouraged C.struck D.troubled
A.future B.embarrassing C.obvious D.lost
A.last B.pass C.fly D.remain
A.counted B.meant C.valued D.eared
A.think B.want C.expect D.wish
A.But B.And C.Instead D.So
A.wondered B.regretted C.minded D.tried
A.views B.actions C.feelings D.attitudes
A.important B.essential C.hard D.complex
A.disappeared B.changed C.progressed D.advanced
A.sensitive B.convinced C.aware D.tired
A.by B.against C.on D.with
A.clumsy B.gentle C.absurd D.moving
A.none B.all C.anything D.everything
When I stopped by to get a newspaper, a tall, sincere man came over to me asking for help with directions. With a printout of Google maps, he was looking for a on the main street, but just couldn't find it. After checking out his written directions, I mapped it on my phone and showed him where he needed to go.
He, in , mentioned that he had tried going there, but there was no such street number and he just couldn't locate his hotel. I it again for him. He thanked me with a big smile, shook my hand, and . I got into my car and he got into his, and we ways. As I drove to the next grocery store and went in, I sensed wrong about the directions-so I Googled the address again and _ that he was looking for the right address but in a city half an hour away!
it had been several minutes, and in the peak rush hour time, the chances of finding him a mile away-where he was surely still looking around-were . But I thought I'd give it a(an) and set off in that direction. I'd noticed what his car looked like, and was just about to give up. I parked my car as I considered what else I could do- , like magic, he drove right by and pulled over into a nearby parking spot, still about where the hotel was.
When I next to him, he couldn't believe it: " did you find me?!" he asked. "I'm not sure, but I that you are in the wrong city!" I showed him the right directions, and after more and a handshake, we . ' Likely that we'll never meet again, and that makes it much more _ .
A.museum B.parking spot C.hotel D.grocery store
A.constantly B.exactly C.absolutely D.completely
A.relief B.panic C.delight D.puzzlement
A.confirmed B.evaluated C.analyzed D.adjusted
A.took off B.took up C.took down D.took over
A.lost B.parted C.fought D.pushed
A.nothing B.anything C.something D.everything
A.realized B.considered C.determined D.acknowledged
A.Hopefully B.Unbelievably C.Consequently D.Unfortunately
A.big B.vital C.slim D.Obvious
A.beginning B.end C.change D.try
A.hardly B.merely C.regularly D.occasionally
A.while B.before C.when D.since
A.at a loss B.at a risk C.at ease D.at peace
A.put out B.put up C.pulled down D.pulled in
A.Where B.Why C.When D.How
A.tried out B.figured out C.burst out D.carried out
A.luck B.smiles C.greetings D.praise
A.left together B.returned home C.waved goodbye D.rushed away
A.useful B.sweet C.common D.wrong
How far would you walk to learn about something that interested you? When he was young, Jacob Lawrence often walked more than sixty from his home in the Harlem section of New York City to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.Jacob wanted to be a(n) ,and he believed that studying the famous paintings in that museum would help him.
It was 1930,when many people were out of work, money was and people suffered a lot.Still the streets were with energy and color.As he walked through Harlem, Jacob looked hard at the people, the churches, and barbershops and so on.He those images in his mind, along with the images of paintings he saw in the .
Jacob came from a poor family.His mother believed there was little chance her son could grow up to be a successful painter.She wanted him to aim for something more .But Jacob's teacher, Alston, in an art program saw that he was talented.Alston him how to use paints to make stage sets.
As time passed, Alston let Jacob rent work space in his own studio. That was an exciting place for a young black man to become an artist.Many creative people there to talk about art, literature and history.From their ,Jacob learned that history books often the accomplishments of African Americans.He decided to paint a sel1es of pictures describing the story of a black hero.He Toussaint, who had helped free his people French ruling.
Many people admired Jacob's pictures, but he needed admiration.To help his family, he often had to work at jobs that him away from painting.Then something encouraging happened.An artist named Augusta got Jacob a job.For eighteen months, Jacob was given a to paint pictures. For the first time, he felt like a artist.
A.steps B.blocks C.buildings D.avenues
A.artist B.tutor C.scholar D.official
A.swinging B.existing C.hanging D.twisting
A.blank B.loose C.tough D.tight
A.lined B.decorated C.associated D.filled
A.stored B.received C.created D.remembered
A.museum B.studio C.church D.street
A.whether B.which C.that D.when
A.precious B.practical C.standard D.flexible
A.recommended B.reminded C.provided D.showed
A.hesitating B.struggling C.marching D.participating
A.settled B.wandered C.gathered D.rushed
A.experiences B.performances C.accents D.conversations
A.acknowledged B.accused C.ignored D.witnessed
A.chose B.accepted C.counted D.employed
A.against B.from C.for D.with
A.more than B.rather than C.other than D.less than
A.broke B.gave C.permitted D.took
A.award B.title C.salary D.prize
A.permanent B.popular C.positive D.professional
English was always my favorite subject. In my freshman year of high school, I could write a killer composition. In my second year, my teacher me to give spelling tests to the class. I had a time of my junior year. Mrs Alexander me to sit at her desk and take over the class when she had to leave the room. Only my senior English class was , as we had a teacher right out of college who expected work. Every student received a "C" or "D" grade the first quarter. But English was still my favorite subject.
I graduated from high school, early and had children. about my English, I often helped my kids with their English homework. And I wrote long articles and beautiful poetry as a columnist for a newspaper. Fifteen years later, I went to college, and because I had been an "A" student, I remained an "A" student. I up to my own expectations.
Yesterday, I my high school report cards when I was reading old papers. That bundle of report cards back the old days. I remembered sitting in my advisor's office, explaining that I had always be at English, and recommending that I did not deserve a '"D" from that inexperienced teacher of my senior year. The advisor was but unable to change a (an) . Reading through my old report cards revealed something else too. I wanted to them or hide them. I was not an "A" student in high school English! Somehow, I had myself of this, when the grades clearly reflected an average student with an "A" or "B" but mostly "C” S.
Had I lived up to those grades and myself according to those letters, I would have never confidently sought my writing career. Had I my early grades instead of myself, I would have allowed my fear of failure to enthusiasm and damage my creativity. Instead, I my younger self as an "A" English student, except for that undeserved "D".
A.scolded B.allowed C.ordered D.reminded
A.bad B.complex C.terrible D.wonderful
A.approve B.appointed C.expected D.urged
A.flexible B.creative C.disappointing D.controversial
A.college-level B.based C.difficult D.easy
A.married B.worked C.succeeded D.progressed
A.Sad B.Confident C.Anxious D.Curious
A.added B.lived C.grew D.went
A.counted B.remembered C.approached D.discovered
A.brought B.turned C.held D.kept
A.nervous B.excelled C.poor D.terrible
A.impolite B.impatient C.inexperienced D.sympathetic
A.grade B.figure C.paper D.entry
A.tear B.fire C.cry D.escape
A.warned B.reminded C.informed D.convinced
A.average B.enthusiastic C.outstanding D.occasional
A.considered B.defined C.reflected D.described
A.abandoned B.given C.believed in D.doubted
A.change B.risk C.defeat D.reminded
A.looked B.viewed C.sang D.criticized
The sun was shining when I got on No.151 Bus. We passengers sat jammed together in heavy clothes. No one spoke. That’s one of the rules. we see the same faces every day, we prefer to behind our newspapers. People who sit so close together are using those thin sheets of newsprint to keep their .
As the bus came near the Mile, a suddenly rang out “ !This is your driver speaking.” We looked at the back of the driver’s head. “Put your papers down. All of you.” The came down. “Now, turn and face the person next to you. Go .”
Surprisingly we all did it. Still no one smiled. I faced an older woman, her head wrapped in a red scarf(围巾).I saw her every day. Our eyes met We waited for the next from the driver. “Now repeat after me. Good morning neighbor!”
Our voice were .For many of us, these were the words we had spoken that day. But we said them together, like ,to the strangers beside us. We couldn’t help .There was the feeling of relief(解脱), that we were not being held up(抢劫). But more, there was the sense of ice being . “Good morning ,neighbor.” It was not so after all. Some of us repeated it, others shook hands ,many laughed. The bus driver said nothing more. He didn’t to. Not a single newspaper went back up. I heard laughter, a warm sound I had never heard before in .
When I reached my stop, I said to my seatmate, and then jumped off the bus. That day was off better than most.
A.unwritten B.strict C.bus D.city
A.As B.Because C.When D.Although
A.read B.sit C.talk D.hide
A.ways B.methods C.respect D.distance
A.message B.warning C.suggestion D.voice
A.Attention B.Minding C.Help D.Listen
A.papers B.passengers C.driver D.tears
A.on B.round C. ahead D.down
A.still B.nearly C.even D.hardly
A.turn B.talk C.order D.remark
A.loud B.neat C.slow D.weak
A.first B.last C.best D.only
A.passengers B.citizens C.patients D.schoolchildren
A.shouting B.crying C.smiling D.wondering
A.formed B.heated C.broken D.frozen
A.sad B.hard C.ordinary D.shy
A.need B.want C.like D.begin
A.my life B.Bus No.151 C.public D.other words
A.good morning B.good-bye C.hello D.thanks
A.starting B.seeing C.taking D.turning
阅读下面短文,掌握其大意,然后从36~55各题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中,选出最佳选项。
My First Day
I was still shy in the presence of a crowd.And my first day at the new made me a laughing stock of the classroom. I was sent to the blackboard to write my .I knew my name, and knew how to write it, but standing at the blackboard with the ____ of so many pupils on my back made me inside and I was unable to write a single letter.
"Write your name," the teacher called to me. I the white chalk to the blackboard and, as I was about to write, my mind went blank; I could not remember my name, the first letter.
Somebody laughed and I became "Just forget us and write your name," the teacher called and walked to my side, at me to give me confidence.
"What’ s your name?" she asked. "Richard," I ____ . "Then write it."
I turned to the blackboard and lifted my hand to write, but then I was again. I tried to ___ my senses but I could remember nothing.I realized how totally I was and I grew weak and leaned my hot forehead the cold blackboard. The room burst into a loud and my muscles froze. I sat and myself.Why did I always appear so dumb I was called upon to perform in a crowd? I knew how to write as well as any other pupil in the classroom, and there was no I could read better than any of them, and I could talk when I was sure of myself. Then why did strange make me freeze? I sat with my ears and neck __, hearing the pupils around me whisper, hating myself.
A.school B.house C.office D.lab
A.address B.name C.website D.hobby
A.presence B.pressure C.eyes D.smiles
A.freeze B.struggle C.fall D.think
A.took B.picked C.carried D.lifted
A.still B.ever C.even D.also
A.delighted B.nervous C.disappointed D.angry
A.pointing B.looking C.smiling D.waving
A.whispered B.explained C.shouted D.nodded
A.empty B.stupid C.quiet D.blank
A.form B.collect C.make D.catch
A.fighting B.feeling C.failing D.afraid
A.by B.before C.from D.against
A.laughter B.noise C.cry D.cheer
A.calmed B.hid C.comforted D.blamed
A.where B.that C.when D.as
A.need B.doubt C.wonder D.use
A.correctly B.anxiously C.clearly D.freely
A.faces B.teachers C.places D.classrooms
A.shaking B.suffering C.burning D.Hurting