I used to believe in the American Dream, which meant a job, a mortgage, credit cards, success. I wanted it and worked toward it like everyone else, all of us 51 chasing the same thing.
One year, through a series of unhappy events, it all fell 52 . I found myself homeless and alone. I had my truck and $56. I 53 the countryside for some place I could rent for the 54 possible amount. I came upon a shabby house four miles up a winding mountain road over the Potomac River in West Virginia. It was 55 , full of broken glass and rubbish. I found the owner, rented it, and 56 a corner to camp in.
The locals knew nothing about me, but slowly, they started teaching me the 57 of being a neighbor. They dropped off blankets, candles, and tools, and began sticking around to chat. They started to teach me a belief in a 58 American Dream—not the one of individual achievement but of neighborliness.
What I had believed in, all those things I thought were 59 for a civilized life, were nonexistent in this place. 60 on the mountain, my most valuable possessions were my 61 with my neighbors.
Four years later, I moved back into 62 . I saw many people were having a really hard time,
63 their jobs and homes. I managed to rent a big enough house to 64 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 shelters 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 65 we can all get bytogether.
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.occupied B.abandoned C.emptied D.robbed
A.turned B.approached C.cleared D.cut
A.benefit B.lesson C.nature D.art
A.wild B.real C.different D.remote
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.when B.what C.whether D.how
Cheerful Charlie was a very special boy. When he was still in his mother’s tummy, she had an accident, which meant that Charlie couldn’t walk. But that had never been a(n) for him; they had started calling him Cheerful Charlie because of his joyful and nature. He really brightened everything up for those around him.
There wasn’t a postman, or a taxi driver who wasn’t to see Charlie. “Cheer up, Mr. Postman, that way you’ll more letters today!” he would say, or “That was great, Mr. Taxi Driver. You that thing better than anyone else. ”
He also had great ideas and for everything; and he shared them so generously that, just about every day in that town, someone did a great job, or something new, thanks to Charlie’s ideas.
One day, though, he came up against a real . A young boy came to town on his holidays. He was known as Waterworks and was a real crybaby. No matter what Charlie said to him, Waterworks would always find some to be sad: “I don’t have many sweets… my parents didn’t buy me that toy…” Everything seemed so bad to him. But Cheerful Charlie wasn’t going to be , and he kept spending more time with Waterworks, trying to cheer him up, just as he did with everyone.
Then, one day, when they were together in the street, someone a pie from a window above by chance, and it landed on Charlie’s head. He got such a fright that he couldn’t even move his lips. He was speechless, and although Waterworks was just about to cry, he Charlie’s happy words so much that he finally said,“Wow, Charlie, that’s a nice clown mask(小丑面具)you just put on!”
On saying those words, Waterworks felt so that he finally understood why Charlie was always so happy and cheerful. He realized that he was so used to Charlie’s enthusiasm that he couldn’t help but see the funny side of everything.
A.problem B.mistake C.excuse D.topic
A.sensitive B.humorous C.responsible D.enthusiastic
A.surprised B.moved C.pleased D.disappointed
A.send B.write C.print D.find
A.paint B.play C.park D.repair
A.opportunities B.solutions C.comments D.impressions
A.cleared B.noticed C.enjoyed D.invented
A.difficulty B.surprise C.risk D.disaster
A.means B.reason C.method D.value
A.let down B.taken up C.set free D.driven away
A.hardly B.quickly C.constantly D.specially
A.aimed B.moved C.threw D.dropped
A.ahead B.right C.almost D.even
A.missed B.loved C.envied D.wanted
A.ordinary B.sorry C.good D.curious
I have always wanted to share this story because it is one of the things that I will remember for my entire life. And I’m sure person feels the same.
We had a new teacher in my high school World History class. She was very nice and excited to see us. She told a story about her fighting in a war and brought a picture of him. After about fifteen of her talking, the class started talking softly to each other they were getting bored. Looking , she asked “So, you guys don’t really want to hear any more?” No one dared to actually say “no” to her out loud one kid. He said, “No, not really!” in a disrespectful way. Some kids were a little and thought that it was rather rude.
I felt extremely bad for this teacher. No one deserves to be in such a disrespectful manner. , a little before class let out, I went up to her and for the guy’s rude behavior. I told her I had been , and even though I may not entirely like , I did appreciate her sharing her story. I asked her about her father and asked to see the picture of him. We had a very nice, genuine conversation about her father.
The teacher was . She really appreciated me coming up and actually treating her with the that she deserved. I felt at full peace with myself knowing that I did the right thing and I was super happy that I actually . Even though I didn’t really care for history, I listened, and I hope that others in different situations will do the same. Listening means a lot to the people sharing; it really . If I had just left the class without saying a word, I would have felt extremely and would have a constant reminder, probably to this day, that was not served and I had left a person in their time of need.
A.neither B.no C.a certain D.the other
A.father B.nephew C.uncle D.brother
A.hours B.minutes C.seconds D.days
A.even if B.as if C.because D.so
A.hurt B.funny C.proud D.amused
A.besides B.except C.as well as D.along with
A.interested B.excited C.disappointed D.shocked
A.treated B.considered C.scolded D.taught
A.Therefore B.However C.Personally D.Naturally
A.thanked B.prepared C.apologized D.argued
A.talking B.listening C.laughing D.wondering
A.geography B.literature C.architecture D.history
A.nothing B.little C.less D.more
A.amazed B.touched C.embarrassed D.bored
A.gift B.reward C.respect D.praise
A.made her day B.made my day C.made her way D.made my way
A.ever B.even C.still D.seldom
A.means B.makes C.is D.does
A.happy B.guilty C.lucky D.empty
A.justice B.right C.purpose D.interest
German Prime Minister Otto Von Bismarck may be most famous for his and diplomatic talent, but his contributions to the society include many of today’s social insurance programs. During the middle of the 19th century, Germany, other European nations, an unusual outbreak of workplace deaths and accidents as a result of growing . in part by Christian sympathy for the helpless as well as a practical political impulse to get the of the socialist labor movement, Bismarck the world’s first worker’s compensation law in 1884.
By 1908, the United States was the industrial nation in the world that lacked workers’ compensation insurance. American’s injured workers could seek in a court of law, but they still faced a number of tough legal barriers. , employees had to prove that their injuries directly employer’s lack of care and they themselves were ignorant about potential danger in the workplace. The first state workers’ compensation law in this country passed in 1911, and the program soon throughout the nation.
After World War II, benefit payments to American workers did not the cost of living. In fact, real benefit levels were lower in the 1970s than they were in the 1940s, and in most states the maximum benefit was below the poverty level for a family of four. In 1970, President Richard Nixon set up a national to study the problems workers’ compensation. Two years later, the committee issued 19 key recommendations, one that called for increasing compensation benefit levels to 100 percent of the states’ average weekly wages.
A.artistic B.literary C.military D.economic
A.along with B.other than C.apart from D.rather than
A.experimented B.explored C.experienced D.excluded
A.urbanization B.revolution C.evolution D.industrialization
A.Inspired B.Touched C.Organized D.Motivated
A.feedback B.statement C.proof D.support
A.discovered B.created C.uncovered D.revealed
A.unique B.only C.powerful D.most
A.rights B.help C.compensation D.support
A.For example B.However C.Consequently D.Moreover
A.resulted in B.stood for C.resulted from D.deal with
A.spread B.promoted C.stretched D.placed
A.put up with B.face up to C.benefit from D.keep up with
A.community B.committee C.authority D.government
A.including B.insisting C.installing D.investing
A young and successful executive was traveling down a street , going a bit too fast in his new car; He was for kids rushing out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something.
his car passed a brick the car’s side door, He pressed hard the and spun the car back to the from where the brick had been thrown,.
He jumped out of the car, a kid and pushed him up a parked car,shouting,”what was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing?” more and more angry, he wen on “That’s a new car and that brick you threw is gonna a lot of money, Why did you do it?””Please ,mister,please,I’m sorry, Ididn’t know what else to do!” the youngster, “It’s my brother”,he said ,”He fell out of his wheelchair and I can’t him up”,Sobbing ,the boy asked the executive, “Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair?”He’s hurt and he’s too heavy for me.”
beyond words, the driver tried to the rapidly swelling lump(块)in his throat, He the young man back into the wheelchair and took out his and wiped the scrapes (擦伤)and cuts, to see that everything was going to be okay.
“Thank you ,sir, And God bless you,”the child said to him ,The man then watched the little boy bis brother to the sidewalk toward their home.
It was a long slow walk back to his car, He never did the side door ,He kept the dent(凹痕)to remind him not to go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your .
A.looking B.watching C.caring D.waiting
A.Before B.After C.as D.while
A.hit B.blocked C.dropped D.scratched
A.hit B.brakes C.brick D.wheel
A.spot B.which C.that D.this
A.saw B.found C.stopped D.grabbed
A.on B.in C.against D.towards
A.Remaining B.Growing C.Building up D.Making up
A.cost B.spend C.use D.take
A.begged B.required C.asked D.wondered
A.get B.pick C.lift D.put
A.Worried B.Depressed C.Moved D.Surprised
A.chew B.melt C.spit D.swallow
A.helped B.pulled C.held D.took
A.medicine B.handkerchief C.belt D.money
A.demanding B.expecting C.checking D.wanting
A.delighted B.sad C.helpless D.grateful
A.push B.bring C.hand D.raise
A.recovery B.repair C.reform D.record
A.information B.help C.attention D.notice
Whenever we do something wrong, Jesus Christ sees it. He loves us and doesn’t say it. Perhaps he’s wondering how long we’ll keep our mind suffering. A little boy named Johnny was visiting his grandparents on their farm and he was given a slingshot(弹弓) to play with out in the woods. He for some time but he could never hit the target he had set for himself. Getting a little , he walked back to the farmhouse for dinner. As he was _ back, he saw Grandpa’s pet duck. Just out of , he let the slingshot fly , hitting it in the head ,and killed it. In a panic, he the dead duck in the woodpile, only to see his sister Sally be watching him. Sally had seen all this, but she said __ . After lunch that day Grandma said, “Sally, it’s your turn to wash the dishes.” But Sally said, “Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen.” And then she spoke _ to him, “Remember the duck?” So Johnny did the dishes. Later that day, Grandpa asked if wanted to go fishing, but Grandma said, “I’m sorry but I need Sally to help me make supper.” But Sally just smiled and said, “Well, that’s all right because Johnny told me he was too to help you. And she whispered again, “Remember the duck?” So Sally went fishing and Johnny to help make supper. After several days of doing both his and Sally’s, Johnny finally couldn’t it any longer. He came to his Grandma and told her that he had killed the duck .Grandma smiled and gave him a big __ . “Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was watering the flowers at the window I saw you shoot my duck with the slingshot, and I saw the whole thing. But because I love you, I you. I was just wondering how long you would let Sally_ of you.”
In reality, no matter how __ or how uncomfortable it is to admit our wrongdoing, we should always choose to it and work it through instead of running away from it. Hard as it is, it us and makes us who we are.
A.promoted B.exercised C.practiced D.consumed
A.delighted B.upset C.amazed D.scared
A.running B.rushing C.heading D.leaving
A.sympathy B.pride C.impulse D.politeness
A.hung B.presented C.protected D.hid
A.should B.shall C.must D.might
A.nothing B.everything C.something D.anything
A.loudly B.softly C.guiltily D.innocently
A.Sally B.Johnny C.the children D.Grandma
A.reluctant B.willing C.curious D.cautious
A.kept up B.held back C.left behind D.stayed behind
A.chores B.homework C.games D.sports
A.accept B.stand C.withdraw D.allow
A.hug B.blow C.reward D.award
A.whereas B.as C.while D.when
A.appreciate B.admire C.forgive D.Force
A.put the blame B.make friends C.put pressure D.make a slave
A.doubtful B.grateful C.harmful D.painful
A.reject B.control C.face D.witness
A.develops B.shapes C.ruins D.prepares