I grew up poor－living with my wonderful mother. We had little money, but plenty of love and attention. I was and energetic. I understood that no matter how poor a person was, he could still to have a dream.
My dream was . By the time I was sixteen, I had started playing baseball. I could throw a ninety-mile-per-hour fastball and anything that moved on the football field. I was also : My high school coach was John, who not only believed in me, but also taught me to believe in myself. He me the difference between having a dream and remaining true to that dream. One particular _ with Coach John changed my life forever.
A friend recommended me for a summer job. This meant a chance for money in my pocket-money for a new bike, new clothes and the of savings for a house for my mother. Then I realized I would have to up summer baseball to handle the work schedule, and that meant I would have to tell John I wouldn’t be playing.
When I told John, he was as as I expected him to be. “You have your whole life to work,” He said. “Your days are limited. You can’t afford to waste them.” I stood before him with my head , trying to think of the to explain to him why my dream of buying my mom a house and having money in my pocket was worth facing his in me.
“How much are you going to make at this job?” He asked. “3.5 dollars an hour,” I replied.
“Well,” he asked, “is $3.5 an hour the price of a dream?”
That simple question made for me the difference between something right now and having a . I devoted myself to sports that summer and the year I was chosen by the Pittsburgh Pirates to play baseball, and was a $20,000 contract. My baseball scholarship got me through university and in 1984 I signed with Denver Broncos for $1.7 million and bought my mother the house of her dreams.
A．happy B．polite C．shy D．honest
A．live B．afford C．make D．need
A．athletics B．music C．business D．money
A．throw B．play C．pass D．hit
A．right B．popular C．lucky D．wrong
A．how B．why C．when D．whether
A．gave B．taught C．brought D．asked
A．accident B．matter C．problem D．experience
A．aim B．idea C．start D．purpose
A．keep B．end C．give D．pick
A．mad B．puzzled C．frightened D．shameful
A．living B．playing C．working D．learning
A．moving B．nodding C．shaking D．hanging
A．answers B．excuses C．words D．ways
A．sadness B．regret C．hopelessness D．disappointment
A．direct B．clear C．straight D．bare
A．wanting B．changing C．dreaming D．living
A．wish B．dream C．score D．desire
A．by B．for C．over D．within
A．paid B．got C．offered D．presented
When I came to my new school three years ago, I was surprised at how lonely I felt. Then one of my classmates invited me to her house for a dinner 36 . I was a little anxious, but finally I gladly 37.
Not really knowing how 38 the bus ride should be, I 39 when I saw the landmarks 40 on my friend’s hand-drawn map. But when I got close enough to the 41 , I found none of the streets were shown on the map. I was 42 on a busy road with cars driving past without a person in sight. I had no43 when the next bus would come, 44 when a bus did come by, I 45 got on. I told the bus driver where I wanted to go and he said that I had caught the 46 bus, but he let me stay on. After he had finished his scheduled bus route, he 47 to help me out. I gratefully showed him my little hand-drawn map but 48 did not help much.
He finally 49 me off at a main road to catch a different bus and was 50 that he could not help me more. After a few minutes of walking, I noticed a bus pull up beside me. It was the 51 bus driver. He explained that he didn’t want to leave me there 52 . He sent out a call and someone radioed back, saying that the bus I needed to catch was about ten minutes away. At last I made it to the dinner party 53 I was over an hour late.
I am forever thankful for the 54 that this bus driver had for me. His act of kindness left a 55 on my heart.
A．meal B．party C．meeting D．time
A．accepted B．refused C．got D．received
A．far B．difficult C．long D．bad
A．drove on B．walked away C．hurried by D．got off
A．show B．showing C．shown D．to show
A．street signs B．tall buildings C．traffic lights D．back yards
A．queuing B．sitting C．standing D．waiting
A．meaning B．idea C．problem D．way
A．so B．yet C．but D．still
A．suddenly B．luckily C．finally D．quickly
A．right B．wrong C．best D．fastest
A．supplied B．refused C．offered D．wanted
A．it B．he C．she D．they
A．kept B．dropped C．drove D．turned
A．eager B．worried C．sorry D．disappointed
A．same B．next C．kind D．silly
A．helpless B．lonely C．unaccompanied D．alone
A．after B．although C．until D．when
A．respect B．concern C．help D．love
A．mark B．sign C．symbol D．line
Fiona Famous was a very popular girl at school. She felt 1 as no other girl had so many friends at school and in the neighborhood.
But everything 2 on National Friendship Day. On that day in class everyone had to make three presents to give to their three best friends. Fiona 3 the task of choosing three from all the dozens of her friends. However, she was the only one in her class who did not 4 a present! She felt terrible, and spent hours 5 . Everyone came and comforted her for a while.But each one only stayed for a short time before leaving.This was 6 what Fiona had done so many times to others.
She 7 that she was a good companion and acquaintance (泛泛之交), but she had not been a true friend to anyone. She had tried to be close to everyone, but now she found that was not enough to create 8 friendships.
When she got home that night, Fiona told her mother about the whole thing. Her mother said, "You can't be a close friend to everybody.It's only 9 to have a few true friends.The others will just be playmates or acquaintances.”
Hearing this, Fiona decided to change her way so that she could finally have some true friends. That night, in 10 , she thought about what she could do to get them. She thought about her mother. Her mother was always willing to 11 her, she put up with all of Fiona's dislikes and 12 , she always forgave her, she loved her a great deal ... That was what makes a 13 ！
And Fiona 14 , realizing that she already had the best friend that anyone could 15 .She fell asleep and had a good dream.
A．tired B．lucky C．strange D．surprised
A．mattered B．developed C．changed D．appeared
A．enjoyed B．improved C．failed D．ruined
A．receive B．show C．complete D．make
A．remaking B．thinking C．crying D．checking
A．especially B．gradually C．briefly D．exactly
A．forgot B．realized C．doubted D．complained
A．new B．true C．long D．smart
A．possible B．fair C．important D．natural
A．chair B．bed C．school D．table
A．correct B．follow C．help D．find
A．dreams B．ideas C．stories D．problems
A．playmate B．parent C．friend D．mother
A．smiled B．suffered C．screamed D．hesitated(犹豫)
A．compare B．protect C．remember D．want
A man found the cocoon (茧) of a moth (蛾). He took it home so that he could 1 the moth come out of the cocoon. On that day a small 2 appeared. He sat and watched the moth for several hours as the moth struggled to 3 the body through that little hole. Soon it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had 4 as far as it could and it could go no further. It just seemed to be stuck. So the man, out of his kindness, decided to help the moth. He took a pair of scissors and 5 the remaining bit of the cocoon. The 6 then came out easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriven (无用的) wings. The man continued to watch the moth because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and 7 to be able to support the 8 , which would get smaller in time. Neither happened! In fact, the little moth spent the rest of its life 9 around with a swollen body and shriven wings. It was 10 able to fly.
What the man in his kindness didn’t 11 was that the small cocoon and the 12 of the moth to get through the 13 opening was a way to push fluid (液体) 14 the body of moth 15 its wings so that it would be ready to fly 16 it got out of the cocoon. Freedom and 17 would come only after the struggle. By taking the struggle away, he also took away the moth’s health.
Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If we were to 18 our lives without any difficulties, we would become disabled. We would not be as 19 as what we could have been. Give every opportunity a chance. Leave no room for 20 .
A．help B．protect C．watch D．see
A．opening B．line C．moth D．butterfly
A．pull B．draw C．make D．force
A．got B．done C．tried D．climbed
A．cut up B．cut off C．cut out D．cut in
A．moth B．butterfly C．cocoon D．worm
A．lessen B．widen C．expand D．shorten
A．standing B．flight C．wings D．body
A．flying B．crawling C．walking D．lying
A．already B．certainly C．never D．ever
A．do B．think C．want D．understand
A．crawling B．struggle C．fight D．force
A．tiny B．beginning C．right D．above
A．in B．on C．by D．from
A．into B．to C．in D．onto
A．after B．once C．before D．until
A．courage B．happiness C．flight D．survival
A．stand by B．get on C．go through D．live in
A．great B．determined C．brave D．strong
A．regrets B．death C．failure D．wishes
Monty Roberts often let me use his house to hold fund-raising events to raise money for young people in need.
The last time I was there he 36 me to a group of people by saying, “I want tell you 37 I let Jack use my house. It 38a story about a young man. When he was a high school student, he was asked to write a paper about his 39 .”
“That night be wrote a seven-page paper 40 his goal of someday owning a horse ranch （大牧场）. He wrote about his dream in great 41 and he even drew a picture of a 200-acre ranch, showing the 42 of all the buildings, the stables（马厩）and the track. Then he drew a detailed plan for a 4,000-square-foot house that would 43 on a 200-acre ranch.”
“When he received his paper, he found that there was a big red ‘F’ on the front page with a note 44 , ‘see me after class.’”
“The boy went to see the teacher after class and asked, ‘Why did I receive an F?’”
“The teacher said, ‘This is a（an） 45 dream for a young boy like you. If you __46 this paper with a more realistic goal, I will reconsider your 47 .’”
“Finally, after a week, the boy handed in the same paper, making no 48 . He stated, ‘You can 49 the F and I’ll keep my dream.’”
“I told you this story because you are sitting in my 4,000-square-foot 50in the middle of my 200-acre ranch. I still have that school 51 .”
He added, “That 52 teacher came to my ranch. Before leaving, he said, ‘During those years I 53a lot of kids’ dreams. 54 , you didn’t give up yours.
Don’t let anyone steal your dream. Follow your 55 , no matter what.
A．warned B．informed C．helped D．introduced
A．why B．when C．how D．where
A．breaks away from B．gets along with C．goes back to D．is occupied with
A．feeling B．dream C．difficulty D．contribution
A．expecting B．drawing C．imagining D．describing
A．strength B．detail C．surprise D．courage
A．owner B．construction C．locations D．prices
A．sit B．cover C．rise D．remain
A．writing B．expressing C．suggesting D．reading
A．unrealistic B．wonderful C．fantastic D．disappointing
A．exchange B．check C．rewrite D．treat
A．goal B．grade C．future D．behavior
A．senses B．changes C．comments D．excuses
A．keep B．follow C．continue D．choose
A．field B．ranch C．office D．house
A．building B．address C．story D．paper
A．same B．kind C．single D．famous
A．tested B．asked C．stole D．missed
A．Therefore B．Fortunately C．Surprisingly D．Generally
A．advice B．heart C．trend D．statement
It was only a few weeks after my surgery. I went to Dr. Belt’s office for a 36 . It was just after my first chemotherapy treatment(化疗). My scar was still very tender.(疼痛的) 37 . I was taken to an examination room to have my blood 38 , again—a terrifying process for me, since I’m so frightened of 39 .
I lay down on the 40 . Then Ramona entered the room. Her 41 smile was familiar, and 42in contrast to my fears. I’d first seen her in the office a few weeks earlier. She wasn’t my 43 on that day, but I remember her because she was laughing. What could she 44 find to laugh about at a time like this? So I decided she wasn’t 45 enough about the whole thing.
But this day was 46 . Ramona had taken my blood before. She 47 my fear of needles, and she kindly 48 the medical equipment under a magazine. As we opened the layers of bandage, the 49 scar on my chest could be seen.
She gently 50 over and ran her hand across the scar, 51 the smoothness of the healing skin. I began to cry gently and quietly. She brought her warm eyes to mine and said, “You haven’t 52 it yet, have you?” And I said, “No.”
I continued to cry gently. In 53 tones she said. “This is part of your body. This is you. It’s okay to touch it.” But I couldn’t. So she touched it for me. The 54 . The healing wound. And beneath it, she touched my heart.
That night as I lay down, I gently placed my hand on my chest and I left it there 55 I fell asleep. I knew I wasn’t alone.
A．prescription B．checkup C．conversation D．discussion
A．At once B．As usual C．In fact D．In addition
A．corrected B．mixed C．drawn D．cleaned
A．doctors B．nurses C．blood D．needles
A．operation table B．office floor C．examining bed D．test bed
A．weak B．bitter C．shy D．warm
A．worked out B．stood out C．found out D．gave out
A．girl B．partner C．companion D．nurse
A．accidentally B．particularly C．possibly D．actually
A．serious B．curious C．worried D．nervous
A．different B．difficult C．pleasant D．common
A．talked about B．got around C．knew about D．put away
A．found B．replaced C．showed D．hid
A．old B．worn C．fresh D．fine
A．came B．went C．searched D．reached
A．examining B．covering C．pressing D．removing
A．watched B．discovered C．touched D．unfolded
A．tough B．soft C．cold D．strict
A．bandage B．soul C．pain D．scar
A．after B．until C．since D．when