I’m a straight-A student and have been my whole life. When you come from a family of educators, it just seems .
With high academic standards and a competitive , I don’t just like losing and I also can’t it. I need to beat the students, perfectly in everything. I’ve even gone so far as to define myself by my , saying how outstanding I am. If I don’t get the grade I then I am lost.
Today I was sitting in class trying to the last minutes studying for a test in which I had to get full marks. the girl behind me started talking to me, I tried to listen while still glancing at my study sheet . When I thought the conversation required it, I smiled, nodded and . And then I found myself wishing she would be so I could study. After a while, she said, “You know, you’re a really good . You’re so easy to talk to. ”I froze.
I replayed the praise in my head before smiling and accepting it . But inside, I knew it wasn’t true. She’d made every effort to have a conversation and I wasn’t even trying to .
I passed the test excellently despite my of lost study time, but the one thing I needed to learn most wasn’t on that test. I had being the best student so that I had failed at just being normal. So what to me most? What I have is all about my personal and about me being too self-centered. There can only be so many scholars, but there is enough sympathy. I want that to be what matters to me—sympathy.
A．usual B．helpless C．unfortunate D．natural
A．spirit B．sport C．school D．market
A．take B．recommend C．stand D．help
A．ordinary B．top C．handsome D．strong
A．strength B．appearance C．grades D．tricks
A．invent B．expect C．copy D．hide
A．save B．spend C．collect D．cost
A．When B．After C．Because D．Before
A．rudely B．bitterly C．excitedly D．politely
A．in no time B．on time C．for a long time D．now and then
A．refused B．worked C．agreed D．waited
A．quiet B．gentle C．pretty D．safe
A．talker B．listener C．lecturer D．teacher
A．angrily B．carelessly C．disappointedly D．gladly
A．alarm B．gather C．participate D．shout
A．fear B．joy C．worry D．possession
A．given up B．focused on C．complained of D．dreamed of
A．happens B．matters C．appeals D．devotes
A．success B．failure C．depression D．health
A．always B．ever C．much D．never
Surfing: It’s Not Just for Boys Any More
If you asked high school girls to name their favorite sports, most would probably say basketball or volleyball. I am one of the few girls who would 21 : surfing(冲浪运动). But isn’t that a boy thing? Some people 22 . Most certainly not.
I started surfing about five years ago and 23 in love with the sport on the very first day. Riding the first 24 was the best feeling I had ever experienced.
When I try to 25 surfing with other things, I find it very difficult because, in my 2—___26 , there’s nothing like it. It involves(牵涉到) body and 27 . There’s sand between my toes and cool, salt 28 all around us. The feeling I get when I’m surfing 29 that water, becoming one with the 30 , is like I’m weightless.
The one thing I can 31 from surfing and not any other sport is endless challenge. You can never be the “best surfer” because the ocean 32 an too many kinds of waves that nobody can ever master. The variations of surfing styles are wonderful. Some surfers are free and flowing; others are very aggressive(活跃有力的) and 33 . All of these things attract me to surfing and make it 34 from any other sport.
I’ve 35 to tell every girl I know to do something that people don’t think girls can do. It’s part of being human to advance to new 36 , so shouldn’t it be expected that girls should step up and start 37 __the limits of things boys and men used to dominate(主宰)?
There’re women 38 side by side with the President of our country, so why not side by side with the boys 39 the football team or out in the water surfing? Give girls a chance to 40 , and they will.
A．tell B．answer C．give D．realize
A．wonder B．understand C．reply D．believe
A．stayed B．came C．dropped D．fell
A．wave B．storm C．sail D．boat
A．bring B．connect C．compare D．tie
A．work B．study C．holiday D．life
A．mind B．effort C．health D．time
A．beach B．ocean C．water D．coast
A．through B．across C．over D．above
A．sky B．world C．earth D．ocean
A．take B．get C．make D．keep
A．catches B．includes C．offers D．collects
A．sharp B．great C．hard D．calm
A．known B．right C．far D．different
A．chosen B．tried C．managed D．promised
A．levels B．points C．steps D．parts
A．reaching B．accepting C．pushing D．setting
A．sitting B．walking C．fighting D．working
A．of B．from C．on D．with
A．think B．succeed C．perform D．feel
I remember one Thanksgiving when our family had no money and no food, and someone came knocking on our door. A man was ___36____ there with a huge box of food, a giant turkey and even some ___37____ to cook it in. I couldn’t ___38___ it. My dad demanded, “Who are you? Where are you from?”
The stranger announced, “I’m here because a friend of yours knows you’re in need and that you wouldn’t accept __39__ help, so I’ve brought this for you. Have a great Thanksgiving.”
My father said, “No, no, we ___40___ accept this.” The stranger replied “You don’t have __41____.”, closed the door and left.
Obviously that experience had a profound impact (深刻影响) on my life. I ___42___ myself that someday I would do well enough financially _43__ I could do the same thing for other people. By the time I was eighteen I had created my Thanksgiving ritual (习惯). I would go out ____44___ and buy enough food for one or two ___45____. Then I would dress like a delivery boy, go to the __46____ neighbourhood and just knock on a ___47____. I always __48____ a note that explained my Thanksgiving experience __49____ a kid. The note said, “All that I ask ___50___ is that you take good enough care of ___51____ so that someday you can do the same thing for someone else.” I have received more from this annual ritual than I have from any amount of __52____ I’ve ever earned.
Years ago I was in New York City with my new wife during Thanksgiving. She was sad because we were not with our family. ___53____ she would be home decorating the house for Christmas, but we were __54_____ in a hotel room. When I told her what I always do on Thanksgiving, she got excited.
We packed enough food for seven families for thirty days and went to buildings where half a dozen people lived in one room with no electricity and no heat in winter surrounded by rats, cockroaches(蟑螂) and the smell of urine(尿). It was both an ___55____ realization that people lived this way and a truly fulfilling experience to make even a small difference.
A．speaking B．standing C．looking D．shouting
A．meat B．vegetables C．pans D．firewood
A．believe B．accept C．help D．refuse
A．direct B．some C．our D．any
A．may not B．needn’t C．can’t D．daren’t
A．any money B．a choice C．food D．a turkey
A．permitted B．promised C．asked D．said
A．when B．so that C．even if D．as if
A．driving B．playing C．offering D．shopping
A．people B．children C．families D．days
A．nearest B．farthest C．largest D．poorest
A．house B．door C．window D．gate
A．concluded B．included C．wrote D．took
A．like B．with C．as D．to
A．in return B．later C．in future D．for
A．others B．yourself C．your family D．the presents
A．warmth B．thanks C．money D．encouragement
A．Unfortunately B．Obviously C．Normally D．Gradually
A．stuck B．excited C．free D．delighted
A．exciting B．astonishing C．encouraging D．outstanding
Standing in the driveway, I watched my grown children drive off into the distance. I looked down the road until I could no longer see their 36 _____ .
“They live too far away from me,” I said to myself. “When did they 37 _____ and become parents of small children? 38 _____ that be me?”
I slipped back inside the house and just walked through the rooms for no reason 39 _____.1 was just missing them already and looking for 40 _____ of their having been here. There were pillows on the floor and a few stuffed (填充）animals 41 _____ around where the children had been playing.
I walked into the 42 _____ and there on the back of the sink was a bottle brush that had been left behind. “Ah，even Tessa left something behind,” I 43 _____ Well, I suppose she had help 44 _____ she was just four months old.
As I walked around the house, I picked up a few more 45 _____ on the floor — Tegan’S tooth, a pie pan, and the inside of a turkey fryer.
ttHmmm, things left behind ...’’I thought to myself. It seems there is one thing left behind on every 46 _____ . Memories are always left behind, I reasoned, and what a(n) 47 _____ thing good memories are to us. I thought how each item left behind 48 _____ me of the person it belonged to and the story 49 _____ it.
Memories happen even if we aren’t 50 _____ of it. The stressful and difficult moments often become memories that we 51 _____ later with laughter and joy. The memories of past hurts, bitterness, and anger, 52 . should be left behind 53 _____These are the things that we should never 54 _____ until the next time they come, mail back, or bring with us to 55_____next visit.
As Elizabeth Stone said, “To have a child is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.
A．smiles B．vehicles C．pains D．bicycles
A．drop out B．break away C．set off D．grow up
A．Wouldn’t B．Shouldn’t C．Can’t D．Needn’t
A．in particular B．with anger C．with joy D．in return
A．signals B．atmosphere C．signs D．information
A．lying B．jumping C．moving D．looking
A．house B．distance C．kitchen D．driveway
A．announced B．explained C．complained D．replied
A．when B．unless C．until D．since
A．toys B．items C．memories D．treasures
A．table B．course C．occasion D．comer
A．funny B．private C．ordinary D．precious
A．reminded B．informed C．warned D．convinced
A．promoting B．surrounding C．acknowledging D．exposing
A．proud B．ashamed C．aware D．afraid
A．attach importance to B．throw doubt on C．look forward to D．look back upon
A．besides B．therefore C．otherwise D．though
A．partly B．sometimes C．forever D．unwillingly
A．present B．keep C．overlook D．experience
A．our B．their C．its D．your
I remember as a small child when we would have these gatherings where someone would come up and ask, “What are you going to be when you grow up?”
Well, it 41 being a cowboy or some super hero. Later it was a fireman, policeman, lawyer ... As I grew older my dreams of the future 42 . When, at last, I was in college, I made up my 43 to become a preacher(牧师) as my father. 44 I studied and prepared for that life. I reached 45 in the end and I was preaching nearly fulltime for much of my adult life.
However, for many, there is a “thief” which goes around stealing our 46 . Sometimes, the thief will come as a parent, a relative, or a friend, but the 47 thief is, so many times, just 48 .
We find ourselves just about reaching the top, and this “small” 49 inside says, “You will never make 50 .” “You can’t possibly do this.” And on and on the “small” voice 51 some kind of failure. Failure, though, is exactly how dreams are 52 . It is one of the most important tools we have, because it teaches us invaluable 53 . And, when we learn these lessons well, we are ready 54 success.
The message I always gave my children was that you 55 do anything your heart desires. Remember the saying, “Nothing is 56 to a willing heart.” There are 57 “overnight” successes, but with determination, it will come. Imagine yourself in the life you dream of 58 . Then in your heart, believe it 59 happen for you. Then work, work, work. You get the picture.
So, be true to your dream, and don’t let anyone 60 it from you—especially yourself.
A．insisted on B．felt like C．kept on D．started out
A．changed B．meant C．planned D．left
A．goal B．mind C．interest D．experience
A．But B．So C．Or D．Yes
A．agreement B．conclusion C．success D．position
A．money B．children C．friends D．dreams
A．greatest B．tallest C．poorest D．oldest
A．themselves B．yourselves C．ourselves D．itself
A．sound B．voice C．noise D．speech
A．it B．him C．her D．me
A．expects B．predicts C．answers D．suffers
A．met B．defended C．understood D．realized
A．stages B．suggestions C．lessons D．choices
A．to B．for C．at D．with
A．are able to B．used to C．have to D．ought to
A．interesting B．important C．necessary D．impossible
A．many B．a few C．some D．no
A．spending B．living C．planning D．changing
A．will B．might C．could D．does
A．buy B．fool C．steal D．borrow
The first day of school we were surprised to know a new classmate. I 1 around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder. I found a little 2 lady with a warm smile.
She said, “Hi! I’m 87 years old. Can I give you a hug? ” I laughed and heartily 3 , “Of course!”
“Why are you in college at such a young, innocent (天真的)age?” I asked.
She replied, “I’m here to meet a rich husband, get married, 4 children, and then travel around.”
“ 5 ?”I asked. I 6 why she gave herself so much trouble at this age.
“I always 7 having a college education and now I’m getting one!” she told me. We became friends quickly..
8, Rose became an icon(偶像) in the school and she easily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she enjoyed the 9 which was paid to her from the other students.
At the end of the term we invited Rose to speak at our football party. I’ll never forget what she 10 us.
“We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old 11 we stop playing. Here are the secrets to staying 12 . You have to laugh and find 13 every day. You’ve got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die. 14 we have many people like this walking around!” she said.
“There is a huge 15 between growing older and growing up. Anybody can grow older. That doesn’t 16 any gift or ability(能力),” she added. “But growing up needs 17 the chance in change. Have no regrets. The old usually don’t regret 18 they did, but rather things they did not do.”
One weak after graduation that year,Rose died in peace in her sleep.She taught us 19 that it’s never too 20 to be all you can possibly be.
A．stopped B．showed C．asked D．looked
A．old B．exciting C．strange D．nervous
A．added B．refused C．responded D．offered
A．to have B．have C．had D．having
A．really B．wisely C．actually D．secretly
A．recognized B．understood C．wondered D．believed
A．wanted to B．looked forward of C．got tired of D．dreamed of
A．Over the year B．suddenly C．Once again D．As usual
A．jokes B．questions C．attention D．followers
A．commanded B．taught C．requested D．asked
A．when B．because C．so D．although
A．young B．healthy C．growing D．developing
A．friends B．humor C．difficulty D．questions
A．Unfortunately B．Naturally C．Generally D．Gradually
A．ending B．change C．importance D．difference
A．use B．take C．finish D．prefer
A．winning B．improving C．meeting D．finding
A．what B．which C．how D．why
A．at last B．by herself C．by example D．in use
A．late B．good C．early D．Young