Wishing to encourage her young son’s progress on the piano, a mother took her boy to a Paderewski concert. After they were , the mother spotted a friend in the audience and walked down the passage to greet her.
Seizing the to explore the wonders of the concert hall, the little boy rose and explored his way through a door marked “NO ADMITTANCE.” When the house lights dimmed and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her seat and that the child was missing.
Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway on stage. In , the mother saw her little boy sitting at the key-board, picking out Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.
At that moment, the great piano master made his , quickly moved to the piano, and in the boy’s ear, “Don’t quit. Keep playing.”
Then over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached around to the other side of the child and he added a running obbligato (伴奏). Together, the old master and the young novice (beginner) transformed a frightening situation into a wonderfully experience. The audience was strongly .
That’s the way it is in life. What we can accomplish (实现) on our own is hardly . We try our best, but the aren’t exactly graceful flowing music. But when we trust in the hands of a Greater Power, our life’s work can be beautiful.
Next time you set out to great achievements, listen carefully. You can hear the voice of the Master, whispering in your ear, “Don’t quit. Keep playing.”
A．seated B．sat C．dressed D．rested
A．fact B．difficulty C．opportunity D．risk
A．actually B．occasionally C．fortunately D．eventually
A．discovered B．told C．accepted D．offered
A．joy B．trust C．horror D．pleasure
A．quickly B．personally C．generally D．innocently (纯洁地)
A．entrance B．disappearance C．arrangement D．opening
A．shouted B．repeated C．promised D．whispered
A．turning B．bending C．rising D．handing
A．creative B．effective C．annoying D．fearing
A．addicted(入了迷的) B．invited C．attacked D．attracted
A．abnormal (反常的) B．remarkable (卓越的) C．unimportant D．ordinary
A．goals B．intentions C．results D．purposes
A．luckily B．truly C．slightly D．fortunately
A．overcome B．enjoy C．accomplish D．become
Surfing: It’s Not Just for Boys Anymore
If you asked high school girls to name their favorite sports, most would probably say basketball or volleyball. I happen to be one of the few girls who would 36 : surfing. But isn’t that a boy thing? Some people 37 . Most certainly not.
I started surfing about five years ago and fell in love with the sport on the 38 first day. Riding that first 39 was the best feeling I had ever experienced.
When I try to 40 surfing with other things, I find it very difficult because, in my 41 , there’s nothing like it. It involves body, 42 , and soul. There’s sand between my toes and cool, salt water all 43 us. The feeling I get when I’m surfing across that 44 , becoming one with the 45 , is like I’m weightless.
The one thing I can 46 from surfing and not any other sport is endless challenge. You can never be the “best surfer” because the ocean 47 an uncountable variety of waves that nobody can ever master. The variations of surfing styles are wonderful. Some surfers are free and lowing; others are very aggressive (活跃有力的) and 48 . All of these things attract me to surfing and make it 49 from any other sport.
I’ve 50 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 51 , so shouldn’t it be expected that girls should step up and start 52 the limits of things boys and men used to dominate (主宰)?
There’re women 53 side by side with the President of our country, so why not side by side with the boys 54 the football team or out in the water surfing? Give girls a chance to 55 , and they will.
A．tell B．give C．answer D．realize
A．Believe B．understand C．reply D．wonder
A．very B．just C．rightly D．only
A．storm B．wave C．sail D．boat
A．bring B．connect C．tie D．compare
A．work B．study C．holiday D．life
A．effort B．mind C．health D．time
A．along B．around C．above D．by
A．water B．beach C．board D．lake
A．sky B．ocean C．earth D．world
A．take B．make C．get D．keep
A．offers B．includes C．catches D．collects
A．great B．sharp C．hard D．calm
A．known B．right C．far D．different
A．chosen B．learned C．tried D．promised
A．points B．levels C．steps D．parts
A．reaching B．accepting C．pushing D．setting
A．sitting B．walking C．working D．fighting
A．of B．from C．on D．with
A．think B．feel C．perform D．succeed
When I was twelve years old. I went with my dad to his work—a car showroom. I was 21 around carelessly and saw a poor woman with a child beside her 22 outside the showroom. I saw that she was crying and went inside to tell my 23 . He went out and 24 the woman to come into the showroom. He offered her some water and then asked her what was 25 .
The woman said that her husband had died and she didn’t have anyone else in her family who could 26 her. she did some manual(体力的) labor to earn some money to 27 her daughter but she was sick for the last three days and was 28 to go to work. Now she didn’t have a grain of food to eat. While she was telling this story to my father, she was unable to 29 her emotions（情绪）and started crying again. My father and I were deeply 30 by her story.
We got some food for her and her baby. My father then took them to the nearest hospital for her baby to be 31 as she did not seem to be very well. On the way, we32 her a 5kg-bag of wheat from the market. My father gave her some money before we left. The lady was so 33 .
It is eight years later, 34 that event is still very 35in my mind. My father’s 36 to this woman moved me 37 and since then, I have decided to try and walk a similar path and serve others. I’m 38 to see so many other people in this world are also ready to help others when they meet people 39 . They have 40 to walk a service path also.
A．showing B．walking C．driving D．working
A．reading B．joking C．reporting D．standing
A．boss B．father C．leader D．teacher
A．asked B．begged C．expected D．encouraged
A．funny B．special C．wrong D．strange
A．help B．meet C．teach D．remember
A．get tired of B．take care of C．join in D．be fond of
A．glad B．proud C．unable D．unwilling
A．prove B．improve C．understand D．control
A．moved B．frightened C．satisfied D．surprised
A．calmed B．taught C．watched D．treated
A．sold B．showed C．bought D．cooked
A．grateful B．trustful C．hopeful D．successful
A．or B．but C．unless D．so
A．weak B．similar C．fresh D．possible
A．promise B．suggestion C．patience D．kindness
A．greatly B．simply C．nearly D．finally
A．free B．foolish C．happy D．careful
A．at present B．at peace C．in general D．in difficulty
A．invited B．chosen C．forced D．allowed
When my twin sons, Chad and Brad, were born, I was concerned about everything. Five years later, our little girl, Becky 1 our family. I wanted everybody to be healthy and happy. I worked hard to see that they were.
As the kids grew older, I worried about headaches, throat infections and many other common childhood illnesses．I didn’t like it when the boys spent time “warming the bench (板凳)” during Little League football games. I worried about Becky when she 2 the ball while playing softball．Before long, the teen years were upon us. I stayed up late at night waiting for the boys to return home．Many times the 3 crossed my mind that I would call the police if they weren’t home on time. 4 , they always arrived home safe and sound before I had to take such 5 .
“Please don't ever call the police,” one of the boys said when I 6 him after a late arrival. The day the boys moved away to college was a(n) 7 day indeed. I worried about their being able to take care of themselves. Would they starve?
A few months after the boys left college, our 8 rang in the middle of the night. It startled (惊醒) us when we looked at the clock．It was 3 o’clock in the morning. “Something must be wrong,” I shouted to my husband, Roy, as we both jumped up．We ran to the door, opened it, and there stood a police officer.
“You need to call your sons,” he 9 announced. I picked up the telephone, but unfortunately, it was 10 . A line outside had been accidentally cut. Roy and I jumped into the car and 11 to the nearest telephone．My stomach ached．My husband was 12 so badly that he could hardly dial the number.
On the first 13 , Chad answered the telephone. “What's wrong?” Roy shouted into the receiver (听筒). “We were worried about you,” Chad told him. “We’ve been trying to call you all night, but you didn’t 14 .We called the police and asked them to go and check on you.”
For the first time in their lives, the boys were worried about us. And they were the ones who 15 had to call the police.
A．completed B．visited C．tested D．appreciated
A．hit B．threw C．got D．missed
A．plan B．advice C．worry D．thought
A．Strangely B．Probably C．Luckily D．Hopefully
A．worries B．places C．measures D．telephones
A．threatened B．told C．surprised D．reminded
A．nice B．embarrassing C．happy D．sad
A．phone B．clock C．alarm D．doorbell
A．seriously B．carefully C．anxiously D．kindly
A．gone B．useless C．dead D．shortened
A．rushed B．headed C．went D．moved
A．looking B．shaking C．suffering D．seeing
A．night B．arrival C．try D．ring
A．talk B．answer C．wake D．care
A．frequently B．suddenly C．actually D．rarely
Christmas roses
It was the afternoon of December 24, the day before Christmas, and as the newest doctor in our office, I 36 to wok. The only thing that brightened my day was the beautifully 37 Christmas tree in our waiting room and a gift sent to me by my38 --- a dozen red roses.
Then a woman came in with an infant (婴儿).39 she explained that her husband was a prisoner and was my next 40 . She told me she wasn’t allowed to visit her husband in prison and that he had never seen his son. She 41 me to let the boy’s father sit in the waiting room with her as long as possible 42 I called him for his appointment. Since my schedule wasn’t full, I 43 .
A short time later, her husband 44 ---with two armed 45 as an escort ( 护卫 ). The woman’s tired face 46 up like our little Christmas tree when her husband took a 47 beside her. I kept peeking out to watch them laugh, cry and 48 with their child.
After almost an hour, I called the 49 back to the operatory. The patient seemed like a gentle and humble（谦逊的）man. I wondered what he possibly could have done to be 50 under such conditions. I tried to make him as comfortable as possible.
At the end I wished him a Merry Christmas --- a difficult thing to say to a man 51 back to prison. He smiled and thanked me. He said he felt 52 by the fact he hadn’t been able to get his wife anything for Christmas. On 53 this , I was inspired with a wonderful idea.
I’ll never forget the look on both their faces as the prisoner gave his wife the beautiful 54 . I’m not sure who 55 the most joy --- the husband in giving, the wife in receiving, or myself in having the opportunity to share in this special moment.
A．needed B．used C．had D．ought
A．dressed B．decorated C．cut D．planted
A．classmate B．boss C．parent D．boyfriend
A．Nervously B．Eagerly C．Curiously D．Carefully
A．colleague B．patient C．student D．customer
A．begged B．ordered C．asked D．invited
A．when B．until C．after D．before
A．smiled B．hesitated C．agreed D．refused
A．escaped B．arrived C．cried D．quarreled
A．soldiers B．judges C．lawyers D．guards
A．went B．lit C．took D．brought
A．seat B．rest C．ride D．look
A．joy B．water C．food D．possessions
A．prisoner B．nurse C．doctor D．woman
A．awarded B．punished C．caught D．held
A．brought B．gone C．headed D．returned
A．saddened B．excited C．surprised D．pleased
A．seeing B．hearing C．remembering D．learning
A．tree B．clothes C．roses D．necklace
A．enjoyed B．suffered C．benefited D．experienced
The young couple had another quarrel. They were sitting silently when the landlady(女房东) came in and asked, “You don’t 36 the house any more?” He kept silent and she 37 shook her head.
The landlady began 38 the house. After looking around, the landlady screamed, “See how you have 39 my house? The walls are full of nails(铁钉)! How could I rent it to others?”
She began looking around her 40 room. Four years ago on the wedding night, he felt deeply 41 to her, saying, “I feel so sorry to you for 42 you live in this small room. In the future I will buy our own big house.”
This tiny room has two nails on the wall next to the door, one for her bag and the other 43 . At that time, she threw all her stuff(填充物)such as her bag and umbrella on the 44 once she entered the room, staring at the whole 45 and feeling terribly upset. Then he began 46 more nails into the wall. There were three nails on the left, on which 47 his clothes yesterday and four on the right used to 48 their wedding photo frame.
The landlady started to pull the nails out with a tool. After the nails were 49 , the walls were left with countless holes. Suddenly, she felt heartbroken as if she were 50 nonstop through these holes.
She 51 to her feet and exclaimed, “Stop removing the nails! We will rent the house 52 we buy our own!” He gazed at her surprised, and then turned round, tears over his cheek.
She 53 realized that marriage was like a wall and that all 54 and “cold wars” were like the nails on the wall. 55 , when they were removed, only a wall with holes would remain. But if all the nails were still in their own places, the wall was still complete and reliable.
A．like B．clean C．rent D．keep
A．simply B．barely C．coldly D．proudly
A．observing B．examining C．watching D．spotting
A．shared B．ruined C．kept D．decorated
A．familiar B．dirty C．empty D．bright
A．devoted B．attached C．optimistic D．guilty
A．leaving B．having C．asking D．getting
A．clothes B．pictures C．umbrellas D．hats
A．floor B．wall C．ceiling D．door
A．trouble B．mess C．confusion D．order
A．putting B．striking C．driving D．beating
A．hung B．fastened C．dropped D．swung
A．connect B．fix C．hang D．put
A．replaced B．separated C．unfastened D．removed
A．crying B．aching C．bleeding D．disturbing
A．jumped B．held C．stuck D．got
A．if B．unless C．as D．until
A．especially B．eventually C．fortunately D．sadly
A．chaos(混乱) B．troubles C．quarrels D．challenges
A．Therefore B．Besides C．Thus D．However