Immediately I got up and dressed, I stuck my violin under my jacket and went out into the streets to try my . I wandered about for an hour, looking for a likely , feeling as though I were about to commit a crime. Then I at last under a bridge near the station and decided to have a try.
I felt tense and . It was the first time, after all. I drew the violin from under the jacket like a gun. It was here, in Southampton, with trains rattling overhead, that I was about to myself. One moment I was part of the hurrying crowds, the next I stood apart, my back to the wall, my hat on the before me, the violin under my chin.
The first notes I played were loud and raw, like a declaration of protest, then they settled down and began to run more _ and to stay more or less in tune. To my ,I was neither arrested nor told to shut up. Indeed, nobody took any at all. Then an old man, without stopping at all, dropped a penny into my as though getting rid of some guilty evidence.
I worked the streets of Southampton for several days, gradually obtaining the truth of the by trial and error. It was not a good thing, for instance, to let the hat fill up with money---the sight could a kind-hearted man; nor was it wise to it completely, which could also confuse him, giving him no hint as to where to his money. Placing a couple of pennies in the hat to start the thing going soon became a practice and I made sure, between tunes, to take off most of the earnings, but always leaving two behind.
Old were most generous, and so were women with children, shop girls and barmaids. As for men, heavy drinkers were always willing listeners and so were big guys with muscles. But a man with an expensive hat, briefcase or dog: respectable types were the least of all. Except for retired army officers, who would shout "Why aren't you , young man?" and then would over-tip to cover up their confusion.
A．violin B．art C．skill D．luck
A．station B．spot C．street D．bridge
A．played B．wandered C．stopped D．sat
A．nervous B．excited C．lost D．strange
A．shame B．show C．damage D．declare
A．wall B．bridge C．pavement D．road
A．smoothly B．slowly C．angrily D．roughly
A．excitement B．sorrow C．astonishment D．surprise
A．money B．pity C．notice D．rest
A．hat B．pocket C．hand D．bag
A．people B．trade C．performance D．music
A．encourage B．help C．support D．discourage
A．fill B．empty C．tear D．hide
A．make B．get C．drop D．earn
A．modern B．regular C．timely D．economic
A．pennies B．dollars C．pounds D．euros
A．workers B．teachers C．doctors D．ladies
A．never B．often C．always D．sometimes
A．generous B．comfortable C．handsome D．selfish
A．playing B．working C．cheating D．shopping
Timmy sold magazines. One day he walked up to a that people rarely visited. Timmy the door and waited for some time. No one answered. As he was ready to , the door was slowly opened. An old man showed up. It was Mr. Black. He asked him for his purpose. Before he answered, Timmy happened to see a dog figure on the desk in the house. “Do you dog figures?” Timmy asked. Mr. Black said yes and explained that he had gathered many at home. Timmy felt for Mr. Black, as it seemed that he was a very lonely person. “Well, I have a magazine about dogs.” While saying this, Timmy to find it when Mr. Black said , “I don’t need any magazines!”
Timmy was so sad that he not to sell anything that day. He went home and then had a(n) . He had a little dog figure that he got from an aunt. It did not mean much to him for he had a real live dog and a large family. He wanted to it to Mr. Black.
With the dog figure, Timmy went to Mr. Black’s house. Seeing him, Mr. Black said that he didn’t magazines.
“I just wanted to bring you a gift.” Timmy handed him the figure and Mr. Black’s face lit up. He of the past experiences. No one had ever given him such a gift and shown him so much kindness. He was touched. He started coming out of the house and greeting people.
A．house B．factory C．school D．company
A．closed B．kicked on C．opened D．knocked on
A．come B．stop C．leave D．shout
A．collect B．sell C．make D．repair
A．happy B．calm C．nervous D．sorry
A．tried B．pretended C．continued D．seemed
A．weakly B．angrily C．gladly D．strangely
A．refused B．learned C．decided D．realized
A．idea B．message C．suggestion D．opinion
A．give B．throw C．mail D．leave
A．have B．need C．accept D．understand
A．wrote B．thought C．spoke D．heard
Joan worked in a hospital as a nurse. One evening there was a big at the hospital, but somebody had to be left to look after the sick children, and Joan was not the one. She liked dancing very much, so she felt very for herself. She went to one sick child after another and said good evening, until she came to Dickey, who was only eleven years old, but he was already able to talk an adult. Poor Dicky had a very serious illness and now he was able to move. Joan knew he would never get any better, he was always happy and always about other people instead of himself. Dickey knew that Joan loved dancing, so he her with the words, “I’m very sorry that you have to the dance because of us. But we are going to have a party for you. If you look in my drawer, you’ll find a piece of cake. And there is also a dollar for you to buy something to drink.” “And I’d and dance with you if I were able to,” he added.
Suddenly the hospital dance seemed not at all important to Joan.
A．concert B．discussion C．operation D．dance
A．quiet B．clever C．lucky D．brave
A．sorry B．happy C．proud D．calm
A．like B．with C．to D．about
A．nearly B．completely C．hardly D．easily
A．so B．and C．or D．but
A．talking B．thinking C．writing D．worrying
A．greeted B．praised C．corrected D．scolded
A．hold B．stop C．miss D．serve
A．come over B．set off C．call back D．get up
In a small village, there lived a potter (陶工) who had a donkey. Every day his donkey would carry soil from the field to his house. the field was quite far off, the potter would under a tree midway, his donkey nearby.
One day, the potter to take the rope with which he tied the donkey every day. When he reached the , he thought, “How do I tie this donkey today? He might if I sleep.” The potter decided to lie down holding the donkey’s while sleeping.
But this way, neither the donkey nor the potter was able to take a rest. A saint (圣人), who to be passing by, saw the potter holding on to the donkey’s ears. When the potter told the saint what the was, the saint said: “Take the donkey to the place where you tie him every day. to tie him using an imaginary rope. I you he won’t run away.” The potter did what the saint had said.
He left the donkey and went to take a nap. When he woke up, to his and relief, he found the donkey standing in the place.
Soon the potter prepared to leave for . But the donkey did not . “What is wrong with this donkey?!” the potter in frustration.
, the potter saw the wise saint again. He ran up to the saint and told him about the donkey’s behavior. The saint said: “You tied up the donkey, but did you untie him? Go and pretend to untie the rope.” The potter the saint’s advice.
Now the donkey was ready to leave for home. The potter understood that his donkey was a bonded (被束缚的) donkey. The potter thanked the wise saint and went home with his donkey.
A．Though B．Unless C．Because D．While
A．stand B．rest C．sing D．dance
A．training B．walking C．feeding D．tying
A．forgot B．decided C．stopped D．agreed
A．stone B．tree C．bridge D．house
A．walk around B．lie down C．run away D．make noises
A．ears B．nose C．legs D．tail
A．failed B．tried C．happened D．managed
A．animal B．problem C．place D．result
A．Learn B．Consider C．Wish D．Pretend
A．promise B．believe C．warn D．remind
A．anger B．surprise C．regret D．disappointment
A．similar B．special C．same D．wrong
A．home B．field C．factory D．village
A．stand B．move C．run D．understand
A．laughed B．cheered C．replied D．cried
A．Strangely B．Luckily C．Finally D．Unfortunately
A．funny B．foolish C．common D．strange
A．offered B．followed C．refused D．recognized
A．sadly B．bravely C．seriously D．happily
Mrs Evens was home from work. She had just gone into the kitchen to make the afternoon tea she saw a mouse running around on the kitchen floor. She and jumped up on the table. As soon as the mouse had disappeared, she jumped off from the , rushed out of the kitchen, her coat, ran out of the house and got on a bus was going into the town.
There she hurried into a shop and a large mouse-trap(捕鼠器). She wanted to put to this mouse as quickly as .
When she got home the trap, she realized that she had forgotten0 any cheese to put in it. She searched everywhere there was in the house. It was too late to buy any because now all the shops were . She wondered what to do. In the end , she a clever idea. She took a pair of scissors(剪刀) and cut a picture of a piece of cheese a magazine. Then she put the picture in the trap a piece of cheese.
The next Mrs Evans came down to the and went straight away to the place she had put the trap. She wanted to see if her plan had . The picture of the cheese had gone and in its place was a picture of a mouse.
A．where B．what C．while D．when
A．laughed B．cried C．surprised D．pleased
A．table B．floor C．house D．kitchen
A．pulled on B．have on C．wore D．dressed in
A．it B．when C．which D．as
A．asked B．bought C．sold D．left
A．a cheese B．an end C．a mouse D．a picture
A．possible B．he could C．possibly D．she can
A．for B．out C．with D．without
A．to sell B．selling C．buying D．to buy
A．and B．so C．but D．or
A．none B．not one C．no D．anything
A．open B．shut C．close D．on show
A．had B．brought C．thought D．used
A．away B．by C．out of D．on
A．instead of B．including C．instead D．with
A．afternoon B．hour C．evening D．morning
A．cooking room B．bathroom C．reading room D．sitting room
A．that B．what C．which D．where
A．worked B．took C．changed D．made
Forty-three years seems like a long time to remember a mere acquaintance(相识). I have forgotten the of an old lady who was on my paper route when I was a twelve-year-old boy. Yet it seems like just yesterday that she taught me a lesson in .
One afternoon, a friend and I were rocks onto the roof of the old lady’s house to observe how the rocks to missiles(导弹；发射物) as they rolled to the roof’s edge and shot out into the yard like comets(彗星)falling from the sky. I found myself a perfectly smooth and threw it out. The stone was too smooth, however, it from my hand as I let it go and headed straight for a small on the old lady’s back porch(门廊). We knew we were in and ran away as fast as we could.
I was too of getting caught that first night. However, a few days later. I was sure that I hadn’t been discovered, I started to feel for her misfortune. She still greeted me with a smile but I was no longer to feel in her presence.
I made up my mind that I would my paper delivery money, and in three weeks I had seven dollars. I put the money in an envelope with a note that I was sorry for breaking her window and hoped that the seven dollars would the cost for repairing it.
I waited until it was dark, then put the envelope through the letter slot in her door.
The next day, I the old lady her paper and was able to the warm smile that I was receiving from her. She thanked me for the paper and said, “Here, I have something for you.” It was a bag of cookies. I thanked her and ate the cookies as I continued my way.
After several cookies, I an envelope and pulled it out. When I opened the envelope, I was very . Inside was the seven dollars and a short note that said, “I’m of you.”
A．name B．story C．life D．experience
A．friendship B．forgiveness C．courage D．patience
A．removing B．lifting C．putting D．throwing
A．changed B．flew C．connected D．devoted
A．doll B．glass C．stone D．branch
A．disappeared B．moved C．slipped D．came
A．building B．house C．room D．window
A．trouble B．silence C．failure D．freedom
A．certain B．scared C．aware D．fond
A．grateful B．sensitive C．calm D．guilty(有罪的)
A．as usual B．for sure C．on purpose D．at least
A．hopeless B．strange C．comfortable D．funny
A．spend B．save C．give D．hide
A．explaining B．instructing C．persuading D．declaring
A．spare B．contain C．charge D．cover
A．bought B．awarded C．handed D．owed
A．require B．receive C．return D．repeat
A．folded B．felt C．replaced D．ignored
A．cautious(谨慎的) B．pleased C．surprised D．nervous
A．happy B．proud C．confident D．afraid