This was my grandmother's first Christmas without grandfather, and before he passed away we had promised grandfather that we would make this her best Christmas ever. When my parents and I at her house, we found she had waited up all night for us. The house did seem a little without grandfather.
Grandfather had always said that the Christmas was the most important decoration of all. So we immediately set to work on the beautiful artificial tree that was stored in grandfather's closet (壁橱). Through our efforts, we finally stepped back to our handiwork. It looked beautiful. something was missing.
"Where' s your star?" I asked.
The star was my grandmother' s favorite part of the tree.
"Why, it be here somewhere," she said, starting to sort through the boxes again. "Your grandfather always everything so carefully when he took the tree down."
As we emptied the boxes and no star, my grandmother's eyes filled with tears. Grandfather had given it to grandmother some fifty years ago on their first Christmas together. It brought them great happiness. Now, on her first Christmas without him, the star was , too.
"Don' t worry, Grandmother," I her. "We'll find it for you."
My mother and I formed a search . "Let' s start in on the closet where the ornaments (装饰品) were," Mother said. "Maybe the star just fell out of the box. "
That sounded , so I began to search the closet. I thought I tried every , but no star. I could see grandmother was , although she tried not to show it.
"What's in this wrapped box?" Mother suddenly called out. "It was at the bottom of father's closet. "
Grandmother took the box in and opened it. Her face when she unfolded the paper and pulled out a golden star. There was a(n) attached.
Don' t be angry with me, dear. I broke your star while packing the decorations, and I couldn't to tell you. Thought it was time for a new one. I hope it brings you as much as the first one. Merry Christmas!
Love,
Bryant
So grandmother's tree had a star after all, a star that expressed their everlasting love for one another. And we were glad we were able to make this Christmas for her.
A．arrived B．looked C．stayed D．worked
A．noisy B．empty C．safe D．clean
A．flower B．bell C．stocking D．tree
A．admire B．repair C．paint D．design
A．Or B．So C．But D．And
A．might B．must C．need D．will
A．packed B．decided C．covered D．searched
A．made B．left C．found D．felt
A．gone B．hidden C．broken D．forgotten
A．warned B．persuaded C．reminded D．comforted
A．game B．class C．company D．party
A．challenging B．reasonable C．pleasant D．difficult
A．suggestion B．direction C．possibility D．method
A．ashamed B．annoyed C．disappointed D．frightened
A．fear B．relief C．anger D．surprise
A．cleared B．brightened C．darkened D．tightened
A．article B．note C．receipt D．poem
A．bear B．afford C．wait D．agree
A．peace B．change C．luck D．joy
A．special B．funny C．relaxing D．favorite
One day I met a man in the hospital, who needed blood to save his daughter. He was struggling to get blood for her and curiously my blood type. My blood type was the same needed for his daughter. Before that I donated my blood, so I was afraid of doing this and didn’t know what to do.
Then suddenly I saw a little girl in the hospital, who was from a critical disease and needed blood from her six-year-old brother. Yes, from her younger brother, why?
His brother had suffered with the same disease and by God's kindness by developing the anti-bodies(抗体) needed to fight for the disease.
The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the boy if he would be to give his blood to his sister. I saw him for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes, I'll do it if it will save my sister."
As the transfusion（输液）progressed, he smiled, seeing the returning to her sister's cheeks. But suddenly, his face grew pale and his faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a voice, "Am I going to die?"
Being young, the boy had the doctor; he thought he was going to give her all his blood and his life.
I felt , when that young boy, the fact of blood donation, got ready to give his blood, thinking that he will lose his life but save his sister's life. And I, being a mature person, knowing that this will not my life, I will not lose my life, save others’ lives and I was hesitant of doing this.
That moment my thoughts and I became enthusiastic about doing this important duty and felt that true by helping save that little girl's life.
If any patient dies due to a blood shortage, I will not call this the of doctors, as science is still not able to make blood artificially. Only we can save others’ lives donating blood.
A．tested B．asked C．noticed D．found
A．always B．ever C．seldom D．never
A．suffering B．dropping C．preventing D．recovering
A．almost B．only C．still D．also
A．survived B．died C．corrected D．controlled
A．careful B．willing C．fearful D．hard
A．shake B．defend C．hesitate D．bargain
A．sorrow B．relief C．color D．pain
A．plan B．smile C．light D．pride
A．disappointing B．exciting C．trembling D．satisfying
A．questioned B．misunderstood C．accepted D．believed
A．lose B．protect C．save D．destroy
A．ashamed B．proud C．scared D．pleased
A．discovering B．designing C．unknowing D．collecting
A．improve B．select C．turn D．affect
A．so B．and C．or D．but
A．threw B．changed C．hurt D．stopped
A．happiness B．success C．purpose D．advantage
A． goal B．task C．fault D．nature
A．to B．for C．on D．by
For my daughter's 19th birthday, we bought her tickets to go and see Linkin Park, as they were playing in our city. We didn't really have the ____ but we knew how much this band meant to her.
The night before she was like a ____ at Christmas. Every so often she got up and came to ____ with us, because she couldn't ___. On the night of the ____ it was good to see her so ____ and excited, as she and her boyfriend set off.
Needless to say when they ____ after midnight, with Tshirts and lots of pictures of the band, ____ her telling about how fantastic they had been, we knew the money had been well ____. This will be a memory she would ____ forget, and nor would we.
____ full of excitement from the night before, the following day they ___ to go shopping on the other side of the city. My husband and I ____， loving the fact that she had not ____ that quality as she grew up.
Later that day they returned, with faces full of happiness and warmth. They presented my husband and me with a ____ each. On each present were the words “Because you are the ____ mum/dad in the world”. When we said our thankyous and told her she didn't have to, we asked her ____ she had bought us gifts. Her ____ was simply “Just because I love you”．
This wasn't something ____ from our daughter; she had always given us a gift when she wanted to express her ____， and each gift was always a welcome surprise. It could have been anything, it wouldn't have mattered, and it was the act itself and the feelings behind it.
A．money B．time C．interest D．news
A．worker B．baby C．kid D．parent
A．dance B．learn C．walk D．sit
A．speak B．sleep C．stand D．leave
A．concert B．holiday C．party D．travel
A．healthy B．happy C．pretty D．surprised
A．stayed B．left C．returned D．turned
A．worrying about B．caring for C．looking at D．listening to
A．lent B．earned C．saved D．spent
A．ever B．never C．often D．neither
A．Still B．Only C．Just D．Also
A．continued B．tried C．decided D．struggled
A．refused B．cried C．shouted D．laughed
A．kept B．lost C．realized D．discovered
A．gift B．prize C．ticket D．picture
A．richest B．oldest C．best D．cleverest
A．where B．how C．when D．why
A．way B．answer C．suggestion D．idea
A．important B．ordinary C．new D．valuable
A．feelings B．concerns C．understandings D．opinions
When I started riding a bike a couple of years ago, I didn't think my involvement would ever be more serious than the occasional short ride. But as I built strength, my friends _______me to step up my training and try some longer trips, The first one to come along was a 150-mile trip, the MS-150, an annual _______ that raises money to fight AIDS.
When I registered，the idea seemed fantastic and I trained with ____.However，as the time for the ride approached，my selfdoubts ____ beyond my endurance(忍耐)．I ____ wanted to raise money for the charity，but I didn’t really want to bike all those miles for two days straight.
The ride began on a beautiful Sunday morning in the Georgia countryside，and for the first few hours I felt ____.This was just the experience I had ____，and my spirits were high.__ __ by the end of the day，I felt tired out. If the body is ____ to the mind，here was evidence. Every ____ my brain pushed out seemed to travel right down to my legs. “I can’t handle this” became a leg cramp (抽筋)，and “Everyone else is a better rider” translated into ____ of breath. I was sure I’d have to ____.
As I topped the crest (顶) of a hill，the beautiful sunset kept me going for a few minutes more. Then in the distance，I saw a lone woman riding very slowly ____ the bright red sun. I ___ that the person looked different in some way，but I couldn’t tell why. So I pushed myself to ___.There she was，riding along slowly but ____，with a slight and determined smile on her face and she had only one leg.
My focus changed in that instant. For a whole day I’d been ____ my body. But now I knew it wasn’t the body，but the ___ that would help me reach my goal. It rained all the second day. I never saw the one-legged biker again，but I pushed on without ____，knowing she was out there with me somewhere. And at the end of the day，still feeling ____，I completed the 150mile trip.
A．encouraged B．forbade C．forced D．warned
A．accident B．event C．incident D．affair
A．care B．ease C．enthusiasm D．difficulty
A．achieved B．gained C．progressed D．advanced
A．still B．even C．rather D．then
A．nervous B．disappointed C．wonderful D．refreshed
A．assumed B．appreciated C．admired D．imagined
A．But B．Therefore C．Meanwhile D．Moreover
A．opposite B．connected C．exposed D．equal
A．cause B．reason C．excuse D．effect
A．holding B．saving C．catching D．shortness
A．quit B．continue C．insist D．fade
A．on B．against C．down D．over
A．observed B．watched C．noticed D．overlooked
A．put up B．look up C．catch up D．take up
A．steadily B．abruptly C．closely D．narrowly
A．trusting B．doubting C．cheating D．fighting
A．strength B．honesty C．will D．power
A．struggling B．arguing C．discussing D．complaining
A．strong B．weak C．healthy D．spiritless
I am a person who doesn’t like waiting. I don’t like to wait in line, being put on hold when making a phone call, or arriving at an apartment to find that my companion will be . And of course, I don’t like waiting rooms.
, I realize that my agony(痛苦) will not be good for me, as an crowded world can only mean one thing – more waiting.
this, I have taken an action and decide to turn my frustration to productive ends. In short, I am looking for what I call “waiting-in-line” .
These are volumes that contain materials for being read in shortened words, so there is no extended story line to lose track of. Another is that they be enough to slip neatly into my back pocket.
The other day I went to the supermarket. that the rain would keep most people away, I was to see that the place was filled with . Every checkout was open – and jammed! But I can my pocket book and go to work.
The more the world demands that I , the more I learn from my waiting library. Look at the followings: One Hundred Things Every American Should Know; The Poetry of Robert Frost; Living Thoughts of Leading Thinkers; Still More Toasts. I have learned interesting and enriching things and much from these books.
On a recent visit to the general store, I placed my order at the along with six or seven people. The old female employee seemed to have her hands full as she rushed . “Young man, just be ,” she said to me.
No problem. I quietly opened my dictionary prose(散文) and poetical quotations. Perhaps the other customers me as a bookish, lonely soul. But did they realize that I was enjoying the of Shakespeare, Thoreau, Homer and Ben Johnson.
A．dismissed B．delayed C．disappeared D．delighted
A．Furthermore B．However C．Despite D．Besides
A．actually B．importantly C．increasingly D．accurately
A．Instead of B．Apart from C．Rather than D．Owing to
A．rooms B．goods C．reasons D．books
A．searched B．afforded C．designed D．charged
A．convenience B．requirement C．agreement D．distinction
A．small B．pretty C．active D．vivid
A．Believed B．Determined C．Puzzled D．Convinced
A．surprised B．worried C．excited D．satisfied
A．shoppers B．readers C．employees D．volunteers
A．put out B．set down C．send for D．take out
A．suffer B．wait C．watch D．read
A．advantage B．benefit C．knowledge D．patient
A．counter B．pocket C．market D．service
A．about B．away C．over D．across
A．polite B．patient C．careful D．helpful
A．thought B．looked C．regarded D．treated
A．certainly B．obviously C．secretly D．hardly
A．relation B．moment C．company D．novel
It’s known that the 62-year-old Jim Bevier has a great passion. This former FedEx pilot wasn’t ____ on his horse farm, teaching his grandkids to ____. In his spare time, Bevier helps distribute ____ for blindness around the globe.
Bevier now is a volunteer pilot for Orbis, a nonprofit organization which has fought blindness for over 25 years. One of ____ weapons is the Flying Eye Hospital, an old-fashioned DC-10 aircraft. Bevier’s mission is to land this giant sight-saving bird on runways that are most ____ not designed for it. “It’s not ____ flying for FedEx,” says Bevier. “We have to ____ the runway is long enough, figure out the fuel load, and find the ____ place to park in case of accidents.”
Once he gets the ____ to its destination, the aircraft becomes a place for local ____ to get training, so they can treat certain conditions and ____ blindness for people. The plane stays on location for weeks. ____ Bevier is free to return home, he likes to stay and ____ those who arrive for medical checks. “I’m glad to see them get on the airplane and come out the next day, and they can ____.” Bevier says. Many walk on dirt roads for miles; many are blind children.
____, the volunteer doctors can’t handle all the patients. “A Vietnamese boy was ever ____ away.” Bevier says. A pilot’s job involves hours and hours of boredom, so you learn to keep your ____ under control. But when the poor boy didn’t get picked, I ____ down.” he admits.
____ as the job may be, Bevier isn’t looking into retirement anytime soon. “I don’t play golf, and I tell my kids not to buy me tennis shoes,” he says. “But I ____ of my grandchildren back home, and all I want is for those kids to be able to see their own grandparents for the first time.”
A．anxious B．proud C．content D．active
A．ride B．drive C．work D．study
A．signs B．cures C．funds D．ways
A．his B．her C．ours D．its
A．similarly B．definitely C．differently D．exactly
A．beyond B．on C．like D．within
A．refer to B．work out C．make sure D．give up
A．safest B．largest C．wildest D．farthest
A．shop B．hotel C．restaurant D．hospital
A．villagers B．patients C．friends D．doctors
A．prevent B．restrict C．warn D．stop
A．While B．Once C．Unless D．If
A．examine B．consider C．meet D．ignore
A．walk B．see C．leave D．concern
A．Therefore B．Besides C．Somehow D．However
A．put B．turned C．given D．thrown
A．efforts B．advantages C．plans D．emotions
A．settled B．knocked C．broke D．held
A．Exciting B．Challenging C．Disappointing D．Attracting
A．think B．dream C．hear D．talk