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
Two brothers worked together on a farm. One was married and had a large 41 .The other had no wife yet. Although they lived in different houses, they shared everything they got from their farm.
One day, the single brother said to himself, “It’s not 42 that we share all the rice. I’m 43 and I need less than my brother.” So, every night he took a bag of rice from his store-room and 44 across the field 45 their houses, putting it into his brother’s store-room.
At the same time, the married brother thought, “It’s not fair to share all the rice. I’m married and I have my wife and children to 46 me when I am 47 . However, my brother has no one to take care of his 48 .” So, each night he also took a bag of rice and put it into his brother’s store-room.
Several months passed by. They found 49 strange that their rice never became less. Then, one dark night the two brothers ran into each other. Slowly they began to understand what was happening. Their bags fell onto the ground and tears 50 their eyes at once.
A．group B．family C．class D．team
A．right B．popular C．interesting D．wrong
A．poor B．happy C．alone D．rich
A．jumped B．played C．went D．rode
A．from B．through C．off D．between
A．look after B．look for C．look out D．look at
A．worried B．old C．healthy D．dead
A．hope B．children C．farm D．future
A．them B．this C．it D．that
A．appeared B．filled C．dropped D．rose
I always long for romantic moments, like a little girl longing for candies．However, my husband is my complete 36 . His inability to bring romantic moments into our life has made me get tired of our 37 . One day, I finally told him that I wanted a divorce.
“Why?” he asked, 38 .
“I am tired; there are no 39 for everything in the world!” I answered.
He kept 40 , seeming to be in deep thought, with a lighted cigarette in his hands. Finally he asked, “What can I do to change your 41 ?”
Looking deep into his eyes I slowly answered, “Let’s say, I want a flower on a mountain cliff and picking the flower will cause your 42 . Will you do it for me?”
He answered, “I will give you my answer tomorrow.”
I 43 the next morning, finding a piece of paper on the dining table, which read: “My dear, I would not pick that flower for you, but please allow me to 44 .”
My feeling of disappointment only 45 , but I continued reading:
“You always leave the 46 keys behind, so I have to save my legs to 47 home to open the door for you. You always like to stay indoors and I 48 that you will feel too lonely, so I have to save my mouth to tell you jokes and stories. You always stare 49 the computer and that will do nothing 50 for your eyes, so I have to save my eyes so that when we grow 51 , I can help to clip your nails. Thus, my dear, 52 I am sure that there is someone who loves you more than I do, I could not pick that flower yet, and die.”
My tears fell on the 53 and I continued reading:
“Now that you have finished reading my answer, if you are 54 , please open the front door for I am standing outside 55 your favorite bread and fresh milk.”
Love, not words, wins arguments.
A．supporter B．opposite C．follower D．advocate
A．marriage B．connection C．career D．future
A．annoyed B．shocked C．frightened D．amused
A．results B．signs C．causes D．reasons
A．easy B．normal C．silent D．calm
A．habit B．feeling C．attitude D．mind
A．death B．injury C．happiness D．trouble
A．hurried up B．looked up C．woke up D．went up
A．love B．explain C．stay D．change
A．arose B．disappeared C．reduced D．increased
A．car B．office C．bicycle D．house
A．leave B．walk C．rush D．get
A．worry B．think C．believe D．remind
A．at B．to C．on D．in
A．bad B．good C．terrible D．important
A．weak B．ill C．old D．close
A．unless B．if C．since D．because
A．photos B．flowers C．floor D．letter
A．hungry B．thirsty C．satisfied D．regretted
A．buying B．bringing C．heating D．catching
One cold night, I was growing sick of my life in San Francisco．There I was walking home around one o’clock in the morning after a 1practice at the theatre. With the opening night only a week away, I was still learning my lines by heart. I was having 2handling my part-time job at the bank in the daytime and my acting at night at the same time. As I walked, I thought seriously about 3both acting and San Francisco. I had 4too much of city life.
As I walked down the 5streets under the tall buildings, I felt very small and cold, so I began 6both to keep warm and to keep away from any possible robbers. Very few people were still out except a few homeless people under blankets.
About a block from my 7, I heard a sound behind me. I 8quickly, half expecting to see someone with a knife or a gun. The street was empty. All I saw was a shining streetlight. Still, the noise had made me 9，so I started to run faster. Not until I reached my apartment building and unlocked the door did I 10what the noise had been. It had been my wallet 11to the sidewalk.
Suddenly I wasn’t cold or tired anymore. I ran out of the door and back to where I’d heard the noise. Although I searched the sidewalk 12for 15 minutes, my wallet was nowhere to be found.
Just as I was about to quit the 13, I heard the garbage truck stop to the sidewalk next to me. When a voice came from the inside, “Alisa Camacho?” I thought I was dreaming. How could this man know my name? The door opened and out jumped a small blonde man with an 14look in his eyes. “Is this what you’re looking for?” He asked, holding up a wallet.
It was already 3 a.m. by the time I got into bed. I couldn’t get much sleep, but I had got my wallet back. I also had got back some 15of city life. I realized the city couldn’t be a bad place as long as people were willing to help each other.
1．A．comfortable B．serious C．tiresome D．fortunate
2．A．comfort B．desire C．pain D．trouble
3．A．setting up B．giving up C．holding up D．picking up
4．A．expected B．changed C．controlled D．possessed
5．A．deserted B．crowded C．busy D．wild
6．A．running B．jumping C．moving D．marching
7．A．bank B．theatre C．apartment D．office
8．A．stood B．walked C．turned D．left
9．A．satisfied B．confused C．frightened D．annoyed
10. A．turn out B．figure out C．give out D．pull out
11. A．belonging B．adding C．sticking D．falling
12. A．aimlessly B．anxiously C．skillfully D．delightedly
13. A．discovery B．research C．hunt D．finding
14. A．amused B．unpleasant C．uneasy D．embarrassed
15. A．production B．judgment C．friendship D．appreciation
School was over and I was both mentally and physically tired, I sat at the very front of the bus because of 1to get home．Sitting at the front makes you 2out like a shiny coin in a pile of dull pennies．
Janie, the driver, tries to break the uncomfortable atmosphere by striking the match of 3 ．
I try to mind my manners and 4listen, but usually I am too busy thinking about my day．On this day, however, her conversation was worth listening 10．
"My father’s sick," she said to no one in 5 ．I could see the anxiety and fear in her eyes．With a sudden change of attitude and interest, I asked, "What’s wrong with him?"
With her eyes wet and her voice tight from 6the tears, she responded, "Heart trouble．" Her eyes 7as she continued．"I’ve already lost my mum, so I don’t think I can 8losing him．”
I couldn’t respond．I was 9 ．My heart ached for her．I sat on [he old, smelly seat thinking of the great 10my own mother was thrown into when my father died．
I saw how hard it was, and still is, for her．I wouldn’t like anyone to go through that．Suddenly I realized Janie wasn’t only a bus driver．That was just her job．She had a _ 11_ world of family and concerns too．I had never thought of her as anything but a driver．I suddenly felt very 12 ．I realized I had only thought of people as 13as what their purposes were in my life．I paid no attention to Janie because she was a bus driver．1 had judged her by her job and regarded her as unimportant．
For all I know, I’m just another person in someone else’s world, and may not even be important．I should not have been so selfish and self-centered．Everyone 14a place to go to, people to see and appointments to 15 ．Understanding people is an art．
1． A．determination B．decision C．attempt D．anxiety
2． A．make B．stand C．think D．find
3． A．topic B．message C．discussion D．conversation
4． A．devotedly B．carelessly C．politely D．sincerely
5． A．common B．silence C．particular D．surprise
6． A．avoiding B．clearing C．keeping D．fighting
7． A．widened B．closed C．lowered D．opened
8． A．mind B．regret C．bear D．miss
9． A．angry B．interested C．curious D．shocked
10．A．pain B．pity C．disappointment D．mercy
11 A．dark B．narrow C．whole D．bright
12．A．selfish B．confused C．worried D．sad
13．A．long B．much C．far D．well
14．A．takes B．has C．finds D．needs
15．A．stay B．remain C．keep D．put
I’ve always had strong opinions of how love should be expressed, but others had their own ways of showing care.
What I 36 most about visiting my boyfriend’s parents is the loud tick of the clock in the dining room as we 37 ate our meal. With so little conversation I was quick to 38 his family as cold. When we got into the 39 to go home, his father suddenly appeared. 40 , he began to wash his son’s windscreen. I could feel he was a caring man through the glass.
I learned another lesson about love a few years later. My father often 41 me early in the morning. “Buy Xerox. It’s a good sharp price,” he might say when I answered the phone. No pleasant 42 or inquiry about my life, just financial instructions. This manner of his 43 me and we often quarreled. But one day, I thought about my father’s success in business and realized that his concern for my financial security lay behind his 44 morning calls. The next time he called and told me to buy a stock, I 45 him.
When my social style has conflicted with that of my friends, I’ve often felt 46 . For example, I always return phone calls47 and regularly contact with my friends. I expect the same from them. I had one friend who rarely called, answering my messages with short e-mails. I rushed to the48 : She wasn’t a good friend! My anger49 as the holidays approached. But then she came to a gathering I50 and handed me a beautiful dress I had fallen in love with when we did some window-shopping the previous month. I was51 at her thoughtfulness, and regretful for how I’d considered her to be52 . Clearly I needed to change my expectations of friends.
Far too often, I ignored their53 expressions, eagerly expecting them to do things in my54 . Over the years, however, I’ve learned to55 other persons, love signs.
A．remember B．enjoy C．value D．admire
A．excitedly B．nervously C．silently D．instantly
A．regard B．treat C．take D．think
A．bus B．train C．car D．plane
A．Punctually B．Carefully C．Proudly D．Coldly
A．visited B．interrupted C．warned D．telephoned
A．greeting B．meeting C．apology D．explanation
A．interested B．angered C．encouraged D．surprised
A．long B．short C．warm D．polite
A．praised B．remembered C．blamed D．thanked
A．content B．guilty C．curious D．disappointed
A．in order B．in turn C．without delay D．without difficulty
A．feeling B．suggestion C．judgment D．belief
A．disappeared B．grew C．helped D．declined
A．opened B．refused C．hosted D．invited
A．depressed B．upset C．fascinated D．shocked
A．uncaring B．dishonest C．unhappy D．uncooperative
A．unique B．common C．pleasant D．familiar
A．opinion B．way C．mind D．life
A．send B．read C．give D．express