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
Jack Baines is a self-made millionaire, but his beginnings were very lowly. He was the youngest of eight children. His father had a 16 in a cotton mill (纱厂), but he was often 17__ to work because of poor health. The family couldn’t afford to pay the rent or bills, and the children often went hungry. After leaving school at the age of 14, Jack was 18 what to do when Mr. Walker, his old teacher, offer
ed to lend him ￡100 to start his own __19__ .
It was just after the war. Raw materials were not enough, and Jack saw a 20in scrap metal(废弃金属). He bought bits of metal and stored it in an old garage. When he had built up a large amount, he sold it and 21 plenty of money.
Jack 22 working hard. After one year he succeeded in repaying the ￡100.
By the 
time Jack was 30 years old he had 23 his first million, and he wanted to 24 this achievement by doing something “grand”. 25 _all his money it was possible to build a beautiful home for himself and his parents. In 1959, “Baines Castle” was built in the heart of the Lancashire countryside. It was one of the finest buildings in the country.
Jack has recently sold “Baines Castle” for ￡500 million, 26 Jack still can’t get used to 27 the good life. He can often _28_ drinking with the locals at the local pub.
“I remember being very 29 as a child, but never 30 as a child,” says Jack, “and I will never forget where I came from and who I am.”
A．job B．work C．company D．house
B．glad D．eager
A．seeing B．wondering C．doubting D．preparing
A．school B．farm C．business D．store
A．problem B．purpose C．future D．principle
A．spent B．borrowed C．wasted D．earned
A．enjoyed B．preferred C．promised D．hated
A．given B．made C．taken D．lost
A．remember C．celebrate D．recognize
A．Use B．To C．On D．With
A．so B．and C．or D．but
A．using B．doing D．keeping
A．be found B．find C．look for D．be looked for
A．rich B．poor C．healthy D．well
A．proud B．satisfied C．unhappy D．happy
Dear Benter,
You have been away exactly two weeks today but it seems more like two years to me!
I’m glad to hear you’ll be back soon
. Are you coming directly home, dear? Or do you plan to m
ake some stops 36 the way? I hope you’ll be home in 37 for Patsy’s birthday next Sunday. She is 38 you to show films to her 39 friends.
Patsy keeps asking every day 40 you’ll be back. She says you never 41 that story you were telling her about 42 train that lost its “ toot”(喇叭嘟嘟声). You’d better 43 and think up a good ending 44 it. You know how Patsy is? She 45 be happy until she knows exactly what __46 to the “toot” and 47 the little train got it back 48 !
Everything at home is fine except that we 49 you so much! I’ve been 50 with the spring cleaning. Yesterday I had Cora 51in to wash the kitchen walls and she did a very good __52 of it. The kitchen looks as though it’s been repainted. I made some new yellow curtains, and they 53 very beautiful.
I went to see your mother yesterday. Her 54 is all gone and she looks very 55 . Your sister Jean looks wonderful! She has taken off about fifteen pounds since she began dieting. But now she’s complaining that none of her clothes fit!
Hope to see you before next Sunday.
Love and kisses to you!
Yours
Lynn
A inB. onC. atD. along
A．time B．fact C．all D．the end
A．expecting B．thinking C．agreeing D．hoping
A．small B．short C．little D．low
A．that B．when C．why D．unless
A．finished B．stopped C．supplied D．included
A．some B．a C．the D．this
A．care B．arrive C．pretend D．hurry
A．on B．for C．at D．in
A．mustn’t B．couldn’t C．won’t D．shouldn’t
A．affected B．about C．happened D．was
A．how B．however C．because D．why
A．yet B．too C．again D．next
A．love B．think C．miss D．care
A．working B．ready C．together D．busy
A．stay B．come C．visit D．drop
A．work B．job C．thing D．clean
A．show B．feel C．become D．look
A．cold B．heat C．health D．medicine
A．good B．well C．nice D．best
I grew up poor – living with six brothers, my father and a wonderful mother. We had 36 money and few worldly goods, but plenty of love and attention. I was 37 and energetic. I understood that no matter how poor a person was, they could 38 afford a dream.
My dream was to be a 39 .When I was sixteen, I could crush a baseball, throw a ninety-mile-per-hour fastball. I was also 40 : my high-school coach was Ollie Jarvis, who 41 me the difference between having a dream and showing strong belief. One particular 42 with him changed my life forever.
It was a summer and a friend recommended me for a summer 43 . This meant a chance for my first income—cash for a new bike and new clothes, and the 44 of savings for a house for my mother. The opportunity was attracting, and I wanted to 45 at it.
Then I realized I would have to 46 summer baseball to handle the work schedule, and that meant I would have to tell Coach Jarvis I wouldn’t be playing. I was 47 about this.
When I told Coach Jarvis, he was as 48 as I expected him to be. “You have your whole life to work,” he said. “Your 49 days are limited. You can’t afford to waste them.”
I stood before him with my head 50 , trying to think of how to explain to him why my dream of buying my mom a house and having money in my pocket was worth 51 his disappointment in me.
“How much are you going to make at this job?” he demanded.
“$ 3．25 an hour,” I replied.
“Well, is $ 3.25 an hour the price of a 52 ?” he asked.
That 53 laid bare for me the difference between wanting something right now and having a goal. I devoted myself to 54 that summer, and within the year I was offered a $ 20,000 contract. I signed with the Denver Broncos in 1984 for $ 1.7 million, and bought my mother the 55 of my dreams.
A．some B．little C．no D．much
A．happy B．lovely C．angry D．noisy
A．only B．ever C．still D．almost
A．teacher B．coach C．doctor D．sportsman
A．lucky B．satisfied C．hopeful D．surprised
A．taught B．asked C．told D．trained
A．match B．story C．moment D．incident
A．job B．camp C．holiday D．course
A．cause B．start C．need D．amount
A．stand B．call C．look D．jump
A．take out B．cut off C．put on D．give up
A．excited B．curious C．anxious D．disappointed
A．mad B．puzzled C．regretful D．discouraged
A．working B．playing C．learning D．shining
A．shaking B．hanging C．holding D．nodding
A．feeling B．suffering C．facing D．expressing
A．dream B．game C．chance D．life
A．offer B．price C．question D．order
A．study B．sports C．homework D．business
A．clothes B．bike C．house D．goods
Billy is fourteen years old and in the ninth grade. He has a 26 job which gets him 27 at five o’clock every morning. He is a 28 .
Each morning, Billy leaves the house at 5: l5 to go to the corner 29 the newspapers are. The newspapers are delivered to the 30 by truck at midnight. He always takes a wagon (手推车) to carry them.
In 31 , it is still dark and cold when he gets up, but during the rest of the year it is bright and warm. Billy must deliver the newspapers to the houses of people on his route (线路) in all kinds of weather. He tries to put each 32 on the porch (门廊) where it will be protected from33 , rain or snow. His34 think he does a good job. Sometimes they give him 35 .
Billy 36 about $70 per month, and he is saving some of the money to go to college. He spends the rest 37 records and clothes. Once a month, he has to 38 money from his customers. Since many of them 39 during the day, Billy has to collect the money 40 . Sometimes, when Billy is 41 , his older brother has to 42 the newspapers. Once Billy’s father had to help as well.
Billy has seventy customers now, 43 he hopes to get more soon. Some day, if he gets many more customers, Billy might win a prize for being an outstanding(杰出的) newspaper boy. He wants to win a 44 to Europe, but he will also be happy 45 he wins a new bicycle.
A．full-time B．strange C．good D．part-time
A．indoors B．outdoors C．down D．up
A．schoolboy B．newspaper boy C．cowboy D．clever boy
A．that B．where C．which D．whether
A．house B．porch C．school D．corner
A．autumn B．winter C．morning D．summer
A．newspaper B．magazine C．letter D．email
A．air B．wind C．water D．fire
A．teachers B．parents C．bosses D．customers
A．books B．some bread C．a new bike D．tips
A．makes B．saves C．spends D．pays
A．in B．at C．to D．on
A．give B．borrow C．collect D．catch
A．play B．study C．work D．rest
A．in the morning B．at night C．in the afternoon D．at noon
A．sick B．angry C．at school D．sad
A．carry B．collect C．deliver D．sell
A．then B．but C．so D．for
A．trip B．car C．bicycle D．job
A．because B．whether C．unless D．if
I am a team leader in an insurance company. We are going through a lot of changes right now, which is 36 much stress for all of us.
A few weeks ago I was having a day so 37 that I even doubted if I had the ability to do this challenging work, and was about ready to change to a less stressful job 38 . Something happened that day to change my way of 39 and I am so appreciative of this young lady. I want to let her know that the small act 40 .
On the top of my cubicle (工作隔间) I have a small collection of lighthouses (灯塔) to let people know where I am sitting 41 my team members have to find me for emergencies.
That day I came into the office and was about to get the day 42 when Crystal came over. I asked if she needed anything. And she said, “I 43 you something.” I looked at her with a 44 look and said, “Well, thank you, but why 45 you buy me anything?” I had never spoke to this young lady 46 . She said, “Every day I stand up and look across the 47 and see your lighthouses. Then I feel I am not alone and I encourage myself that there are always 48 things in life. I saw this on the way to work and thought 49 would like it. I wish it would have the same 50 as your lighthouses do.” In her hand she had a small globe with a lighthouse and a ship on it. I gave her a hug and 51 her. I don’t think she knows how much that small act of 52 changed my day: I remained 53 the rest of the day.
For anyone that reads this, I hope you remember, no matter what the 54 is, you could change someone’s day, 55 even his views on life.
A．preventing B．reducing C．causing D．suffering
A．funny B．nice C．bad D．dull
A．everywhere B．elsewhere C．anywhere D．nowhere
A．working B．behaving C．speaking D．thinking
A．broke my heart B．touched my heart C．lost my heart D．tore my heart
A．in case B．so that C．as if D．even though
A．ended B．started C．changed D．avoided
A．borrowed B．lent C．sold D．bought
A．delighted B．puzzled C．thankful D．worried
A．might B．dare C．could D．would
A．before B．then C．since D．after
A．dorm B．office C．ship D．tower
A．bright B．challenging C．bad D．stressful
A．colleagues B．leaders C．you D．I
A．opinion B．cause C．expectation D．effect
A．praised B．thanked C．scolded D．refused
A．justice B．courage C．kindness D．tolerance
A．careful B．encouraged C．tired D．alone
A．present B．work C．act D．intention
A．so B．for C．or D．nor