When Joe was about to start school, all signs pointed to success. Yet things turned out to be quite . The fourth grade even found him at the of the class. Joe struggled day and night, but it did not until one stormy afternoon.
On that afternoon, the math teacher started to introduce difficult concepts, dark clouds covered the sky, and the storm set in. Hard though she tried to make the kid , the thunder won the battle for their attention. No one the concepts, except for Joe. He understood them and answered all the questions correctly. The teacher patted him on the back, and told him to go around to the others and explain how he had managed it. by his newfound success, Joe moved quickly throughout the room. Soon math time was followed by the time for . All children naturally drew pictures on such a day. Except for Joe.
Since then, Joe started . Though he never made it to the top, his math teacher was always and curious about the change: Why had that stormy day changed Joe? On the day Joe graduated, he presented the teacher with his most possession—the picture of a bright yellow sun. On the picture Joe had written: This is the day I my brightness.
It is easy to overlook the role that your body plays in influencing your mood(情绪). When you are , you may find yourself blaming work pressures or an unknown future. However, it could just be that you've been sitting behind your desk too long.
One way to improve your mood is . Psychologically, it provides you with a break from the stresses in your life. Also, in the process, you may aim for goals, like a new personal running record or a better body shape. The achievement of a particular goal makes you feel good and contributes to your . That is why exercise has been shown to your self-respect.
You do not have to train yourself to feel the psychological benefits of exercise. What really matters is , not intensity(强度) of your exercise. You can try walking for 30 minutes five times per week or simply gardening on weekends.
A．unfair B．boring C．disappointing D．dangerous
A．center B．top C．beginning D．bottom
A．happen B．work C．finish D．last
A．until B．since C．because D．as
A．concentrate B．change C．hide D．sit
A．challenged B．grasped C．doubted D．admitted
A．Relieved B．Surprised C．Encouraged D．Puzzled
A．class B．sports C．art D．tea
A．great B．dark C．different D．strange
A．improving B．painting C．recovering D．studying
A．worried B．amazed C．friendly D．cautious
A．familiar B．expensive C．admirable D．precious
A．woke up to B．put up with C．got on with D．looked down upon
A．ill B．poor C．unhappy D．unsuccessful
A．play B．communication C．sleep D．exercise
A．clear B．present C．common D．early
A．ability B．relationship C．confidence D．business
A．tear down B．build up C．set aside D．give out
A．hard B．everywhere C．carefully D．late
A．time B．length C．form D．frequency
James sat outside the office waiting for the interview. He felt so 36 that he didn’t know what to do with himself. The person who had gone in 37 him had been in there for nearly an hour. And she looked so confident when she went in, not like James. He felt 38 that she had already got the job. The problem was that he wanted his job so much. It meant everything to him. He had 39 it such a lot before the day of the interview. He had imagined himself 40 brilliantly（出色地）at the interview and being offered the job immediately. But now here he was feeling 41 . He couldn’t remember all those things he 42 to say. At that moment, he almost decided to get up and leave. But no – he had to do this. He had spent so much time considering it that he couldn’t 43 like that. His hands were hot and sticky and his mouth felt dry. At last the door of the office opened. The woman who had gone in an hour earlier came out looking very 44 with herself. She smiled sympathetically （同情地）at James. At the moment, James 45 her. The managing director then appeared at the office door. “would you like to come in now, Mr. Davis? I’m sorry to have kept you 46 .” James suddenly wished that he had gone home after all. He got up, legs 47 and forehead sweating and wondered he looked as terrified as he felt.
A．healthy B．nervous C．careless D．confident
A．by B．with C．before D．after
A．doubtful B．sure C．angry D．astonished
A．dreamed of B．learned of C．thought about D．talked about
A．explaining B．performing C．answering D．writing
A．mad B．excited C．certain D．terrible
A．had planned B．has planned C．planed D．would plan
A．take back B．put off C．give up D．put down
A．ugly B．pleased C．sad D．pretty
A．noticed B．loved C．missed D．hated
A．wait B．waiting C．being waiting D．waited
A．shaking B．bending C．broken D．stopped
I can honestly say it was the best of times and the worst of times. I was joyfully expecting my first child at the same time that my mother was 1 her battle with a brain tumor(瘤). For ten years, my fiercely independent and 2 mother had fought, but none of the treatments had been successful. 3 , she never lost her ability to smile. But now, finally, she became totally 4 —unable to speak, walk, eat or dress on her own.
As she grew closer and closer to death, my 5 grew closer and closer to life inside me. My biggest 6 was that their lives would never connect. I was sad not only at the 7 loss of my mother, but that she and my baby would never know each other. Her doctor did not 8 any hope; they told us her time was up.
We brought Mother 9 to her own bed in her own house. As 10 as I could, I sat beside her and talked to her about the baby moving inside me.
On February 3, 1989, at about the same time my labor(分娩) 11 , Mother opened her eyes. When they told me this at the 12 , I called her home, “Mom, listen. The baby is coming! You’re going to have a new grandchild!”
“Yes! Yes! I know!”
Four beautiful words! The first 13 words she’d spoken in months!
When I 14 again an hour later, the nurse at her house told the 15 message: Mom sat up, smiling, with her oxygen tubes removed. When I brought Jacob home. Mom was sitting in her chair and 15 to welcome him. Tears of joy blocked my vision(视野) as I 17 my son in her arms and she clucked (发出咯咯声) at him. They 18 .
Then she quietly clipped back into a coma (昏迷) and 19 peacefully. Memories of my son’s birth will always be bittersweet(甜中带苦的) for me, but it was then that I learned love has the 20 to overcome any worries and any sorrow. And love can last forever.
A．attending B．losing C．quitting D．defeating
A．brave B．interesting C．funny D．lucky
A．So B．Again C．Instead D．Still
A．outstanding B．blind C．disabled D．troublesome
A．sorrow B．love C．baby D．body
A．problem B．dream C．surprise D．fear
A．coming B．disappearing C．falling D．greeting
A．admit B．hold C．drop D．permit
A．up B．away C．about D．home
A．soon B．fast C．early D．often
A．started B．failed C．ended D．continued
A．office B．hospital C．house D．station
A．common B．caring C．clear D．correct
A．got up B．woke up C．called up D．looked up
A．impossible B．possible C．necessary D．terrible
A．likely B．ready C．free D．nervous
A．hugged B．threw C．took D．laid
A．joined B．knew C．nodded D．cried
A．passed away B．turned over C．settled down D．gave out
A．depth B．description C．power D．mask
When I was a boy, every holiday that I had seemed wonderful. My ( 1 ) took me by train or by car to a hotel by the ( 2 ) . All day, I seem to remember, I ( 3) on the sands with strange (4 ) children. We made houses and gardens, and ( 5) the tide destroy them. When the tide went out, we (6) over the rocks and looked down at the fish in the rock-pools.
In those days the ( 7 ) seemed to shine always brightly（ 8 ） the water was always warm. Sometimes we left beach and walked in the country,（ 9 ） ruined houses and dark woods and climbing trees. There were（ 10 ） in one’s pockets or good places where one could（ 11 ） ice creams. Each day seemed a lifetime.
Although I am now thirty-five years old, my idea of a good （ 12） is much the same as it was. I（ 13 ） like the sun and warm sand and the sound of（ 14 ） beating the rocks. I no longer wish to（ 15 ） any sand house or sand garden, and I dislike sweets.（ 16 ） , I love the sea and often feel sand running through my fingers.
Sometimes I （ 17） what my ideal (理想的) holiday will be like when I am（ 18 ） . All I want to do then, perhaps, will be to lie in bed, reading books about（ 19 ） who make houses and gardens with sands, who watch the incoming tide, who make themselves（ 20 ） on too many ices…
A．teacher B．parents C．nurse D．younger sister
A．sea B．lake C．mountain D．river
A．played B．slept C．sat D．stood
A．moving B．exciting C．anxious D．nervous
A．made B．brought C．watched D．heard
A．rolled B．jumped C．turned D．climbed
A．light B．sun C．moon D．lamp
A．and B．yet C．but D．or
A．exploring B．examining C．repairing D．measuring
A．sweets B．sand C．ice-creams D．money
A．make B．sell C．buy D．offer
A．house B．holiday C．garden D．tide
A．hardly B．almost C．still D．perhaps
A．waves B．tides C．hands D．feet
A．destroy B．fix C．use D．build
A．But B．However C．Otherwise D．Besides
A．wonder B．feel C．understand D．believe
A．strong B．weak C．young D．old
A．children B．boys C．girls D．grown-ups
A．happy B．tired C．sad D．sick
Years ago, there was a very wealthy man who, with his devoted young son, shared a passion for art collecting. Together, they traveled around the world, adding only the 36 art treasures to their collection.
One year, as winter approached, 37 engulfed (吞没) the nation, and the young man left to 38 his country. After only a few short weeks, his father received a telegram. His beloved son was 39 in action. The art collector 40 awaited more news,41 he would never see his son again. Within days, his fears were 42 . The young man had died while rushing a fellow soldier to a doctor.
Upset and43 , the old man faced the coming Christmas holidays with sadness. On Christmas morning, a knock on the door awakened the 44 old man. As he opened the door, he was greeted by a 45 with a large package in his hands.
He introduced himself to the old man by saying,“ I was a 46 of your son. I was the one he was 47 when he died. May I come in for a few moments? I have something to show you.”
As the two began to 48 , the soldier told of how the man's son had told everyone of his, not to mention his father's 49 of fine art. “I am no 50 ,” said the soldier, “but I want to give you this.”
As the old man unwrapped the package, he saw a portrait his son. Though the world would 51 consider it the work of a genius, the painting featured the young man's face 52 striking detail.
Overcome with emotion, the man 53 the soldier. After the soldier had left, the old man put the painting above the fireplace, pushing 54 thousands of dollars worth of art. His task completed, the old man sat in his chair and spent Christmas gazing at the 55 he had been given.
A．latest B．richest C．cheapest D．finest
A．war B．fire C．storm D．flood
A．save B．serve C．help D．build
A．fighting B．acting C．missing D．dying
A．anxiously B．calmly C．quietly D．secretly
A．wondering B．doubting C．fearing D．expecting
A．comp1eted B．doubled C．removed D．confirmed
A．lonely B．tired C．nervous D．frightened
A．sad B．puzzled C．angry D．worried
A．farmer B．soldier C．painter D．seller
A．friend B．photographer C．partner D．guard
A．rescuing B．carrying C．guarding D．hiding
A．argue B．move C．talk D．eat
A．description B．love C．sense D．understanding
A．reporter B．businessman C．hero D．artist
A．sometimes B．often C．never D．still
A．for B．in C．of D．on
A．treated B．questioned C．welcomed D．thanked
A．own B．aside C．up D．off
A．treasure B．souvenir C．gift D．Package
One day a few years ago we had a guest of the uninvited variety. In fact, this uninvited guest was a bird--- a(n) __1__, to be more precise(精确地).
“What’s that?” I asked when I first heard the thump(重击声). “It sounds like Joe is outside playing basketball,” my wife, Anita, said. She paused and __2__ more devotedly. “It’s coming from the __3__.” she said. “Maybe it’s one of the little __4__”.
We rushed out the door. Jonathan, our youngest, was easy to make __5__. “If he’s making holes in the wall again…” I said as I searched there. No children at all. But there was that __6_ again, coming from right up there.
And that’s when I __7__ the sparrow. It was flying __8__ just inches below the ceiling. It was clearly trying to __9__, but couldn’t see that the way out wasn’t up, but down and out through the open _10__. So the bird continued beating its wings and hitting its head against the __11__.
“Poor thing,” Anita said. “It must be __12__.”
“Well, maybe it’s because of me,” I said as I moved toward it. I tried to show the bird how to glide (滑翔) down a few feet so it could get outside, __13__ that only seemed to frighten it more.
“Why don’t we just __14__?” Anita suggested. “I’m sure he’ll __15__ eventually.”
So we went back into the house, where we continued to hear the ongoing struggle. Then suddenly, it was __16__. We looked into the garage, and our uninvited guest was __17__.
“See?” Anita said. “I told you he would make it.”
“Yeah,” I said. “But how many knocks on the head did it __18__ him?”
I’ve thought about that little sparrow through the years. Just like that sparrow, we often meet situations we don’t know how to __19__. Born to go upward, we don’t __20__ consider the possibility that something good might happen if we stop flapping(拍打) around and just glide down a little bit.
A．swallow B．eagle C．sparrow D．pigeon
A．searched B．listened C．studied D．thought
A．basement B．kitchen C．garage D．yard
A．kids B．cats C．birds D．dogs
A．trouble B．fun C．sense D．effort
A．cry B．attack C．knock D．sound
A．recalled B．realized C．spotted D．caught
A．bravely B．anxiously C．patiently D．happily
A．come up B．come down C．get in D．get out
A．car B．hole C．door D．roof
A．wall B．floor C．window D．ceiling
A．terrified B．tired C．stupid D．mad
A．since B．if C．but D．so
A．leave B．wait C．flee D．escape
A．attempt B．recognize C．understand D．succeed
A．strange B．silent C．busy D．noisy
A．injured B．awesome C．gone D．dead
A．cost B．offer C．earn D．owe
A．stand B．deal with C．comfort D．face
A．still B．ever C．also D．even