Music to My Ears
Robby was 10 for his first piano lesson in my class. Much as he tried, he ____ even the basic rhythm. However, he dutifully reviewed the pieces that I required.
Over the months he tried and tried while I ____ and encouraged him. At the end of each lesson he'd always say, "My mom's going to hear me play some day." ____ it seemed hopeless.
I only knew his mother from a ____as she waited in her aged car to pick him up. Then one day Robby stopped coming. I was secretly ____ that he stopped because of his lack of ability.
Weeks later I informed the students, including Robby, of the coming recital（独奏）. To my ____, Robby asked me if he could be included. I told him he really did not qualify because he had ____ out. He said his mom had been sick and unable to take him to lessons but he was still ____ .
“I've just got to play!" he ____. Something inside me let me allow him to.
Then came the recital night. The gym was ____ with parents. I put Robby up ____, thinking that I could save his poor performance through my “curtain closer（谢幕）.”
The recital went off smoothly. Then Robby came up on stage. His clothes were wrinkled and his hair was ____. "Why didn't his mother at least make him comb his hair for this special night?" I thought.
Robby pulled out the piano bench and began. I was not ____ for what I heard next. His fingers were ____ on the keys. Never had I heard Mozart played so well by people of his age. After he ended, everyone was ____ their feet in wild applause.
In ____ I ran up on stage and put my arms around Robby. "I've never heard you play like that, Robby! How did you ____ it?"
Robby explained, "Well, Miss Hondorf…remember I told you my mom was sick? …____ she had cancer and passed away yesterday. She was born deaf, so tonight she could hear me play in heaven. I wanted to make it special."
There wasn’t a ____ eye in the house. That night I felt he was the teacher and I was the pupil, for it was he who taught me the meaning of perseverance and ____.
A．had B．lacked C．showed D．got
A．learned B．checked C．listened D．played
A．And B．But C．So D．Or
A．conversation B．performance C．distance D．picture
A．guilty B．anxious C．glad D．sad
A．surprise B．relief C．pleasure D．satisfaction
A．stepped B．worn C．run D．dropped
A．acting B．practicing C．performing D．recording
A．insisted B．suggested C．complained D．threatened
A．packed B．lined C．piled D．covered
A．least B．most C．first D．last
A． cool B．messy C．neat D．dull
A．eager B．concerned C．prepared D．grateful
A．hesitating B．crawling C．touching D．dancing
A．over B．under C．in D．on
A．chaos B．return C．silence D．tears
A．find B．feel C．make D．like
A．Gradually B．Suddenly C．Frequently D．Actually
A．bright B．curious C．dry D．wet
A．love B．talent C．regret D．courage
About one year ago, a couple with three children moved into the apartment next door to me. I never heard any noise form the children, but I often heard the parents shouting at the kids, not in a nice tone, but in a (n) one.
We often in the hallway. I always greeted them, the only answer I ever got was a “hello” from the eight-year-old girl. I usually to see my doctor and one day when I returned they were just their apartment and the little girl was the outside door open for the others. I in the car doing things because I wasn’t eager to be snubbed (冷落) again. Finally I got out of my car and walked towards the door. The parents were telling her to to get into the car, but the little girl was still holding the door, me! I hurried although I was still in pain from my injury.
I forgot to tell her how I was for her kindness. I wrote a note saying how much her act of kindness had an old man’s heart.
The next day there was a (n) on my door and it was the little girl and her father. She was quite of her behavior and thanked me. Then I noticed her mother was there, too. Her parents me, too.
Now when we meet in the hall way we always greet each other, in a friendly .
Last night there was a heavy snow. I looked out at my car and how I was going to keep my doctor’s because I could only walk for a short time. This morning when I opened the front door, all the snow was removed.
Isn’t it that the small kind act of an 8-year-old girl can change so many things for the better? It is said that good tings come from small acts.
A．quietly B．strangely C．quickly D．angrily
A．frightening B．exciting C．sincere D．kind
A．quarreled B．met C．chatted D．argued
A．when B．so C．but D．or
A．went out B．set out C．took out D．gave out
A．decorating B．cleaning C．returning D．leaving
A．breaking B．operating C．holding D．unlocking
A．kept B．remained C．insisted D．left
A．favorite B．important C．unnecessary D．curious
A．hurry B．drive C．stay D．greet
A．hunting for B．asking for C．waiting for D．calling for
A．beneficial B．influential C．anxious D．grateful
A．strengthened B．broken C．touched D．saved
A．note B．knock C．invitation D．picture
A．proud B．aware C．afraid D．sure
A．understood B．recognized C．praised D．thanked
A．manner B．appearance C．statement D．announcement
A．found B．doubted C．remembered D．wondered
A．advice B．appointment C．suggestion D．attention
A．amazing B．confusing C．disappointing D．challenging
I met Billy the last summer before college. He was handsome and his irreverence(玩世不恭) was to me. We liked each other the first instant we met. , I was a straight A student and my parents had high hopes for me to an Ivy League (常春藤联盟) school. Billy did not concentrate all his attention his study and school life. However, we were in love --- so teenager love. I still remember we had a plan for prom(舞会). It was understood that we had about where we would dance and drink and party together.
This meant one thing to my parents---panic. And it grew as the letters began to roll in. Of the eleven schools I applied to, nine accepted me. And one of them was Brown University---the Ivy League in 1770 in historic Providence, Rhode Island.
There was no that I was drawn to Brown, but Billy (who had joined the army) was down south and I had offers for me there, too. I was torn between my love for him and my family .
One week the start of school, my mother had a talk with me. She said I was eighteen years old and I had a to make--- one that went beyond the choice of to attend university.
In August, I and drove north to Providence. It took several months to that my life was moving on in a way that was completely different from Billy’s. Brown changed my life, opening doors and giving me the I now use to think, to learn and to write. Life is always about it seems, and the older I get, the more I understand this. Still, there are times when I think of Billy because he taught me about love.
A．confusing B．disturbing C．appealing D．amusing
A．Unfortunately B．Actually C．Luckily D．Originally
A．leave B．start C．finish D．attend
A．in B．at C．on D．from
A．special B．crazy C．wrong D．normal
A．talked B．looked C．lied D．argued
A．description B．rejection C．application D．acceptance
A．constructed B．assessed C．assisted D．informed
A．point B．use C．doubt D．need
A．left B．sent C．exposed D．employed
A．waiting B．asking C．hoping D．searching
A．tradition B．connection C．reputation D．expectation
A．before B．after C．at D．since
A．plan B．decision C．rule D．promise
A．out B．away C．far D．deep
A．when B．where C．whether D．how
A．got up B．packed up C．looked up D．turned up
A．foresee B．imagine C．realize D．consider
A．chances B．position C．equipment D．tools
A．surprises B．adventures C．opportunities D．choices
Andy was born with a developmental(发展的disorder.The two sides of his brain were not normally together.The right side of his could not communicate with the left.At the age of three,it was for him to walk,speak,and play.He could only echo (重复) back a few words,and walked while someone held each of his hands.
Then came the .He attended an all-day center where he every unimaginable treatment.He struggled,sometimes in ,to get stronger.Andy hated it when his parents would him there in the
mornings.However,they —against all odds(逆境)—that he would grow up to live a healthy life. They believed it for themselves,and for Andy.
It .Today Andy is a successful 13-year-old high school student and has won the gold medal for his math competition. His _____ has been nothing short of a wonder. He receives special help with a few things, but _____ his friends in all the activities he loves. Andy overcame a lot of to move from adversity (逆境) to victory.
Ask yourself:“What are the seeds of hidden in my struggles today?If I get up when I ,what will that make possible tomorrow? ”
“Overnight success” is the of years of tenacity (坚韧)and continued .
Victory is possible for those who never give in to whatever bad to them.They’ll find the path to their dream. ,they will accept adversities as universities that will foster (促进) strength,growth,and skills to attract the victory they seek.
A．touched B．used C．mixed D．joined
A．ear B．body C．foot D．shoulder
A．difficult B．easy C．interesting D．funny
A．fast B．strangely C．strongly D．slowly
A．power B．attention C．struggles D．failures
A．watched B．followed C．received D．enjoyed
A．tears B．smiles C．excitement D．disappointment
A．make B．leave C．forget D．put
A．doubted B．believed C．guessed D．imagined
A．lovely B．rich C．normal D．colorful
A．paid off B．set out C．ran out D．went off
A．story B．problem C．experience D．progress
A．sees B．visits C．invites D．joins
A．objects B．Enemies C．habits D．difficulties
A．flower B．spirit C．strength D．pride
A．lose B．fail C．fall D．stop
A．mark B．result C．symbol D．sign
A．learning B．taking C．offering D．refusing
A．related B．happened C．appealed D．referred
A．However B．Otherwise C．Besides D．Rather
Sorry, I’m late. I ____ have turned off the alarm clock and gone back to sleep again.
A．might B．should C．can D．Will
My father was in the navy, which meant that my mother was married to both my father and the sea. As was often the , we had to pack our belongings into boxes and those we had grown to love. We would arrive at our new home and find ourselves once again standing at the pier (码头) good-bye to my father as hisshippulled him away from us. My mother would turn my brother and me around before the ship was out of , wipe our tears, and take us back home to start the process of in the new environment again.
Throughout the years of changing , schools and friends, there remained one constant in my childhood — my mother. For both my and me, she was the cook, maid and teacher. She played these roles while some type of part-time job. Leaving a career is just one of thesacrifices which my mother made for my family as we moved around the world with our father every three years or so. she had to deal with only a small budget, my mother, , managed to make each house the very home that is safe and .
This probably sounds like a depressing way to live, with two small children: “single”
parenthood, short-term friendships, and the inability to her career or establish a home. But it was not for my mother. She turned this into adventure for us all! Each relocation (变换位置) was a chance to another part of the world. My mother greeted each new culture, climate and neighborhood. Each new house was a to rearrange furniture, make curtains and pictures. Every part-time job was an opportunity to learn something new and work with interesting people.
No matter how difficult the life was, she was always having a attitude. She always had strength in the face of struggle and change. My mother was so all those years during my childhood — she was my island in a sea of change. She is my hero.
A．situation B．condition C．case D．matter
A．leave out B．leave behind C．leave off D．leave for
A．speaking B．staring C．waving D．talking
A．range B．shape C．sight D．control
A．adapting B．suiting C．matching D．fitting
A．names B．jobs C．addresses D．directions
A．father B．classmates C．brother D．relatives
A．performing B．seeking C．waiting D．applying
A．terrible B．promising C．hopeless D．negative
A．Once B．While C．When D．Unless
A．somewhere B．anyhow C．somewhat D．somehow
A．romantic B．comfortable C．mysterious D．wealthy
A．generally B．actually C．especially D．unfairly
A．desert B．develop C．affect D．limit
A．lifestyle B．value C．journey D．opportunity
A．acquire B．explore C．occupy D．realize
A．load B．sadness C．result D．challenge
A．hang B．draw C．took D．sold
A．changeable B．cautious C．positive D．negative
A．experienced B．brave C．ordinary D．annoyed