“A” for Attitude
English was always my favorite subject. In my freshman year of high school, I could write a killer composition. In my second year, my teacher me to give spelling tests to the class. I had a time of my junior year. Mrs Alexander me to sit at her desk and take over the class when she had to leave the room. Only my senior English class was , as we had a teacher right out of college who expected work. Every student received a "C" or "D" grade the first quarter. But English was still my favorite subject.
I graduated from high school, early and had children. about my English, I often helped my kids with their English homework. And I wrote long articles and beautiful poetry as a columnist for a newspaper. Fifteen years later, I went to college, and because I had been an "A" student, I remained an "A" student. I up to my own expectations.
Yesterday, I my high school report cards when I was reading old papers. That bundle of report cards back the old days. I remembered sitting in my advisor's office, explaining that I had always be at English, and recommending that I did not deserve a '"D" from that inexperienced teacher of my senior year. The advisor was but unable to change a(an) . Reading through my old report cards revealed something else too. I wanted to them or hide them. I was not an "A" student in high school English! Somehow, I had myself of this, when the grades clearly reflected an average student with an "A" or "B" but mostly "C” S.
Had I lived up to those grades and myself according to those letters, I would have never confidently sought my writing career. Had I my early grades instead of myself, I would have allowed my fear of failure to enthusiasm and damage my creativity. Instead, I my younger self as an "A" English student, except for that undeserved "D".
A．scolded B．allowed C．ordered D．reminded
A．bad B．complex C．terrible D．wonderful
A．approved B．appointed C．expected D．urged
A．flexible B．creative C．disappointing D．controversial
A．college-level B．based C．difficult D．easy
A．married B．worked C．succeeded D．progressed
A．Sad B．Confident C．Anxious D．Curious
A．added B．lived C．grew D．went
A．counted B．remembered C．approached D．discovered
A．brought B．turned C．held D．kept
A．nervous B．good C．poor D．terrible
A．impolite B．impatient C．inexperienced D．sympathetic
A．grade B．figure C．paper D．entry
A．tear B．fire C．cry D．escape
A．warned B．reminded C．informed D．convinced
A．average B．enthusiastic C．outstanding D．occasional
A．considered B．denied C．reflected D．described
A．abandoned B．given C．believed in D．doubted
A．change B．risk C．defeat D．reminded
A．looked B．viewed C．sang D．criticized
On my birthday this year, I decided to do something very different. I had been 36 so much and I wanted to reach out to bring happiness to someone else. So, that 37 , I bought some flowers and went to a hospital. I had no 38 who I was going to present the flowers to, but I would find someone who needed 39 .
I asked the nurses in the hospital, who thought it 40 that I didn’t have anyone in particular to see. 41 , they gave me the room number of a(n) 42 lady, who needed some comfort.
I entered the room with the flowers. The elderly woman looked up, staring at me 43 . She was greatly moved when I told her about my 44in being there. She was an amputee(被截肢者) and she explained to me that she was very worried 45 they were going to fit her with prosthetic leg(假肢). She knew that as she was getting used to the “ 46 ”leg, she would be in 47 .
Later, in the following two hours, we 48 a lot and both felt very happy. I 49 until it was dark. I will always remember how 50 she was the moment she received the flowers from me—a 51 . She called me her angel and said she had no more 52 .
I 53 that story with my neighbor and she 54 that she was going to do the same thing on her birthday. And I hope that she will 55 others to be kind and do the same thing. You never know you might be considered someone’s angel one day.
A．shown B．told C．given D．bought
A．dusk B．afternoon C．hour D．night
A．belief B．sense C．message D．idea
A．paying attention to B．cheering up C．looking after D．looking down upon
A．strange B．lucky C．difficult D．true
A．Instead B．Still C．Besides D．Therefore
A．young B．old C．happy D．strong
A．angrily B．suddenly C．quickly D．confusedly
A．purpose B．experience C．failure D．trouble
A．unless B．but C．because D．until
A．thin B．long C．short D．new
A．surprise B．pain C．need D．sight
A．talked B．asked C．imagined D．smiled
A．left B．stood C．stayed D．rested
A．painful B．shy C．embarrassed D．moved
A．stranger B．friend C．relative D．doctor
A．fun B．interest C．fear D．challenge
A．repeated B．shared C．said D．told
A．agreed B．forgot C．joked D．promised
A．force B．warm C．allow D．encourage
One winter during college in New York, I took an 8 am history class to fulfill a requirement. It was 36 to get up for that class, but every morning I would 37 the cold winds and went to the lecture.
The professor for the class would step 38 into the room. He was terribly nervous about the class and always fixed his eyes on his book, never 39 us.
I felt that I needed to do something to 40 the boredom, so I tried to find something in his lecture to ask him, 41 me to pay attention rather than letting my eyes close. The first time 42 I raised my hand, he was surprised but was obviously 43 to have a question to answer. I continued to do this every day. The professor seemed to become a bit more 44 and some other students even joined in. In fact, his answers were always 45. In this way, I learned quite a lot and realized the professor was indeed a/an 46 in his field.
On the last day of class we 47 our books and headed out. The professor stepped directly in front of me, with obvious 48, putting out his hand. He said, “49 you for making my class so interesting,” shaking my hand and smiling. I was so 50. To me, it had been a pleasant way to 51 the time in his lesson. I had no idea that my 52 had any effect on him or the others at all.
That 53 has stayed with me for 30 years. I don’t 54 the fact I learned in his class, but I’ll never forget the professor who taught me a lesson about the 55 of acts of kindness, indeed or not.
A．impossible B．rough C．natural D．tough
A．slow B．brave C．lower D．warm
A．shyly B．eagerly C．proudly D．hurriedly
A．looking down at B．looking up at C．looking up to D．looking down upon
A．ignore B．delay C．stop D．understand
A．forcing B．allowing C．advising D．persuading
A．when B．in which C．* D．that
A．impatient B．sorry C．shocked D．pleased
A．relaxed B．annoyed C．tired D．determined
A．boring B．interesting C．puzzling D．worrying
A．permanent B．temporary C．expert D．fool
A．read B．copied C．ordered D．gathered
A．pity B．effort C．humor D．guilt
A．Thank B．Forgive C．Blame D．Praise
A．honest B．nervous C．surprised D．disappointed
A．save B．spend C．spare D．pass
A．stories B．questions C．appearance D．care
A．moment B．opinion C．suggestion D．wish
A．like B．know C．recall D．believe
A．concept B．reward C．price D．power
One winter during college in New York, I took an 8 am history class to fulfill a requirement. It was 36 to get up for that class, but every morning I would 37 the cold winds and went to the lecture.
The professor for the class would step 38 into the room. He was terribly nervous about the class and always fixed his eyes on his book, never 39 us.
I felt that I needed to do something to 40 the boredom, so I tried to find something in his lecture to ask him, 41 me to pay attention rather than letting my eyes close. The first time 42 I raised my hand, he was surprised but was obviously 43 to have a question to answer. I continued to do this every day. The professor seemed to become a bit more 44 and some other students even joined in. In fact, his answers were always 45. In this way, I learned quite a lot and realized the professor was indeed a/an 46 in his field.
On the last day of class we 47 our books and headed out. The professor stepped directly in front of me, with obvious 48, putting out his hand. He said, “49 you for making my class so interesting,” shaking my hand and smiling. I was so 50. To me, it had been a pleasant way to 51 the time in his lesson. I had no idea that my 52 had any effect on him or the others at all.
That 53 has stayed with me for 30 years. I don’t 54 the fact I learned in his class, but I’ll never forget the professor who taught me a lesson about the 55 of acts of kindness, indeed or not.
A．impossible B．rough C．natural D．tough
A．slow B．brave C．lower D．warm
A．shyly B．eagerly C．proudly D．hurriedly
A．looking down at B．looking up at C．looking up to D．looking down upon
A．ignore B．delay C．stop D．understand
A．forcing B．allowing C．advising D．persuading
A．when B．in which C．* D．that
A．impatient B．sorry C．shocked D．pleased
A．relaxed B．annoyed C．tired D．determined
A．boring B．interesting C．puzzling D．worrying
A．permanent B．temporary C．expert D．fool
A．read B．copied C．ordered D．gathered
A．pity B．effort C．humor D．guilt
A．Thank B．Forgive C．Blame D．Praise
A．honest B．nervous C．surprised D．disappointed
A．save B．spend C．spare D．pass
A．stories B．questions C．appearance D．care
A．moment B．opinion C．suggestion D．wish
A．like B．know C．recall D．believe
A．concept B．reward C．price D．power
Charles and I used to hang out all the time , together with a few other guys , but he seemed too cool for us lately . We couldn’t understand the 36 , and we didn’t ask him for an explanation . 37 , we decided to 38 him a lesson in the way he treated us .
Once we started giving Charles the 39 shoulder , almost everybody was taking no notice of him . He looked so 40 , especially at lunchtime when he sat alone in the cafeteria . Now and then he nodded and said , “Hey!” when 41 passed his table , but all he got 42 return were mean looks and silence .
At first I was glad my plan had 43 , but Charles’ unhappiness made me upset . I only wanted him to know 44 it felt like to be blown off , but I hadn’t thought about how badly my “lesson” would 45 him .
During one lunch period, I 46 as Charles repeatedly glanced at his watch , obviously 47 the minutes until he could leave the cafeteria . I suddenly realized I had done wrong .
“Hey ! man . I’m terribly sorry.” I called out .
Charles turned around 48 , clearly wanting to avoid eye contact .
“Oh, so you are talking to me now ?” he asked .
“I’m so sorry , 49 I had thought that you wanted to end our friendship.” I said .
“What?” he nearly shouted , looking much 50 . “I’ve left you alone because I thought that was what you wanted.”
“Oh, my God ! Why would I want 51 ?” I shouted , completely puzzled .
Clearly , we both had been 52 each other wrong .
At first Charles couldn’t accept my 53 . I knew he needed time to 54 all the hurt I’d caused him . But eventually , he did forgive me . We even started hanging out together 55 . And our friendship wasn’t destroyed at all .
A．situation B．change C．action D．appearance
A．Besides B．Therefore C．Instead D．Opposite
A．take B．teach C．give D．attend
A．serious B．friendly C．warm D．cold
A．sad B．angry C．happy D．high
A．nobody B．anyone C．they D．someone
A．at B．in C．on D．by
A．helped B．operated C．worked D．done
A．what B．that C．as D．how
A．worry B．touch C．hurt D．disappoint
A．imagined B．listened C．recalled D．watched
A．counting B．guessing C．waiting
A．immediately B．slowly C．finally D．willingly
A．and B．so C．thus D．but
A．interested B．pleased C．surprised D．moved
A．it B．those C．that D．such
A．understanding B．regarding C．knowing D．treating
A．explanation B．attitude C．suggestion D．apology
A．get through B．get over C．get across D．get along
A．seldom B．once C．again D．also
The story I’m going to tell truly happened in my life.
The other day, I met a man outside the gym who_16___a movie star. He was handsome and smiling. His upper body was muscular and he __17_to be on top of the world.
“How are you?” I _18___with a smile. “I’m doing really well,” he replied in a cheerful voice. His enthusiasm and big smile _19___the parking garage . _20___as he walked up, I _21___his long legs were thin and I saw he had a silver cane(手杖).“Why do you need that cane?” I couldn’t _22___thinking he had a minor injury. “I have MS,” he answered in a _23___voice too, as his broad smile __24__left his face. Multiple Sclerosis is a very serious disease and often painful. I looked at him from my little red sports car and said, “You _25___it very well. You seem like a happy man _26___ the MS.” Without losing a bit of his smile he replied, “ I am a happy man,” and then added, “I’d be even happier if I had that sports _27___.”
It was ironic(讽刺的). Just _28___we spoke, I’d been sitting in that little sports car, feeling sad about my painful shoulder over the last 11 months although I was _29___ after an operation. Here’s a man with a __30__far tougher than mine, but his positive attitude made him feel no _31___happiness. He went on with his enjoyment of life as usual, which moved me deeply.
It was also a wonderful reminder of that old _32___, “I cried because I had no shoes. Then I met a man who had no feet.” _33___ your problems, just keep in__34__that none of us goes through life __35__and like the man with MS, make the most of what you have. Count your blessings.
|