A daughter thought life was unpromising(无前途的) to her and complained to her father about it. She did not know how she was going to and wanted to give up. She was of fighting and struggling. It seemed as if one problem was just solved before a new one .
Her father, a cook, took her to the . He filled three pots with water and placed each on a high
. Soon the pots came to the . In one he placed carrots, in the second he placed eggs, and the last he placed ground coffee beans. He let them sit and boil, without saying a word.
The daughter sucked her teeth and waited, asking repeatedly what he was doing. In about twenty minutes he turned off the He fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. He pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then he spooned the coffee out and placed it in another. Turning to her he asked, “Darling, what do you see?”
“Carrots, eggs, and coffee,” she replied.
He brought her closer and asked her to
the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. He then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the , she observed the hard-boiled egg! Finally, he asked her to taste the coffee. She smiled she tasted its rich flavor. She humbly asked, “What does it mean, Father?”
He explained that each of them had faced the same , boiling water, but each differ-
ently. The carrot went in and hard. But after being subjected to the boiling water, it and became weak. The egg had been . Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior. But after sitting the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, . After they were in the boiling water, they had the water.
“Which are you?” he asked his daughter. “When adversity(逆境) knocks on your door, do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?”
A．make out B．make it C．make up D．make through
A．typical B．conscious C．tired D．warned
A．raised B．arose C．disappeared D．faded
A．room B．market C．kitchen D．grocery
A．shelf B．temperature C．fire D．table
A．boil B．cool C．hot D．smoke
A．happily B．calmly C．casually D．impatiently
A．lights B．burners C．tap D．water
A．see B．carry C．feel D．fetch
A．shell B．pack C．bag D．cover
A．since B．as C．before D．if
A．occasion B．point C．variety D．adversity
A．reflected B．answered C．abandoned D．reacted
A．stable B．weak C．strong D．sensitive
A．softened B．widened C．shortened D．sharpened
A．half-done B．easily-broken C．easily-got D．hard-boiled
A．over B．for C．through D．on
A．however B．otherwise C．besides D．moreover
A．melted B．absorbed C．polluted D．changed
A．what B．how C．when D．why
I used to hate being called upon in class mainly because I didn’t like attention drawn to myself. And otherwise assigned(指定) a seat by the teacher, I always to sit at the back of the classroom.
All this after I joined a sports team. It began when a teacher suggested I try out for the basketball team. At first I thought it was a crazy because I didn’t have a good sense of balance, nor did I have the to keep pace with the others on the team and they would tease me. But for the teacher who kept insisting on my “ for it”, I wouldn’t have decided to give a try.
Getting up the courage to go to the tryouts was only the of it! When I first started the practice sessions, I didn’t even know the rules of the game, much what I was doing. Sometimes I’d get and take a shot at the wrong direction--which made me feel really stupid. , I wasn’t the only one “new” at the game, so I decided to on learning the game, do my best at each practice session, and not be too hard on myself for the things I didn’t “just yet”.
I practiced and practiced. Soon I knew the and the “moves”. Being part of a team was fun and motivating. Very soon the competitive in me was winning over my lack of confidence. With time, I learned how to play and made friends in the --friends who respected my efforts to work hard and be a team player. I never had so much fun!
With my self-confidence comes more praise from teachers and classmates. I have gone from in the back of the classroom and not wanting to call attention to myself, raising my hand--even when I sometimes wasn’t and not 100 percent I had the right answer. Now I have more self-confidence in myself.
A．as B．until C．unless D．though
A．agreed B．chose C．meant D．hoped
A．continued B．settled C．started D．changed
A．saying B．idea C．belief D．plan
A．ability B．right C．chance D．patience
A．looking B．applying C．cheering D．going
A．point B．rest C．half D．basis
A．watching B．preparing C．enjoying D．attending
A．less B．later C．worse D．further
A．committed B．confused C．embarrassed D．motivated
A．Interestingly B．Obviously C．Fortunately D．hopefully
A．focus B．act C．rely D．try
A．want B．do C．know D．support
A．steps B．rules C．orders D．games
A．part B．roles C．mind D．value
A．movement B．process C．operation D．situation
A．recognized B．expressed C．preserved D．improved
A．dreaming B．hiding C．playing D．relaxing
A．to B．for C．with D．by
A．sure B．happy C．satisfied D．lucky
阅读下面短文, 从短文后各题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中, 选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
Recent years have seen many conflicts caused by square dancing. Since loud music______ students preparing for the College Entrance Examination (or gaokao),____citizens who practise the dance near a local middle school in Beijing ________the music to the lowest possible volume. ________the controversy, however, it is difficult to demand a(n) _____on square dancing in the weeks before the College Entrance Examination , says an article .
To some degree, it is necessary for senior citizens to sacrifice the_____of square dancing despite being very ______ of it. Their sacrifice is seen as necessary also because the gaokao is an important ______point in a student's life.
But if students preparing for the okao have the______ to study in a peaceful environment, then senior citizens, too, have the right to practise the dance form of their ____without disturbance. In the Beijing case ______above, more than 300 senior citizens have set a good example by _______a smaller square away from the middle school and turning down the volume of the music while practising the square dance.
Therefore, the authorities, instead of forcing senior citizens to __ practising square dancing in the weeks preceding the gaokao, should take measures to___ that they do so in non-residential areas and, definitely, as far away from _____as possible. The authorities, for instance, could ______for buses to take senior citizens to and from places where they could practise the dance without disturbing anyone and get some _____ exercise and mental comfort.
________, local communities could organize leisure activities that create little noise to provide senior citizens with some_______. In short, senior citizens should not be forced to give up square dancing in the weeks preceding the gaokao, _____they should be provided with alternatives to spend their time happily.
A．keeps B．leaves C．disturbs D．helps
A．elder ly B．friendly C．healthy D．active
A．turned up B．turned in C．turned out D．turned down
A．In spite of B．Because of C．Due to D．As to
A．suggestion B．action C．ban D．promotion
A．approach B．method C．practice D．manner
A．tired B．excited C．interested D．fond
A．turning B．moving C．changing D．reforming
A．ability B．right C．opportunity D．chance
A．choice B．nature C．range D．variety
A．mentioned B．explained C．suggested D．promoted
A．getting to B．moving to C．referring to D．coming to
A．stop B．keep C．risk D．miss
A．forbid B．realize C．warn D．ensure
A．shops B．schools C．factories D．parks
A．arrange B．making C．paying D．preparing
A．spiritual B．physical C．material D．technical
A．However B．Therefore C．Obviously D．Besides
A．welfare B．equipment C．recreation D．supplies
A．instead B．still C．quite D．accordingly
I’d been 16 for six days and was already prepared to deal with failure.
I remember that, when my mum me that morning, her voice wasn’t as screaming as it usually was. She had been for more than one hour getting everything ready, and I could feel she was me at the same time.
I stayed in bed for a few minutes. I was to leave its warmth and to face the suffering that I’d rather let myself forget for the past months. Finally, I dragged myself .
The first thing I thought of after getting up was to . I went to the kitchen and prepared a breakfast that was fairly , but was still too big for my appetite(食欲，胃口) that day. I kept telling myself that I eat. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and this wasn’t a(n) day. Besides maybe it would me a little. But I doubted it. I left the kitchen because even the made me feel sick.
I finished getting ready and tried to settle down. It didn’t , so I decided that my mum and I should go. We had time, so I thought we could practise parking. I , with the wheel hitting the pavement(人行道). After that, the little bit of confidence I had was . I tried two more times, but did not improve much. Then we went towards the driving site (地点).
I waited twenty minutes---just enough time to make myself believe that I was going to fail. Then, finally, it was my . I wasn’t sure of myself at all. I just wanted to get it over and make sure that I had to come back next Thursday.
The first thing I had to do was parking, which I did quite well. The that came with it hit me like a wave. The rest of the test went well and I passed it.
The of my mum made her face softer. I knew her worry was gone and she was happy for me.
A．woke B．cried C．told D．shouted
A．up B．over C．out D．in
A．smiling at B．looking at C．worrying about D．talking with
A．sad B．eager C．willing D．unwilling
A．convenience B．comfort C．quiet D．friendship
A．into bed B．onto bed C．out of bed D．in bed
A．work B．rest C．drink D．eat
A．small B．large C．delicious D．good
A．might B．could C．hated D．should
A．ordinary B．necessary C．lucky D．important
A．like B．hurt C．stop D．calm
A．milk B．smells C．smoke D．bread
A．work B．do C．calm D．use
A．no B．plenty of C．little D．a little
A．cried B．succeeded C．failed D．left
A．back B．greater C．there D．gone
A．start B．office C．test D．race
A．try B．turn C．car D．chance
A．happiness B．Confidence C．pride D．disappointment
A．tears B．lines C．smiles D．eyes
For most, getting your first car opens up a new world of freedom and allows you to go wherever you want, whenever you want. Getting a car did this for me, and it also brought my best friend and me . But then it tore us apart.
My best friend lives three minutes from my . Since her is in late summer, seven months behind mine, I basically became her when I turned 16 in December.
And so I her up for school and took her home. We made ice-cream , went shopping and to the movies--all in my car. I would drive to her house just to sit on her bed, read magazines and have a good laugh. I went to her house so that she gave me a to her house.
A week after I got my license, she was with me I had my first accident. She was there and me and we kept it a , since I didn’t want people to . From then on, through thick and thin, it was just me, my car and my best friend.
High school is a time of , but I couldn’t for a long time we became so distant(疏远) after being so close. My friend waited three months after her birthday to get her dream car: a green 2004 Beetle. With its , the passenger seat of my car became . Our car trips became less frequent I didn’t even drive down her street.
It’s funny how a car can change a relationship so much. I had wanted her to get a car, but once she did, I it. I wanted her friendship back, even if it couldn’t be the same.
A．some B．any C．none D．all
A．closer B．farther C．luckier D．happier
A．neighbor B．school C．home D．family
A．holiday B．birthday C．course D．job
A．driver B．follower C．partner D．guide
A．picked B．woke C．called D．hurried
A．parties B．trips C．plans D．classes
A．happily B．often C．hardly D．seldom
A．key B．door C．address D．phone
A．while B．but C．after D．when
A．saved B．suggested C．advised D．comforted
A．favorite B．secret C．pride D．joke
A．help B．see C．know D．laugh
A．change B．disappointment C．friendship D．excitement
A．understand B．answer C．imagine D．believe
A．when B．where C．how D．what
A．arrival B．dream C．return D．beauty
A．broken B．crowded C．empty D．different
A．however B．until C．as D．before
A．regretted B．received C．enjoyed D．lost
Once there was a little bird that lived in the old times. When a sage(智者)was thrown into a ____by his enemy, the little bird saw what happened and decided to put it out to ____the sage. The little bird____bringing a few drops of water in his____mouth from the nearby river. The larger birds in the tree ____and laughed at the little bird, saying, “Why are you carrying the ____?”
The little bird said, “To put out the fire around the sage.” The larger birds continued ____, “How could you put out such a huge fire with so little water? It is ____.”
Do you know what the little bird _____? “I don’t know whether I will manage to put out the fire or not but I know what I have ___to stop the fire.” Hearing the answer, all the larger birds were____.
We often think that our effort is the factor(因素) responsible for our ____. This is a wrong way of ____. If we believe we can succeed, we shall succeed. Our ____is just a sacrifice(牺牲) that we are willing to make .____, the little bird knew that with a few drops of water the fire would not be put out but it was his ___to do whatever he could to achieve this goal.
It’s the action, not the fruit of the action, that is ___.You have to do the right thing. It may not be in your _____or may not be in your time, but that doesn’t ____ you stop doing the right thing. You may never know___results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result.
A．room B．fire C．river D．plane
A．remind B．stop C．help D．surprise
A．started B．allowed C．suggested D．imagined
A．long B．tiny C．strong D．beautiful
A．refused B．understood C．heard D．watched
A．cup B．present C．water D．fruit
A．warning B．laughing C．teaching D．complaining
A．unnecessary B．dangerous C．useless D．possible
A．accepted B．achieved C．performed D．replied
A．done B．finished C．collected D．proved
A．afraid B．silent C．angry D．nervous
A．success B．growth C．study D．career
A．planning B．working C．explaining D．thinking
A．progress B．fortune C．effort D．change
A．Similarly B．Strangely C．Suddenly D．Generally
A．turn B．responsibility C．promise D．fault
A．actual B．easy C．exact D．important
A．secret B．order C．power D．memory
A．mean B．protect C．report D．mention
A．when B．how C．that D．what