Umbrellas are common in our daily life. On rainy days, many people hold them to prevent the , but it’s not easy to hold an umbrella if there is heavy rain and wind. And it’s harder to make a phone call or ride a bike an umbrella in the hand. An American named Alan Kaufman and his company 6 years inventing a hand-free umbrella. they made it.
They called it umbrella. Just touch a button and the umbrella will open . With the help of its “shoulder support”, the umbrella can rest on the user’s . So the user needn’t hold the umbrella any more. He can walk with hands even in the strong wind.
The hand-free umbrella is $59.94 each. People all around the world like it very much. Because of this smart , they can use their phones to talk and send short messages in the rain now. in the rain under an umbrella is really cool, isn’t it?
A．snow B．rain C．sun D．wind
A．tall B．short C．strong D．big
A．by B．without C．with D．take
A．spent B．took C．paid D．cost
A．At first B．At last C．At most D．Almost
A．easily B．hardly C．nearly D．hard
A．feet B．legs C．shoulders D．knees
A．free B．busy C．difficult D．easy
A．invention B．magazine C．book D．story
A．Lying B．Flying C．Walking D．Running
As a teenager, I felt I couldn't always make people happy. I was rebellious（反叛的）outside, but I wanted to be inside.
Once I left home to hitch-hike（搭便车）to California with my friend Penelope. The trip wasn't , and there were many times I didn't feel safe. One situation especially me thankful to still be alive. When I returned home, I was different, not so of myself.
I was happy to be home. But then I noticed that Penelope, who was staying with us, was wearing my clothes. And my family seemed to like her better than me. I wondered if I would be if I wasn't there. I told my mom, and she explained Penelope was a lovely girl, no one could take my place. I pointed out, "She is more patient and neater than I have ever been." My mom said these were wonderful ,but I was a loved member of the family who couldn't be replaced（替代）even with my faults（过错）．
I became a searcher, wanting to find out who I was and what made me so special. My view（看法）of myself was .I came to feel much more sure that no one can ever take my position.
Each of us is special to this world. So about being replaced. You be.
A．challenged B．liked C．reminded D．influenced
A．easy B．hard C．awful D．long
A．expected B．caused C．kept D．forced
A．tired B．sure C．afraid D．clear
A．trusted B．worried C．cared D．missed
A．although B．since C．because D．if
A．manners B．standards C．qualities D．feelings
A．remaining B．changing C．forming D．developing
A．talk B．throw C．write D．forget
A．mustn't B．shouldn't C．can't D．needn't
I devote myself to music because of my grandmother. My mom and I lived with my grandparents from the time I was two _ ___ I was eight. And even then, I was at their house before and after school every day while my mother was .
Grandma loved music. It was she that first __ Elvis Presley (猫王) to me as a very young child，and once I heard his music，I was truly in ______ with it . Most five-year-olds ask for _____ for birthdays, but I wanted Elvis’ albums. I would play them non-stop and dance to the music in my grandma’s family room though my movement didn’t look good.
Grandma played the piano and ______ me to sing “America the Beautiful” and “Somewhere over the Rainbow” .Finally I started playing music on the , and soon Grandma was ______ for me to take piano lessons from a lady living in the neighborhood. I would come home from school and walk three houses down for my lesson. I ______ took about nine months of lessons, but it was enough to give me a foundation (基础）and allow me to continue to myself.
Last month when I came home to visit Grandma in the hospital, I ____ along my guitar with me. She was in a lot of pain, but the music seemed to comfort (抚慰）her soul. She had me sing some songs and when I started to sing “Somewhere over the Rainbow”, her weakened ______ joined in with mine for a few lines. That experience was one of the most touching (感人的) of my lifetime and one I will certainly cherish (珍爱）forever. I told her of my music career and she was very ______ and said，“That’s wonderful!” I continued to play for throughout the week when I was at home.
My grandma passed away two days ago. In my opinion, part of her will live on through every I write or sing in my life.
A． unless B． after C． until D． when
A． at work B． in trouble C． in danger D． in hospital
A．sent B．left C．remembered D．introduced
A．joy B．love C．agreement D．doubt
A．music B．space C．gifts D．toys
A．taught B．prepared C．allowed D．advised
A． violin B．piano C．guitar D．object
A．asking B．paying C．caring D．looking
A．exactly B．also C．only D．seldom
A． teach B．enjoy C．kill D．face
A．brought B．walk C．came D．went
A．sound B．voice C．body D．mind
A．sad B．calm C．bored D．happy
A．myself B．her C．him D．it
A．book B．article C．song D．e-mail
Will you put others’ needs before your own? What will you get if you do? Here is an experience of mine.
It was a wet day and I had a time. I was busy and everyone I talked to was in a bad mood. What’s more，I went out without breakfast and I left my at home. So I couldn’t get lunch and was terribly hungry.
When I finshed my work，I to ask my wife to meet me at the door with some money so that I could quickly go to buy _.Then I quickly made my way home in hope of eating my meal of the day at 5：00 p.m.
As I was halfway（半路上）home，my wife told me by phone that a friend of ours was in and needed a lift（搭便车）home. My mind said，“I will get him I get the meal.”But my mouth said，“All right,I’ll give him a .”
He jumped in the car with a smile on his face and repeated how he was that I would drive him home. He told me he usually walked home from his com but pany but that day the stopped him from making that journey.
Traffic was a . A drive to him normally took 10 minutes but that day it took 30 minutes.
Now you would guess the person that I was helping is a friend of mine. But,in fact，he is a friend of a friend.
I wonder if I will ever see this person again but I feel glad I was there when he
me.
So you will feel yourself helpful and useful when you more about others.
A．help B．feeling C．change D．reward（奖励）
A．fun B．quiet C．hard D．good
A．keys B．glasses C．wallet D．notebook
A．called B．wanted C．tried D．remembered
A．gifts B．clothes C．fruit D．dinner
A．hot B．first C．simple D．free
A．trouble B．danger C．fear D．treatment
A．since B．after C．before D．when
A．choice B．suggestion C．ride D．greeting（问候）
A．sorry B．thankful C．surprised D．satisfied（满意）
A．rain B．time C．work D．traffic
A．view B．stop C．joy D．mess( 混乱)
A．new B．lovely C．close D．common
A．chose B．phoned C．joined D．needed
A．learn B．worry C．care D．talk
What comes to your mind when you talk about donations? You __________ think of a group of people with boxes in hand asking people to donate money. But my school __________ with a different way of raising funds------ Fun Night.
Fun Night is like__________. Students pay money to get in and have dinner at school. The money they pay will go towards helping poor children __________.
Two months ago, I took part in Fun Night. There were all kinds of__________ in Fun Night. The __________ game was the “jousting ring” (夺环). I “jousted” with several of my friends and tried to knock __________ them off the ring. __________, they developed different strategies (策略) to win, such as starting in a crouched position (蹲姿) to gather (聚集) more __________ when pushing.
Sometimes they attacked (攻击) me __________ I was ready. But I didn’t care and continued playing. It was just a game, not__________.
The best of Fun Night was not the fun activities. The fact was that we raised a lot of money __________ having a good time. A lot of students at my school wouldn’t __________money if they were simply asked to hand it over. But this kind of event made them__________ to give, and allowed them to have a great time playing games with friends. I realized that __________can be fun.
A．gently B．probably C．correctly D．freely
A．thought up B．looked up C．came up D．picked up
A．a party B．a subject C．a lesson D．a teacher
A．in danger B．in trouble C．in love D．in need
A．books B．magazines C．games D．stars
A．most popular B．worst C．farthest D．most beautiful
A．few B．little C．none of D．plenty of
A．However B．Otherwise C．Luckily D．Hopefully
A．time B．money C．visit D．strength
A．after B．before C．while D．as
A．an opinion B．an experiment C．a competition D．a test
A．behind B．under C．by D．at
A．save B．spend C．make D．donate
A．afraid B．glad C．sorry D．angry
A．friendship B．knowledge C．experience D．charity
A group of adults, highly succeeded in their jobs, went to visit their old professor(教授). Soon they began to about the stress in work and life.
The professor went to the kitchen and returned a pot of coffee and all kinds of cups—crystal(水晶的), glass, plastic, some nice looking, some plain looking, some , some cheap. And he told them to help to the coffee.
When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said, “I’ve noticed that all the nice looking expensive cups were up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the cause of your and stress. You know that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, you went for the best cups.”
Now think about this: Life is the coffee, the jobs, money and in society are the cups. They are just to hold and contain life, and the type of cup does not change the quality of our life. Sometimes, by paying only to the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee that God has us. God gave us the coffee, not the cups. Please enjoy your coffee!
The happiest people don’t have the best of everything. They just make the of everything.
Live simply. Love sincerely. Care deeply. Speak . And leave the rest to God.
A．chat B．think C．complain D．discuss
A．for B．at C．in D．with
A．expensive B．usual C．strong D．serious
A．them B．themselves C．him D．everyone
A．mixed B．left C．taken D．accepted
A．normal B．important C．impossible D．necessary
A．thoughts B．failure C．questions D．problems
A．Who B．How C．What D．That
A．and B．but C．so D．or
A．position B．age C．health D．purpose
A．cups B．tools C．bags D．bowls
A．money B．attention C．advantage D．record
A．taught B．provided C．returned D．bought
A．fun B．use C．best D．worst
A．kindly B．sadly C．rudely D．seriously