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 changed 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 idea 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 it a try.
Getting up the courage to go to the tryouts was only the ____ _ of it! When I first started attending 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. Fortunately, 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 improved 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 100 percent ______ _ I had the right answer. Now I have more self-confidence in myself.
A.as B.until C.unless D.though
A.hoped B.agreed C.meant D.chose
A.right B.chance C.ability D.Patience
A.going B.looking C.cheering D.applying
A.point B.half C.rest D.basis
A.less B.later C.worse D.further
A.committed B.motivated C.embarrassed D.confused
A.focus B.act C.rely D.try
A.want B.do C.support D.know
A.stapes B.orders C.rules D.games
A.role B.part C.mind D.value
A.process B.operation C.movement D.situation
A.dreaming B.playing C.relaxing D.hiding
A.by B.for C.with D.to
A.lucky B.happy C.sure D.satisfied
I was sitting at the bar of a local restaurant having __36__ and taking a break. A pretty girl who looked about 25 walked in and sat down in a booth(饭馆的小隔间) __37__ for her friend. It didn’t take long __38__ I saw she was trying to stay __39__ from other people’s gazes(注视) and my heart sank. You could see her hair was __40__ and, at such a young age, she was receiving chemo(化疗).
I sat there watching her trying to remain composed(镇静的) and she was having a __41__ time of it. I __42__ for her, imagining what it must be like to go through this and yet I know some of her __43__.
You see I __44__ my wife, the love of my life just a few short years ago and watched her slowly fade away. I needed to give a message of __45__ to this girl. But how? What could I do?
Then it __46__ to me! I called over her waitress and explained that I wanted to buy the girl and her friend’s lunch but I also told her not to tell her it was me. I also __47__ the waitress a note to give to the girl.
The note __48__ as follows:
“ Someone today thought you were beautiful; someone today thought your smile glowed __49__ excitement; someone today thought your eyes __50__ up the world; someone today cared and wanted you to know this. Enjoy the rest of your day, pretty young lady.”
About 15 minutes later, the young girl asked for her __51__ and I watched as she was told it was paid for. She asked why? Who? What for? The waitress simply handed her the note and __52__ to her the gentleman who did it left.
I watched as she slowly read the note. Her eyes tore up, for only a moment, and then came the smile! A huge, beautiful, hopeful smile! She lit up the room and then sat up straight, not __53__ who saw her.
It’s not __54__ we look or what we have; it’s not our houses or how many cars we have; nor is it how much money we can earn. It’s all about how much we care and what we do, __55__ it’s making someone feel pretty only for a moment.
A.meal B.lunch 0 C.tea D.breakfast
A.searching B.hoping C.looking D.waiting
A.so B.before C.after D.until
A.hidden B.stubborn C.focused D.sighted
A.falling in B.falling over C.falling out D.falling behind
A.easy B.good C.tough D.great
A.sank B.ached C.trust D.puzzled
A.idea B.view C.trouble D.pain
A.left B.deserted C.buried D.valued
A.dream B.hope C.energy D.wish
A.struck B.happened C.occurred D.hit
A.handed B.presented C.provided D.brought
A.told B.spoke C.read D.wrote
A.for B.on C.of D.with
A.tore B.lit C.cheered D.lifted
A.bill B.meal C.check D.share
A.explained B.informed C.warned D.reminded
A.knowing B.ignoring C.risking D.caring
A.what B.when C.why D.how
A.even though B.as though C.as if D.if only
Like many people in the UK, the team of BBC learning English were 1 and sad at the news of the earthquake in Sichuan Province. They would like to extend their condolences(吊唁) to those affected by this terrible natural disaster. Below was their special report on the earthquake and the 2 operations taking place.
Rescue efforts were underway in Sichuan Province following the terrible 3 , which measured 7.9 on the Richter Scale. According to Xinhua news agency, nearly 15,000 4 died in the disaster, with as many as 24,000 more 5 under ruins and another 14,000 6 .
Chinese troops(军队) were 7 to carry out the rescue operations, and emergency aid was air-dropped into areas that were cut off by the 8 .
Because of the bad weather, in some places 9 had to go into the disaster area on foot and search for trapped survivors by hand as roads were 10 . Some people of the provincial capital Chengdu chose to 11 in tents and government shelters for fear of aftershock causing12 damage. One witness in Chengdu said that the people there were helping the relief work by donating food and water for those affected in the 13 .
Although full casualty figures (伤亡数字) were not yet 14 , it was clear that the earthquake was the 15 to strike China after the Tangshan earthquake of 1976.
A.shocked B.commanded C.attacked D.rewarded
A.transport B.rescue C.farm D.accent
A.burst B.accident C.earthquake D.flame
A.animal B.miner C.teenager D.people
A.buried B.injured C.trapped D.suffered
A.missing B.recognized C.upset D.frightened
A.helped B.harmed C.taken D.sent
A.event B.principle C.disaster D.canal
A.reporters B.rescuers C.villagers D.journalists
A.blocked B.built C.settled D.tipped
A.serve B.sit C.sleep D.study
A.equal B.many C.straight D.more
A.families B.outdoors C.apartment D.countryside
A.satisfied B.certain C.determined D.ignored
A.worst B.best C.most D.first
阅读下面短文,掌握其大意,然后从各题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中,选出最佳选项。
There are many kinds of friends. Some are always ___1___you, but don't understand you. Some say only a few words to you, but understand you. Many people will step in your life, but only ___2___friends leave footprints (脚印).
I shall always recall (回忆) the autumn and the girl with the ___3___ . She will always bring back the friendship between us. I know she will always be my best friend.
It was the golden season. I could see the yellow leaves ___4___ on the cool ___5___. In such a season, I liked walking alone in the leaves, ____6__ to the sound of them.
Autumn is a __7____ season and life is uninteresting. The free days always get me ___8___ . But one day, the sound of a violin __9____into my ears like a stream (小溪) flowing in the mountains. I was so surprised that I jumped to see what it was. A young girl, standing in the wind, was__10____ in playing her violin.
I had __11____ seen her before. The music was so nice that I listened quietly. Lost in the music, I didn't know that I had been ___12___ there for so long but my existence (存在) did not seem to disturb her.
Leaves were still falling. Every day she played the violin in the corner of the building ___13___ I went downstairs to watch her performance. I was the only listener. The autumn seemed no longer lonely and life became ___14___. __15____ we didn't know each other, I thought we were already good friends. I believe she also loved me.
Autumn was nearly over. One day, when I was listening carefully, the sound suddenly ___16___. To my astonishment (惊讶), the girl came over to me.
“You must like violin.” she said.
“Yes. And you play very well. Why did you stop?” I asked.
Suddenly, a __17____ expression appeared on her face and I could feel something unusual.
“I came here to see my grandmother, but now I must leave. I once played very badly. It was your listening every day that _18_____ me.” she said.
“In fact, it was your playing _19_____ gave me a meaningful autumn,” I answered, “Let's be friends.”
The girl smiled, and so did I.
I never heard her play again in my life. I no longer went downstairs to listen like before. Only thick leaves were left behind. But I will always remember the fine figure (身影) of the girl. She is like a __20____—so short, so bright, like a shooting star giving off so much light that it makes the autumn beautiful.
.
A.with B.for C.against D.to
A.good B.true C.new D.old
A.sound B.song C.play D.violin
A.shaking B.hanging C.falling D.floating
A.wind B.snow C.air D.rain
A.watching B.listening C.seeing D.hearing
A.lively B.lovely C.harvest D.lonely
A.up B.off C.down D.over
A.flowed B.grew C.entered D.ran
A.lost B.active C.busy D.interested
A.once B.never C.often D.usually
A.waiting B.stopping C.standing D.hearing
A.because B.so C.when D.but
A.interesting B.moving C.encouraging D.exciting
A.But B.However C.Even D.Though
A.stopped B.began C.gone D.changed
A.happy B.sad C.strange D.surprised
A.surprised B.excited C.encouraged D.interested
A.that B.which C.it D.who
A.song B.dream C.fire D.sister
The heaviest snow in a hundred years hit the south of China. It snowed __36___for half a month. Many people were __37___in railway stations, bus stations and airports. People did everything they could to fight the __38___; nobody was killed from cold and _39____. Gradually ,the trapped people all went back home_40___. While fighting the snow, people ___41__their animal friends until a moving story of a swallow(燕子) couple appeared on the Internet.
The couple hadn’t eaten anything for several days __42___the snow. They tried to fly into people’s home to warm themselves, but every house was ___43___tightly(紧紧地). They got to a side of a balcony ( 阳台 ) where wind couldn’t reach. They jumped and flapped (拍打) their wings(翅膀) to _44___the attention of the people inside the house, who were __45____their own things. The wife’s body was __46___. She couldn’t move any longer. The husband came near and __47__her with his wings. The husband lost his heat soon because of his opened wings.
The next morning, the housemaster went to the balcony to __48__ his flowers and saw a dead swallow outside. __49__ it, he found they were two embracing(拥抱) together. Thinking of the __50___the snow had brought to people, he was moved to tears . He took them in for giving them some _51___they couldn’t feel any longer. He found a small box, __52__it with some hay (干草)and lay the couple in . He _53__them in the garden of the community(社区).
In my hometown in the countryside, a swallow family live in the roof of my house . They __54__every spring to have babies. Then in autumn, when babies have __55___, they fly to the south, I wonder if they will come back this spring as they did.
A.beautifully B.directly C.gently D.continuously
A.forbidden B.rescued C.trapped D.covered
A.disaster B.war C.campaign D.disease
A.anger B.heat C.hunger D.poverty
A.sadly B.safely C.nervously D.curiously
A.treasured B.invited C.accepted D.forgot
A.because of B.in case of C.in spite of D.instead of
A.controlled B.fixed C., stretched D.closed
A.admit B.attract C.turn D.escape
A.busy with B.born with C.good for D.famous for
A.burnt B.watched C.frozen D.found
A.supplied B.wrapped C.folded D.sorted
A.buy B.send C.sell D.check
A.Feeding B.Leaving C.Touching D.Greeting
A.hardship B.childhood C.cooperation D.lesson
A.clothes B.warmness C.flowers D.tension
A.made B.played C.associated D.filled
A.buried B.showed C.fastened D.enjoyed
A.put away B.come back C.fly away D.hold back
A.dropped out B.died out C.grown up D.stood up
Dash of Hope
“Dash” is a symbol which represents every day we’ve spent alive on earth. Therefore, how you spend your “dash” is important.
Recently I 36 about a little girl named Hope. After learning more about her life, I couldn’t help but feel it was not by 37 , nor happenstance(意外事件), that she had been named “Hope”. The strong feeling of sympathy and generosity 38 in her young heart made a lasting impression on me and countless others. 39 I never had the opportunity to meet her, I wish I had. It seems as though she was wise beyond her tender years and very, very special.
Hope was a twelve-year-old girl who was 40 a “wish” in early December 2010 by the “Make-A-Wish” Foundation after being 41 that she had a rare type of bone cancer. However, when she found out that more than 150 42 in her area were waiting for their wishes to be achieved , she unselfishly used her wish to 43 that those children have their wishes granted. She also asked that it be done 44 January 16, 2011. Unfortunately, however, the organization informed her that her 45 request could not be granted as the funds were simply 46 . They calculated that they would need to raise more than one 47 dollars in thirty days in order to grant her wish. 48 , but not discouraged, she turned her disappointment into an enthusiasm that inspired caring 49 to take up helping grant the wishes of the other children, and eventually 50 as well. Newspaper columnists and reporters for radio and TV stations 51 the story of this caring young girl who had 52 the hearts of so many and as word spread, the community was challenged. Committees were fanned and schools, corporations and various organizations assisted in 53 money to help make Hope’s dream come true.
Her efforts were not in vain as they continue to help others, not only 54 , but spiritually and emotionally as well. At the gathering to celebrate her life, “A Celebration of Hope” on January 16, 2011 , the 55 was made that they had indeed received donations totaling more than one million dollars. Her wish had been granted!
A.heard B.thought C.cared D.talked
A.coincidence B.independence C.convenience D.intelligence
A.lost B.carried C.expected D.housed
A.Until B.Unless C.Though D.If
A.expressed B.offered C.made D.sent
A.recognized B.informed C.reminded D.understood
A.children B.citizens C.villagers D.relatives
A.suggest B.ask C.arrange D.order
A.for B.to C.on D.by
A.final B.formal C.simple D.noble
A.unbearable B.unbelievable C.unavailable D.uncomfortable
A.thousand B.hundred C.million D.billion
A.Disappointed B.Surprised C.Worried D.Embarrassed
A.committees B.individuals C.corporations D.organizations
A.theirs B.ours C.hers D.yours
A.wrote B.read C.broadcast D.shared
A.touched B.examined C.won D.opened
A.finding B.spending C.raising D.borrowing
A.perfectly B.physically C.healthily D.thankfully
A.proposal B.decision C.conclusion D.announcement