Ten years ago, I moved to Chicago. As I was new to the area, I had friends and rarely went out to parties. But a month later, I was invited to a party and there I an elderly couple.
The wife and I for a long time. She told me how she was about her husband who was a heart operation. At that time I was working as a researcher in the same where the husband would be going for his operation, I told her to set down my phone number and me to let me know when he was there. She phoned a few weeks later as and told me that her husband was admitted to the hospital and waiting. I told her that I would go and cheek on him every day when I was at . I thought that if it was my dad, I would do the same, so I was determined to keep with them. Weeks turned into months and it just became my to see them and keep track of how things were going before, during and after the heart operation.
Sometimes I’d bring a for him to read, or some food that we would together. As time went by, it seemed like I became part of the . Even after the husband returned from the hospital, we still often each other on holidays. Now, ten years later, I have my own .
Since our parents don’t close by, this couple has become my son’s “local” grandparents. My wife and I often feel truly to have this couple as our “local” parents! Sometimes family comes out of the most unexpected place.
A．some B．few C．several D．many
A．served B．supported C．met D．saved
A．talked B．looked C．worked D．searched
A．pleased B．mad C．worried D．guilty
A．giving up B．turning down C．paying for D．waiting for
A．hotel B．hospital C．restaurant D．office
A．so B．but C．or D．since
A．invite B．help C．ask D．call
A．required B．predicted C．imagined D．promised
A．ever B．never C．still D．already
A．work B．school C．home D．play
A．control B．company C．pace D．trust
A．problem B．purpose C．stress D．habit
A．book B．letter C．report D．post
A．order B．share C．cook D．prepare
A．guest B．member C．doctor D．head
A．missed B．followed C．watched D．visited
A．duty B．style C．family D．dream
A．walk B．come C．live D．drive
A．thankful B．interested C．surprised D．successful
Laziness is a state of inaction. It is something that you do, not something that you are. Being lazy means you have no to do anything. This is obvious but the mistake that many people make is themselves as someone who is lazy.
Lazy people are often seen as useless. , are they really being lazy or are they acting lazy? There is a huge difference between saying you are lazy sometimes and you are a lazy person. One is suggesting that your laziness is while the other suggests that it’s permanent. This is the myth of laziness. People who are lazy aren’t lazy; they are people who are temporarily acting that way.
So what causes a person to be inactive? The answer is a lack of goals. If you give someone a good enough to do something, he will do it. People who don’t seem to do anything just haven’t found a good enough reason to do something. Lazy students don’t study because they don’t see the in studying. For example, if you are too lazy to clean out the garage, would someone a gun to your head help you take action? The reason can be positive or negative it’s strong enough to induce(引起) action.
To motivate someone who is lazy, what you need to do is to help him find enough to work towards a certain goal.
A．motivation B．question C．promotion D．courage
A．agreeing B．denying C．identifying D．refusing
A．Otherwise B．Besides C．However D．Therefore
A．correct B．false C．temporary D．inspirational
A．simply B．occasionally C．often D．hardly
A．excuse B．gift C．chance D．purpose
A．point B．success C．situation D．difficulty
A．dropping B．pointing C．shooting D．hiding
A．as long as B．as soon as C．so that D．in case
A．reasons B．money C．energy D．Confidence
“It is never too late and you are never too old to start something new!” says Englishtown Ellen Rema. Ellen began to learn English at the age of 50, and in just a few years, she has made progress!
Ellen chose to study at Englishtown because no evening classes were in the German countryside where she lives. At Englishtown, she joins classes online and speaks with live native English-speaking teacher.
In 2010, Ellen began with the first level of Englishtown and quickly . “I spent hours and hours studying,” she said “Maybe I wanted too much in a short time. I finished all my after 2 years and studying English isn’t all about hard work. It should also be ! I really like the online conversation classrooms, in which I can learn so much about other cultures and traditions. I am open for all .”
Ellen has been able to her English to use by visiting England five times! “I am very thankful to Englishtown because most of the English I know now was learned here,” Ellen says. “My life has with Englishtown.”
A．professor B．friend C．student D．reporter
A．amazing B．challenging C．discouraging D．disturbing
A．satisfied B．offered C．attended D．represented
A．conversation B．composition C．listening D．reading
A．dropped B．brushed C．awarded D．progressed
A．channels B．schedules C．courses D．papers
A．fun B．waster C．weakness D．wonder
A．measures B．topics C．timetables D．fashions
A．take B．set C．make D．put
A．ruined B．started C．changed D．Turned
Now you’re a fool for helping. “I don’t want to get ” seems to have become a national motto. One summer I was driving from my hometown of Tahoe City, California to New Orleans, Louisiana. In the middle of the desert, I passed a young man standing by the roadside. He had his thumb and held a gas can in his other hand. I drove right by him. There was a time when you’d be called a jerk (混蛋) for passing by somebody _ ___ .
Several days later I was still _ _ about the hitchhiker (搭便车的人), about how I didn’t even lift my foot _ _ the accelerator (加速踏板) for him. “Does anyone stop any more?” I wondered. I Blanche DuBois’s famous line—”I have always depended on the kindness of .” Was that possible these days? One way to this would be for a person to journey across the US without any money, just ___ _ on the good will of others. What would happen? Would he find food, shelter and support?
The idea intrigued (激起兴趣) me.
The week I turned 37, I realized that I had never done something truly crazy. ___ _ I decided to really do it: travel from the Pacific to the Atlantic without a penny. I would only accept ___ of rides, food and places to sleep. For six weeks I hitched 82 rides and covered 4,223 miles across 14 states. I was treated kindly everywhere I went. I was ___ _ by people’s readiness to help a stranger.
In Oregon, a house painter named Mike ___ _ the cold weather and asked if I had a coat. I didn’t, so he gave me a big green army-style jacket. A lumber-mill worker in Michigan named Tim invited me to a(n) _ _ _ _ dinner with his family in their shabby house. Then he offered me a tent. I , but Tim insisted, packing it into my bag himself. I found people were generally compassionate. Hearing I had no money and would take none, people bought me food or ___ _ with them whatever they happened to have. Those who had the _ _ _ _ to give often gave the most.
I’m ___ _ to all the people I met for their rides, their food, their shelter and their gifts. My faith in ordinary folks was ___ _. I am proud to live in a country where people are still willing to help. Now about the hitchhiker I met the other day, I am feeling __ _ that I did not stop to take him along .
A．involved B．crazy C．blamed D．rejected
A．away B．in C．over D．out
A．in danger B．in need C．in action D．in favor
A．worrying B．considering C．concerning D．thinking
A．off B．on C．away D．from
A．concluded B．recalled C．polished D．submitted
A．strangers B．relatives C．friends D．colleagues
A．guide B．test C．handle D．conduct
A．basing B．relying C．insisting D．relating
A．But B．So C．And D．However
A．jobs B．supplies C．helps D．offers
A．frightened B．annoyed C．disappointed D．amazed
A．noted B．saw C．felt D．sensed
A．simple B．rich C．awesome D．interesting
A．understood B．refused C．paused D．disobeyed
A．supplied B．offered C．shared D．provided
A．grandest B．most C．least D．best
A．careful B．grateful C．hopeful D．helpful
A．created B．reminded C．renewed D．returned
A．guilty B．sceptical C．delighted D．shallow
A little part of me thought about going to another checkout line．This one had the shortest ，there was only one guy in it，but he was in a and there seemed to be some difficulties ．
We stepped in behind him．At first, he to be having difficulty getting his groceries onto the counter．But after a while，I realized that what he was actually doing was it into two parts．
I offered to help，but he and the checkout lady had it under ．He asked Julie if she would mind putting his basket away．Then he for his wallet which was in a bag on one side of his chair．The he was positioned and the fact he only had one usable arm this troublesome for him，so I helped there．
The checkout operator came around and gave him his and the goods he needed to have to hand．She one bag of groceries over a handle at the back of his chair．
I offered to get the other bigger bag and he said，“No． you could do me a favor．Take that bag along to the entrance and give it to Angela．"
Angela，it ，was collecting food for people who might go hungry! I hadn’t even her before.
This guy，in spite of the limitations，had bought more than twice as shopping as he needed—and given the bigger bag away to help people!
He didn’t let the fact that he needed help him from being a help．He may have been limited ，but his heart was more than able to overcome all that．
A．queue B．space C．figure D．time
A．supermarket B．wheelchair C．helmet D．uniform
A．going on B．holding on C．paying off D．setting down
A．happened B．seemed C．used D．pretended
A．selecting B．wrapping C．handing D．separating
A．charge B．control C．improvement D．settlement
A．empty B．heavy C．large D．broken
A．felt B．searched C．reached D．seized
A．spot B．direction C．distance D．way
A．caught B．carried C．made D．solved
A．basket B．bag C．wallet D．change
A．arranged B．hung C．loaded D．connected
A．And B．But C．So D．Or
A．turned out B．found out C．pointed out D．put out
A．already B．always C．otherwise D．fairly
A．noticed B．known C．understood D．greeted
A．many B．much C．few D．little
A．wealthy B．ordinary C．other D．normal
A．stop B．require C．lead D．persuade
A．financially B．morally C．mentally D．physically
Could the Internet be totally free and should it be? Should the Internet be regulated? The recent disorder in the Arab world ____ by a disputed (有争议的) video damaging the image of Prophet (先知) Muhammad shows the United States, which is busy ____ global Internet freedom, has paid a huge price ____ the lives of its diplomats.
In an unregulated Internet world, cheating, violence or rumors can ____ serious consequences. Many countries across the world are periodically suffering from “rumors” ____ by the Internet and social media.
The US-led West always promotes Internet freedom and ____ any regulation as investigation, but it should think twice if it calculates the heavy price that has been and has to be paid for “____”. Moreover, ____ the Internet in the West ____ to be free, with no obvious ____ and no limited sites, isn’t the structure of the main pages already hand-controlled, with selected press agencies and ____ occupying clearly dominating (显著的) positions?
The Internet has helped fight injustice, ____ corruption in places so far apart as Indonesia, India and Latin America. But the Internet could be extremely ____ as well. Various racist or separatist organizations are using their Internet sites to fan ____. Those who are spreading hate are frequently using the Internet as their tool. No country can ____ to make the Internet absolutely free.
The question is how to keep free flow of information ____ while protecting children from unhealthy works, common citizens from ____ rumors and countries from unfair and damaging propaganda (宣传) attacks. And who sets the limits?
The ____ is that there will never be a perfect system. Every country will have to ____ its own system, based on its culture, social ____ and the degree of danger it’s facing.
A．led B．caused C．damaged D．attacked
A．helping B．processing C．promoting D．improving
A．for B．at C．with D．off
A．bring B．reach C．fetch D．take
A．spread B．exposed C．delivered D．passed
A．supports B．follows C．opposes D．dislikes
A．free B．accessible C．available D．healthy
A．as if B．even if C．so that D．in that
A．happens B．intends C．offers D．appears
A．interruption B．interference C．defence D．preference
A．programs B．substances C．channels D．sources
A．uncover B．strike C．prevent D．avoid
A．beneficial B．useful C．sensitive D．destructive
A．expressions B．impressions C．passions D．affections
A．refuse B．afford C．fail D．attempt
A．unpolluted B．unskilled C．unoccupied D．uninterrupted
A．evil B．meaningful C．untrue D．effective
A．importance B．conclusion C．description D．possibility
A．develop B．invent C．change D．study
A．trends B．structure C．surroundings D．factors