My class and I visited Chris Care Center in Phoenix, Arizona to comfort the old people who needed a little cheering up during the holiday season.
The first two there were for persons requiring help in taking care of themselves. We sang for them. They loved our sweet songs and the flowers that we left with them.
As we were on the third floor for old people with Alzheimer (老年痴呆症), most of them off at the walls or floor. However, one lady my eye. She was sitting by the door, in a wheelchair, singing songs to herself. They weren’t the songs that we were singing; at least they didn’t like that. As we got with each festive song, she did as well. The louder we got, the louder she sang. she was singing, she was also out to us with her hands and body. I knew that I should have gone over to her, but I thought that my were to my students. People who worked at the care center could to her, I thought. Just when I stopped feeling about not giving her the attention she needed, one of my students, Justin, showed me what the holiday season is really about.
Justin also the same lady. The difference between us is that he on her needs, but I didn’t. During the last song, “Silent Night,” Justin walked over to her and held her hand. He looked this aged lady in her and with his actions said, “You are important, and I will take my to let you know that.”
This tired, elderly lady stopped singing and held his hand. Then she touched his cheek with the other hand. Tears began to fall down her face. No can completely describe that touching moment.
It a boy to teach me, a man, about kindness and love. Justin’s example of a complete, selfless attitude toward another was a that I will never forget. He was the teacher that day, and I consider myself to have witnessed his lesson.
A.rooms B.building C.floors D.groups
A.bravely B.beautifully C.madly D.shyly
A.dancing B.meeting C.gathering D.singing
A.stared B.shut C.paid D.glared
A.looked B.escaped C.caught D.hurt
A.appear B.sound C.hear D.feel
A.higher B.nearer C.faster D.louder
A.As B.Because C.Since D.Though
A.moving B.reaching C.coming D.spreading
A.interests B.abilities C.feelings D.responsibilities
A.attend B.object C.speak D.compare
A.afraid B.sure C.guilty D.scary
A.feared B.avoided C.helped D.noticed
A.called B.acted C.insisted D.kept
A.tears B.hands C.eyes D.face
A.cheek B.flower C.body D.time
A.words B.poems C.expressions D.songs
A.caused B.wasted C.took D.made
A.message B.lesson C.activity D.class
A.lucky B.foolish C.right D.clever
After a long day at school, I walked home with my heavy schoolbag . By the time I got home, I was sweaty, 16 and hungry. I threw my things on the couch and grabbed something from the kitchen to 17 . I passed by the living room and wished I could watch TV , but I knew my 18 would take me the whole night. I grabbed my schoolbag and went 19 to my room, feeling defeated. I tried to understand chemistry and 20 sleepiness at the same time. I was stressed out and 21 . I wanted something to cheer me up .
Later in the evening , I 22 the sound of the front door opening. And I waited for it—the sound of my mom singing . 23 she sings off-key (跑调), it made me excited that she was here. I ran down the stairs to greet my mom. We 24 and I ran back upstairs to do homework again. I like it when my mom was happy. Her 25 flowed down to me and I got the strength to 26 the stress again.
Sometimes, I wonder how my mom can still be 27 after coming back from work. Every weekday, she wakes up 28in the morning to go to work and spends an hour on the bus before getting downtown . At a 29 factory, she works standing for the whole day and draws patterns for clothes over and over. After work, she gets stuck in 30 for two hours on her way back home. When I 31 my school life with her work life, I should not be the one to 32 . At least I have some fun things to do at school, while one mistake at work can cost my mom her job. I 33 that my mom has a positive attitude and lives her life with a joyous heart even though there may be 34 . Seeing her happy makes me feel 35 , too.
A.heavy B.busy C.sleepy D.unlucky
A.keep B.eat C.give D.watch
A.dream B.supper C.homework D.experience
A.aside B.upstairs C.outwards D.nearby
A.put off B.fight off C.refer to D.research into
A.bored B.shocked C.worried D.frightened
A.made B.recorded C.imagined D.heard
A.Unless B.Though C.If D.As
A.agreed B.debated C.hugged D.celebrated
A.need B.idea C.faith D.energy
A.face B.change C.accept D.leave
A.creative B.careful C.positive D.professional
A.early B.naturally C.fast D.regularly
A.furniture B.tobacco C.car D.clothing
A.task B.traffic C.communication D.examination
A.replace B.exchange C.connect D.compare
A.complain B.decide C.study D.play
A.achieve B.notice C.appreciate D.improve
A.lies B.difficulties C.confusions D.accidents
A.successful B.skillful C.good D.important
Hot words on the Internet don’t stay hot for long. “Geili” and “Fuyun”, last year’s biggest creations, are actually ____36____ on Internet now. What’s popular now is “hold steady”.
The term(术语)comes from the very Taiwanese TV show ____37___ includes Miss Lin (Xie Yilin) giving a lecture on how to ____38___ like a fashion queen at parties or on the bus. Although the lecture is mainly a mockery(嘲笑)of the fashion world, ____39____ Miss Lin makes a point: We need to hold steady in pressure-filled or embarrassing situations.
____40___ steady is one of the qualities the public has been ____41____ lately ____42___ pressures on marriage, work and money can easily drive people crazy.
The quality was ____43____ by a girl named Su Miaoling this year, who ____44___ in the TV singing competition “Super Girl”. ____45____ herself with confidence on stage, she kept ____46____ when others got anxious.
“I like your poise(淡定). Very few people on this stage can keep calm like you do,” said one of the show’s judges, Hu Haiquan, to Su. Internet users named Su “Sister Poise”.
Poise is also appreciated in Western culture as an essential quality of a ____47____ person.
Each year, the National League of Junior Cotillions of the US releases a list of the Ten Best Mannered People. Kate Middleton was ____48____ as the one of the Ten Best Mannered People for the way ____49____ she showed herself in the public. The Duchess of Cambridge was also appreciated ____50____ this year for her remarkable poise at the royal wedding. That is good news for many because she has prove ____51____ true that poise is not born, but it can be got with a bit of ____52____.
About-personal-growth.com, a foreign website on personal growth guidance, gives ____53___ on how to stay poised.
“Take a few deep breaths when you are facing a situation that tests your patience; practise yoga ____54___; say to yourself “I choose to be calm in any situation”; write down your encouragement daily to ____55____ the goal,” reads the site.
A.fashionable B.outdated C.hot D.popular
A.which B.where C.that D.who
A.sound B.feel C.look D.act
A.yet B.however C.but D.and
A.Held B.Hold C.Holding D.Being held
A.looking for B.looking back on C.looking at D.looking down
A.as B.so C.with D.though
A.explained B.exhibited C.equipped D.exchanged
A.turned down B.turned around C.turned on D.turned up
A.Taking B.Giving C.Carrying D.Earning
A.nervous B.upset C.frightened D.cool
A.well-behaved B.well-organized C.well-done D.well-balanced
A.called B.elected C.chose D.selected
A.which B.in that C.how D.in which
A.early B.earlier C.earliest D.former
A.that B.what C.it D.this
A.effect B.effort C.affect D.afford
A.advices B.lectures C.tips D.courses
A.regularly B.commonly C.usually D.normally
A.set B.make C.have D.achieve
Jack Baines is a self-made millionaire, but his beginnings were very lowly. He was the youngest of eight children. His father had a 16 in a cotton mill (纱厂), but he was often 17__ to work because of poor health. The family couldn’t afford to pay the rent or bills, and the children often went hungry. After leaving school at the age of 14, Jack was 18 what to do when Mr. Walker, his old teacher, offered to lend him £100 to start his own __19__ .
It was just after the war. Raw materials were not enough, and Jack saw a 20in scrap metal(废弃金属). He bought bits of metal and stored it in an old garage. When he had built up a large amount, he sold it and 21 plenty of money.
Jack 22 working hard. After one year he succeeded in repaying the £100.
By the time Jack was 30 years old he had 23 his first million, and he wanted to 24 this achievement by doing something “grand”. 25 _all his money it was possible to build a beautiful home for himself and his parents. In 1959, “Baines Castle” was built in the heart of the Lancashire countryside. It was one of the finest buildings in the country.
Jack has recently sold “Baines Castle” for £500 million, 26 Jack still can’t get used to 27 the good life. He can often _28_ drinking with the locals at the local pub.
“I remember being very 29 as a child, but never 30 as a child,” says Jack, “and I will never forget where I came from and who I am.”
A.job B.work C.company D.house
B.glad D.eager
A.seeing B.wondering C.doubting D.preparing
A.school B.farm C.business D.store
A.problem B.purpose C.future D.principle
A.spent B.borrowed C.wasted D.earned
A.enjoyed B.preferred C.promised D.hated
A.given B.made C.taken D.lost
A.remember C.celebrate D.recognize
A.Use B.To C.On D.With
A.so B.and C.or D.but
A.using B.doing D.keeping
A.be found B.find C.look for D.be looked for
A.rich B.poor C.healthy D.well
A.proud B.satisfied C.unhappy D.happy
Dear Benter,
You have been away exactly two weeks today but it seems more like two years to me!
I’m glad to hear you’ll be back soon. Are you coming directly home, dear? Or do you plan to m
ake some stops 36 the way? I hope you’ll be home in 37 for Patsy’s birthday next Sunday. She is 38 you to show films to her 39 friends.
Patsy keeps asking every day 40 you’ll be back. She says you never 41 that story you were telling her about 42 train that lost its “ toot”(喇叭嘟嘟声). You’d better 43 and think up a good ending 44 it. You know how Patsy is? She 45 be happy until she knows exactly what __46 to the “toot” and 47 the little train got it back 48 !
Everything at home is fine except that we 49 you so much! I’ve been 50 with the spring cleaning. Yesterday I had Cora 51in to wash the kitchen walls and she did a very good __52 of it. The kitchen looks as though it’s been repainted. I made some new yellow curtains, and they 53 very beautiful.
I went to see your mother yesterday. Her 54 is all gone and she looks very 55 . Your sister Jean looks wonderful! She has taken off about fifteen pounds since she began dieting. But now she’s complaining that none of her clothes fit!
Hope to see you before next Sunday.
Love and kisses to you!
Yours
Lynn
A inB. onC. atD. along
A.time B.fact C.all D.the end
A.expecting B.thinking C.agreeing D.hoping
A.small B.short C.little D.low
A.that B.when C.why D.unless
A.finished B.stopped C.supplied D.included
A.some B.a C.the D.this
A.care B.arrive C.pretend D.hurry
A.on B.for C.at D.in
A.mustn’t B.couldn’t C.won’t D.shouldn’t
A.affected B.about C.happened D.was
A.how B.however C.because D.why
A.yet B.too C.again D.next
A.love B.think C.miss D.care
A.working B.ready C.together D.busy
A.stay B.come C.visit D.drop
A.work B.job C.thing D.clean
A.show B.feel C.become D.look
A.cold B.heat C.health D.medicine
A.good B.well C.nice D.best
I grew up poor – living with six brothers, my father and a wonderful mother. We had 36 money and few worldly goods, but plenty of love and attention. I was 37 and energetic. I understood that no matter how poor a person was, they could 38 afford a dream.
My dream was to be a 39 .When I was sixteen, I could crush a baseball, throw a ninety-mile-per-hour fastball. I was also 40 : my high-school coach was Ollie Jarvis, who 41 me the difference between having a dream and showing strong belief. One particular 42 with him changed my life forever.
It was a summer and a friend recommended me for a summer 43 . This meant a chance for my first income—cash for a new bike and new clothes, and the 44 of savings for a house for my mother. The opportunity was attracting, and I wanted to 45 at it.
Then I realized I would have to 46 summer baseball to handle the work schedule, and that meant I would have to tell Coach Jarvis I wouldn’t be playing. I was 47 about this.
When I told Coach Jarvis, he was as 48 as I expected him to be. “You have your whole life to work,” he said. “Your 49 days are limited. You can’t afford to waste them.”
I stood before him with my head 50 , trying to think of how to explain to him why my dream of buying my mom a house and having money in my pocket was worth 51 his disappointment in me.
“How much are you going to make at this job?” he demanded.
“$ 3.25 an hour,” I replied.
“Well, is $ 3.25 an hour the price of a 52 ?” he asked.
That 53 laid bare for me the difference between wanting something right now and having a goal. I devoted myself to 54 that summer, and within the year I was offered a $ 20,000 contract. I signed with the Denver Broncos in 1984 for $ 1.7 million, and bought my mother the 55 of my dreams.
A.some B.little C.no D.much
A.happy B.lovely C.angry D.noisy
A.only B.ever C.still D.almost
A.teacher B.coach C.doctor D.sportsman
A.lucky B.satisfied C.hopeful D.surprised
A.taught B.asked C.told D.trained
A.match B.story C.moment D.incident
A.job B.camp C.holiday D.course
A.cause B.start C.need D.amount
A.stand B.call C.look D.jump
A.take out B.cut off C.put on D.give up
A.excited B.curious C.anxious D.disappointed
A.mad B.puzzled C.regretful D.discouraged
A.working B.playing C.learning D.shining
A.shaking B.hanging C.holding D.nodding
A.feeling B.suffering C.facing D.expressing
A.dream B.game C.chance D.life
A.offer B.price C.question D.order
A.study B.sports C.homework D.business
A.clothes B.bike C.house D.goods