When I was in junior high school, what my friends thought of me was really important to me. During those years, I grew much than most of my peers(同龄人). Being so tall made me feel . In order to keep the focus off my unusual , I went along with the crowd who would other kids at school. It made sure that the tricks were at others, and not at me.
Once before a class, my friends and I pulled a trick on one of the kids on the basketball team, which made him terribly embarrassed. I thought it was going to be funny, it all ended up that no one thought it was.
My parents didn’t always think that my was funny. They reminded me about “The Golden Rule”: to others as I would like to be treated. What I was doing was other kids, and in turn hurting my as someone to be looked up to. My friends were looking up to me I was tall, but what did they see?
My parents wanted me to be a leader who set a good to others. They taught me to set my own goals, and to do the at everything that I set out to do. They told me to be the leader that I was to be-to be a big man in my heart and actions, as well as in my body. I had to myself whether or not I would be the kind of leader and person my parents I was inside, but I knew in my heart that they were .
“Be a leader, Shaquille, not a(n) . Since people already have to look up to you, give them a good reason to do so.”
A．stronger B．taller C．wiser D．braver
A．independent B．confident C．uncomfortable D．proud
A．hair B．eyesight C．weight D．height
A．have mercy on B．join hands with C．benefit from D．play tricks on
A．punished B．directed C．awarded D．shouted
A．music B．football C．basketball D．swimming
A．kind B．magic C．clever D．hurtful
A．so B．but C．and D．or
A．behavior B．dream C．nerve D．belief
A．praise B．admire C．treat D．hate
A．threatening B．motivating C．entertaining D．hurting
A．attitude B．fame C．body D．feeling
A．because B．though C．when D．if
A．friend B．comfort C．example D．help
A．biggest B．least C．worst D．best
A．chosen B．meant C．born D．elected
A．question B．devote C．write D．risk
A．promised B．imagined C．believed D．forgot
A．determined B．wrong C．ambitious D．right
A．follower B．learner C．organizer D．inventor
Back in the 15th century, in a tiny village in Germany, lived a family with eighteen children．Eighteen! In order to keep food on the table, the father, a goldsmith(金匠) by , worked almost eighteen hours a day at his trade．Despite their seemingly condition, two of the eldest children had a dream．They both wanted to pursue their talent for art, they knew well that their father would never be able to either of them to study at the Academy．
After many long discussions at night in their bed, the two boys finally worked out a pact(协议)．They would toss（掷）a coin．The would go down into the nearby mines and, with his earnings, his winning brother for the academy．Then, in four years, he would support the other one．Then Albrecht Durer won the toss and to Nuremberg．Albert went down into the dangerous mines and, for the next four years, his brother, whose work at the academy was almost an immediate sensation．By the time he graduated, he was beginning to considerable fees for himself．
When the young artist home and said to his brother, "And now, Albert, blessed brother of mine, now it is your . Now you can go to the Academy to pursue your dream, and I will you．"
Albert rose and wiped the from his cheeks．"No, brother．I cannot go to Nuremberg．It is too for me．Look…look what four years in the mines have done to my ! I cannot even hold a glass, much less make delicate lines on canvas a pen or a brush．"
More than 450 years have ．By now, among Albrecht Durer's hundreds of masterful portraits, "The Praying Hands" is one creation that can catch the world's hearts．
A．merely B．fully C．completely D．entirely
A．heart B．method C．profession D．words
A．demanding B．promising C．hopeless D．careless
A．so B．and C．however D．but
A．study B．send C．give D．offer
A．separated B．crowded C．new D．unusual
A．winner B．loser C．old D．younger
A．support B．advertise C．expect D．require
A．flew away B．went off C．set aside D．left behind
A．deserved B．desired C．financed D．envied
A．spend B．save C．draw D．earn
A．arrived B．regained C．returned D．got
A．turn B．time C．top D．fate
A．take charge of B．make up for C．make use of D．take care of
A．smiles B．sweats C．tears D．hints
A．late B．nervous C．tiring D．tense
A．eyes B．hands C．pictures D．mines
A．in B．of C．upon D．with
A．passed B．kept C．remembered D．changed
A．strange B．touching C．wonderful D．mysterious
Dear Seth,
You are only three years old, and at this point in your life you are not able to understand this letter. But some day when you , I hope you will find something in what I am going to share with you.
Life can be . There will be people in your life who won’t be very nice. They’ll you because you are different, for no good reason. You will also face heartbreak and might be by those you love. I hope you don’t have to face these too much, but such things .
Be open to life anyway. You’ll find cruelty and in your journey through life, but don’t let that you from finding new things. Don’t retreat(退却) from life, and don’t or wall yourself off. Be open to new things, new experiences, and new people. You’ll many times, but if you allow that to stop you from trying, you will many chances. Do remember failure is a stepping stone to .
You will meet many people who will try to do than you, in school, in college and at work. They’ll try to have nicer cars, bigger houses, nicer clothes, and so on. To , life is a competition. However, I believe life is a . If you always try your best to others, you’re wasting your life. Learn to enjoy your life and you will make it a journey of , of learning, and of love.
Finally, know that I love you and always will. You are a really wonderful journey, and I will always be there for you.
A．grow up B．show up C．cheer up D．calm down
A．familiar B．valuable C．normal D．interesting
A．unkind B．peaceful C．equal D．simple
A．end up with B．get on well with C．laugh at D．look after
A．if B．but C．so D．or
A．hurt B．found C．accepted D．impressed
A．matter B．work C．disappear D．happen
A．luck B．pain C．difference D．hope
A．protect B．encourage C．prevent D．choose
A．forgive B．struggle C．compete D．hide
A．leave B．prepare C．escape D．fail
A．enjoy B．try C．miss D．meet
A．success B．life C．action D．sorrow
A．earlier B．better C．less D．faster
A．you B．me C．him D．them
A．challenge B．drama C．journey D．dream
A．change B．pardon C．follow D．beat
A．somewhere B．instead C．afterwards D．though
A．cruelty B．danger C．happiness D．quietness
A．starting B．destroying C．recreating D．replacing
Benjamin Franklin invented a lot of things which made people’s life easier. One of his earlier inventions was paddles for swimming. Ben had if there were some way to help people faster. He thought hard and slowly a picture of swimming paddles grew in his . The paddles must be neither too big nor too small. The wood which the paddles must be neither too heavy nor too .
He began to work on the paddles and a few days later the paddles were finished. And then on the next Saturday afternoon Ben decided to try them out at Green’s pond there were about a hundred boys waiting. All of them had heard of Ben’s idea and wanted to see whether the paddle would . They were talking to each other, “What’s to be done if the paddles don’t work?” “What if he goes down?”
When Ben got into the , he began to paddle. At first the swam , then faster and faster until he was going through the water like a fish. The boys had seen such a fast swimmer. The paddles did work. All of the boys cheered loudly for Ben, jumping up and down with joy.
A．doubted B．wondered C．asked D．tried
A．travel B．run C．boat D．swim
A．heart B．family C．hand D．mind
A．was used to B．was used for C．used as D．used with
A．light B．small C．big D．slow
A．that B．where C．which D．when
A．welcome B．act C．work D．do
A．water B．river C．sea D．boat
A．slowly B．carefully C．easily D．happily
A．always B．almost C．never D．seldom
The Secret of Happiness
An old man walked slowly into a restaurant with his cane（拐杖）. His overcoat and worn-out shoes made him stand out from the usual Saturday morning breakfast crowd.
A young waitress named Mary watched him move toward a by the window. Mary ran over to him, and said, “Here, Sir. Let me give you a hand with that .”
Without a word, he smiled and nodded a thank-you. She pulled the chair away from the table and helped him get seated . In a soft, clear he said, “Thank you, Miss. And bless you for your .”
“You’re welcome, Sir,” she responded. “I’ll be in a moment, and if you need anything in the meantime, just wave at me!”
After he had finished a meal, Mary helped him up from his chair, him his cane, and walked with him to the front door. Holding the door open for him, she said, “Come back and see us, Sir!” The old man around and smiled.
When Mary went to clean his table, she was to find a business card, a one-hundred-dollar bill and a which read, “Dear Mary, I respect (尊敬) you very much, and you respect yourself too. It shows the way you treat others. You have found the secret of ! Your kind gestures will shine through those who meet you.”
Actually the man she had served was the of the restaurant. That was the first time that she or any of his employees had seen him.
A．clean B．old C．strange D．funny
A．room B．waiter C．table D．girl
A．chair B．dish C．desk D．menu
A．saying B．speaking C．reading D．telling
A．sadly B．quietly C．gradually D．safely
A．language B．sound C．attitude D．voice
A．attention B．kindness C．invitation D．cooperation
A．ready B．busy C．back D．fine
A．cheap B．expensive C．terrible D．delicious
A．showed B．handed C．lent D．took
A．turned B．walked C．looked D．moved
A．excited B．worried C．disappointed D．surprised
A．note B．tip C．message D．title
A．kindness B．unselfishness C．happiness D．helpfulness
A．customer B．owner C．partner D．host
Long ago I came to the city near my hometown to find a job. I met all kinds of and so I used up all my money soon.
One day, I got on a bus quietly at dusk when most people got off work. Suddenly, a cried loudly, “Someone has my money!” I felt , because his money was in my . Some people suggested the bus be driven to the police station, but some were against it because they were in a hurry to go back home. The whole bus was very . The driver then stopped the bus by the road and turned on the lights to the money. At that time, one passenger said, “Turn off the lights and give the thief a chance to take out the money.” Then the bus got . When I was still struggling (斗争) in mind whether to take out the money or not, the lights were on again. There was no money on the floor. Someone said again, “Give him one more .” Then the lights were off again. My heart kept beating fast. The lights were on again but they got the result. The passengers were in heated discussion again. At that time, someone said again, “Give him the chance!” Suddenly I felt and took out all the money when the lights were off again.
For many years I have felt to the one who gave me three chances to my mistake. When the first and second chances come, you may not be prepared well or don’t have enough to act. When the third chance comes you should know clearly what you should do.
A．difficulties B．strangers C．dangers D．chances
A．thief B．driver C．passenger D．policeman
A．borrowed B．received C．paid D．stolen
A．sad B．calm C．nervous D．angry
A．mind B．bank C．house D．hand
A．noisy B．dirty C．bright D．empty
A．take out B．give back C．search for D．throw away
A．cold B．dark C．clean D．crowded
A．reason B．way C．chance D．choice
A．strange B．exciting C．second D．same
A．last B．only C．fair D．good
A．upset B．awakened C．pleased D．interested
A．painful B．sorry C．lucky D．grateful
A．make B．try C．repeat D．correct
A．strength B．skill C．courage D．experience