Nine years ago, after Leo had died, people said to me, “I never knew he was your stepfather.” You see, I never called him . At first, he was no one special in my life. Then he became my friend. , I felt he was also my father.
Leo married my mother when I was eleven. Two years later we moved into a house in a new suburban development, where we put down roots. At first our lawn was just a mud with wild grass, but Leo saw bright . “We’ll plant trees there to give us as well as some flowers,” he said. And just these little touches made our house from all the others. More importantly, a real family was . Leo was becoming a full-time parent, and I was learning what it to have a father.
Weekday mornings when the weather was bad, Leo often drove me to school. Having a father
you off may have been something my classmates took for granted, I always thought it was wonderful. mornings, we went to the hardware shop, then stepped into the five-and-ten, buying a sports magazine or something else. Some people might think that doing shopping together is nothing , but I, who had ever before spent my childhood other families do their everyday activities, experienced them now with delight. , I realized that Leo gave me what I needed most—the of doing ordinary things together as a family.
A．it B．that C．so D．one
A．In time B．At the time C．First time D．On time
A．necessities B．possibilities C．recognition D．decoration
A．vegetables B．grass C．shadow D．shade
A．beautiful B．similar C．same D．different
A．forming B．developing C．growing D．becoming
A．became B．meant C．followed D．got
A．cut B．help C．drop D．drive
A．so B．and C．but D．since
A．Monday B．Weekday C．Friday D．Saturday
A．special B．usual C．especial D．different
A．noticing B．recognizing C．understanding D．watching
A．modest B．extreme C．deep D．high
A．Looking back B．Coming back C．Looking forward D．Going back on
A．achievement B．recognition C．experience D．procedure
I think that the most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen. Just listen. Perhaps the most 36 thing we ever give to each other is our attention (注意力). Especially if it’s 37 from the heart. When people are talking, there’s no need to do 38 but receive them. Listen to what they’re saying. Care about it. Most times 39 about it is even more important than understanding it.
One of my patients told me that when she tried to tell her story, people often 40 to tell her that they once had something just 41 that happened to her. Her pain became a story about 42 . So, finally she stopped 43 to most people because she just felt too lonely. When we interrupt what someone is 44 to let them know that we understand, we 45 the focus of attention to ourselves. But if we just 46 , they know we care. Many people with cancer can talk about the relief (宽慰) of having someone just listen.
I have 47 learned to respond to someone crying by just listening. I 48 that passing a person a tissue (面巾纸) may be just another 49 to shut them down and take them out of their experience of 50 . Now I just listen. When they have 51 all they need to cry, they find me there with them.
This 52 thing has not been that easy to learn. It certainly went against everything I had been taught since I was very 53 . I thought people listened only 54 they were too shy to speak or did not know the 55 . A loving silence often has far more power to heal than words.
A．easy B．important C．stupid D．terrible
A．used B．lost C．got D．given
A．anything B．everything C．something D．nothing
A．worrying B．complaining C．caring D．dreaming
A．decided B．managed C．preferred D．interrupted
A．by B．like C．about D．with
A．themselves B．ourselves C．himself D．yourself
A．working B．studying C．talking D．smiling
A．writing B．saying C．reading D．copying
A．learn B．stop C．leave D．move
A．smell B．speak C．listen D．watch
A．even B．hardly C．early D．never
A．explained B．realized C．expected D．imagined
A．question B．touch C．love D．way
A．regret B．happiness C．sadness D．anger
A．cried B．shouted C．called D．whispered
A．difficult B．simple C．funny D．whole
A．old B．tall C．young D．beautiful
A．if B．but C．or D．because
A．plan B．result C．answer D．award
I was watching a TV series one night when I took in one scene. A man was seeking his community votes, and people 36 wanted to know why they should give him their 37 . He took them to his house and on every 38 in his house was the word “Faith” pasted. People raised lots of 39 to find out why the word was pasted on his mirrors. He said, “My dad often 40 me to believe that as long as you have 41 , you should have faith. Every time you look in to the mirror, you’re looking at yourself and see ‘Faith’. ”
The 42 I learned from this is simple — faith is a living thing and in the same way we’re all 43 given 24 hours a day and we’re all given the same measure of faith. Faith keeps us going when things get 44 ! Why is some people’s faith stronger than that of others? Exercise! If we choose to exercise our faith, it will 45 ; but if we choose not to, it remains weak. Some people might 46 that they don’t have faith, but we all practice faith every day even if we don’t 47 it was faith. Daily 48 , such as studying, investing or reaching for a dream, take faith.
Faith 49 hearing and doing. I made a decision yesterday — to 50 reading the newspaper full of too much sad and 51 news. Why? Because I 52 there was a drop of my mental state after reading the newspapers.
Faith, when it’s put to 53 , becomes a beautiful thing, It lifts your mental state to a higher place that 54 you to raise yourself up and declare, “Yes we can.” So make the decision today to strengthen your faith by 55 it.
A．mostly B．briefly C．bravely D．finally
A．support B．instruction C．pity D．information
A．wall B．mirror C．picture D．book
A．questions B．voices C．rules D．standards
A．teaches B．permits C．forces D．promises
A．friendship B．breath C．wealth D．success
A．view B．lesson C．choice D．example
A．extremely B．freely C．equally D．frequently
A．strange B．difficult C．funny D．different
A．stay B．return C．slow D．grow
A．realize B．argue C．understand D．predict
A．agree B．appreciate C．admire D．acknowledge
A．services B．steps C．tasks D．experiment
A．comes from B．dreams of C．feels like D．keeps on
A．consider B．delay C．stop D．risk
A．various B．genuine C．negative D．latest
A．heard B．noticed C．declared D．explained
A．check B．list C．sleep D．work
A．warns B．causes C．orders D．forbids
A．forming B．exercising C．obtaining D．thinking
The Spring Festival marks the first day of a new year, so the first meal is rather important. People from the North and the South have different 36 about the foods they eat on this 37 day. In Northern China, people 38 eat Jiaozi. The word Jiaozi in Chinese means the 39 and the beginning of time. According to historical 40 , in the past people from the North and the South both ate Jiaozi on Chinese New Year’s Day. Perhaps 41 the areas in Southern China 42 more rice than those in Northern China, southern people slowly 43 to eat many other kinds of food on New Year’s Day. 44 , the most common foods for the first 45 are noodles, New Year Cake and Tangyuan. The noodle 46 long life. The New Year Cake is called Niangao in Chinese, which 47 the hope of improvement in 48 year after year. Tangyuan is a symbol of 49 according to the Chinese.
To 50a New Year visit to relatives and friends is an important activity during the Spring Festival. People also send cards to 51a New Year’s greeting. What children love most is to set off firecrackers. 52 , as the pace of life is becoming faster and faster, people have 53 new ways to celebrate the Chinese traditional New Year. For example, many people no longer send out greeting cards. 54 , they use short messages or emails. Also to travel during the New Year holidays has come into 55 .
A．word B．habits C．meanings D．stories
A．usual B．unforgettable C．common D．special
A．seldom B．usually C．always D．hardly
A．end B．future C．result D．effect
A．reasons B．records C．notes D．stories
A．as long as B．though C．when D．because
A．caused B．took C．produced D．brought
A．understood B．knew C．made D．began
A．Besides B．Therefore C．Consequently D．Usually
A．subject B．title C．program D．meal
A．symbolizes B．reveals C．shows D．indicates
A．transports B．represents C．fetches D．takes
A．health B．family C．life D．work
A．reunion B．luck C．happiness D．harmony
A．do B．pay C．get D．carry
A．express B．describe C．establish D．define
A．Luckily B．Unfortunately C．However D．Besides
A．given away B．made out C．got into D．taken up
A．Instead B．Fortunately C．Moreover D．Furthermore
A．fashion B．effect C．sight D．power
Twenty-first century humanity has mapped oceans and mountains, visited the moon, and surveyed the planets. But for all the progress, people __1 don’t know one another very well.
That brings about Theodore Zeldin’s “ 2 of conversation” — events 3 individuals sit in pairs with persons they don’ t know for three hours of 4 talk designed to help people know better about each other.
Mr. Zeldin heads Oxford Muse, a l0-year-old foundation based on the _5 that what people need is not more information, but more inspiration and encouragement.
The “feast” in London looks 6 at politics or events, but at how people have felt about work, relations among the sexes, hopes 7 fears, enemies and authority, the shape of their lives. The “menu of _8 ” includes topics like “How have your concerns changed 9 the years?” Or, “What have you done against the past?”
As participants gathered, Zeldin opened with a speech: that despite _10 communications like QQ and MSN in a globalized age, issues of human heart 11 . Many people are lonely, or occupied in dealing with their daily businesses that discourage knowing the _ 12 _ of one another. “We are trapped in _ 13 _ conversations and the whole point now is to think, which is sometimes painful,”he says. “But 14 _ interaction is what separates us from other species, __15 maybe dogs that do have interactions with humans.”
The main rules of the “feast”: Don’t 16 _ with someone you know or ask questions you would not answer. The only awkward moment came when the multi-racial crowd of people of different ages, in sun hats, ties and __17_, looked to see 18 they would talk with for hours. 19 15 minutes later, everyone was seated and talking, continuing full force until organizers interrupted them 180 minutes later.
Some said they felt free to talk on 20 topics. Thirty-something Peter, from East London, said that “it might take weeks or months to get to the level of interaction we suddenly opened up.”
A．still B．already C．even D．yet
A．topic B．subject C．idea D．feast
A．what B．when C．that D．where
A．free B．organized C．guided D．random
A．theory B．idea C．opinion D．fact
A．not B．not only C．never D．ever
A．but B．and C．or D．with
A．talk B．speech C．conversation D．communication
A．during B．over C．for D．within
A．convenient B．accessible C．immediate D．instant
A．leave B．appear C．disappear D．remain
A．depth B．well C．truth D．good
A．small B．daily C．deep D．shallow
A．thinking B．talking C．communicating D．lecturing
A．with B．besides C．except D．from
A．talk B．pair C．involve D．sit
A．dresses B．skirts C．T-shirts D．coats
A．which B．whom C．who D．that
A．So B．And C．But D．Then
A．hot B．popular C．sensitive D．private
Children and young people tend to have certain role models – people they want to be like when they grow 1 . Though at firstchildren would have wished to copy their mother, father or a (n) 2 relative, gradually these role models are thought of as famous people or popular 3 . People have different opinions about whether popular stars or other famous people are good role models for children. Charming models, such as Katie Price, are often 4 andthought highly of by young girls. This is the biggest worry of parents and teachers. They wish to 5 their children to have the concept that success is achieved through hard work and 6 rather than an attractive looking.
Most people tend to grow up to be those 7 areclose to home — their parents or family friends. Some decide to be like their favorite teacher. A child who loves to 8 may want to grow to be the next Picasso or Van Gogh; Someone who loves to 9 might imagine themselves as a famous writer; if a child enjoys dancing, he or she 10 well admire a famous dancer, but this is not the case. A lot of dance students wish to be like their 11 teacher.
Therefore, the job of a teacher is 12 just providing knowledge of a given subject. They should be able to 13 their students’ trust and 14 them well. Helping youngsters to learn from models, to learn how to accept 15 with grace(优雅) and losing with respect, is central to any parent’s or teacher’s job. Manners are very important and a dance teacher can make use of his or her position and influence(影响) to introduce good behaviors to youngsters.
A．younger B．stronger C．older D．taller
A．generous B．favorite C．ordinary D．humorous
A．fans B．stars C．singers D．dancers
A．awarded B．admired C．admitted D．afforded
A．encourage B．receive C．hold D．ignore
A．luck B．imagination C．effort D．effect
A．what B．which C．it D．who
A．read and write B．sing and dance C．listen and speak D．draw and paint
A．write B．read C．travel D．think
A．should B．may C．must D．need
A．dance B．music C．art D．piano
A．better than B．less than C．more than D．rather than
A．receive B．lose C．gain D．accept
A．communicate with B．keep up with C．come up with D．catch up with
A．challenging B．falling C．failing D．winning