The family had just moved.The young woman was feeling a little .It was Mother's Day—and 800 miles separated her from her parents.
She had called them that morning,and her mother had how colorful their backyard was spring had arrived. Later,she told her husband how she those lilacs(丁香)in her parents’yard.“I know where we can find some,”he said.“Get the and come on.”So off they went.
Some time later,they stopped at a hill and there were lilacs all round.The young woman rushed up to the nearest and buried her face in the flowers.Carefully,she some.Finally,they returned to their car for the home.The woman sat smiling,surrounded by her .
When they were near home,she shouted“stop”,got off quickly and to a nearby nursing home.She went to the end of the porch(门廊),where a(n) patient was sitting in her wheelchair,and put the flowers into her lap.The two ,bursting into laughter now and then.Later the young woman turned and ran back to her .As the car pulled away,the woman in the wheelchair with a smile,and held the lilacs .
“Mom,”the kids asked,“ did you give her our flowers?”“It is Mother's Day,and she seems so while I have all of you.And anyone would be by flowers.”
This satisfied the kids,but not the husband.The next day he some young lilacs around their yard.
I was the husband.Now,every May,our yard is full of lilacs.Every Mother’s Day our kids purple lilacs.And every year I remember that smile of the lonely old woman.
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Failing doesn’t make a failure. True failures are those who don’t learn from their 1 .
Smart persons not only learn from their own mistakes—they pay 2 to the mistakes of others, equate error with opportunity, and learn valuable 3 as well, as this story illustrates (说明).
A lion, a fox, and a wild pig went 4 for rabbits together. By the end of the day, they had a large pile of rabbits to 5 .
The lion said to the wild pig, “Pig, you divide the rabbits up among the three of us in a 6 that you think is fair.” The pig divided the rabbits up into three 7 piles, and said to the lion, “There we are. One 8 for each of us. How’s that?” The lion 9 sprang at the wild pig and 10 him.
Then, the lion threw all the rabbits into one big pile again.
He 11 to the fox. “Well now, Mr. Fox, why don’t you 12 the rabbits between the two of us in a way that you think is fair?”
The fox walked over to the pile of rabbits, took the 13 one for himself, and left the rest in a big pile. “This rabbit is for me, Mr. Lion, and that big pile is for you.” said the fox.
At that point, the lion laughed, “Where did you learn to divide so 14 , Mr. Fox?” And Mr. Fox replied, “The wild pig 15 me.”
A.teachers B.mistakes C.failures D.experiences
A.respect B.tribute C.court D.attention
A.experience B.skills C.lessons D.service
A.hunting B.searching C.hiking D.fishing
A.share B.eat C.attack D.enjoy
A.case B.situation C.mood D.way
A.same B.equal C.big D.different
A.rabbit B. animal C.pile D.group
A.gradually B.curiously C.immediately D.seriously
A.killed B.punished C.praised D.sold
A.came B.ran C.returned D.turned
A.part B.divide C.raise D.separate
A.unfairly B.fairly C.hurriedly D.badly
A.informed B.told C.reminded D.taught
The Pecan Thief
When I was six years old, I was visiting my grandfather's farm in Kansas. Grandpa had sent me into the 36 to gather pecans for us to enjoy later.
Pecan picking was really 37 work and my little basket was only half full. I wasn't about to 38 Grandpa down. Just then something caught my 39 . A large brown squirrel was a few feet away. I watched as he picked up a pecan, hurried to a tree and 40in a large hole in the trunk. A moment later the squirrel 41 out and climbed down to the ground to pick up another nut. Once again, he took the pecan back to his hiding place.
Not so 42 anymore, I thought. I dashed over to the tree and looked into the hole. It was 43 with pecans! Golden pecans were right there for taking. This was my 44 . Handful by handful, I scooped all of those pecans into my basket. Now it was full! I was so 45 of myself. I couldn't wait to show Grandpa all the pecans. 46 , I ran back and shouted, “Look at all the pecans!” He looked into the basket and said, “Well, well, how did you find so many ? ” I told him how I'd 47 the squirrel and taken the pecans from his hiding place.
Grandpa congratulated me on how smart I'd been in observing the squirrel and his habits. Then he did something that 48 me. He handed the basket back to me and put his arm gently 49 my shoulders.
“That squirrel worked very hard to gather his winter 50 of food, ” he said. “Now that all of his pecans are gone, don't you think that little squirrel will 51 the cold winter? ”
“I didn't think about that,” I said.
“I know, ” Grandpa said. “But a good man should never take 52 of someone else's hard work.”
Suddenly I felt a bit 53 . The image of the starving squirrel wouldn't 54 my mind. There was only one thing I could do. I carried the basket back to the tree and poured all the nuts into the hole.
I didn't eat any pecans that night, but I had something much more filling—the 55 of knowing I had done just the right thing.
A.woods B.rooms C.holes D.roads
A.dirty B.hard C.light D.easy
A.settle B.let C.have D.keep
A.sweater B.basket C.hand D.eye
A.joined B.lived C.disappeared D.discovered
A.held B.jumped C.stood D.found
A.secret B.strange C.anxious D.patient
A.filled B.covered C.rebuilt D.decorated
A.time B.choice C.achievement D.chance
A.afraid B.ashamed C.proud D.careful
A.Otherwise B.However C.Therefore D.Besides
A.followed B.driven C.protected D.caught
A.annoyed B.satisfied C.delighted D.surprised
A.off B.beside C.around D.over
A.cost B.supply C.support D.preparation
A.escape B.spend C.flee D.survive
A.place B.notice C.charge D.advantage
A.unconfident B.guilty C.embarrassed D.nervous
A.leave B.open C.cross D.occupy
A.inspiration B.expectation C.satisfaction D.impression
One day while sitting in the boat fishing, I noticed a field mouse on the river bank. He ran out of his 21 , ran around a bit and then ran back. I thought of the 22 of this mouse. His life is spent running around, 23 , following his nose. He runs here, runs there, turns in circles, but never really sees much beyond his 24 . He is trying to 25 his way to successful living, which is finding a little 26 , so that he can carry on for the rest of his life, frightened.
A few minutes later I looked up and noticed an osprey (鱼鹰) 27 high in the sky. This keen-eyed hunter with a 28 view of the river was simply waiting for the best time to catch his food. The 29 creature flew up toward a nest at the top of one of the tallest trees.
It is the osprey not the field mouse that 30 our human potential (潜能). I don’t know about you, but it is 31 for me to decide which creature I want to learn from. I want to 32, to see the big picture, to climb higher, go farther, dive deeper, and 33 more. I want my soul enlarged and my heart inspired. I want to 34 running about following my nose and instead I want to find new strength, fresh 35 , clear vision and courage. I want to be more like the osprey and less like the field mouse, for to live like the field mouse is to ruin my potential.
A.boat B.hole C.yard D.box
A.friend B.appearance C.food D.existence
A.frightened B.excited C.surprised D.pleased
A.eyes B.nose C.head D.legs
A.lose B.find C.smell D.give
A.time B.room C.treasure D.food
A.hanging B.running C.flying D.staying
A.short B.full C.different D.first
A.interesting B.frightening C.boring D.amazing
A.needs B.models C.follows D.strikes
A.difficult B.strange C.easy D.special
A.play B.rest C.relax D.explore
A.get B.experience C.forget D.control
A.continue B.stop C.enjoy D.practise
A.thinking B.air C.news D.water
Every summer, hundreds of thousands of students travel to other countries looking for work and adventure. Most of the opportunities are in 1 work. The pay is usually poor, but most people work 2 for the thrill of travel. You can pick grapes in France, entertain kids on American summer camps, and, of course, there are always 3 in hotels and restaurants.
But it is not as easy as it used to be to find work. Unless you speak the language of the country well, there will be very 4 openings. For example, when you arrive to wash dishes in a restaurant in Paris, the owner will 5 you to speak French. British students only have a language 6 for jobs in the USA and Australia.
Not every one 7 the experience. Sarah James was once responsible for forty American children in Europe. During the 8 , one child lost his passport; four children were lost in Madrid for a whole day; the whole group was thrown out of one hotel because of the9 they made. Sarah says, “It really was a 24-hour-a-day job since the kids never 10 ! And the pay was awful. It wasn’t worth it.”
The trouble is that 11 expect to have an easy time of it. After all, they see it as a12 . In practice, though, they have to work hard. At the same time, all vacation work is casual work, and jobs are 13 only when the hotel, the restaurant, or the campsite is busy. But students have few employment 14 . As soon as the holiday season finishes, companies will get rid of them. And if their employer doesn’t like them, they’ll be 15 , too.
A.seasonal B.mental C.professional D.formal
A.hard B.voluntarily C.abroad D.continuously
A.jobs B.visitors C.customers D.parties
A.good B.new C.attractive D.few
A.teach B.expect C.allow D.forbid
A.program B.lesson C.advantage D.exam
A.has B.enjoys C.forgets D.remembers
A.trip B.flight C.discussion D.ceremony
A.promise B.progress C.complaint D.noise
A.cried B.studied C.slept D.helped
A.children B.students C.employers D.parents
A.job B.lesson C.holiday D.shame
A.countless B.available C.interesting D.boring
A.experiences B.rules C.plans D.rights
A.dismissed B.charged C.fined D.punished
When I received my grade on my first writing assignment, I was very disappointed.I met with Dr.Caldwell to discuss my 41 and my work.She gave me lots of _42 and allowed me to rewrite my paper.My grade improved but I was 43 not completely satisfied.Dr.Caldwell decided to help me and44 me into a good writer, Before each paper was due, I turned in a 45 draft and she corrected it for me, Her dedication to my success was very encouraging because she 46 _ the time to personally help me time and time again.
Dr.Caldwell was behind my dedication to the learning process.Not only did she help me, but also Dr.Caldwell 47 me to become a teacher and dedicate my life to helping children who struggle through school. My most memorable 48 as a teacher was when I tutored a fourth-grade boy, Darnell, in math.He was unable to add, minus, multiply, or divide.He was far 49 his classmates and needed personal50 to help him work at the same level.
51 we first began our sessions, Darnell was very quiet and52 _ in learning.I was becoming annoyed and impatient because after two weeks, it seemed as if we had not 53 a thing.To my surprise, Darnell finally _54 __ up to me and began to work hard at his lessons.His progress began to show through and his teacher told me his grades in class had 55 greatly, I was very happy with the progress that we had made and. became even more dedicated to Darnell's success, We had a lot of 56 learning math; we created many games and played them to make learning more 57 for Darnell. All that Darnell needed was the one-on-one attention that I was able to give him and once he 58 it, his improvement was evident almost 59 . I was able to work with Darnell and encourage him to learn the 60 Dr. Caldwell worked with me to become a better writer.
A.grade B.study C.future D.essay
A.solutions B.approaches C.assessments D.suggestions
A.still B.also C.again D.even
A.talk B.put C.turn D.build
A.tough B.similar C.rough D.general
A.spent B.took C.cost D.paid
A.encouraged B.forced C.expected D.begged
A.experiment B.experience C.example D.moment
A.behind B.below C.out of D.ahead of
A.influence B.sympathy C.comfort D.attention
A.When B.Before C.While D.Once
A.absorbed B.delighted C.concerned D.uninterested
A.conveyed B.submitted C.learned D.accomplished
A.looked B.opened C.walked D.came
A.obtained B.raised C.improved D.decreased
A.trouble B.patience C.fun D.difficulty
A.difficult B.important C.reasonable D.enjoyable
A.learned B.received C.afforded D.failed
A.instantly B.punctually C.slowly D.gradually
A.skill B.means C.knowledge D.way