One night, when I was eight, my mother gently asked me a question I would never forget. “Sweetie, my company wants to me but needs me to work in Brazil. This is like your teacher telling that you’ve done and allowing you to skip a grade(跳级), but you’ll have to your friends. Would you say yes to your teacher?” She gave me a hug and asked me to think about it. I was puzzled. The question kept me for the rest of the night. I had said “yes” but for the first time, I realized the decisions adults had to make.
For almost four years, my mother would call us from Brazil every day. Every evening I’d wait for the phone to ring and then tell her every detail of my day. A phone call, however, could never replace her and it was difficult not to feel lonely at times.
During my fourth-grade Christmas break, we flew to Rio to visit her. Looking at her large apartment, I became how lonely my mother must have been in Brazil herself. It was then I started to appreciate the tough choices she had to make on family and work. difficult decisions, she used to tell me, you wouldn’t know whether you make the right choice, but you could always make the best out of the situation, with passion and a attitude.
Back home, I myself that what my mother could do, I could, too. If she to live in Rio all by herself, I, too, could learn to be . I learn how to take care of myself and set high but achievable .
My mother is now back with us. But I will never forget what the has really taught me. Sacrifices in the end. The separation between us has proved to be for me.
A．attract B．praise C．surprise D．promote
A．little B．much C．well D．wrong
A．refuse B．leave C．contact D．forgive
A．wondering B．sleeping C．explaining D．regretting
A．poor B．timely C．final D．tough
A．nervously B．politely C．eagerly D．curiously
A．patience B．presence C．intelligence D．Influence
A．empty B．expensive C．comfortable D．modern
A．interested in B．doubtful about C．aware of D．satisfied with
A．when B．where C．which D．that
A．abandoning B．balancing C．comparing D．mixing
A．Faced with B．Supplied with C．Depending on D．Insisting on
A．different B．friendly C．positive D．general
A．criticized B．informed C．warned D．reminded
A．offered B．managed C．attempted D．expected
A．grateful B．independent C．energetic D．practical
A．examples B．limits C．rules D．goals
A．question B．experience C．history D．occasion
A．run out B．come back C．pay off D．turn up
A．blessing B．gathering C．failure D．pleasure
A rude kid and his mates were visiting a theme park. They arrived very and everything was empty and clean. A park cleaner came , singing and dancing as he swept. As everything was already so clean, the group of friends found it to see the cleaner working so carefully, and so early in the morning. They had a great time making of him. But the cleaner didn’t , and just kept sweeping the area.
So the gang (一伙人) started bags and bits of paper on the ground, ‘to give him something to do’. When more visitors started , and saw the kids throwing trash about, they thought it was one of the park’s fun activities, so they in. And as more people arrived, the park became covered in . The park cleaner couldn’t .
As time went , the park attractions were emptying, and more people were looking down at the rubbish on the ground. , no one was on any of the park rides (游乐设施). They were all about, looking at the ground. “Well,” said the park authorities, “What is going on here?” Well... Everyone was looking for something!
It out that some time during that day, everyone had dropped something on the ground, but now that it was with trash. Whenever anyone dropped anything, it was almost to find it!
There was no other than to have everyone help to clean the park, so they could find their things. by the park cleaner, the visitors swept the ground singing and dancing all the while. It became so much fun that from that day they a new activity in the park, in which everyone, with brushes and bags, spends a while cleaning, laughing and dancing.
A．late B．early C．tidy D．strange
A．by B．in C．across D．out
A．attractive B．difficult C．amusing D．scaring
A．games B．fun C．face D．sense
A．sing B．dance C．mind D．hear
A．picking B．making C．collecting D．throwing
A．arriving B．leaving C．working D．searching
A．interested B．took C．joined D．came
A．rubbish B．visitors C．cleaners D．addition
A．find B．help C．stop D．cope
A．away B．up C．down D．on
A．Since then B．At last C．Not yet D．Even though
A．standing B．sitting C．playing D．laughing
A．found B．turned C．became D．started
A．blended B．missed C．covered D．changed
A．unreal B．probable C．important D．impossible
A．solution B．cleaner C．service D．activity
A．Attracted B．Encouraged C．Improved D．Served
A．created B．discovered C．celebrated D．hosted
A．prepared B．faced C．armed D．left
Dear Reader,
Please allow me to tell you something before you read this book. When my , Sam, was born, my heart was filled with joy. I had been sitting in a wheelchair for 20 years before then, and I have been ill many times. So I wondered if I would have the to tell Sam what I had .
For years I have been hosting a program on the and writing articles for a magazine. Being to move freely, I have learned to sit still and keep my heart , exchanging thoughts with thousands of listeners and . So when Sam was born, I to tell him about school and friendship, romance and work, love and everything else. That’s how I started to write these . I hope that Sam would them sooner or later.
However, that expectation when Sam showed signs of autism (自闭症) at the age of two. He had actually stopped talking before the discovery of the signs. He to communicate with others, even the family members. That was for me but didn’t stop me writing on. I realized that I had even now to tell him. I wanted him to what it means to be “different” from others, and learn how to fight against the misfortune he’ll as I myself, his grandfather, did. I just if I could write all that I wanted to say in the rest of my life.
Now, the book has been published, I have been given the chance. Every chapter in the book is a letter to Sam: some about my life, and all about what it means to be a .
Daniel
A．son B．nephew C．brother D．grandson
A．seriously B．mentally C．slightly D．quietly
A．ability B．time C．courage D．responsibility
A．written B．suffered C．observed D．lost
A．radio B．television C．stage D．bed
A．ready B．unable C．anxious D．eager
A．warm B．broken C．closed D．open
A．hosts B．visitors C．readers D．reporters
A．began B．stopped C．forgot D．decided
A．letters B．emails C．books D．diaries
A．find B．read C．collect D．keep
A．developed B．disappeared C．changed D．arrived
A．tried B．refused C．regretted D．hoped
A．exciting B．acceptable C．strange D．heartbreaking
A．less B．everything C．more D．nothing
A．understand B．explain C．believe D．question
A．fear B．face C．know D．cause
A．felt B．guessed C．saw D．doubted
A．as B．once C．though D．if
A．teacher B．child C．man D．writer
Lilly was a French Canadian girl who grew up in a farming community. When she was ，her father 16 her to drop out of school to contribute to the family income. With English as her second language and
education, the
didn't look bright for Lilly. Lilly's father was a stubborn man who
took "no" for an answer. He
Lilly to find a job. With small hope of gaining
，each day she would just ride to the city, walk
about and at dusk return home. On one of her
，Lilly saw a sign at a big company.
，she knocked on her very first door. In her
English, Lilly told the office manager she was interested in the secretarial position. The manager
to give the girl a chance. He directed her to type a single letter, and then
. Lilly looked at the clock and saw it was 11:40 a. m. She thought everyone would be leaving for
at noon, when she could
away in the crowd.
But she knew she should the letter. On her first try, Lilly
one line of five words and made four mistakes. On her second at-tempt, she completed a full paragraph, but still made many mistakes. She looked at the clock ： 11:55-five minutes to
. Just then, the manager walked in. He came directly over to Lilly, read the letter and said，"Lilly, you're doing
work ！ "
With those simple words of encouragement, her desire to escape disappeared and her began to grow. Lilly thought，" Well, if he thinks it's good, then it must be good. I think I'll stay ！ " Lilly did stay-all because someone had given a
and uncertain girl the gift of self-confidence when she knocked on the door.
A. reminded B. forced C. encouraged D. helped
A. poorB. formalC. goodD. modern
A. advice B. promise C. futureD. change
A. always B. usually C. sometimes D. rarely
A. warned B. toldC. allowedD. begged
A. employment B. experience
C. judgmentD. independence
A. carefully B. happily C. aimlessly D. rapidly
A. stepsB. tripsC. purposesD. choices
A. BravelyB. Proudly C. CalmlyD. Cautiously
A. brokenB. perfect C. writtenD. fluent
A. refusedB. decided C. pretended D. failed
A. stoppedB. continued C. leftD. sighed
A. lunchB. lifeC. funD. luck
A. breakB. slipC. passD. drive
A. readB. writeC. attemptD. deliver
A. went over B. picked up C. gave away D. got through
A. freedomB. successC. discussion D. reward
A. terribleB. excellent C. honestD. easy
A. beliefB. patience C. confidence D. strength
A. shyB. lonelyC. selflessD. modest
Before hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, an expensive car stopped at the Mississippi River Bridge and a gentleman stepped out of the car wearing very clothing.
He climbed over the rail and the bridge onto a platform below the roadway
to jump. Cars started stopping and the traffic was
for miles. The police arrived with firefighting vehicles, a minister and mental health professionals.
They began talking to the man and telling him not to . They told him that he might not die; he might break all of his bones and be
. About half mile back in traffic was an old truck with lawnmowers, rakes, and shovels. An elderly
got out of his truck and walked up to where the crowd
.
He made his way through the people, looked over the side and down to the man on the edge of the platform，" Hey, I've got to go to work. Either jump or get on the
. If you decide not to jump, tomorrow is going to be
！"
With that the man up the bridge. The police
him and placed him in the back seat of the police car. The gardener walked back to his truck waiting for the
to move.
The minister asked a fireman ，" What did he say?" The fireman said，" He said he had to go to work ！ "
The police reported to the press that all the way to the for an examination the man kept saying over and over，" Tomorrow is going to be better. "
One must see a to have a future. It is not what you do not know that will
you the most. It is what you think you know
does so! Please do not stand too close to see the
！You will not be able to enjoy the forest ！
A. shabbyB. thickC. warmD. expensive
A. aboveB. offC. beyondD. under
A. preparing B. fearingC. wondering D. refusing
A. slowed down B. went by C. held up D. built up
A. riskB. hesitateC. jumpD. fall
A. sentenced B. concernedC. ashamed D. paralyzed
A. lawyerB. gardenerC. soldier D. worker
A. gatheredB. controlledC. attracted D. blocked
A. lookedB. smiledC. shouted D. waved
A. carB. bridgeC. bankD. rail
A. warmerB. betterC. longerD. colder
A. rushedB. rolledC. climbed D. walked
A. caughtB. welcomedC. questioned D. whipped
A. policeB. trafficC. gentleman D. crowd
A. loudlyB. politelyC. angrilyD. puzzlingly
A. stationB. hospitalC. prisonD. church
A. futureB. chanceC. honorD. result
A. urgeB. giveC. costD. hurt
A. whatB. whenC. thatD. who
A. riversB. mountainsC. wallsD. trees
A young school teacher had a dream that an angel appeared to him and said，" You will be given a child who will grow up to become a world . How will you prepare her so that she will realize her intelligence, develop both her confidence and sensitivity, be open-minded, yet
in character? In short, what kind of education will you
so that she can become one of the world's truly great leaders?"
The young teacher in a cold sweat. It had never occurred to him before-any one of his present or future students could be the person
in his dream. Was he preparing them to reach any position which they may
？ He thought，" How might my
change if I knew that one of my students were this person?" He
began to formulate （规划；想出）a plan in his mind.
This student would experience as well as instruction. She would need to know how to solve problems of various kinds. She would need to know the value of lifelong learning in order to keep a curious and
mind.
His teaching . Every young person who walked through his
became, for him, a future world leader. He saw each one, not
they were, but he treated them as if they would be the world leaders. He
the best from his students, yet tempered （使缓和）it with pity. He taught each one as if the future of the
depended on his instruction.
After many years, a woman he knew to a position of world fame. He realized that she must
have been the girl de-scribed in his dream. Only she was not one of his
，but his daughter. For of all the
teachers in her life, her father was the best.
Where and how you will this child is a mystery. But believe that one child's future may depend upon the influence only you can provide, and something remarkable will happen.
A. leader B. destroyer C. rescuer D. protector
A. bad B. weak C. special D. strong
A. afford B. provide C. receive D. have
A. shook B. feared C. awoke D. stood
A. described B. appeared C. imagined D. lived
A. buy B. send C. make D. desire
A. performance B. teaching C. acting D. learning
A. gradually B. gladly C. suddenly D. finally
A. like B. have C. need D. mean
A. actual B. dependent C. absent D. active
A. worked B. changed C. developed D. finished
A. classroom B. office C. house D. mind
A. like B. unlike C. likely D. as
A. begged B. expected C. forced D. learned
A. world B. school C. class D. family
A. appeared B. stood C. rose D. raised
A. completely B. nearly C. hardly D. surely
A. children B. students C. friends D. followers
A. male B. wise C. various D. language
A. raise B. help C. love D. meet