One morning I wasted nearly an hour watching a tiny ant carry a huge feather. Several times，it ____ several obstacles in its path. And after a momentary pause it would make the necessary detour. At one point, the ant had to cross a crack about 10 mm wide. After some ____ thoughts，the ant laid the feather over the crack，walked across it and picked the feather up on the other side，then continued on its way. I was ____ by the cleverness of this ant. It was only a small insect，lacking ___ yet _______with a brain to reason，explore, discover and overcome. But this ant, like the other twolegged creatures ____ on the earth, also shares human failings.
After some time the ant finally reached its destination—a flower bed and a small hole that was the entrance to its ____ home. It was there that the ant met its __ How could that large feather possibly fit such a small hole? ____, it couldn't. So the ant, after all this ____ and using great brightness, overcoming problems all along the way, just gave up the feather and went home. The ant had not thought the problem through before it began its journey and in the end the feather was nothing more than a____. Isn't our ____ like that?
We worry about our families; we worry about the ____ of money and we worry about all kinds of things. These are all unfavorable heavy weights—the things we pick up along life's path，and drag them around the obstacles and over the cracks that life will bring, only to ____ that at the destination they are ____ and we can't take them with us.
A．brought about B．got over C．came across D．dealt with
A．brave B．tiring C．magic D．short
A．frightened B．attracted C．annoyed D．satisfied
A．size B．height C．depth D．length
A．filled B．provided C．equipped D．given
A．working B．sleeping C．existing D．walking
A．underground B．lonely C．comfortable D．small
A．partner B．match C．parent D．friend
A．Doubtfully B．Definitely C．Suspiciously D．Deliberately
A．decision B．pleasure C．trouble D．matter
A．loan B．gift C．burden D．harvest
A．life B．aim C．dream D．study
A．waste B．lack C．worth D．danger
A．assume B．illustrate C．imagine D．find
A．priceless B．worthless C．practical D．splendid
Why did I come today? I wondered. My Christmas (36) _______ contained several people that claimed they wanted nothing but I knew their feelings would be hurt (37) _______ I didn’t buy them anything, so buying gifts was (38) _______ but fun.
Hurriedly, I finished shopping and (39) _______ the long checkout lines. In front of me were a boy of about 5 and a younger girl. She carried a beautiful pair of (40) _______ slippers. When we finally (41) _______ the checkout register, the girl (42) _______ placed the shoes on the counter. She treated them as though they were a (43) _______.
“That will be $6.09,” the cashier said. The boy (44) _______ all his pockets. He finally came up with $3.12. “I guess we will have to put them back,” he said (45) _______, “We will come back some other time, maybe tomorrow.” With that statement, a soft (46) _______ broke from the little girl. “But Jesus would have loved these shoes,” she cried.
“Well, we’ll go home and work some more. Don’t cry. We’ll surely (47) _______,” he said. Quickly I handed $3 to the cashier. These children had waited in line for a long time. And, (48) _______, it was Christmas. Suddenly a pair of arms came around me and the girl said (49) _______, “Thank you, lady.”“What did you (50) _______ when you said Jesus would like the shoes?” I asked. The boy answered, “Our mommy is sick and going to (51) _______. Daddy said she might go before Christmas to be with Jesus.” The girl spoke, “My Sunday school teacher said the streets in heaven are shiny gold, just like these shoes. Won’t mommy be (52) _______ walking on those streets in these shoes?”
My eyes (53) _______ as I looked into her tear-streaked face. “Yes,” I answered, “I am (54) _______ she will.” Silently I thanked God for using these children to (55) _______ me of the true spirit of giving.
A．plan B．list C．goods D．purchases
A．if B．because C．unless D．since
A．something B．nothing C．anything D．everything
A．waited B．joined C．attended D．gathered
A．cotton B．leather C．gold D．silver
A．approached B．passed C．checked D．found
A．immediately B．hesitantly C．shyly D．carefully
A．gift B．treasure C．life D．prize
A．opened B．touched C．tore D．searched
A．bravely B．uncertainly C．slowly D．doubtfully
A．tear B．sob C．smile D．sigh
A．leave B．come C．return D．arrive
A．above all B．at last C．at least D．after all
A．gratefully B．sweetly C．gracefully D．kindly
A．request B．expect C．mean D．attempt
A．hospital B．tomb C．heaven D．sky
A．equal B．comfortable C．convenient D．beautiful
A．pained B．flooded C．shut D．froze
A．sure B．afraid C．glad D．confident
A．inform B．warn C．cure D．remind
A couple of years ago, I went to a lady’s house to buy some vitamins. Upon entering the house, I 36 that there was an electronic keyboard on a stand, leaning 37 the wall. Being a piano music lover and 38 , I asked, if the woman played. She nodded and added that she had been
39 lessons at age 54! I told her that it was very 40 that she was pursuing （追求） her passion（热情）to play the piano. . .
Then she asked me 41 question. “I have been playing for 8 years now,” I answered.
“Then you must play a song for me before you leave,” she 42 .I thought she was joking and I simply smiled. At the end of the deal of the vitamins, she 43 me of our musical “44 _”. She then showed me to an old upright piano in the living room,45 asked me to play a song for her. I thought46 and decided to play David Lantz’s “Return to the Heart”, since 
she had so much passion for 47 ,and it was my soul-searching song.
I played the song to the best of my ability, and with my emotions 48 into it as possible. She loved it. 49 I was about to step out of the door, I heard a weak voice ca
lling out, “Young man!”
I turned around. And there was an old lady 50 one little ste
p at a time with the help of another woman. “I wanted to come out to 51 you for the beautiful song that you played. I have been very sick, and it’s very hard for me to 52 my bed, but your music made me feel good ”sh
e said. With that, she turned around and walked 53 back to her room.
I was deeply 54 by her appreciation and felt a deeper understanding for the song. It served its purpose beautifully, returning to one’s 55 for peace and joy.
A．observed B．watched C．noticed D．caught
A．on B．at C．over D．against
A．player B．teacher C．composer D．starter
A．giving C．teaching D．reviewing
A．interesting B．wonderful C．moved D．impressive
A．another B．a different C．the same D．other
A．advised B．ordered C．demanded D．requested
A．warned B．reminded C．asked D．required
A．course B．task C．discussion D．deal
A．and B．but C．as a result D．what’s more
A．for the moment B．at the moment C．for a moment D．at a moment
A．music B．songs C．the piano D．vitamins
A．dropping B．falling C．pouring D．running
A．Since B．As C．While D．Because
A．taking B．making C．having D．giving
A．thank B．praise C．admire D．owe
A．get on B．get up C．get off D．get down
A．quietly B．calmly C．happily D．slowly
A．shocked B．touched C．delighted D．disturbed
A．world B．heart C．brains D．dreams
My Teacher in the School of Life
I spent the opening day of school this year at DeMatha Catholic High School in much the same way I spent the first day of classes36 30 years ago; I sat in Dr Charles E. Offutt’s British literature class, listening to him 37 what his seniors would learn and get them excited about the journey they would 38 . I’m the principal (校长) of the school now , but for a few minutes I was back in 1975,39 what the future held.
I have been learning from Dr Offutt for 30 of the 51 years he had been teaching at DeMatha. He not only taught me to think, he40 me, as much by example as41 , that it was my moral duty to do so and to serve 42 .
Neither of us could know how our 43 would develop over the years. When I first came back to DeMatha to teach English. I worked for Dr Offutt, the then department chair. After several years, I was 44 department chair, and our relationship changed45 . I thought that it might be 46 chairing the department, since all of my former English teachers were still there, but Dr Offutt 47 me throughout. He knew when to give me48 about curriculum, texts and personnel, and when to let me design my own course.
In 1997, I needed his advice about leaving DeMatha to become principal at another school. If he had asked me to stay at DeMatha, I might have.49 , he encouraged me to seize the new50 .
Five years ago, I became the 51 of DeMatha. Once again, Dr Offutt was there for me, letting me know that I could 52 on him as I tried to fill such big shoes. I’ve learned from him that great teachers have a (n)53 wealth of lessons to teach. 54 his students don’t know it yet, I know how 55 they are; I’m still one of them.
A．mostly B．exactly C．only D．simply
A．explain B．predict C．speak D．teach
A．keep B．achieve C．choose D．take
A．preparing B．discovering C．wondering D．realizing
A．assisted B．reminded C．advised D．convinced
A．words B．action C．explanation D．models
A．the others B．everyone C．others D．anyone
A．relationship B．position C．situation D．condition
A．pointed B．named C．given D．taken
A．already B．yet C．still D．again
A．foolish B．surprising C．uncertain D．challenging
A．promoted B．accepted C．supported D．welcomed
A．advice B．information C．notice D．thought
A．Otherwise B．Therefore C．Furthermore D．Instead
A．choice B．opportunity C．occupation D．possibility
A．teacher B．principal C．officer D．clerk
A．live B．look C．depend D．take
A．rich B．little C．valuable D．endless
A．Once B．Even if C．Unless D．Until
A．fortunate B．curious C．innocent D．satisfied
One Christmas Eve, my husband made his way home from work. 36 , he worked the entire day but let his stuff go 37 so that they could be with their families.
He drove down the street and made the 38 towards our home. On one side of the road, an old man stood, drenched to the bone (被雨淋得湿透了), with his hand 39 . The rain had been 40 heavily that day. My husband stopped, and asked him where he was 41 . He wanted to go about five miles past our home, but my husband still told him to 42 . My husband chatted with him, drove 43 our house and took him home for his Christmas Eve. 44 turned out that this poor man was what we now 45 as a “slow learner” and the only job he could get to 46 him and his elderly mother was at the bakery near where my husband worked. He worked from 5 a.m. until 1 o’clock in the 47 . Not only that, but that poor man had been standing there trying to get a ride on Christmas Eve for about 5 hours 48 my husband picked him up. 49 else would give him a ride because they didn’t want to get their seats 50 .
Over the years my husband 51 to give him a ride home whenever he saw him trying to get a ride. When he passed 52 , my husband went to his funeral. 53 my husband didn’t know his family, they knew of him. Even his twin sister who 54 in the state of Washington knew who my husband was and everyone thanked him for his 55 toward one who had so little.
An act of kindness can make another person’s day, or even their life.
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When I was a teenager I volunteered to work at the water station at a 10,000m race. My job was to 36 water to the runners. I remember being so 37 to see all the different kinds of people who passed by and grabbed a cup of water. Some ran past, some walked past and a few wheeled past. I saw so many types of people doing it. I thought maybe I could do it too! So the next year I 38 up for the race.
That first 10,000m race was quite an 39 . I jogged, I walked, I jogged and I walked. 40 , I didn’t know if I could finish. Then came a defining (决定性) 41 .
At one point near the end, a 70-year-old man ran past me, very, very fast, and I felt 42 because I was 50 years younger than he but I couldn’t even keep up with him. I felt 43 for a second.
But then I 44 something. He was running his race and I was running mine. He had 45 abilities, experience, training and goals for himself. I had mine. Remember my 46 was only to finish.
After a minute, it 47 me that this was a lesson I could draw from. I learned something about myself in that moment. I turned my embarrassment into 48 .
I 49 that I would not give up on running races. In fact, I would run even more races and I would learn how to train and prepare 50 and one day I would be one of those 70-year-old persons who were still running. As I crossed the finish line, I was proud of my 51 .
In life we all have those moments where we 52 ourselves to others. It’s only 53 . Don’t allow those moments to 54 you. Turn them into motivation and let them inspire you. With the proper preparation and training, you can improve your result to 55 anything you want in life.
A．bring out B．pass out C．take out D．pick out
A．excited B．worried C．concerned D．anxious
A．gave B．made C．signed D．dressed
A．achievement B．encouragement C．instruction D．experience
A．At times B．In time C．In all D．After all
A．victory B．decision C．moment D．conclusion
A．embarrassed B．annoyed C．moved D．thrilled
A．relaxed B．defeated C．puzzled D．inspired
A．realized B．lost C．noticed D．remembered
A．special B．evident C．common D．different
A．motto B．plan C．goal D．direction
A．worried B．hit C．reached D．hurt
A．attraction B．devotion C．inspiration D．expectation
A．hoped B．promised C．decided D．suggested
A．slightly B．hardly C．clearly D．properly
A．excitement B．accomplishment C．movement D．judgment
A．introduce B．relate C．present D．compare
A．important B．natural C．strange D．ridiculous
A．weaken B．wound C．amuse D．cheer
A．reserve B．deliver C．achieve D．abandon