Inspiration
“Mama, when I grow up, I’m going to be one of those!” I said this after seeing the Capital Dancing Company perform when I was three. It was the first time that my took on a vivid form and acted as something important to start my training. As I grew older and was to more, my interests in the world of dance varied but that little girl’s dream of someday becoming a in the company never left me. In the summer of 2005 when I was 18, I received the phone call which made that dream a : I became a member of the company back to 1925.
As I look back on that day now, it surely any sense of reality. I believe I stayed in a state of pleasant disbelief I was half way through rehearsals(排练) on my first day. I never actually to get the job. After being offered the position, I was completely . I remember shaking with excitement.
Though I was absolutely thrilled with the change, it did not come without its fair share of . through the strict rehearsal period of dancing six days a week, I found it vital to up the material fast with every last bit of concentration. It is that extreme to detail(细节) and stress on practice that set us . To then follow those high-energy rehearsals a busy show schedule of up to five performances a day, I discovered a new of the words “hard work”. What I thought were my physical were pushed much further than I thought . I learned to make each performance better than the last.
Today, when I look at the unbelievable company that I have the great
of being a part of, not only as a member, but as a dance captain, I see a （20） that has inspired not only generations of little girls but a splendid company that continues to develop and grow—and inspires people every day to follow their dreams.
A．hobby B．plan C．dream D．word
A．connected B．expanded C．exposed D．extended
A．rarely B．certainly C．probably D．consistently
A．director B．trainer C．leader D．dancer
A．symbol B．memory C．truth D．reality
A．bouncing B．dating C．turning D．tracking
A．lacks B．adds C．makes D．brings
A．while B．since C．until D．when
A．cared B．expected C．asked D．decided
A．motivated B．relaxed C．convinced D．astonished
A．challenges B．profits C．advantages D．adventures
A．put B．mix C．build D．pick
A．attention B．association C．attraction D．adaptation
A．apart B．aside C．off D．back
A．over B．by C．with D．beyond
A．function B．meaning C．expression D．usage
A．boundaries B．problems C．barriers D．efforts
A．necessary B．perfect C．proper D．possible
A．talent B．honour C．potential D．responsibility
A．victory B．trend C．tradition D．desire
As a young social worker in a New York City psychiatric clinic, I was asked to see Roz, a 20-year-old woman who had been referred to us from another psychiatric clinic. It was an referral in that no information was received her first appointment. I was told to “play it by ear”, and to what her problems were and what she needed.
an examination to go on, I saw Roz as an unhappy, misunderstood young woman who hadn’t been listened to in her earlier treatment. Her family situation was unpleasant. I didn’t see her as disturbed, rather as lonely and misunderstood. She responded so to being heard. I encouraged her to start a life worth living — to find a job, a satisfying place to live and new relationships. We hit it off well, and she making important changes in her life.
The records from the previous psychiatric clinic arrived a month after Roz and I began our successful work together. To my complete surprise, her records were several inches thick, a long period of psychiastric hospitalization. Her diagnosis was “paranoid schizophrenic(妄想型精神分裂症)”, with a that she was “hopeless”.
That had not been my experience with Roz at all so I decided to forget those pieces of paper. I never treated her as if she had that “hopeless” treatment. I did find out about the horrors for Roz of the hospitalization, of being drugged, separated and abused. I also learned a lot from her about such deeply and unforgettably shocking circumstances.
First Roz found a job, then a place to live away from her difficult . After several months of working together, she introduced me to her husband-to-be, a successful businessman who adored her.
When we our treatment, Roz gave me the gift of a silver bookmark and a note that said, “Thank you for believing and encouraging me.”
A．uncertain B．unfortunate C．unconscious D．unusual
A．apart from B．away from C．ahead of D．out of
A．figure out B．clear up C．turn out D．bring up
A．On B．Without C．From D．In
A．then B．but C．still D．and
A．slowly B．briefly C．effectively D．positively
A．delayed B．resisted C．started D．avoided
A．requiring B．describing C．repeating D．reporting
A．comment B．suggestion C．note D．decision
A．surviving B．improving C．mastering D．explaining
A．clinic B．house C．job D．family
A．shared B．conducted C．completed D．received
A man was driving at 70 miles in a 40-mile zone, when a came behind him. Right away the man started thinking of to give.
As the policeman came to him, he said, “Hi, officer, I guess you me a little bit over the speed limit. I was in a rush to get , to be with my wife and kids. You know my younger son wasn’t feeling too when I left home this morning. I’m afraid he’s ill.”
The policeman said, “Well, I guess so,” and started something in his notebook. As minutes went by, he could see from the side view mirror, the policeman was writing. When the man was wondering why he hadn’t asked for his driving so far, the policeman came to his window, him a piece of paper, and returned to his car without saying a single word. The man wondered: how much was this going to be? However, the man was it was not a ticket at all and he began to :
“I had a daughter who was by a speeding car at the age of six by a speeding driver. He got a fine, a few months in , and then was free, free to hug his two daughters. I only had one, and now I have to until I get to heaven before I can hug her again. I have tried to that man a thousand times, and I thought I had. Maybe I really did forgive him. So pray for me, and be when you drive again. My son is all I have been left with.”
The man was completely and could not move for the next few minutes. When finally he did, he drove , even a few miles the speed limit, praying for forgiveness.
A．truck B．police car C．mail car D．taxi
A．information B．advice C．views D．excuses
A．remembered B．recognized C．mistook D．caught
A．home B．to school C．out D．to hospital
A．happy B．well C．free D．healthy
A．writing B．looking for C．listing D．looking up
A．even B．really C．never D．still
A．insurance B．journal C．license D．route
A．handed B．sent C．rewarded D．pushed
A．paper B．ticket C．note D．notice
A．excited B．upset C．angry D．surprised
A．read B．laugh C．smile D．think
A．hit B．knocked C．killed D．trapped
A．fear B．prison C．trouble D．danger
A．stay B．wait C．remain D．escape
A．forgive B．attack C．educate D．support
A．honest B．thankful C．careful D．patient
A．disappointed B．nervous C．shocked D．frightened
A．quickly B．fortunately C．rapidly D．slowly
A．under B．over C．to D．with
On Sundays my father always wore that gray apron(围裙)—the one with the race cars all over it. The ritual (老规矩) began. breakfast when Dad always announced, “Go ahead everyone. I’ll the dishes!” For the next hour Dad did the dishes, singing ballads (歌谣) like “I Had a Hat When I Came in.” and “Who Put the Chow in Mrs. Marphy’s Chowder?”
I suppose it was for a boy’s father to wear an apron—even one with race cars— I never thought much of it until the day that Dad broke with tradition. It was the last Sunday in August. As we home slowly from church together, my father seemed very . “Tommy,” he said letting my name roll off his . “There comes a time in every boy’s when he must take on responsibilities. It’s time you a greater role in the family. From now on, I want you to the dishes on Sunday morning, so your mother and I can work the crossword puzzle (纵横字谜) together.”
“The dishes!?” I in surprise.
“Anything wrong with taking over the dishes, son?” father said.
I started to say something about a man’s or woman’s work, but I knew immediately that my protests (抗议) would be .
I didn’t taste a bit of that morning. Dad seemed joyful as he described an American game.[]
At the end of the meal, my father , “Let’s go to read the paper, honey.” “Aren’t you doing the dishes?” my 51 asked surprisedly. Father smiled and said, “your oldest son has to fill the position.”
“I want you to have this apron on, Tommy. It’ll keep your clothes from getting .” And before I could go against it, he had put the thing on me. “Thanks, Son. Your mother and I this.”
With that he disappeared into the Sunday paper. I looked at the dishes. I could see my dad reaching for the dishes. He was always happy to help the family. My anger soon flew off and I began to sing.
A．Until B．During C．Before D．After
A．keep up B．take care of C．look for D．turn over
A．important B．natural C．strange D．exciting
A．but B．so C．because D．when
A．rushed B．hurried C．walked D．danced
A．happy B．angry C．sad D．mad
A．eyes B．tongue C．ears D．hands
A．death B．school C．work D．life
A．made B．played C．did D．carried
A．do B．buy C．break D．set
A．smiled B．laughed C．whispered D．screamed
A．game B．joy C．job D．feeling
A．turned down B．turned to C．turned up D．turned off
A．breakfast B．lunch C．supper D．juice
A．ordered B．announced C．demanded D．chatted
A．brother B．sister C．mother D．friend
A．started B．gone C．managed D．offered
A．cold B．warm C．dry D．wet
A．hate B．scold C．appreciate D．require
A．up B．down C．out D．on
It was in my high school science class. I was doing a task in front of the classroom with my favorite shirt on.
A came, “Nice shirt,” I smiled from ear to ear. Then another voice said, “That shirt belonged to my dad. Greg’s mother works for my family. We were going to that shirt away, but gave it to her .”I was speechless. I wanted to hide.
I the shirt in the back of the closet and told my mum what had happened. She then dialed her , “I will no longer work for your family,” she told him. That night, Mom told my dad that she couldn’t clean anymore; she knew her life’s was something greater.
The next morning she with the personnel manager at the Board of Education. He told her that without a proper education she could not teach. So mom decided to a university.
After the first year in college, she went back to the personnel manager. He said, “You are __ , aren’t you? I think I have a for you as a teacher’s assistant. This opportunity deals with children who are mentally challenged with little or no chance of .” Mom accepted the opportunity very .
For almost five years, as a teacher’s assistant, she saw teacher after teacher give up on the children and quit, feeling . Then one day, the personnel manager and the principal __ _ in her classroom. The principal said, “We have watched how you the children and how they communicate with you and admire your hard – working over the last five years. We are all in agreement that you be the teacher of this class.”
My mom spent more than 20 years there. her career, she was voted Teacher of the Year. All of this came about because of the comment made in the classroom that day. Mom showed me how to handle situations and never give up.
A．noise B．voice C．sound D．tune
A．get B．take C．carry D．throw
A．otherwise B．anyhow C．instead D．actually
A．settled B．pushed C．stored D．stuck
A．teacher B．employer C．director D．adviser
A．purpose B．encouragement C．achievement D．victory
A．went B．met C．worked D．stayed
A．visit B．continue C．attend D．prepare
A．serious B．fortunate C．careful D．responsible
A．career B．duty C．position D．part
A．learning B．judging C．obeying D．imagining
A．patiently B．eagerly C．successfully D．skillfully
A．upset B．frightened C．guilty D．ashamed
A．looked up B．went up C．took up D．showed up
A．believe B．protect C．treat D．receive
A．spirit B．intention C．action D．attempt
A．must B．would C．might D．should
A．At B．During C．On D．With
A．worthless B．thoughtless C．hopeless D．helpless
A．challenging B．different C．dangerous D．strange
I used to be a very self-centered person, but in the past two years I have really changed. I have started to think about other people I think about myself. I am happy that I am becoming a person.
I think my started when I was at Palomar College. At first, I just wanted to get my and be left alone. I thought I was smarter than everyone else, so I hardly ever to anyone in my classes. By the end of my first semester, I was really . It seemed as if everyone but me had made friends and was having fun. So tried a(n) . I started asking people around me how they were doing, and if they were having trouble I could to help. That was really a big for me. By the end of the year, I had several new friends, and two of are still my best friends today.
A bigger cause of my new , however, came when I took a part-time job at a Vista Nursing Home. One old lady there who had Alzheimer’s disease became my . Every time I came into her room, she was because she thought I was her daughter. Her real daughter never her, so I took her place. She let me that making others feel good make me feel good, too, when she died, I was , but I was very grateful to her.
I think I am a much person today than I used to be, and I hope I will not these experiences. They have me to care about other people more than about myself. I who I am today, and I could not say that a few years ago.
A．since B．before C．or D．unless
A．famous B．simple C．different D．skilled
A．education B．career C．tour D．change
A．balance B．homework C．degree D．interest
A．talked B．wrote C．lied D．reported
A．careful B．lonely C．curious D．guilty
A．argument B．game C．experiment D．defence
A．dare B．offer C．hesitate D．happen
A．dream B．problem C．duty D．step
A．us B．which C．them D．whom
A．attitude B．hobby C．hope D．luck
A．friend B．partner C．guide D．guest
A．polite B．happy C．strange D．confident
A．bothered B．answered C．visited D．trusted
A．explain B．guess C．declare D．see
A．homeless B．heartbroken C．bad-tempered D．hopeless
A．quieter B．busier C．better D．richer
A．forget B．face C．improve D．analyze
A．forced B．preferred C．ordered D．taught
A．miss B．like C．wonder D．expect