Santa Can Come before Christmas
It was last June. I entered a supermarket to pick some vegetables, when a young man asked me, “Can you tell me where the ________ counter（柜台） is? ”
“Well, the milk is in the lower right corner.” I replied.
Picking up my things, I finally came to the milk counter where I met the same man ________ almost 10 bottles of milk in his hands. I asked him ________ he needed a trolley or not?
“Sure, thank you.” he answered.
I was ________ he was still picking more bottles and after a few minutes his trolley was full of milk. There were over twenty bottles of milk ________ it.
I laughed and asked, “Why so many bottles?”
He smiled and said, “These are for my street dogs. Today, I want to be a Santa for ________ .”
I said, “Well, it’s too ________ for you to be a Santa. It is still June and Christmas comes in December.”
He ________ at me and walked a few steps, as if he wanted to say something but he left the counter without saying ________ .
________ ,we met again at the bread counter.
“So these bread and cakes are also for the street dogs, Mr. Santa.”
He smiled and said, “Yes, these are also for the dogs and I love to be Mr. Santa in the month of June, Santa is a symbol of surprises and ________ . Santa comes in December as we ________ him around Christmas. But in real life there is a Santa in each one of us, no matter which month it is. Maybe when you offered help to me by getting me a trolley, there was a ________ Santa in you. When we offer food to a poor man or a(n) ________ to someone who is caught in the rain, we are being Santa there, So when you offer help to others or get help from others, just think that Santa has come all the way for you.”
He left and I was happy that I had met him. It was right to understand that Santa can come before Christmas. We just need to realize that he is around us by ________ love and joy.
A．vegetable B．milk C．bread D．fish
A．putting B．choosing C．holding D．bringing
A．that B．what C．why D．whether
A．sad B．excited C．angry D．surprised
A．in B．on C．by D．of
A．it B．him C．them D．you
A．easy B．early C．helpful D．important
A．pointed B．laughed C．shouted D．turned
A．something B．anything C．everything D．nothing
A．Luckily B．Suddenly C．Aloud D．Wisely
A．love B．success C．friendship D．knowledge
A．call B．show C．expect D．invite
A．lost B．frozen C．forgotten D．hidden
A．camera B．umbrella C．apple D．box
A．storing B．facing C．spreading D．increasing
There was a time when I thought my dad didn’t know how to be a good father. I couldn’t16 him ever saying the words “I love you.” It seems to me his only purpose in life was to say “ 17 ” to anywhere I wanted to go and anything I wanted to do, including getting a18 . Some parents bought their kids cars when they got their driver’s licenses. Not my dad — he said that I’d have to get a job and buy my own.
So that is what I did. I got a job at a very nice restaurant and19 every penny I could and when I had enough to buy my car, I did! The day I brought that car home, my dad was the first one I wanted to20 it off to. “Look, dad, a car of my own. If you ever want a ride, you only need to pay me five dollars.” I offered with a smile.
“I see,” was all he said.
One day, there was something wrong with my father’s truck. So he needed a21 to work. The sun wasn’t even up when we left the house, 22 it was already getting warm out. It was going to be a hotday. As my dad got out of my car, I 23 him, dressed in his work clothes, getting his24 from the truck (车尾箱) of my car. Watching his sun-weathered face, and even from a distance I could tell there were25 lines than I ever remembered being there before. I realized how hard my dad works for the family. My father is a cement finisher(水泥修整工).
Suddenly, it came up with me that he actually got down on his hands and knees to sweat over hot concrete(混凝土) to make a living for his family. And he did this day in and day out,26hot it got. Never, not once, had I heard him 27 about it. To him we were “worth” it. And never once did he ask us to pay for it.
When he closed the trunk, his tools set off to the side, he walked over to my window to 28 me five dollars. I rolled down the window and said “Good-bye, dad. Keep your five dollars. It’s my __29__. Don’t work too hard. I love you.”
His eyesmet mine, then glanced away in the direction of his waiting tools, he 30 his throat(喉咙) and said, “Oh, and… me, too.”
A．like B．remember C．forget D．care
A．Sorry B．Yes C．No D．Well
A．car B．friend C．job D．present
A．spent B．earned C．kept D．saved
A．take B．put C．turn D．show
A．ride B．leave C．trip D．hurry
A．as B．although C．but D．since
A．helped B．followed C．left D．watched
A．tools B．clothes C．luggage D．bag
A．fewer B．more C．longer D．less
A．whatever B．whenever C．wherever D．however
A．talk B．complain C．ask D．speak
A．hand B．borrow C．lend D．take
A．help B．advice C．treat D．idea
A．cleaned B．wiped C．cleared D．felt
How old was I? I can’t remember. Maybe I was only 10. It was the first 16 without my father because he was away for something. He left me to fill that sad place in my mother’s heart. It was the Christmas when I stopped being a 17 and tried to play Father Christmas myself. I really wanted to make it happy and bright again. It was the Christmas of the 18 .
Mom first saw the coat at Tobias, a nice 19 shop in our town’s little shopping mall. It was dark green. And it was a 20 , heavy, wool dress coat. Mom pulled it out from the rack(架) and held it up. “Long enough,” she said in a low voice and 21 .
“I need a new coat,” Mom smiled before the mirror. She looked good on any clothes, 22 this coat suited her much better. She looked at the 23 , then hung the coat back on the rack, standing there once more to 24
Eighty-seven dollars. But I decided to buy it for her. As we moved on 25 the mall, I found some excuse to return and asked one of the Tobias ladies to 26 the coat.
I helped clean every yard(庭院) in our neighbourhood—some yards twice, and soon I got the coat. The store ladies helped me put it in their biggest 27 with bright blue paper and thick silver ribbon(丝带). I don’t remember 28 I got it home, but I can still feel the wonderful 29 and pride that filled me. I would imagine the big space which the box would take up under our tree. Here it was—joy, peace and 30 —all in the box, waiting for Mom’s surprise.
A．Easter B．Christmas C．Halloween D．Thanksgiving
A．child B．son C．student D．teacher
A．tree B．bag C．coat D．ribbon
A．children’s B．women’s C．girl’s D．men’s
A．big B．wide C．thin D．long
A．tried it on B．put it on C．kept it on D．turned it on
A．though B．or C．for D．and
A．price B．design C．color D．material
A．taste B．feel C．sound D．smell
A．through B．over C．past D．across
A．sell B．send C．keep D．wash
A．tank B．basket C．bag D．box
A．how B．why C．whether D．when
A．development B．excitement C．improvement D．advertisement
A．courage B．confidence C．love D．honesty
Is the art of conversation dying? The other day, my wife 1 two teenage children did something we haven’t 2 for ages. It didn’t require the Internet, a TV screen, batteries… or anything else for that matter. But we all 3 it so much we’re thinking of doing it again sometime.
We had a conversation. The kind of real, live conversation that was 4 when I was growing up, but which seems all too rare these days. Today we have chat rooms, text messages, e-mails but we seem to be losing the 5 of communicating face-to-face. We all know 6 young people are out on a date(约会）these days, they spend most of that time 7 their mobile phones. And teenagers nowadays seem to 8 communicating with their friends by sending text messages rather than actually 9 to them.
If we carry on like this，in the future, we’ll lose the use of our 10 . What do you think? E-mail me, and who knows? Maybe we could even have a real conversation about it!
A．and B．or C．but D．after
A．made B．known C．done D．seen
A．acted B．blamed C．decided D．enjoyed
A．common B．careful C．extra D．enough
A．name B．art C．attention D．aim
A．because B．how C．when D．unless
A．buying B．collccting C．repairing D．answering
A．dislike B．prefer C．admire D．believe
A．writing B．introducing C．speaking D．hurrying
A．eyes B．voiccs C．mouths D．hands
People all over the world celebrate the new year. However, not all countries celebrate in the same way, and in some countries, the new year doesn’t begin on the 1 date very year.
In many countries, the new year begins on 1st January, but people start celebrating on 31st December, New Year’s Eve. In New York many people go to celebrate in Times Square. 2 they’re waiting for the New Year, they listen to music, sing traditional songs and have fun. Just before 12 o’clock, everyone 3 down from 10: 10, 9, 8… As soon as it’s 12 o’clock, everyone shouts very 4 , “Happy New Year!”
New Year’s Day is often a family day. Some families get together for a special meal. When the weather is fine, many families go out for a 5 .
On New Year’s Day, many people make resolutions for the new year. They 6 a list of things, such as “I will help out more with housework. I will work 7 at school than others.” or “I won’t spend so much time playing video games.” When they have made 8 list, they read it to their family or friends and promise to 9 their resolutions.
So it doesn’t matter how they celebrate, 10 people in countries all over the world, it’s a time to say goodbye to the old year, and to welcome the new.
A．familiar B．same C．important D．normal
A．If B．Even though C．While D．Before
A．comes B．turn C．looks D．counts
A．loudly B．quietly C．sadly D．safely
A．walk B．secret C．job D．treatment
A．put on B．write down C．take away D．look after
A．quickly B．hard C．harder D．hardly
A．its B．his C．her D．their
A．follow B．make C．do D．give
A．by B．for C．with D．from
Everyone wants to have healthy teeth. When you laugh, you will 1 your mouth and show your teeth. The healthier your teeth are, the happier you feel. Why is that?
It's 2 your teeth are important in many ways. Take care of them, and they'll help to take care of you. Strong, 3 teeth help you grow. They also help you speak clearly. You can take pate of your teeth by doing like these:
Brush your teeth 4 a day, after getting up and before bedtime. And you brush all of your teeth, not just the front ones. Spend some time 5 the teeth along the sides and in the back. Take your time while brushing. Spend at 6 three minutes each time you brush. Be sure your toothbrush is soft. Ask your parents to help you get a new toothbrush 7 three months. Clean between your teeth with dental floss(牙线).I t feels strange when you do it at first, but soon you'll get used to8 it. Brushing 9 your teeth healthy. You also need to care about what you eat and drink. Eat 10 fruits and vegetables and drink water instead of drinks.
Do you want to have white and healthy teeth? Please brush your teeth!
A．close B．wash C．serve D．open
A．though B．because C．if D．when
A．tight B．white C．healthy D．clean
A．once B．twice C．three times D．four times
A．on B．in C．at D．to
A．first B．least C．once D．last
A．every B．both C．either D．neither
A．helping B．making C．feeling D．doing
A．starts B．produces C．keeps D．suggests
A．a lot B．lots of C．few D．a little