Longhands was the son of a pirate (海盗), the grandson of a pirate, and the great grandson of a pirate. Actually, he hadn’t yet stolen anything, nor attacked any ______; but his whole family were sure that he’d ______ to be a very good pirate.
But the idea of spending his life robbing people ______ didn’t excite young Longhands. When he was a toddler, one of his cousins ______ one of his favorite toys, and it made him really sad. He knew robbing would make people ______.
While he was growing up, Longhands ______ terribly that some day his real pirate personality would suddenly ______, and send him down the path of robbing. Every morning, when he ______, he looked in the mirror to see if the ______ change had yet occurred. But every morning he had the same pleasant sort of ______ he had had the day before.
As time went on, it became clear to everyone that Longhands wasn’t a pirate; but the family ______ was so long that no one was bold (胆大的) enough to come out and ______ it. “It’s just that he’s a ______ pirate,” they would say. And they would have kept saying it ______ Longhands had studied medicine and started to ______ the sick. However, Longhands was still worried about turning into a pirate, and he ______ looking into the mirror each morning.
One day, though, seeing that he was now a(n) ______ man, he realized that neither himself, nor ______, was ever forced to be a pirate. Everyone could do whatever they chose with their ______!
And, having chosen his own life and his own path, Longhands felt ______ happy that he never chose to be a pirate.
A．businessman B．bank C．family D．ship
A．turn around B．turn out C．stay away D．watch out
A．unluckily B．slowly C．certainly D．hardly
A．destroyed B．bought C．examined D．replaced
A．fail B．die C．change D．suffer
A．imagined B．remembered C．worried D．doubted
A．break B．appear C．move D．go
A．looked up B．showed up C．woke up D．sat down
A．normal B．necessary C．surprising D．horrible
A．fear B．face C．clothes D．dreams
A．tradition B．hope C．tree D．communication
A．repeat B．destroy C．notice D．say
A．good B．new C．funny D．stupid
A．if only B．in case C．even if D．so that
A．laugh at B．care for C．go through D．look after
A．avoid B．considered C．began D．continued
A．handsome B．honest C．old D．strange
A．anybody B．everybody C．somebody D．nobody
A．experiences B．desires C．wishes D．lives
A．slightly B．deeply C．partly D．commonly
The best time of my life
It was June 15，and in two days 1 would be turning thirty. I was about entering a new decade of ray life and feared that my best years were now
me.
My routine included going to the gym for a workout before going to work. Every morning I
see my friend Nicholas at the gym. He was seventy-nine years old and in terrific
. As I greeted Nicholas on this particular day， he noticed I wasn't full of my
vitality (生命力，生气)and asked if there was anything wrong. I told him I was feeling anxious about
thirty. I wondered how I would look
my life once I reached Nicholas's age， so I asked him， "What was the best time of your life?"
Without , Nicholas replied, "Well, Joe, this is my philosophical (哲学的)answer
your philosophical question ： When I was a child in Austria and
was taken care of for me and I was nurtured (养育，培养)by my
，that was the best time of my life.
When I was going to school and learning the things I know today，that was the time of my life.
When I got my first job and had responsibilities and got paid for my ，that was the best time of my life.
When I met my wife and in love， that was the best time of my life.
The Second World War , and my wife and I had to flee Austria to save our lives.
we were together and safe on a ship bound for North America, that was the best time of my life.
When I was a young father， my children grow up, that was the best time of my life.
And now, Joe, I am seventy-nine years old. I have my health，I feel good and I am in love with my wife I was when we first met.
is the best time of my life."
A. eager B. anxious C. happy D. satisfied
A. before B. beside C. besides D. behind
A. everyday B. every day's C. every day D. every day's
A. will B. would C. used to D. was used to
A. form B. type C. kind D. shape
A. common B. ordinary C. usual D. formal
A. turning B. becoming C. growing D. getting
A. forward to B. back on C. down upon D. out for
A. doubt B. question C. hesitation D. permission
A. for B. at C. in D. to
A. something B. anything C. everything D. nothing
A. teachers B. friends C. children D. parents
A. better B. best C. less D. least
A. efforts B. effects C. works D. gains
A. feel B. felt C. fell D. felled
A. broke in B. broke through C. broke up D. broke out
A. Whether B. When C. Although D. However
A. looking B. noticing C. watching D. realizing
A. just as B. just like C. just then D. just now
A. It B. This C. That D. Which
It was the night before the composition was due. As I looked at the list of topics(题目)， "The Art of Eating Spaghetti (意大利面条)"，caught my eye. The word "spaghetti" brought back the of an evening at Uncle Alien's in Belleville
all of us were seated around the table and Aunt Pat
spaghetti for supper. Spaghetti was an exotic (外来的)treat in
days. Never had I eaten spaghetti，and
of the grown-ups had enough experience to be
it. What laughing
we had about the
respectable method for moving spaghetti from plate to mouth.
，I wanted to write about that， but I wanted to
it down simply for my own
，not for Mr. Fleagle, my composition teacher.
，I would write something else. When I finished it the night was half gone and there was no
left to write a proper composition for Mr. Fleagle. There was no choice next morning but to
my work. Two days passed before Mr. Fleagle returned the
papers. He said, "Now, class, I want to read you a composition， ‘The Art of Eating Spaghetti’." My words ！ He was reading my words out
to the whole class.
laughed, and then the whole class was laughing with open-hearted enjoyment. I did my best not to show
, but what I was feeling was pure happiness,
my words had the power to make people
.
A. memory B. thought C. knowledge D. experience
A. when B. where C. since D. after
A. cooked B. served C. got D. made
A. their B. past C. last D. those
A. none B. one C. either D. neither
A. careful about B. good at C. fond of D. interested in
A. speeches B. lessons C. sayings D. arguments
A. nearly B. naturally C. officially D. socially
A. Especially B. Probably C. Suddenly D. Fortunately
A. settle B. put C. bite D. let
A. work B. story C. luck D. joy
A. However B. Therefore C. As for him D. Except for that
A. time B. excuse C. way D. idea
A. give up B. continue C. hand in D. delay
A. written B. graded C. collected D. used
A. loud B. fast C. publicly D. calmly
A. People B. Nobody C. Somebody D. I
A. shock B. wonder C. worry D. pleasure
A. if B. for C. while D. although
A. excited B. satisfied C. think D. laugh
“It was all his own idea,” says Pat, the wife of California high school football coach Bob Peters. Bob had ____ made a “motherhood contract(合同)”—declaring that for 70 days this summer he would ____ the care of their four children and all the housework. ____ he didn’t even know how to make coffee when he signed, he was very confident.
After 40 of the 70 days, he was ready to ____. “I was beaten down,” admits Bob. “Not only is motherhood a ____ task, it is an impossible job for any normal human being. ”
Bob and Pat were married in 2008. After they married, Pat ____ a secretary to help put him through university. ____ Bob has been the football coach while Pat raised the kids. ____ two years ago Pat went back to work. “I had been ____ children so much,” she ____, “I couldn’t talk to a grown-up.” She continued to run the household, ____ -- until Bob signed the contract.
Bob tried hard to learn cooking, but the meals he prepared were ____. For the last three weeks, the family ____ a lot--- sometimes having MacDonald’s hamburgers for lunch and dinner.
____ housekeeping, a home economics teacher had told Bob that a room always looks clean ___ the bed is made. “I found ____ –I shut the doors,” he says. Soon the kids were wearing their shirts inside out. “When we went to ____ Pat at work, I made them wear their shirts ____ side out so they would look clean.”
Now that Bob has publicly ____ he was wrong, he is ____ the child-raising and household tasks with Pat.
A．only B．just C．nearly D．ever
A．stick to B．set about C．think about D．take over
A．If B．As C．Since D．Although
A．carry on B．give up C．break down D．find out
A．strange B．pleasant C．difficult D．serious
A．sent B．employed C．learned from D．worked as
A．In time B．Before long C．Since then D．Later on
A．Then B．Thus C．So D．Still
A．near B．after C．about D．around
A．insists B．sighs C．jokes D．apologizes
A．besides B．therefore C．however D．otherwise
A．terrible B．tasty C．expensive D．special
A．starved B．traveled C．worked out D．ate out
A．Due to B．As for C．Along with D．Except for
A．until B．before C．if D．unless
A．an easier way B．a cheaper way C．a cleaner way D．a harder way
A．receive B．welcome C．greet D．fetch
A．good B．wrong C．right D．opposite
A．admitted B．suggested C．agreed D．explained
A．operating B．realizing C．sharing D．performing
The Man was very sad. He knew that the Cat's days were . The doctor had said there wasn’t anything more that could be done, and that he should take the Cat home and make him as as possible.
A rolled down the Man’s cheek and landed on the Cat’s forehead. The Cat gave him a slightly annoyed . “Why do you , Man?” the Cat asked, “Because you can’t bear the thought of me? Because you think you can never replace me?” The Man nodded, “Yes”.
“ up that piece of string from the floor-— there, my ‘toy’.”The Man reached over and picked up the string. It was about two feet long and the Cat had been able to himself for hours with it. “Now take end of the string in one hand.” the Cat ordered. The Man did so.
“The end in your left hand is my and the end in your right hand is my death. Now bring the two ends together.” the Cat said. The man did so. Then the Cat continued, “You have made a continuous . Does any point along the string appear to be different, worse or better than any other part of the string?” The Man inspected the string and then his head.
“Close your eyes.” the Cat said. “Now lick your hand.” The Man his eyes in surprise. “Just do it,”the Cat said. “Lick your hand, think of me in all my places, and think about all the pieces of string.”
Licking his hand, he discovered a cat must know — that licking a paw is very calming and allows one to think more . He continued licking and the corners of his mouth turned into the first smile he had shown in days. He waited for the Cat to tell him to , and when he didn’t, he opened his eyes. The Cat’s eyes were closed. The Man softly the warm, brown fur with his fingers , but the Cat was gone.
One day, not long after, there was a new cat on his lap. She was a lovely and white one. It is very different from his earlier Cat and very much the same.
A．gone B．numbered C．finished D．ended
A．soon B．lively C．long D．comfortable
A．tear B．rain C．sweat D．water
A．impression B．expression C．passion D．action
A．scream B．yell C．cry D．call
A．killing B．destroying C．lacking D．losing
A．Pick B．Put C．Pull D．Push
A．help B．learn C．entertain D．teach
A．each B．both C．neither D．any
A．life B．fate C．origin D．birth
A．string B．circle C．knot D．rope
A．nodded B．bowed C．shook D．bent
A．twinkled B．broadened C．widened D．closed
A．familiar B．similar C．junior D．superior
A．where B．what C．when D．that
A．cleanly B．clumsily C．clearly D．closely
A．upward B．downward C．inward D．outward
A．come B．go C．stop D．run
A．combed B．patted C．struck D．rubbed
A．friendly B．devoted C．lovely D．beloved
Leonardo da Vinci began painting the Mona Lisa in 1503. He was working a special painting for a church at that time,
the church painting was not
well. An Italian businessman asked da Vinci to paint a picture of his second
. This is the woman who
be seen in the Mona Lisa.
All in all, the Mona Lisa is a very good example of da Vinci's and it satisfied the husband. Da Vinci used
and light in a clever
in the painting. Da Vinci loved science and
. Right away a person can see that there is a lot of geometry (几何形状)in the Mona Lisa. The face of the Mona Lisa is made of many circles and
shapes like
. Even her
can be seen as a small part of a large circle. The woman in the
is sitting on a balcony (阳台)，and
can be seen behind her. Da Vinci loved to study rocks，so these can be seen
in his other paintings. The woman is sitting with her knees
the side. Her head is turned to look out of the painting. Her hands are
together in front of her. This way of
is now used by many
when they are being painted. The Mona Lisa is a
master.
A. up B. in C. on D. about
A. but B. thus C. however D. so
A. doing B. going C. making D. working
A. servant B. daughter C. nurse D. wife
A. must B. should C. might D. can
A. works B. jobs C. novels D. photos
A. heaviness B. black C. darkness D. oils
A. way B. picture C. hand D. eye
A. chemistry B. mathematics C. geography D. biology
A. square B. round C. long D. egg
A. balls B. sticks C. vases D. boxes
A. smile B. shout C. cry D. anger
A. church B. painting C. sofa D. house
A. trees B. buildings C. mountains D. flowers
A. by and by B. here and there C. over and over D. up and down
A. on B. by C. to D. beyond
A. caught B. held C. supported D. hung
A. painting B. living C. smiling D. sitting
A. women B. actresses C. girls D. models
A. remarkable B. strange C. frightening D. disgusting