In 1982，Steven Callahan was crossing the Atlantic alone in his sailboat when it struck something and sank. He got into a life boat，but his supplies were ______.His chances of surviving were small. ______ when three fishermen found him 76 days later，he was alive—much ______ than he was when he started，but alive.
His ______ of how he survived is fascinating. His cleverness—how he ______ to catch fish，how he evaporated （蒸发） sea water to ______ fresh water—is very interesting.
But the thing that ______ my eye was how he managed to keep himself going when all hope seemed lost，and there seemed no ______ in continuing the struggle. He was starved and ______ worn-out. Giving up would have seemed the only possible choice.
When people ______ these kinds of circumstances （境遇），they do something with their minds that gives them the courage to keep going. Many people in ______ desperate circumstances ______ in or go mad. Something the survivors do with their thoughts helps them find the courage to carry on ______ difficulties.
“I tell myself I can ______ it，” wrote Callahan in his book.“Compared to what others have been through，I’m fortunate. I tell myself these things over and over，______ up courage...”
I wrote that down after I read it. It ______ me as something important. And I’ve told myself the same thing when my own goals seemed ______ off or when my problems seemed too terrible. And every time I’ve said it，I have always come back to my ______.
The truth is，our circumstances are only bad compared to something better. But others have been through the much worse，that is，in comparison with ______ others have been through，you’re fortunate. Tell this to yourself over and over again，and it will help you ______ the rough situations with a little more courage.
A．little B．rich C．few D．enough
A．And B．Yet C．Still D．Thus
A．thinner B．stronger C．worse D．healthier
A．attitude B．assumption C．instruction D．account
A．assisted B．tended C．managed D．intended
A．make B．absorb C．select D．replace
A．attacked B．attracted C．caught D．drew
A．need B．taste C．message D．point
A．firmly B．completely C．hardly D．generally
A．deal B．defend C．survive D．observe
A．similarly B．differently C．gradually D．commonly
A．pull B．take C．break D．give
A．for the lack of B．in the face of C．in exchange for D．as a result of
A．handle B．carry C．follow D．inspect
A．rolling B．using C．building D．making
A．defeated B．recommended C．introduced D．struck
A．far B．long C．ever D．even
A．supplies B．senses C．ideas D．influences
A．how B．that C．which D．what
A．get round B．get over C．get through D．get off
Robby was 11 years old when his mother dropped him off for his first piano lesson. I 36 that students begin at an earlier age, which I explained to Robby, but Robby said that it had been his mother’s 37 to hear him play the piano. So I took him as a student.
Hard 38 Robby tried, he lacked the basic sense of music. However, he persisted, and at the end of each weekly 39 , he always said, “My mom’s going to hear me play some day.” But it seemed 40 . He just did not have any gift for music.
I only knew his mother from a distance as she dropped Robby 41 or waited in her old car to 42 him up. She always 43 and smiled but never visited my class. Then one day Robby 44 coming to our lessons. He telephoned me and said his mother was 45 .
Several weeks later I was preparing my students for the upcoming recital(独奏会) 46 Robby came and asked me if he could be in the recital. “Miss Hondorf ... I’ve just got to 47 !” he insisted. I agreed.
The night for the recital came. The high school gymnasium was 48 with parents, friends and relatives. The recital went off well. Finally Robby came up on stage. I was 49 when he announced that he had chosen Mozart’s Concerto(协奏曲) No. 21 in C Major. I was not 50 what I heard next. His fingers were light on the keys. He played so 51 that everyone 52 to applaud him. In tears I ran up on 53 . “Oh, Robby! How did you do it?”
“Well, Miss Hondorf ... I kept on 54 at home. Remember I told you my mom was sick? Well, _55 she had cancer and passed away this morning. And well ... she was born deaf, so tonight was the first time she ever heard me play ...”
A．prefer B．imagine C．suppose D．wish
A．plan B．belief C．need D．dream
A．although B．while C．as D．if
A．conference B．lesson C．test D．show
A．successful B．senseless C．wonderful D．hopeless
A．on B．in C．off D．away
A．pick B．put C．take D．hold
A．waved B．sang C．jumped D．left
A．finished B．broke C．stopped D．continued
A．tired B．sick C．deaf D．unhappy
A．as B．since C．while D．when
A．succeed B．learn C．play D．listen
A．seated B．filled C．surrounded D．mixed
A．surprised B．certain C．disappointed D．angry
A．pleased with B．interested in C．eager for D．prepared for
A．bad B．hard C．differently D．well
A．raised B．rose C．lifted D．left
A．platform B．stairs C．stage D．floor
A．practising B．listening C．training D．performing
A．luckily B．therefore C．however D．actually
Dear son,
The day that you see me old and I am already not in good health, have patience and try to understand me.
If I get dirty when eating, if I can not dress, have patience and remember the hours I spent 31 it to you. If, when I speak to you, I32 the same things thousand and one times, do not33 me, listen to me. When you were small, I had to read to you thousand and one times the same story34 you got to sleep. When I do not want to have a35 , neither shame me nor scold me. Remember when I had to chase you with thousand excuses I36 , in order that you wanted to bathe. When you see my37 little about new technologies, give me the necessary time and do not look at me with your mocking( 嘲弄 ) smile. I taught you38 to do so many things: to eat good, to dress well, to confront life…. When at some moment I lose the memory or the39 of our conversation, let me have the necessary time to remember, and if I cannot do it, do not become nervous, as the most important thing is not our conversation but surely to be with you and to have you40 to me.
If ever I do not want to eat, do not force me. I know well41 I need to and when not. When my42 legs do not allow me to walk, give me your43 , the same way I did when you gave your first44 . And when someday I say to you that I do not want to45 any more ---- that I want to rest forever, do not get 46 . Someday you will understand.
Try to understand that my age is not lived but survived. Some day you will discover that, despite my mistakes, I always wanted the47 thing for you and that I tried to prepare the way for you. You must not feel sad, angry or impotent( 无可奈何 ) for seeing me48 you. You must be next to me, try to understand me and to help me as I did it when you49 living. Help me to walk, help me to end my way with love and50 . I will pay you by a smile and by the immense love I have had always for you.
I love you, Son.
Your father
A．giving B．teaching C．coming D．pointing
A．praise B．think C．repeat D．criticize
A．interrupt B．disturb C．look D．avoid
A．when B．after C．since D．until
A．rest B．word C．shower D．sleep
A．discovered B．invented C．noticed D．assumed
A．knowing B．fearing C．enjoying D．consulting
A．what B．when C．how D．why
A．news B．attitude C．material D．thread
A．talking B．listening C．responding D．appealing
A．where B．how C．that D．when
A．tired B．short C．long D．strong
A．leg B．ear C．hand D．mind
A．step B．pace C．laugh D．cry
A．talk B．live C．write D．sleep
A．careful B．interested C．calm D．angry
A．last B．first C．best D．most
A．near B．behind C．below D．against
A．made B．started C．earned D．found
A．mercy B．care C．excuse D．patience
Recently, researchers in the US have carried out a study on laughing, one of the most natural characteristics of human behavior.
Jo-Anne Bachorowsky, a psychology professor at Vandebilt University,36 a team of researchers who 37 a total of 11 short videos to 97 young adult volunteers in the US. They found that the participants produced a 38 of sounds when they laughed,39 grunts(呼噜声) and snorts(哼声).
The researchers found that some of the 40 were dependent 41 gender(性别). Men laughed with grunts and snorts more often than women, 42 women’s 43 was more song-like.
They also found that people’s laughter could change, 44 who they were with at the time. Whether they were with a man or a woman and 45 person was a friend or a 46 both played a part in laughter.
The researchers found that women’s laughter was very high with a 47 pitch(音高) when they were with male strangers. And women taking 48 in the study laughed more often when they were with a male friend than when they were with a(n)49 friend or a male stranger. But men laughed more freely with friends of either sex than with strangers of either sex.
Scientists believe that the 50 consumed in laughing 100 times is 51 to 15 minutes on an exercise bike. Another52 of laughter is53 it improves our mental health. Laughter reduces our levels of stress. It also helps us 54 serious illness.
55 ,we think laughter can make us feel good.
A．got B．led C．undertook D．worked
A．returned B．provided C．showed D．read
A．part B．case C．bit D．range
A．including B．containing C．having D．possessing
A．ways B．differences C．studies D．columns
A．on B．of C．with D．from
A．that B．when C．while D．how
A．cry B．sound C．voice D．laughter
A．depending on B．to depend on C．depend on D．depended on
A．other B．the other C．another D．others
A．passers-by B．relative C．stranger D．teacher
A．same B．similar C．various D．changeable
A．action B．part C．exercise D．duty
A．male B．young C．old D．female
A．food B．energy C．pressure D．memory
A．short B．easy C．equal D．good
A．way B．content C．intention D．benefit
A．why B．that C．how D．because
A．fight B．remove C．break D．deal
A．All along B．All the same C．In summary D．After all
Mr. Flower was well-known around for growing the best flowers of the year and his four glass-houses were taken good care of. These glass-houses were close to a public path, which was always used ___36__ children and young people walking to and from __37__. Boys of about thirteen years of age, especially, were often tempted（尝试） to throw a stone or two at one of Mr. Flower’s __38_ . They managed to resist the temptation(抵制诱惑) when Mr. Flower was around, but the temptation often seemed to be too __39__ when Mr. Flower was __40__ to be seen. For this reason, Mr. Flower did his best to be __41__ his glass-houses at the beginning and end of the school days.
However, it was not always possible for him to be on guard at these times. Mr. Flower had tried __42__ to prevent the damage to his glass; but nothing that he had done had been__43__. He had been to the school to complain(抱怨) to the headmaster, but this had not done any__44__. He had hidden in the bushes（灌木丛）and __45__ those boys that threw stones __46__ his garden, but the boys could run __47__ faster than he, and they even __48__ at him at a distance. He had even walked along the path and picked up all those __49__ that he could find so that the boys would have nothing to __50__, but they soon found others, or threw lumps of earth instead.
Then just as he had given __51__ hope of winning the battle, a truly wonderful __52_ came up to him. He set up a large notice board made of good strong wood, some meters away from the glass-houses __53__ it could be clearly seen from the path. On the board he painted the __54__ : DO NOT THROW AT THIS NOTICE. After this, Mr. Flower had no __55__ . The boys were much more tempted to throw stones at the notice board than at the glass-houses.
A．to B．by C．of D．with
A．factory B．office C．school D．work
A．bed-rooms B．living-room C．reading-room D．glass-houses
A．strong B．weak C．limited D．strange
A．impossible B．unable C．possible D．somewhere
A．far away from B．in or close to C．into or out of D．at or out
A．in no way B．in a way C．in the way D．in many ways
A．successful B．cheerful C．wonderful D．careful
A．harm B．wrong C．good D．wonder
A．watched B．walked to C．waited for D．run after
A．towards B．over C．out of D．into
A．many B．much C．more D．lots of
A．laughed B．looked C．called D．surprised
A．earth B．sticks C．stones D．branches
A．pick up B．catch C．play with D．throw
A．in B．off C．out D．up
A．idea B．friend C．guest D．word
A．where B．there where C．on which D．there
A．announcement B．words C．sentences D．message
A．peaceful times B．further trouble C．more happiness D．questions
There was once a boy called Mario who loved to have loads of friends. He always 31 off how many friends he had at school. One day his grandfather said to him, “Mario, I 32 you a big bag of popcorn that you don’t have as many friends as you think. I’m sure many of them are nothing more than companions.”
Mario 33 the bet without hesitation. However, he wasn’t sure how to test 34 his schoolmates were real friends or not, so he asked his grandfather. The old man answered, “Wait a minute.” Then the old man left, 35 soon as though carrying something in his hands, but Mario could see 36 there.
“Take it. It’s a very special chair because it’s invisible (看不见). It’s rather 37 to sit on it, but if you take it to school and 38 to sit on it, you’ll activate (激活)its magic and you’ll be able to 39 who your real friends are. ”
Mario, brave and determined, took the 40 and set off for school. At break time he asked everyone to form a(n) 41 , and he put himself in the middle, with his chair. Having difficulty seeing it, Mario tried to sit on it and 42 straight onto his backside. Everyone around him had a pretty good laugh.
“Wait！Let me try again,” Mario said. But again, he missed the seat, 43 more surprised looks and a few catcalls (尖叫，喝倒彩). Mario didn’t 44 and kept trying to sit on the magic chair. But he kept falling onto the ground…until，45 he tried again but didn’t fall. Looking around, Mario saw three of his best friends 46 him up. Meanwhile, many others he had 47 as friends had done nothing but make 48 of him.
And there, the show 49 to an end. Mario understood that true friends were those who 50 for him, and not just the companions that happened to be passing by. And someone who took joy in his misfortunes (不幸) was even less of a friend.
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