From my second grade on, there was one event I feared every year: the piano recital(独奏演唱会). A recital I had to practice a boring piece of music and perform before strangers. Each year I would ask my father if I could skip the recital “just this once”. And each year he would shake his head, saying something about building and working toward a goal.
One recent Sunday I stood in church, video camera in hand, and my 68-year-old father play the piano in his very first recital.
My father had longed to play music since childhood, but his family was poor and couldn’t lessons. He could have gone on regretting it, too many of us do. But he wasn’t stuck in the past. When he retired three years ago, he his church music director to take him as .
For a moment after my father sat down at the keyboard, he stared down at his fingers. Has he forgotten the ? I worried. But then came the beautiful melody (旋律). And I he had been doing what music teachers always stress: the notes and pretend the others aren’t there.
“I’m of him for starting something new at his age,” I said to my son Jeff.
“Yeah, and doing it so ,” Jeff added.
With his first recital, my father taught me more about self-confidence and the life goal than all the words he used those 30-plus years ago.
A．reflected B．meant C．explained D．proved
A．self-confidence B．self-control C．self-defense D．self-discipline
A．kept B．sent C．watched D．felt
A．miss B．afford C．select D．understand
A．as B．once C．if D．while
A．allowed B．invited C．inspired D．persuaded
A．a teacher B．an old man C．a student D．a singer
A．words B．videos C．notes D．lessons
A．predicted B．realized C．imagined D．insisted
A．pass over B．turn up C．bring in D．concentrate on
A．ashamed B．aware C．tired D．proud
A．nicely B．anxiously C．casually D．frequently
Suzie goes to her art class on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. She always looks forward to those days when she can do things all afternoon. What Suzie likes best is the good feeling she gets when she has finished working on a piece of . And then when she takes it home to her parents, she feels so proud of what she has made.
On Wednesday afternoons Suzie writes articles for the newspaper. When she first moved to her new school, she wrote an article about how it feels to be a student in a new school. Her second article in the newspaper was about a(n) from her school who had just finished writing a book. Suzie the teacher what it feels like to be a published author. And then she what she found out with the rest of the school.
Another time she wrote an article about why she thought the school should have two short a day instead of a long one. Lots of her friends thought that this would be a good idea too. Many teachers also with Suzie’s suggestion.
Would you believe the principal (校长) of the school asked everyone to have a about Suzie’s suggestion? The principal always thinks that students should help decide how the school should be .
During the vote, each person in the school voted. At last, the school that two short breaks would be better than one long break. And all of that happened because of Suzie’s suggestion in the school newspaper.
On the day the newspaper out each month, the first thing Suzie does is to where her article is in the newspaper. And each time at the beginning of her article are the words: By Suzie Jefferson.
A．sensitive B．creative C．positive D．instructive
A．cloth B．art C．article D．picture
A．show B．explain C．introduce D．reward
A．national B．local C．school D．educational
A．accustomed B．fresh C．strange D．regular
A．author B．artist C．student D．teacher
A．told B．asked C．examined D．obeyed
A．described B．recorded C．shared D．forgot
A．classes B．breaks C．activities D．sports
A．discussed B．argued C．disagreed D．agreed
A．vote B．choice C．question D．decision
A．performed B．run C．achieved D．established
A．imagined B．expected C．decided D．requested
A．puts B．takes C．gives D．comes
A．consider B．check C．read D．place
Some people will do just about anything to save money. And I am one of them. My family’s last vacation was a good to prove it. It was my six-year-old son’s winter break from school, and we were home from Fort Lauderdale after a week-long trip. The flight was , and Delta, the airline, offered us $400 per person in credits to give up our seats and leave the next day. I had meetings in New York, so I had to . But that didn't mean my husband and my son couldn't stay. I took my nine-month-old and took off for home.
The next day, my husband and son were offered more to take an even later flight. Yes, I encouraged — okay, ordered — them to wait it out at the , to "earn" more Delta Dollars. Our total take: $1,600. Not bad, huh?
Now some people may think I'm a bad mother and not such a great wife either. But as a big-time bargain hunter, I know the value of a . And these days, a good deal is something few of us can afford to .
I've made living looking for the best deals and the worst tricks. I have been the consumer reporter of NBC's Today show for over a decade. So far, I feel proud that I have written a couple of including one titled Tricks of the Trade: A Consumer Survival Guide. And I really do what I in.
I tell you this because there is no in getting your money’s worth. Honestly, I’m also when it comes to shoes, clothes for my children, and expensive restaurants. But I wouldn't hesitate to spend on a good haircut. It keeps its shape longer, and it's the first thing people . And I will also spend on a classic piece of furniture. lasts.
A．sample B．excuse C．situation D．example
A．leaving B．heading C．getting D．arriving
A．overbooked B．overcrowded C．overworked D．overpowered
A．get on B．get over C．get back D．get away
A．seats B．credits C．bargain D．value
A．flight B．office C．school D．airport
A．dollar B．time C．family D．work
A．pass up B．pass down C．pass along D．pass on
A．expanding B．expecting C．exposing D．explaining
A．dictionaries B．newspapers C．novels D．books
A．believe B．put C．give D．come
A．harm B．shame C．doubt D．shock
A．generous B．tightfisted C．joyful D．patient
A．notice B．realize C．know D．understand
A．Satisfactory B．Quantity C．Ability D．Quality
Twenty years ago, Mark Thatcher, the son of Mrs. Thatcher, was reported missing in the Sahara Desert while competing in the Grand Prix Motor race from Paris to Daker. The sad news, so unexpected, shook the unusually and unhurried politician off her balance. Though she did her best to as if nothing had happened and made her public appearance as usual, people could not fail to notice that she was no longer the old self-assured prime minister who always had everything under . Instead she had become a very sad mother who was unable to from her shock.
One day when she was to at a lunch party, a reporter caught her off her guard by bringing up the of her missing son again. She was mentally unprepared for the question and lost her self-control. Tears were her cheeks she sobbingly told the reporter there was still no news of Mark and that she was very worried about him. She said that all the countries concerned had to do their best to help her find her son. With that she down completely and sobbed silently for quite a while. Gradually she calmed down and started to speak as . It was a very scene which exposed a new side of Mrs. Thatcher’s the public do not usually see. People began to talk about the Iron Woman’s love, a that is common to all human race.
Later Mark returned to his mother’s side, good-humored and all smiles as usual nothing unusual had ever happened. The Iron Woman, , broke down again and was sobbing for a second time.
A．outstanding B．busy C．calm D．considerate
A．seem B．talk C．do D．pretend
A．construction B．control C．discussion D．pressure
A．respond B．relieve C．reduce D．recover
A．arrive B．eat C．speak D．read
A．subject B．object C．theme D．message
A．hardly B．totally C．partly D．mostly
A．putting down B．taking off C．getting off D．rolling down
A．because B．though C．if D．as
A．permitted B．admitted C．promised D．managed
A．fell B．went C．broke D．brought
A．agreed B．planned C．announced D．explained
A．moving B．shocking C．interesting D．serious
A．quality B．action C．position D．character
A．lively B．likely C．lovely D．motherly
A．habit B．hobby C．feeling D．thought
A．hungry and tired B．safe and funny C．safe and sound D．tired and sleepy
A．as if B．even if C．so that D．if only
A．therefore B．however C．besides D．thus
A．made B．heard C．felt D．seen
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 teaching it to you. If, when I speak to you, I the same things thousand and one times, do not me, listen to me. When you were small, I had to read to you thousand and one times the same story you got to sleep. When I do not want to have a , neither shame me nor scold me. Remember when I had to chase you with thousand excuses I , in order that you wanted to bathe. When you see my little about new technologies, give me the necessary time and do not look at me with your mocking (嘲弄) smile. I taught you to do so many things: to eat good, to dress well, to confront life….When at some moment I lose the memory or the of conversation, let me have the necessary time to remember, and if I can not do it, do not become nervous, as the most important thing is not our conversation but surely to be with you and to have you to me.
If ever I do not want to eat, do not force me. I know well I need to and when not. When my legs do not allow me to walk, give me your , the same way I did when you gave your first . And when someday I say to you that I do not want to any more — that I want to rest forever, do not get angry. Someday you will understand.
Try to understand that my age is not lived but survived. Some day you will discover that, my mistakes, I always wanted the thing for you and that I tried to prepare the way for you. You must not feel sad, angry or impotent (无奈) for seeing me you. You must be next to me, try to understand me and to help me as I did it when you living. Help me to walk, help me to end my way with love and . 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．paid B．spent C．cost D．took
A．repeat B．think C．praise D．criticize
A．disturb B．avoid C．look D．interrupt
A．when B．after C．until D．since
A．rest B．word C．sleep D．shower
A．noticed B．discovered C．invented D．assumed
A．knowing B．fearing C．enjoying D．consulting
A．what B．when C．how D．why
A．attitude B．thread C．material D．news
A．talking B．appealing C．responding D．listening
A．when B．how C．that D．where
A．short B．tired C．long D．strong
A．hand B．ear C．mind D．leg
A．laugh B．step C．pace D．cry
A．talk B．sleep C．write D．live
A．though B．since C．while D．despite
A．last B．best C．first D．most
A．against B．behind C．near D．below
A．made B．found C．started D．earned
A．patience B．mercy C．excuse D．care
One young person, who was well educated, went for a job as a manager in a big company. The president did the final . He discovered the youth was and felt satisfied. Then the president asked who paid for his school fees. The youth answered, “My mother did it. She worked as a clothes .” The president requested the youth to his hands. So the youth did. They were smooth. Then he asked, “Have you ever your mother wash the clothes before?” The youth answered, “Never, my mother always wanted me to .”“Go and clean your mother’s when you go back today, and then me tomorrow morning,” the president said .The youth felt his chance of getting the job was high, so when he went back, he requested his mother to let him clean her hands. However, his tears fell he cleaned his mother’s hands slowly. It was the first time he had that his mother’s hands were so wrinkled (布满皱纹的). After that, the youth didn’t say a word and washed all the remaining clothes for his mother . That night, Mother and Son for a very long time, longer than any talk before.
The next , the youth went to the president’s office. The president noticed the tears in the youth’s eyes and asked: “Please tell me how you about helping your mother.” The youth said, “Number One, I know now what is. Without my mother, I wouldn’t be successful today. Number Two, by helping my mother, I realize how it is to get something done. Number Three, I’ve come to realize the of family relationship.” The president said, “You are . This is what I’m looking for to be my manager.”
A．election B．test C．interview D．competition
A．strong B．excellent C．humorous D．cute
A．maker B．cleaner C．mender D．seller
A．wash B．hide C．show D．dry
A．found B．let C．helped D．watched
A．study B．ignore C．work D．rest
A．clothes B．hands C．feet D．shoes
A．see B．move C．recognize D．answer
A．on purpose B．in patience C．by chance D．at last
A．carefully B．nervously C．happily D．shyly
A．after B．until C．because D．as
A．believed B．sensed C．noticed D．expected
A．quietly B．sadly C．excitedly D．angrily
A．thought B．slept C．sat D．talked
A．morning B．noon C．afternoon D．evening
A．worried B．felt C．brought D．spoke
A．courage B．appreciation C．success D．family
A．important B．difficult C．different D．impossible
A．value B．secret C．type D．change
A．educated B．respected C．trusted D．hired