The family had just moved to Rhode Island, and the young woman was feeling a little depressed on that Sunday in May. After all, it was Mother's Day—and 800 miles her from her parents in Ohio.
She had called them that morning, to wish her a happy Mother's Day and her mother had how colorful their backyard was spring had arrived. Later, she told her husband how she those lilacs in her parents' yard. “I know where we can find some,” he said. “Get the and come on.” So off they went.
Some time later, they stopped at a hill and there were lilacs all round. The young woman rushed up to the nearest _ and buried her face in the flowers. Carefully, she some．
Finally, they returned to their car for the home. The woman sat smiling, surrounded by her .
When they were near home, she shouted “stop,” got off quickly and to a nearby nursing home. She went to the end of the porch (门廊), where a(n) patient was sitting in her wheelchair, and put the flowers into her lap. The two , bursting into laughter now and then. Later the young woman turned and ran back to her . As the car pulled away, the woman in the wheelchair with a smile, and held the lilacs .
“Mom,” the kids asked, “ did you give her our flowers?” “It is Mother's Day, and she seems so while I have all of you. And anyone would be by flowers.”
This satisfied the kids, but not the husband. The next day he some young lilacs around their yard.
I was the husband. Now, every May, our yard is full of lilacs. Every Mother's Day our kids purple lilacs. And every year I remember that smile of the lonely old woman.
A．moved B．kept C．separated D．made
A．learned B．mentioned C．imagined D．realized
A．as if B．so that C．now that D．even if
A．grew B．missed C．watered D．showed
A．cars B．kids C．clothes D．lilacs
A．yard B．hill C．bush D．door
A．bought B．picked C．set D．raised
A．break B．holiday C．trip D．dinner
A．friends B．memory C．honor D．flowers
A．responded B．pointed C．drove D．hurried
A．elderly B．loving C．serious D．sensitive
A．hesitated B．waited C．chatted D．sat
A．family B．mother C．path D．home
A．nodded B．left C．waved D．continued
A．sadly B．politely C．quickly D．tightly
A．why B．when C．how D．where
A．lonely B．confused C．alone D．patient
A．calmed B．persuaded C．disappointed D．cheered
A．arranged B．planted C．dried D．hid
A．find B．gather C．receive D．sell
We convince ourselves that life will be better once we are married, have a baby, then another. Then we get frustrated because our children are not old enough, and that __1__ will be well when they are older. Then we are frustrated __2__ they reach adolescence and we must deal with them. Surely we’ll be __3__ when they grow out of the teen years.
We tell ourselves our __4__ will be better when our spouse(配偶)gets his/her act together, when we have a nicer car, when we can take a __5__， when we finally retire. The truth is that there is no better time to be happy than __6__.If not, then when? Your life will always be full of challenges. It is better to admit as much and to decide to be happy __7__it all. For the longest time, it seemed that life was about to start—real life.
But there were always some obstacles along the way, an ordeal(苦难) to __8__， some work to be finished, some time to be given, a bill to be __9__.Then life would start. It finally dawned on me that those __10__ were part of life. Little by little, that point of __11__ also helped me see that there isn’t any road to happiness.
Happiness is the road. So, enjoy every moment. And bear in mind that __12__ waits for no one. So stop __13__ school to end, for a return to school, to lose ten pounds, to __14__ ten pounds, for work to begin, to get married，...before deciding to be happy.
Happiness is a voyage, not a destination. There is no __15__ time to be happy than...NOW! Live and enjoy the moment.
A．we B．they C．all D．nothing
A．because B．but C．so D．and
A．luckier B．happier C．older D．healthier
A．life B．study C．children D．condition
A．rest B．bath C．breath D．vacation
A．before B．ever C．just then D．right now
A．instead of B．in addition to C．in spite of D．up to
A．meet with B．go ahead C．turn to D．get through
A．paid B．got C．asked D．printed
A．achievements B．obstacles C．duties D．opinions
A．view B．life C．position D．condition
A．happiness B．time C．age D．road
A．asking for B．supposing C．waiting for D．hoping for
A．gain B．reduce C．weigh D．enjoy
A．worse B．better C．more D．less
There are many different ways of seeing a town for the first time. One of them is to walk around it, guide-book 26 hand. Of course, we may 27 with our guide-books the history and 28 developments of a town and get to know them.
29 then, if we take our time and 30 in a town for a while, we may get to know it better. When we 31 it as a whole, we begin to have some 32 , which even the best guide-books do not
answer. Why is the town just 33 this —— this shape, this plan, this size? Why do its streets 34 in this particular way, and not in any 35 way?
Here even the best guide-book 36 us. One can’t find the information in it about how a town has developed to the 37 appearance. It may not describe the original 38 of a town. However, one may get some idea of what it 39 look like by walking around the town. One can also imagine 40 the town was first planned and built. Then one can learn more about in what direction the town 41 to develop.
What is the 42 of studying towns in this way？For me, it is 43 a matter that one gets a greater depth of pleasure by visiting and seeing a town with one’s own eyes. A 44 visit to a town may help one better understand why it is attractive 45 just reading about it in a guide-book.
A．in B．at C．by D．on
A．write B．study C．tell D．remember
A．strange B．similar C．separate D．special
A．But B．Before C．Since D．Until
A．march B．work C．stay D．wait
A．look at B．1ook after C．1ook for D．1ook up
A．ideas B．opinions C．feelings D．questions
A．of B．for C．1ike D．as
A．open B．run C．begin D．move
A．one B．more C．other D．such
A．helps B．tricks C．fails D．satisfies
A．old B．normal C．first D．present
A．capital B．meaning C．design D．change
A．used to B．seemed to C．had to D．happened to
A．what B．how C．when D．where
A．stops B．appears C．starts D．continues
A．point B．view C．problem D．difficulty
A．nearly B．simply C．generally D．hardly
A．costly B．formal C．group D．personal
A．from B．than C．through D．with
There at a secondhand clothing store in Northampton Mass, my l4-year-old son, John, and I noticed the coat. While the other coats drooped (低垂), this one looked as if it were 41 itself up. The coat was beautifully made, with a Fifth Avenue label and an42 price of $28, which was popular just then with 43 , but could cost several hundred dollars new. John tried it on and the44 was perfect.
John45 the coat to school the next day and came home with a big smile. “Did the kids like your coat?” I asked. “They loved it,” he said, 46 folding it over the back of a chair and smoothing it flat. Over the next few weeks, a 47came over John. Agreement replaced contrariness (作对) and 48 discussion replaced fierce argument. He became more mannerly and49 , eager to please. He would generously lend his younger brother his tapes and lecture him 50 his behavior. When I mentioned this 51 to his teacher and wondered what caused the changes, she said laughing. “It 52 be his coat!” Another teacher told him she was giving him a good mark not only because he had earned 53 but because she liked his coat. At the library, we ran 54 a friend. “Could this be John?” he asked surprisingly, 55 John’s new height, appreciating the cut of his coat and holding out his hand, one gentleman to another.
John and I both know we should never 56 a person’s clothes for the real person within them. 57 , there is something to be said for wearing a standard of excellence for the world to see and for 58 what is on the inside with what is on the outside.
For John, it is a time when it is as easy to try on different59 to life as it is to try on a coat. The whole world, the whole future is stretched out ahead, a vast landscape 60 all the doors are open. And he could picture himself walking through those doors wearing his wonderful, magical coat.
A．turning B．holding C．showing D．hanging
A．unreasonable B．unbearable C．unbelievable D．unfair
A．teenagers B．adults C．women D．men
A．color B．price C．style D．fit
A．sent B．carried C．brought D．wore
A．casually B．comfortably C．carefully D．quickly
A．happiness B．change C．smile D．matter
A．reasoned B．heated C．wild D．strong
A．considerate B．handsome C．hopeful D．curious
A．of B．on C．in D．at
A．incident B．accident C．affair D．event
A．can B．must C．will D．should
A．this B．them C．it D．one
A．down B．with C．into D．after
A．looking up at B．looking down on C．putting up with D．coming up with
A．change B．mistake C．trade D．turn
A．However B．Moreover C．Therefore D．Besides
A．attaching B．joining C．relating D．matching
A．mean B．methods C．approaches D．measures
A．where B．why C．how D．when
A couple of years ago, I went to a lady’s house to buy some vitamins. Upon entering the house, I 36 that there was an electronic keyboard on a stand, leaning 37 the wall. Being a piano music lover and 38 , I asked, if the woman played. She nodded and added that she had been 39 lessons at age 54! I told her that it was very 40 that she was pursuing （追求） her passion（热情）to play the piano.
Then she asked me 41 question. “I have been playing for 8 years now,” I answered.
“Then you must play a song for me before you leave,” she 42 .I thought she was joking and I simply smiled. At the end of the deal of the vitamins, she 43 me of our musical “44 _”. She then showed me to an old upright piano in the living room,45 asked me to play a song for her. I thought46 and decided to play David Lantz’s “Return to the Heart”, since she had so much passion for 47 ,and it was my soul-searching song.
I played the song to the best of my ability, and with my emotions 48 into it as possible. She loved it. 49 I was about to step out of the door, I heard a weak voice calling out, “Young man!”
I turned around. And there was an old lady 50 one little step at a time with the help of another woman. “I wanted to come out to 51 you for the beautiful song that you played. I have been very sick, and it’s very hard for me to 52 my bed, but your music made me feel good ”she said. With that, she turned around and walked 53 back to her room.
I was deeply 54 by her appreciation and felt a deeper understanding for the song. It served its purpose beautifully, returning to one’s 55 for peace and joy.
A．observed B．watched C．noticed D．caught
A．on B．at C．over D．against
A．player B．teacher C．composer D．starter
A．giving B．attending C．teaching D．reviewing
A．interesting B．wonderful C．moved D．impressive
A．another B．a different C．the same D．other
A．advised B．ordered C．demanded D．requested
A．warned B．reminded C．asked D．required
A．course B．task C．discussion D．deal
A．and B．but C．as a result D．what’s more
A．for the moment B．at the moment C．for a moment D．at a moment
A．music B．songs C．the piano D．vitamins
A．dropping B．falling C．pouring D．running
A．Since B．As C．While D．Because
A．taking B．making C．having D．giving
A．thank B．praise C．admire D．owe
A．get on B．get up C．get off D．get down
A．quietly B．calmly C．happily D．slowly
A．shocked B．touched C．delighted D．disturbed
A．world B．heart C．brains D．dreams
Learning to Accept
I learned how to accept life as it is from my father.21_,he did not teach me acceptance when he was strong and healthy,but rather when he was 22 and ill.
My father was23 a strong man who loved being active, but a terrible illness 24 all that away.Now he can no longer walk and he must sit quietly in a chair all day. Even talking is 25 . One night, I went to visit him with my sisters. We started26 about life,and I told them about one of my 27 . I said that we must very often give things up28 we grow—our youth, our beauty, our friends---but it always 29 that after we give something up,we gain something new in its place. Then suddenly my father 30 up. He said, “But, Peter,I gave up31 ! What did I gain?” I thought and thought, but I could not think of anything to say. 32 , he answered his own question: “I 33 the love of my family.” I looked at my sisters and saw tears in their eyes,along with hope and thankfulness.
I was also 34 by his words. After that, when I began to feel irritated(恼怒的)at someone, I 35 remember his words and become36 . If he could replace his great pain with a feeling of love for others, then I should be 37 to give up my small irritations. In this 38 ,I learned the power of acceptance from my father.
Sometimes I39 what other things I could have learned from him if I had listened more carefully when I was a boy. For now, though, I am grateful for this one40 .
A．Afterwards B．Therefore C．However D．Meanwhile
A．tired B．weak C．poor D．slowly
A．already B．still C．only D．once
A．took B．threw C．sent D．put
A．impossible B．difficult C．stressful D．hopeless
A．worrying B．caring C．talking D．asking
A．decisions B．experiences C．ambitions D．beliefs
A．as B．since C．before D．till
A．suggests B．promises C．seems D．requires
A．spoke B．turned C．summed D．opened
A．something B．anything C．nothing D．everything
A．Surprisingly B．Immediately C．Naturally D．Certainly
A．had B．accepted C．gained D．enjoyed
A．touched B．astonished C．attracted D．warned
A．should B．could C．would D．might
A．quiet B．calm C．relaxed D．happy
A．ready B．likely C．free D．able
A．case B．form C．method D．way
A．doubt B．wonder C．know D．guess
A．award B．gift C．lesson D．word