Four brothers left home for college, and they became successful doctors and lawyers.
Some years later, they got together again. While having dinner, they for a long time. They discussed the they had given their elderly mother who lived far away in another city. The first said, “I had a house built for Mama.” The second said, “I had my Mercedes-Benz dealer（奔驰经销商）send a to her.” The third said, “I built a beautiful for Mama.” The fourth said, “You know Mama loved reading poems and you know she can’t read any more because she can’t very well. I met a businessman who had a parrot that can recite many . It took him 12 years to it to speak and he earns his living by renting it out. I had to pay him $100,000 a year for twenty years, it is worth it.” On hearing that, the other brothers were by his good thought.
After the holidays their mother her thank-you notes, which read, “Milton, the house you built is so huge. I only live in one room, but I have to clean the whole house. It’s a (an) job. Thanks anyway.”
“Marvin, I am too old to . I stay home and have others work for me, so I’ll use the car. The was good, although not realistic. Thanks.”
“Michael, you gave me an expensive building for many people to plays or watch movies in it, but all my friends are dead. I’ve almost my hearing and I’m nearly blind. I won’t use it. Thank you all the same.”
“Dearest Melvin, you are the son to have the good sense to give a little thought to your gift. The chicken tasted so . I liked it very much. Thank you.”
A．fought B．talked C．studied D．slept
A．gifts B．chances C．wishes D．challenges
A．warm B．big C．safe D．lonely
A．book B．bike C．car D．bag
A．station B．museum C．library D．theater
A．what B．how C．why D．when
A．listen B．feel C．see D．walk
A．stories B．words C．poems D．lyrics
A．protect B．beat C．raise D．train
A．but B．so C．unless D．although
A．shocked B．impressed C．frightened D．embarrassed
A．sent out B．put up C．took out D．picked up
A．enjoyable B．delightful C．tiring D．amusing
A．learn B．work C．exercise D．drive
A．never B．often C．regularly D．sometimes
A．future B．ho C．idea D．program
A．create B．enjoy C．bring D．record
A．lost B．admired C．remained D．discovered
A．same B．last C．next D．only
A．strange B．unpleasant C．terrible D．delicious
Some years ago when I was in my first year in college, I heard Salome Bey sing for the first time. The moment was exciting. Salome’s filled the room and brought the theater to life. I was so that I decided to write an article about her.
I Salome Bey, telling her I was from Essence magazine, and that I wanted to meet her to talk about her career. She and told me to come to her studio next Tuesday. When I hung up, I was scared out of my mind. I I was lying. I was not a writer at all and hadn’t even written a grocery list.
I interviewed Salome Bey the next Tuesday. I sat there , taking notes and asking questions that all began with, “Can you tell me…” I soon realized that Salome Bey was one thing, but writing a story for a national magazine was just impossible. The was almost unbearable. I struggled for days draft after draft. Finally I put my manuscript (手稿) into a large envelope and dropped it into a mailbox.
It didn’t take long. My manuscript . How stupid of me! I thought. How could I in a world of professional writers? Knowing I couldn’t the rejection letter, I threw the unopened envelope into a drawer.
Five years later, I was moving to California. While my apartment, I came across the unopened envelope. This time I opened it and read the editor’s letter in :
Ms. Profit,
Your story on Salome Bey is fantastic. Yet we need some more relevant materials. Please those and return the article immediately. We would like to your story soon.
Shocked, it took me a long time to . Fear of rejection cost me dearly. I lost at least five hundred dollars and the chance of having my article appear in a major magazine. More importantly, I lost years of writing. Today, I have become a full-time writer. this experience, I’ve learned a very important lesson: You can’t to doubt yourself.
A．voice B．joy C．smile D．speech
A．proud B．moved C．satisfied D．active
A．visited B．emailed C．interviewed D．phoned
A．refused B．agreed C．hesitated D．paused
A．explained B．discovered C．knew D．replied
A．seriously B．nervously C．patiently D．quietly
A．fooling B．blaming C．inviting D．urging
A．hardship B．failure C．comment D．pressure
A．on B．by C．with D．in
A．disappeared B．improved C．spread D．returned
A．compare B．survive C．compete D．struggle
A．face B．deliver C．ignore D．receive
A．decorating B．repairing C．leaving D．cleaning
A．anxiety B．disbelief C．horror D．trouble
A．increase B．replace C．add D．mix
A．broadcast B．create C．assess D．publish
A．concentrate B．prepare C．escape D．recover
A．energetic B．enjoyable C．typical D．endless
A．Holding on to B．Dating back to C．Looking back on D．Dropping in on
A．afford B．attempt C．expect D．pretend
You Are Going Places
I work at a local restaurant in town as cashier, seater and waiter.
I went to work feeling . And to make things worse, I was busy that evening.
It’s the same thing over and over again. with customers who complain about their
food and where they are is too big or too small. Little things like that tend to
a lot of us but we manage to deal with it.
Three elderly ladies walked in and sat by the windows. It happened to be the very
near where I keep the dirty in the boxes. Trying to keep up with all the dirty tables,
customers leaving and coming in and running all over the house, it was crazy.
these elderly women were watching I was working to make sure every table was clean
and ready for the next customers.
When they their meals, I took their plates back to the kitchen. They talked to me
for a while about school, how I was doing, what I was in and what I planned to do in
the future.
they were leaving, they walked past me and one of them said to me in a
and gentle voice, “You are going places. And that was it.” They left the and I had tears
in my eyes, because they gave me to believe in myself. They my spirit from
being down and gave me a to keep on working hard.
People used to tell me that I couldn’t have a career in until I had a degree. I’m now
a co-anchor(联合支持人)of a student-produced television . And the best thing is:
I’m only 17 years old and I am a senior in high school.
A．tired B．excited C．up D．down
A．Dealing B．Helping C．Talking D．Meeting
A．sat B．seated C．laid D．seating
A．attract B．avoid C．adjust D．annoy
A．employees B．customers C．bosses D．employers
A．table B．box C．spot D．kitchen
A．dishes B．rooms C．clothes D．chairs
A．men B．women C．servers D．people
A．And B．Or C．But D．So
A．what B．how C．where D．why
A．finished B．completed C．ordered D．got
A．place B．grade C．mark D．position
A．Before B．While C．As D．After
A．confident B．loud C．low D．pleasant
A．kitchen B．house C．restaurant D．table
A．ability B．courage C．imagination D．time
A．put down B．picked up C．took over D．pointed out
A．cause B．reason C．present D．permission
A．television B．government C．school D．restaurant
A．company B．station C．show D．advertisement
I received a letter from a grandmother who told me about her four-year-old granddaughter Skylar. Ever since Skylar 31 of Disneyland from TV, she 32 her nickels and dimes (零钱) in a piggy bank in 33 of visiting there someday. Her parents 34 her with a trip when she was four, however, and didn't even 35 her to use her own money!
When Skylar returned. It was 36. She decided to buy presents with her 37. But she also learned from announcements on TV about a local 38 shelter called "The Road House". She 39 asked her mother what "homeless" meant and why those children 40 coats and warm clothes. She couldn't seem to get the homeless off her mind.
Her mother took her to the store to buy 41. Instead of buying for herself or her family, however, she 42 to purchase a warm coat, socks and gloves for a little girl in the 43 .She also wanted to buy a doll, but when she 44 she didn't have enough money, she left the doll 45 .
When Skylar got home, she chose one of her 46 dolls and put it into the box with the other items she bought that day. She could hardly wait for Christmas! Skylar was thinking about going to the shelter and giving her carefully 47 gifts to a homeless child. She was much filled with joy at 48 helping someone else.
"Perhaps it's good to have a beautiful mind, 49 an even greater gift is to have a beautiful heart," says Nobel Laureate John Hash. Young Skylar has a beautiful heart. It is one 50 , above all else, which makes beautiful people.
A．learned B．cared C．thought D．reminded
A．saved B．gathered C．took D．spent
A．honor B．favor C．hopes D．search
A．disappointed B．annoyed C．helped D．surprised
A．order B．require C．persuade D．force
A．Christmastime B．payday C．birthday D．school time
A．expenses B．earnings C．savings D．debts
A．poor B．homeless C．big D．famous
A．generally B．curiously C．strangely D．seriously
A．used B．took C．needed D．liked
A．presents B．dolls C．socks D．gloves
A．refused B．decided C．hesitated D．wished
A．shelter B．nursery C．house D．hospital
A．predicted B．promised C．explained D．discovered
A．out B．behind C．aside D．alone
A．expensive B．cheap C．favorite D．useless
A．collected B．bought C．selected D．demanded
A．deeply B．quickly C．truly D．exactly
A．but B．and C．if D．or
A．quality B．expensive C．sense D．expression
Large companies need a way to reach the savings of the public at large. The same problem, on a smaller__1__, faces practically every company trying to __2__ new products and create new jobs. There can be little prospect of raising the sort of sums needed from friends and people we know. While banks may agree to provide short-term finance, they are generally __3__ to provide money on a permanent basis for long-term projects. So companies turn to public, inviting people to lend them money, or take a share in the business in __4__ for a share in future profits. This they do by __5__ stocks and shares in the business through the Stock Exchange. By doing so they can put into circulation the savings of __6__ and organizations, both at home and overseas.
When the saver needs his money back, he does not have to go to the company with whom he originally placed it. __7__, he sells his shares through a stockbroker to some other saver who is seeking to __8__ his money.
Many of the __9__ needed both by industry and by each of us are provided by the government or by local authorities. Without hospitals, electricity, telephones, railways, this country could not __10__. All these require __11__ spending on new equipment and new development if they are to serve us properly, requiring more money than is raised through taxes alone. The government, local authorities, and nationalized industries __12__ frequently need to borrow money to finance major capital spending, and they, too, come to the Stock Exchange.
There is __13__ a man or woman in this country whose job or whose standard of living does not __14__ the ability of his or her employers to raise money to finance new development. In one way or another this new money must come from the savings of the country. The Stock Exchange __15_ to provide a channel through which these savings can reach those who need finance.
A．level B．extent C．scale D．basis
A．programme B．provide C．develop D．prepare
A．unexpected B．unwilling C．unbelievable D．uncertain
A．search B．exchange C．value D．comfort
A．issuing B．allowing C．producing D．acquiring
A．immigrants B．investigators C．inheritors D．individuals
A．Indeed B．In fact C．In addition D．Instead
A．eliminate B．reflect C．invest D．profit
A．properties B．appliances C．foundations D．services
A．function B．experience C．share D．launch
A．invisible B．continuous C．limited D．economical
A．therefore B．however C．nevertheless D．otherwise
A．definitely B．almost C．hardly D．probably
A．turn down B．depend on C．take over D．put off
A．releases B．forces C．leaves D．exists
In the United States there was an unusual tale telling of the daughter of a mechanic （技工）. One day while walking along the bank of a lake, the girl1 to see 20 eggs laid by a wild goose. After some time the girl 2 __the mother would not return to her eggs and she 3 to take them home. There she carefully 4 the eggs in the heat of a lamp. Several days 5 the eggs broke and the baby geese came into the 6 ___.
Geese are known to take the first living thing they see as their mother. 7 , to these young geese, the girl was their mother.
As they8 , the girl was able to 9 her birds to run across the grass, but she could not teach them to10. The girl became increasingly worried about this, both when 11 and in her dreams. Later, she had an 12 : She would pilot a plane to guide them in 13 . She asked her father for a plane and he assembled（组装）a small aircraft for her.
Caring about 14 safety, the father decided to pilot the plane himself. However, the birds did not 15 or follow him, and 16 slept in the grass.
One day, the girl 17 into the plane, started it and soon left the 18. Seeing their mother take to the air, the birds 19 flapped（拍打）their wings and 20 . She flew the plane freely in the sky, her young birds following.
A．managed B．attempted C．happened D．supposed
A．realized B．expected C．imagined D．admitted
A．helped B．decided C．afforded D．meant
A．placed B．protected C．treated D．examined
A．ago B．out C．later D．long
A．family B．lake C．home D．world
A．But B．Also C．Thus D．Still
A．increased B．improved C．rose D．grew
A．ask B．lead C．want D．allow
A．fly B．race C．swim D．sing
A．asleep B．away C．around D．awake
A．idea B．opinion C．explanation D．excuse
A．sky B．heaven C．flight D．plane
A．his B．her C．their D．its
A．respect B．remember C．recognize D．receive
A．so B．instead C．hardly D．too
A．climbed B．looked C．reached D．fell
A．house B．floor C．water D．ground
A．secretly B．disappointedly C．patiently D．eagerly
A．looked away B．set out C．went by D．turned back