Dear dad,
Happy birthday to you! On this special day, I’d like to talk to you in a special way.
I don’t think I’m good at telling you my thought face to face with you, so I’m to show my deep love for you. You’re not a rich man or a famous person. But in my heart, you are one of the greatest in the world. I’m you. You’re interested in being famous and rich. You do things like paying for your phone on time, and working as a worker in your factory. The smile on your face shows you’re pleased with the family. You take good care of my grandparents. You help me with my schoolwork and do some shopping with mom on Sundays.
In the past, I didn’t care you were with me or not. Now I am sorry to say I didn’t you before. But I am thankful for what you have done for me.
I am quite lucky that I have a great father. And I feel happy that now I can let you know how much I love you. You are successful as a son, a husband, a father and a friend.
Love from,
Lydia
A．writing B．thinking C．reading D．speaking
A．kids B．adults C．men D．women
A．worried about B．proud of C．afraid of D．sorry for
A．always B．ever C．already D．never
A．common B．interesting C．wonderful D．popular
A．whether B．that C．what D．where
A．realize B．regret C．respect D．remind
A．too B．so C．very D．Such
July 6, 1994 was a day of nightmare (噩梦) that I’ll never forget. That afternoon when I was making up my in a dressing tent at the moment, I suddenly heard someone run past shouting, “Fire!” Fire was what we circus (马戏团) people most , for there was a large audience in the tent, including many children. I rushed towards the tent with a water but I could do nothing with it since the tent was burning too high and the flames spreading .
In the burning tent was a of panic: People rushed towards the exits, and some even jumped twelve feet from the top rows of the grandstand to the ground . Some people, after , tried to reenter to help their relations or friends. Yet it was for them to get through the crowd, instead, they blocked the . I fought at one exit, shouting at the top of my voice, “Go on! Keep !” At every exit, circus people were doing the same thing. In the midst (中间) of this scene, the kept on playing the tent was on fire overhead.
City fire equipment finally arrived and the fire. All the circus people were _ though some were injured or burned during the rescue . The audience, however, were not that . In a panic, they all tried to use the regular through which they had _ the tent. As a result, 168 people had died in the —the worst circus disaster in .
A．face B．body C．dress D．story
A．defended B．feared C．fought D．destroyed
A．recorder B．container C．overcoat D．camera
A．lately B．tightly C．quickly D．suddenly
A．sense B．scene C．stage D．section
A．outside B．outdoors C．inside D．indoors
A．coming out B．taking out C．going out D．walking out
A．necessary B．successful C．natural D．impossible
A．road B．lane C．way D．street
A．moving B．sitting C．crying D．standing
A．dancers B．musicians C．painters D．firemen
A．when B．unless C．until D．because
A．picked out B．worked out C．broke out D．put out
A．safe B．busy C．tired D．nervous
A．practice B．preparation C．work D．performance
A．patient B．lucky C．hopeless D．pleased
A．entrances B．exits C．gates D．doors
A．left B．arrived C．escaped D．entered
A．fight B．tent C．fire D．water
A．history B．summer C．season D．movement
Diane Ray was completely self-centred and very spoilt（惯坏的） . Her parents gave her she wanted , knowing that she would throw a temper tantrum (耍小孩脾气) , if they did not . She would scream and kick and on the floor drumming her heels . Her parents always .
That was why she was alone on the , wearing an expensive swimsuit . It had taken a massive tantrum to her parents to buy it . They were back at the beach-house , from the tantrum she had thrown when they told her that it was too dangerous to go diving . “ Dangerous ? ” she had said . “ You just don’t want me to have . I’m going and if you try to stop me , I’ll scream . ”
“ What are you doing ? ” a voice asked . Diane jumped . She did not know that the man was there he spoke .
“ I’m going diving , ” she answered .
“ You shouldn’t swim today , ” the man “ There is a storm coming up . ”
“ You should mind your own ! ” Diane replied and walked into the gentle waves .
“ If you go out there , you’ll be , ” the man called after her . She did not bother to reply .
Diane slipped into the water and dived until white caps began rolling in and it became harder to against the current (水流) . Saltwater hit against her face , making it to breathe . Oh , why had she not listened to advice ?
Panicking , she began to . Then, just as it seemed as if she would slip beneath the surface , she heard a voice . “ Hold on ! I’m coming. ” With , she saw the old man rowing an ancient-looking boat towards her . “ I hope you’ve learned a lesson. You put us both in , ” he shouted angrily , as he dragged her over the side of the . Gratefully, Diane thanked him and ran towards the beach-house.
A．either B．neither C．nothing D．everything
A．jump B．lie C．spin D．sleep
A．set out B．set in C．gave in D．gave out
A．beach B．bed C．floor D．ship
A．allow B．warn C．get D．prefer
A．changing B．recovering C．appearing D．traveling
A．alone B．away C．again D．aside
A．time B．money C．food D．fun
A．when B．until C．after D．once
A．decided B．intended C．advised D．repeated
A．business B．swimsuit C．friends D．parents
A．angry B．sorry C．confused D．excited
A．nervously B．sadly C．shyly D．happily
A．rise B．swim C．stop D．row
A．difficult B．easy C．comfortable D．suitable
A．speak B．sing C．sniff D．scream
A．calm B．frightening C．beautiful D．disgusting
A．regret B．relief C．interest D．ease
A．power B．safety C．danger D．thought
A．house B．wave C．beach D．boat
It was a bitter, cold evening in northern Virginia many years ago.The old man’s beard was glazed by winter’s frost while he waited. He was waiting for a across the river. The wait seemed so that his body became numb and stiff. He watched as several horsemen rounded the bend.
He let the first one without an effort to get his attention. Then another, and another. Finally, as the last rider neared the spot where the old man sat like a snow statue, the old man caught the rider’s and said, “Sir, would you mind giving an old man a ride to the other side?”
Stopping his horse, the rider , “Sure.” Seeing the old man was to lift his half-frozen body from the ground, the horseman got down and helped the old man onto the horse.
The horseman took the old man not just across the river, but to his destination. As they neared the tiny but cozy cottage, the horseman’s caused him to ask,“Sir, I noticed that you let several other riders go by without making a(n) to get a ride. Then I came up and you asked me for a ride. I’m curious why, on such a bitter winter night, you would wait and ask the last rider. I had refused and left you there?”
The old man himself slowly down from the horse, looked at the rider straight in the eyes and replied, “I’ve been here for some time. I think I know people pretty good.” He continued, “I looked into the eyes of the other riders and immediately saw there was no for my situation. It would have been even to ask them for a ride. But when in your eyes, kindness and compassion were . I knew, , that your gentle spirit would welcome the opportunity to give me help in my time of need.”
Those heart-warming touched the horseman deeply.“I’m most grateful for what you have said,” he told the old man. “May I never get busy in my own affairs that I fail to the needs of others with kindness and compassion.”With that, Thomas Jefferson turned his horse around and made his way back to the White House.
A．drive B．horse C．ride D．bridge
A．urgent B．freezing C．careless D．endless
A．quickly B．anxiously C．luckily D．eventually
A．come over B．get off C．pass by D．take off
A．hand B．horse C．eye D．leg
A．rejected B．hesitated C．replied D．continued
A．afraid B．eager C．unable D．sorry
A．honesty B．courage C．enthusiasm D．curiosity
A．choice B．stop C．effort D．contribution
A．immediately B．hurriedly C．friendly D．strongly
A．What about B．What if C．How come D．If only
A．lowered B．dropped C．located D．climbed
A．in B．out C．around D．beyond
A．concern B．bitterness C．chance D．interest
A．confused B．helpful C．meaningful D．pointless
A．representative B．evident C．reliable D．important
A．then and there B．for a moment C．all of a sudden D．sooner or later
A．thoughts B．complaints C．movements D．comments
A．too B．so C．very D．not
A．aim at B．respond to C．bring up D．ask for
I used to watch her from my kitchen window. She seemed so as she muscled her way through the crowd of boys on the playground. The school was the street from our home and I would often the kids as they played during breaks.
I remember the first day I saw her playing basketball. I watched in as she ran circles around the other kids. She managed to shoot jump shots just their heads and into the net. The boys always tried to stop her but nobody could.
I began to notice her at other times, basketball in hand, playing alone. She would practice dribbling（运球）and shooting over and over again, sometimes dark. One day I asked her why she practiced so much. She looked me in eyes and without a moment of she said, “I want to go to college. The only way I can go is if I get a scholarship. I like basketball. I that if I were good enough, I would get a scholarship. I am going to play college basketball. I want to be the best. My told me if the dream is big enough, the facts don’t count.” Then she smiled and ran towards the court to repeat the routine.
Well, I had to admit that she was . I watched her through those junior high years and into high school. Every week, she led her school team to victory.
One day in her senior year, I saw her sitting in the grass, head in arms. I walked across the street and sat down in the cool grass beside her. I asked what was wrong. “Oh, nothing,” came a soft reply. “I am just too .” The coaches told her that at 5’5” she would probably get to play for a top ranked team— much less offered a scholarship — so she should stop dreaming about college.
She was heartbroken and I felt my own throat tighten as I her disappointment. I asked her if she had talked to her dad about it yet.
She her head from her hands and told me that her father said those were wrong. They just did not understand the of a dream. He told her that if she really wanted to play for a good college and if she truly wanted a scholarship, nothing could stop her except one thing — her own . He told her again, “If the dream is big enough, the facts don’t count.”
The next year, as she and her team went to the Northern California Championship game, she was seen by a college basketball coach. She was indeed offered a , and admitted to the college team. She was going to get the college education that she had of and worked toward for all those years.
It’s true: If the dream is big enough, the facts don’t count.
A．small B．strong C．tall D．fat
A．in B．along C．beside D．across
A．see B．observe C．notice D．watch
A．terror B．satisfaction C．wonder D．disappointment
A．on B．over C．by D．with
A．until B．in C．after D．before
A．hesitation B．silence C．rest D．relief
A．wondered B．decided C．suspected D．declared
A．Mom B．coach C．Daddy D．teacher
A．determined B．enthusiastic C．optimistic D．smart
A．Quietly B．Secretly C．Impatiently D．Briefly
A．young B．slow C．short D．weak
A．soon B．never C．later D．afterwards
A．recognized B．judged C．sensed D．understood
A．turned B．lowered C．shook D．lifted
A．coaches B．statements C．players D．facts
A．key B．role C．truth D．power
A．performance B．idea C．attitude D．ability
A．reward B．hand C．scholarship D．job
A．talked B．dreamed C．thought D．heard
One Christmas my husband and I travelled to visit family. Our first stop was to visit my parents in Oregon. My gave me a plastic piggy bank as the Christmas gift. Then we continued north into Washington to visit his parents, but on the way we had some problems. It was late, so we went to the nearest house to ask for to sleep there until auto repair shop opened.
The woman who the door was very kind, allowing us to stay. We had to a few things from the truck, including the bank, still in its long box. The next morning my husband headed off towards town, but was soon offered a from the nice lady, and we were back on the road afterwards.
It wasn’t until we reached our destination that we realized we had the piggy bank in the drive way. It sure was and there was no chance of going back for .
One day over a year later, when we were back in Oregon my mother came out of her house to us with the same bank in her hand. I couldn’t believe my ! We had never told her we had lost it, there it was!
It turns out that the nice lady found the box and read the on the slipping label to get my mother’s name. She then my mother and handed it to her, who held on to it for quite some time until we saw her next.
So the very special lady, I was given the Christmas gift twice. It was truly to me, and now every time that bank gets filled up, I’ll my money to a local charity to “pass on” my fortunate good luck!
A．brother B．husband C．sister D．mother
A．technical B．emotional C．mechanical D．important
A．passport B．permission C．password D．permit
A．answered B．cheered C．argued D．questioned
A．move B．store C．abandon D．unload.
A．by bus B．on foot C．by bike D．by car
A．meal B．job C．lift D．wait
A．tearfully B．safely C．slowly D．shortly
A．located B．forgot C．went D．left
A．broken B．stolen C．gone D．hidden
A．them B．it C．one D．some
A．blame B．greet C．recognize D．telephone
A．eyes B．thoughts C．imagination D．expectation
A．although B．because C．yet D．when
A．evidence B．statement C．explanation D．information
A．contacted B．attracted C．accepted D．searched
A．according to B．instead of C．because of D．but for
A．same B．different C．extra D．expensive
A．annoying B．amusing C．amazing D．promising
A．earn B．donate C．raise D．pay