I Was Forced to Find My Gifts
I was a pretty typical 17-year-old with a strong interest in painting when something happened. One Sunday, I went to an old swimming hole and dove in. I something under the water head-on and broke a couple of vertebrae（椎骨）of my neck.
For five months I stayed at the hospital, feeling like a to my family. My self-image was instantly . I was described with terms like “disabled” or “crippled.” I was angry and
after I failed so many times at some task---dropping something on the floor and trying to get it back up again.
Near the end of my stay in the hospital, my doctor almost forcibly tied a to my hand. He had seen my paintings I’d done before and me to paint. Fortunately, I found that I
had this artistic ability left. It was like a big weight had been . At least I could do something worthwhile again, and it became a part of my recovery.
After I left the hospital, I stayed at home, feeling desperately . It seemed like I was cut off from . No one can get along love and acceptance. So that fall, I started at the University of Texas, majoring in graphic design.
One day a man happened to see one of my paintings. He had a great for it and asked if I ever did art shows. So I was given a(n) . Much to my surprise, I found that people liked my paintings and would pay for them. That was about 11 years ago. Today, 1,500 have carried my work.
It was the art that provided the for me to get up every morning and do something,
sitting in front of the television. Society has such expectations of the disabled person, so it’s very easy to get sucked into a dependency routine --- you know, the “give me” kind of attitude. And that’s what I take the most in --- the fact that what I’m doing today is well received all over.
A．saw B．hit C．touched D．picked
A．burden B．failure C．joke D．patient
A．improved B．created C．changed D．judged
A．helpless B．careless C．nervous D．tired
A．difficult B．special C．simple D．important
A．bandage B．towel C．rope D．paintbrush
A．allowed B．taught C．ordered D．encouraged
A．already B．still C．even D．always
A．gained B．carried C．lifted D．measured
A．vital B．strange C．boring D．different
A．lonely B．weak C．frightened D．guilty
A．success B．classmates C．society D．treatment
A．in B．for C．behind D．without
A．sympathy B．fondness C．talent D．responsibility
A．exhibition B．challenge C．permission D．message
A．hospitals B．galleries C．schools D．families
A．imagination B．chance C．motivation D．curiosity
A．instead of B．apart from C．due to D．but for
A．high B．low C．enough D．unrealistic
A．power B．pride C．comfort D．advantage
After six months of living in New Zealand, I realized one thing. Despite my 1 for greater contact with local students, 2 I initiated(开始) the contact, it wouldn’t happen. Local students are not interested in contacts with the international students, because they regard us as shy, 3 and sometimes snobby （势利的） people. Of course we know that’s not true. I want to change their opinions.
After 4 the problem, I put on my “confidence mask” each morning and walked around with a smile on my face. I chatted with people whenever I had the chance. I showed that I was not afraid to 5 them, and that I was worthy of being a friend.
A side-effect of my 6 confidence was that my emotions occasionally broke down Only in the 7 of my room, where no one could see, would I reveal my real emotions. All the rejections, funny looks, and 8 behind my back calling me a weirdo（古怪的人） melted into tears. Once that was done, I would put on my confidence mask once again and start a new day.
It finally worked My name became known throughout the school as I appeared to be 9 and active. Slowly, I discovered that I no longer needed to put on my confidence mask. I had real friends. Instead of dragging myself to school and 10 to be happy, I was truly happy. I could not believe it when I was elected to the student government as Deputy Head boy----the first international student to receive the title.
From my 11 in New Zealand, I believe one thing will always be true: If you try your best to reach your goals, you’ll achieve your 12 dreams.
A．desire B．invitation C．devotion D．effort
A．if B．otherwise C．unless D．once
A．energetic B．considerate C．free D．dull
A．getting B．realizing C．solving D．making
A．get up with B．put up with C．open up to D．look forward to
A．accepted B．proved C．elected D．forced
A．public B．privacy C．possession D．protection
A．laughing B．talking C．acting D．walking
A．minded B．talented C．humorous D．enthusiastic
A．looking B．helping C．pretending D．treating
A．experience B．trouble C．travel D．struggle
A．great B．impossible C．hopeful D．reasonable
Every morning my friend would stop on the way to work to have a quick breakfast with her 8-year-old son. Then she 1 him off at school. They ate the same thing every morning: an egg sandwich, juice, coffee for her, and milk for him.
One day she ordered a(n) 2 breakfast. Once they finished eating and were heading out of the door, she 3 , said good morning to a homeless man sitting outside of the 4 , and gave him the breakfast she had ordered for him. He 5 her, telling her it was his first meal during the last several 6 . She couldn’t help but feel 7 and was glad she finally took 8 .
She told her son that she had seen the man every day that week there and that 9 , herself included, had offered him 10 , support, food, or drink. She 11 explained that homelessness could happen to anyone and that it was important to 12 needy people.
So her “Tradition of Kindness” 13 . Each day she and her son went on to 14 the homeless man breakfast. The 15 was kept until they moved away several years later, 16 the experience was firmly put into her son’s mind.
My friend 17 every time she tells me that this “Tradition of Kindness” goes on with her son, who remembers this 18 tradition. Now working in a company, her son stops every morning at Starbucks for a coffee and offers a homeless person a breakfast before going to the 19 .
What a great tradition that he can 20 to his children as well!
A．sent B．dropped C．called D．drove
A．light B．expensive C．ordinary D．extra
A．stopped B．escaped C．backed D．hid
A．shop B．market C．hotel D．restaurant
A．recognized B．refused C．thanked D．found
A．days B．minutes C．months D．weeks
A．cold B．good C．strange D．nervous
A．action B．time C．care D．effect
A．everyone B．someone C．no one D．anyone
A．education B．information C．comfort D．safety
A．again B．further C．once D．first
A．contact B．encourage C．follow D．help
A．began B．existed C．failed D．changed
A．win B．buy C．show D．award
A．promise B．agreement C．order D．practice
A．although B．so C．but D．because
A．cries B．jumps C．jokes D．smiles
A．school B．childhood C．youth D．adulthood
A．office B．cinema C．store D．library
A．connect B．relate C．pass D．move
I dreamed I had an interview with God.
“So you would like to interview me?” God asked. “If you have the time,” I said. “My time is eternity(永恒),” God smiled, “What questions do you have（1）_________for me?” “What surprises you most about humankind?” God answered, “That they (2)__________ bored with childhood, they rush to grow up, and then long to be children（3）_________. That they lost their health to make money… and then lost their money to restore their (4)__________. Then by thinking anxiously （5）__________ the future, they forget the (6)___________, so that they live in neither the present nor future. That they live as if they will never die, and die （7）__________ they had never lived.” God’s hand took mine and we were silent for a while.
And then I asked, “(8)__________ a parent, what are some of life’s lessons you want your children to(9) ___________?” He answered, “To learn they （10）__________make anyone love them. All they can do is to let themselves love（11）____________. To learn that it is not good to compare themselves to others. To learn to forgive by practicing forgiveness. To learn that it only（12）___________ a few seconds to open profound（深的） wounds in those they love, and it can take many years to heal （13）__________. To learn that a rich person is not one who has the most, but is the one who need the （14）___________. To learn that there are people who love them（15）____________, but simply have not yet learned how to express or show their(16)___________. To learn that two people can look at the same thing and （17）___________ it differently. To learn that it is not enough that they forgive one（18）____________, but they must also forgive themselves.”
“Thank you for your（19）___________,” I said humbly. “Is there anything else you would like（20）_____________ to know?” God smiled and said, “Just to know that I am always here.”
A．in life B．by heart C．at hand D．in mind
A．run B．live C．get D．prove
A．either B．too C．further D．again
A．life B．health C．lives D．spirits
A．about B．in C．for D．over
A．children B．living C．time D．present
A．so that B．in order that C．as though D．in case
A．As B．For C．About D．By
A．listen B．study C．learn D．attend
A．can’t B．won’t C．needn’t D．mustn’t
A．others B．anyone C．everyone D．someone
A．gets B．has C．spends D．takes
A．it B．them C．themselves D．these
A．best B．least C．last D．health
A．mainly B．lovely C．dearly D．fairly
A．words B．expressions C．ideas D．feelings
A．see B．watch C．regard D．treat
A．other B．another C．of them D．itself
A．time B．word C．belief D．kindness
A．me B．your humankind C．your life D．your children
All of my students I taught at Saint Mary’s School in Morris, Minnesota were dear to me, but Mark was one in a million. His happytobealive attitude made even his occasional naughtiness 31 .
Mark talked 32in class. I had to remind him again and again that talking without 33 was unacceptable. What impressed me so much, though, was his sincere response every time I had to correct him for misbehaving, “Thank you for correcting me, Madam!” I didn’t know what to make of it at first, but before long I became 34 hearing it many times a day.
However, one morning my patience was 35 when Mark talked once too often. I warned Mark, “If you say one more word, I am going to tape your mouth 36 !”
It wasn’t ten seconds later when Chuck blurted out（脱口说出）, “Mark is talking again.” I hadn’t asked any of the students to help me 37 Mark, but since I had stated the 38in front of the class, I had to act on it.
Taking out a roll of masking tape from the drawer of my desk, I walked to Mark’s desk, 39 two pieces of tape and made a big X with them over his mouth. I then returned to the 40 of the room.
As I glanced at Mark to see how he was doing, he winked at me naughtily. That he did so funnily! I started 41 . The entire class 42 as I walked back to Mark’s desk, 43 the tape, and shrugged my shoulders. His first words were, “Thank you for 44 me, Madam!”
Several years passed until one cold rainy day when my father broke the news to me that Mark was killed in Vietnam War, I broke down and cried in my heart, “Mark, I would give all the masking tape in the world 45 you could talk to me!”
A．delightful B．attractive C．striking D．annoying
A．happily B．constantly C．quickly D．immediately
A．hesitation B．permission C．delay D．trouble
A．curious about B．unbearable of C．accustomed to D．fond of
A．growing out B．working out C．going out D．running out
A．close B．firmly C．shut D．closely
A．watch B．criticize C．overlook D．inform
A．opinion B．view C．punishment D．evidence
A．put up B．tore off C．cut into D．took out
A．back B．centre C．entrance D．front
A．laughing B．screaming C．complaining D．criticizing
A．disturbed B．protected C．froze D．cheered
A．stuck B．recovered C．removed D．fastened
A．praising B．correcting C．encouraging D．hurting
A．as if B．in case C．if only D．even if
It was a cold winter day that Sunday. The parking lot to the 1 was filling up quickly. I noticed, as I got out of my car, fellow church members were2 among themselves as they walked in the church. As I got3__, I saw a man leaning up against the wall outside the church. He was almost lying down4 he was asleep. His hat was5 down so you could not see his face. He wore shoes that looked 30 years old, too6 for his feet, with holes all over them and his toes7 out. I guessed this man was 8 and asleep, so I walked on 9 through the doors of the church. We all talked for a few minutes, and someone 10 the man lying outside. People whispered but no one took11 to ask him to come in, 12 me. A few moments later church began. We were all waiting for the Preacher (牧师) to take his 13 and to give us the Word, _14 the doors to the church opened. In15 the man walking down the church with his head down. People gasped（喘息）and whispered and made _16 . He made his way down the church and up onto the pulpit (讲坛) where he took off his hat and coat. My heart17 .
There stood our preacher… he was the “homeless man”. The preacher took his Bible (圣经) and18 it on his stand.
“ 19 , I don't think I have to tell you what I am preaching about today. If you ＿20＿ people by their appearance, you have no time to love them.”
A．school B．lecture C．park D．church
A．arguing B．whispering C．stating D．speaking
A．closer B．clearer C．lower D．farther
A．even though B．so that C．as if D．even if
A．dragged B．pulled C．dropped D．pushed
A．big B．bad C．ugly D．small
A．reached B．went C．stuck D．ran
A．homeless B．helpless C．hopeless D．careless
A．out B．by C．across D．from
A．invited B．mentioned C．took D．called
A．pleasure B．measure C．courage D．trouble
A．except B．besides C．without D．including
A．turn B．place. C．time D．seat
A．when B．before C．as D．after
A．rushed B．hurried C．came D．entered
A．decision B．choices C．faces D．jokes
A．sank B．fell C．broke D．failed
A．threw B．set C．laid D．folded
A．Brothers B．Folks C．Supporters D．Members
A．judge B．hate C．treat D．test