The phone ID flashed, “Emergency Vet”. “Oh no” I whispered. I could not lose Merlin now.
Ron and I had tried to have children for a long time with depressing results. I threw myself into my work. Any maternal feelings I had were spent on Merlin.
I couldn’t wait to get home from work each night. I wanted to pick up that warm bundle of loving fur and nestle him. I wanted to sing “Rock-a-bye Merlin”, as I did every night as he would put his paws around my neck.
Merlin was my comfort especially at times when I wondered if God was listening. But last night something had changed. Not only did I sing “Rock-a-Bye Merlin”, but I asked, “What will I do after you’re gone?”
Although Merlin was 19 years old, a senior in the age of a cat, he didn’t look or act that way. I didn’t want to accept the fact that he was nearing the end of his lifetime. My job at the law firm was so demanding and stressful that I couldn’t imagine getting through the day without Merlin waiting to greet me at home.
I dialed the vet’s number. I asked for my husband but he already left. Then I took a breath and asked the question that no one wants to ask, “Is my Merlin still alive?” The nurse said “yes.”
Ron came home and said that Merlin had almost no red blood cells left. White blood cells were replacing them. Merlin would need expensive transfusions most likely on a monthly basis. We both knew Merlin was running out of time. I asked Ron to drive me to the vet so I could say goodbye to my little boy cat but he was beat tired and it was late. Ron said if Merlin was still alive the next morning then he would take me to the vet.
The next morning I called the vet. Merlin had survived the night.
After driving to the vet, I went into the examining room. The nurse brought Merlin and placed him on an examining table on his side. His eyes were tightly shut. I thought he died already. I carefully edged my hand to reach his body. His body felt warm, but when I spoke his name there was no response. No response to his name or that I was there and that I loved him. I was extremely sad.
In that examining room I felt helpless. I wondered how many people in an examining room felt as helpless as I did.
Feeling driven to prayer I yelled, “God this isn’t good enough. I need to see my Merlin the way I remember him, I need a miracle and I need it now!”
At that moment, God granted a miracle. Merlin’s favorite compliment entered my mind. I said, “Merlin, You are Beautiful and You are Gorgeous, do you hear me?”
One eye opened.
I said “Gotcha”. I kept repeating those words.
Merlin opened the other eye and, one limb at a time, got up. He was waiting for that phrase. He wanted to hear that he was beautiful and gorgeous again.
Then I experienced another miracle.
There was no sound in that examining room until Merlin started walking to me. From out of nowhere, or maybe from heaven, I clearly heard a song we sung in church often: “It Is Well With My Soul.” I remembered thinking, “Yes, it is well with my Soul. I got to see my little boy cat one more time.”
Merlin walked to me. He put his face in mine, which he had never done before. He rubbed a circle around my face twice. Merlin said goodbye with his face and marked me for life.
Ron appeared shocked that Merlin was up and had walked to me. I said to Merlin, “Tell God you are a good boy and how much we love you” and then handed him back to the nurse.
Tears of gratitude poured forth in memory of a miracle. You see for nineteen years God spoke to me through a special cat named “Merlin.” On Merlin’s last day, God proved he heard me when he granted a miracle. That miracle gave me time to say goodbye.Ron’s wife couldn’t lose Merlin because ________.
A.Merlin was her adopted child for nineteen years |
B.Merlin could supply her with comfort and warmth |
C.she failed to give birth to her own biological child |
D.she would sing her usual song to no one later in life |
What did Ron’s wife think of Merlin?
①comfortable ②demanding ③long life
④full of devotion ⑤lovely ⑥religious
A.①②⑥ | B.①②③ | C.④⑤⑥ | D.③④⑤ |
What does “The next morning I called the vet.” in Paragraph 8 imply?
A.The writer turned to the vet because Merlin was in desperate condition. |
B.The writer was so hopeless as to ask a favor of the vet. |
C.Ron would accompany her wife to the vet to live up to his promise. |
D.Ron did not care about Merlin so that the writer called the vet. |
When Merlin reached the examining room, ________.
A.he shut his eyes tightly and was obviously dead |
B.his body felt warm because the writer rubbed him hard |
C.the writer chanted prayers to him trying to waking him up |
D.the writer felt helpless to have no timely surgical operation |
We can infer from the passage that _______.
A.we have to have faith in the church to get miracles in future life |
B.God will not disappoint us if we are devoted to our loved ones |
C.couples should have a child or something to fill in their free time |
D.doctors may not always be reliable when our loved ones need their help |
Which of the following can be the proper title?
A.The Miracle Granted | B.A Dying Cat |
C.God Accompanying Us | D.Gratitude Out Of Miracle |
Brenda Bongos was a happy, artistic girl. She had one big ambition—to play the drums in a band. But one big problem lay in her way. To be good enough to play in a band, Brenda had to practice a lot, but she lived next-door to a lot of old people. Many of them are sick. She knew that the sound of beating drums would really get on their nerves. So, she had tried playing in the strangest places: a basement, a kitchen, and even in a shower. But there was always someone it would annoy.
One day, while watching a science documentary on TV, she heard that sound cannot travel in space, because there's no air. At that moment, Brenda Bongos decided to become a sort of musical astronaut.
With the help of a lot of time, books and work, Brenda built a space bubble. This was a big glass ball connected to a machine which sucked out all the air inside. All that would be left inside was a drum kit(成套设备) and a chair. Brenda got into the space suit she had made, entered the bubble, turned on the machine, and played those drums like a wild child.
It wasn't long before Brenda Bongos came very famous. Many people came to see her play in her space bubble. Shortly afterwards she came out of the bubble and started giving concerts. Her fame spread so much that the government suggested that she be part of a unique space journey. Finally, Brenda was a real musical astronaut, and had gone far beyond her first ambition of playing drums in a band.
Years later, when asked how she had achieved all this, she thought for a moment, and said: ''If those old people next – door hadn't mattered so much to me, I wouldn't have found a solution, and none of this would have ever happened.''Why did Brenda try to play in the strangest places?
A.Because she didn't want others to hear her play |
B.Because she didn't mean to disturb others. |
C.Because she didn't have her own room |
D.Because she didn’t like her neighbors. |
Brenda started to give concerts _______.
A.after she practiced in her space bubble |
B.when she became part of the unique space journey |
C.after she became a real musical astronaut |
D.when people came to see her in the space bubble |
Brenda became famous because _______.
A.she was good at music and science |
B.she became a real musical astronaut |
C.she invented a special way of practice |
D.she played well and had a talent |
Which of the following can be used to describe Brenda?
A.Kind, hardworking and clever |
B.Brave, kind and hardworking. |
C.Lovely, brave and kind |
D.Nervous, kind and clever. |
It can be inferred from the text that: " _______".
A.He laughs best who laughs last |
B.It's never too old to learn |
C.Two heads are better than one |
D.One good turn deserves another |
What makes a gift special? Is it the price you see on the gift receipt(收据)? Or is it the look on the recipient's face when they receive it that determines the true value? What gift is worth the most?
This Christmas I was debating what to give my father. My dad is a hard person to buy for because he never wants anything. I pulled out my phone to read a text message from my mom saying that we were leaving for Christmas shopping for him when I came across a message on my phone that I had locked. The message was from my father. My eyes fell on a photo of a flower taken in Wyoming, and underneath a poem by William Blake. The flower, a lone dandelion(蒲公英) standing against the bright blue sky, inspired me. My dad had been reciting those words to me since I was a kid. That may even be the reason why I love writing. I decided that those words would be my gift to my father.
I called back. I told my mom to go without me and that l already created my gift. I sent the photo of the cream-colored flower to my computer and typed the poem on top of it. As I was arranging the details another poem came to mind. The poem was written by Edgar Allan Poe; My dad recited it as much as he did the other. I typed that out as well and searched online for a background to the words of it. The poem was focused around dreaming, and after searching I found the perfect picture. The image was painted with blues and greens and purples, twisting together to create the theme and wonder of a dream. As I watched both poems passing through the printer, the white paper coloring with words that shaped my childhood, I felt that this was a gift that my father would truly appreciate.
Christmas soon arrived. The minute I saw the look on my dad's face as he unwrapped those swirling (卷曲的)black letters carefully placed in a cheap frame, I knew I had given the perfect gift.The idea for a special gift began to form when the author was.
A.doing shopping | B.having a debate |
C.leaving for Wyoming | D.reading a message |
The author's inspiration for the gift came from .
A.a photo of a flower | B.a story about a kid |
C.a call from the mother | D.a text about Christmas |
The underlined word "it" in Paragraph 3 refers to a poem by _.
A.the father | B.the author |
C.Edgar Allan Poe | D. William Blake |
The author made the gift by.
A.searching for the poems online |
B.drawing the background by hand |
C.painting the letters in three colors |
D.matching the words with pictures |
What is the main purpose of the passage?
A.To show how to design images for gifts |
B.To suggest making gifts from one's heart. |
C.To explain how computers help create gifts |
D.To describe the gifts the author has received. |
Everybody has one of those days when everything goes wrong. This is what happened to Harry.
He got up one morning very late because he had forgotten to wind up his alarm clock(闹钟). He tried to shave(刮脸)quickly and cut himself. When he got dressed he got blood all over his clean shirt, so he had to find another one. The only other shirt that was clean needed ironing(熨), so he ironed it. While he was ironing it, there was a knock at the door. It was the man to read the electricity meter(表). He showed him where the meter was, said good-bye and found that the iron had burnt a hole in his shirt. So he had to wear the one with the blood on it after all. By this time it was very late, so he decided he couldn’t go to work by bus. He telephoned for a taxi to take him to work. The taxi arrived and Harry got in and began to read the newspaper.
In another part of the town, a man had killed a woman with a knife and was seen to run away in a taxi. When Harry’s taxi stopped outside his office, a policeman happened to be standing there. He saw the blood on Harry’s shirt, and took him to the police station. He was kept till 3 o’clock in the afternoon before the police were sure that he was not the man they wanted. When he finally arrived at the office at about four, his boss took a look at him and told him to go away and find another job.Harry had.
A.a lucky day | B.an unlucky day | C.a busy day | D.a good day |
Put the following sentences into correct order according to the passage.
a. The man who read the electricity meter came.
b. Harry ironed his shirt.
c. Harry got blood all over his clean shirt
d. There was a knock at the door.
e. Harry wore the shirt with blood on it.
A.a, b, c, d, e | B.b, a, d, c, e |
C.b, a, c, d, e | D.c, b, d, a, e |
Why did Harry wear the shirt with blood on it?
A.The iron had burnt a hole in his clean shirt |
B.The only other needed ironing. |
C.He had only one shirt |
D.He cut himself and got blood all over his shirt. |
Harry was taken to the police station because.
A.his taxi stopped outside his office and a policeman happened to be there |
B.there was blood on his shirt and he was in a taxi |
C.a man killed a woman with a knife |
D.the murderer was seen to run away in a taxi |
His boss told him to go away and find another job because.
A.he had been kept by the police |
B.there was blood on his shirt |
C.he was late for work |
D.he had killed a woman |
Isn’t it cool to surf (冲浪) in summer? You catch a wave and enjoy the ride. Surfing is not only our favorite sport, though. A group of penguins (企鹅) enjoy the sport as much as we do. And they show their excitement and skills in the new animated film —Surf`s Up, which came out on June 6, in the US.
Cody loves the sport. Cody’s idol (偶像) is Big Z, a great penguin surfing king. Cody doesn’t like his brother and his mother who are not supportive. He really wants to get away. Cody believes that winning a surfing competition will bring him admiration and respect. When Mikey Abromowitz, a talent scout (侦察员), comes to Antarctica to look for talented penguins for a surfing competition, Cody’s really excited, but during his show there are no waves and he doesn’t make it. But he knows he can’t give up. He runs after Mikey’s whale and begs until Mikey agrees to take him.
There Cody meets Lani, the island’s beautiful lifeguard, as well as his main rival (对手), the surfing champion Evans. The cocky Evans shows no respect for Big Z, which makes Cody angry. For this, he challenges Evans to a surfing match, only to suffer a terrible defeat.
Lani takes Cody to the island doctor. As they spend time together, Cody realizes that this doctor is really Big Z himself. When he learns this, Cody begs him to train him and make him a better surfer.
Cody begins to find his own way. Cody improves his skills with the help of Big Z and discovers that a true winner isn’t always the one who comes in first.The passage mainly tells us ______.
A.that winning can bring you good luck and respect |
B.how a penguin can be a good surfer |
C.about a new animated film —Surf`s Up |
D.about the life of a teenage penguin called Cody |
Which of the following statements about Big Z is NOT true?
A.He is a great penguin surfing king. |
B.He doesn’t help Cody with surfing although Cody begs him. |
C.He works as a doctor after he leaves surfing. |
D.He is loved by the teenage penguin Cody. |
The underlined part “doesn’t make it” in Paragraph 2 probably means “_______”.
A.feels very sad | B.can’t breathe freely |
C.is not successful | D.can’t continue surfing |
Which of the following statements about Cody is NOT true?
A.He likes surfing and lives in Antarctica. |
B.He thinks winning will win him the respect of others at first. |
C.He gets along well with his brother and his mother. |
D.He is defeated by Evans in a surfing match. |
It’s 8:30, time for John to start work. So he turns on his radio. Then he eats breakfast. As he eats, he reads his e-mail and reviews his to-do list. Then he sits on the sofa and thinks about an article he needs to write ... Wait a minute! Radio? Breakfast? Sofa? What kind of workplace is this? Well, actually it is John’s house, and he is a telecommuter — he works at home, communicating with the workplace through the Internet.
Like John, millions of people — and their employers — are finding that telecommuting is a great way to work. Telecommuters can follow their own timetables. They work in the comfort of homes, where they can also look after young children or elderly parents. They save time and money by not traveling to work. Their employers save, too, because they need less office space and furniture. Studies show that telecommuters change jobs less often. This saves employers even more money. Telecommuting helps society, too, by reducing pollution and traffic problems.
Jobs that are suited to telecommuting include writing, design work, computer programming and accounting. If a job is related to working with information, a telecommuter can probably do it.From the passage we can learn that John does his job.
A.by telephon | B.through the Internet |
C.in his office | D.away from home |
One of the advantages of telecommuting is that you can.
A.work for several employers | B.enjoy a lot of traveling |
C.get along well with other workers | D.work on your own schedule |
Telecommuters change jobs less often, so.
A.their employers can save money |
B.their employers will give them a higher pay |
C.they can get more work experience |
D.they will have a longer paid holiday |
The underlined phrase “suited to” in the third paragraph probably means “”.
A.acceptable for | B.bad for | C.difficult for | D.fit for |