Different View
At age 14, 15 and 16, the way we looked was the most important thing in the world to us. My friends and I wanted nothing less than perfection.
In high school, we joined the gymnastics team, and our because even more important to us. We had no fat, only muscle. On the weekends, we would go to the beach, of our flat stomachs.
One summer day, all my friends were at my house . At one point, I was running back to the pool. I on a bee, and while it was dying under my foot, it stung (蛰) me. I instantly started to feel . That night, I began to run a high fever and my leg and foot were red, hot and swollen. I couldn’t walk. I could barely .
When my foot started to go numb, everyone became more . My foot was not getting enough blood. I had to go to the , and my leg hurt as if it were badly broken. I couldn’t move. All I could do was think about how soft my middle was becoming. That me more than any concern over my leg.
That would all when I heard the doctors mention possibly cutting off my foot. It was still not getting the supply it needed. The doctors would have to speed up their treatment.
Never before did I have such great for my foot. And walking seemed like a from the gods. Less and less would I want to hear my friends talk about and who was wearing what. More and more I expected visits from other kids in the hospital, who were quickly becoming my friends.
One girl came to visit me . Every time she came, she brought flowers. She was recovering from cancer and felt she should come back and the other patients.
She still had no hair, and she was swollen from medications she had been taking. I would not have given this girl a second before. I now loved every inch of her and looked forward to her .
Finally, I was improving and soon I went home. My leg was still swollen, I was walking, and I had my foot! When I would go back to the hospital, I often saw my friend. She was still visiting people and good cheer. I thought if even there was an angel on this earth, it had to be her.
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Pulled from the rubble （碎砖）of the big earthquake after eight days of unimaginable suffering, 8- year-old Kiki Joachin caught the world’s attention. Today he and his 21 struggle to rebuild their home, their lives and their hopes.
When the terrible earthquake broke out, Kiki’s mother 22 from the porch （门廊）of their apartment building 23 her five –year-old-son, David, who was outside fetching water. 24 injured by falling concrete （水泥），she tried to dig through it and 25 toward her five other kids who were 26 in the ruins of their home. 27 , she could make little progress.
For eight days Kiki and his 28 were buried beneath. They curled (蜷缩) their bodies in a (n) 29 space, with no food or water, hardly able to move; nearby lay the 30 of their three other siblings（兄弟姐妹）. Kiki 31 as his sister covered them with her T-shirt.
On the eighth day, a neighbour 32 her possessions heard Kiki’s 33 cries for water. Two 34 spent the next four hours 35 drilling through the rubble and finally 36 Kiki and his sister. As Kiki was 37 by the firefighters from the hole, he made a victory gesture.
Now Kiki hopes to be an engineer when he grows up, so he can help 38 his country. His father wants to start a 39 for his family, maybe selling rice and beans, to be able to put another room on the house so his kids can sleep better. Meanwhile, his father and mother are 40 for what they have and the survival of the three children.
A．friends B．classmates C．family D．team
A．walked B．ran C．jumped D．wandered
A．in search of B．in honour of C．in face of D．in charge of
A．Because B．If C．Unless D．Though
A．face B．turn C．rush D．move
A．buried B．killed C．controlled D．hidden
A．Otherwise B．Therefore C．However D．Meanwhile
A．brother B．sister C．father D．mother
A．wide B．tiny C．open D．public
A．bodies B．clothes C．shadows D．toys
A．nodded B．smiled C．wept D．slept
A．sorting out B．showing off C．looking for D．giving away
A．weak B．good C．long D．clear
A．neighbours B．relatives C．passers-by D．firefighters
A．skillfully B．carefully C．impatiently D．rapidly
A．fastened B．adopted C．cured D．reached
A．raised B．fixed C．grabbed D．touched
A．rebuild B．protect C．lead D．visit
A．company B．business C．movement D．club
A．suitable B．ready C．excited D．grateful
Jane’s mother worked on the farm from dawn till dark, which just could make ends meet(量入为出，收支平衡). To make Jane live a 36 life, Mother was very careful about spending money. 37 , Jane didn’t understand her. Every day Mother was busy with her 38 while Jane was studying at school, so they had little time to enjoy themselves.
One day, Mother realized Jane was unhappy and even 39 to her, so she decided to go 40 with Jane to make Jane happy.
On Sunday morning they went happily to the snowfield. Since they were 41 in white clothes, the manager advised them to buy ski clothes. He said 42 there was an accident, they might be easily 43 in their ski clothes. Mother couldn’t 44 them, so she refused.
Then they went skiing in their white clothes. They were skiing happily on the 45 when suddenly the snowfield began to 46 .It was the snowslide (雪崩).They ran a long way and47 the snowslide finally, but they couldn’t find their way. Later, a helicopter (直升机) was flying above, 48 people on it couldn’t see or hear them. Jane was 49 because she had hurt her head seriously and 50 dropped on the snow. Just then an idea struck Mother. She cut her wrist(手腕) 51 and then bright red blood dropped down on the snowfield. A red SOS was on the snow. At last Jane 52 , but Mother died.
Every time I 53 the blood dropping onto the snowfield, I feel 54 , I believe anyone who hears the tragedy will 55 Mother for her selfless love to her daughter.
A．happy B．poor C．busy D．sad
A．Though B．However C．Although D．Or
A．writing B．housework C．work D．research
A．unfriendly B．loyal C．kind D．cruel
A．skating B．dancing C．hiking D．skiing
A．all B．both C．either D．every
A．now that B．in case C．as though D．even if
A．searched B．examined C．found D．caught
A．cost B．make C．afford D．stand
A．mountain B．farmland C．playground D．snowfield
A．change B．melt C．shake D．jump
A．escaped B．passed C．experienced D．overcame
A．but B．so C．since D．while
A．at work B．in danger C．in peace D．in ruins
A．hair B．blood C．tears D．jewels
A．carefully B．slowly C．immediately D．hardly
A．cried B．died C．woke D．survived
A．find out B．think of C．suffer from D．come across
A．satisfied B．curious C．anxious D．painful
A．admire B．hate C．reward D．think
School was over and I was both mentally and physically tired, I sat at the very front of the bus because of 1 to get home．Sitting at the front makes you 2 out like a shiny coin in a pile of dull pennies． Janie, the driver, tries to break the uncomfortable atmosphere by striking the match of 3 ．
I try to mind my manners and 4 listen, but usually I am too busy thinking about my day．On this day, however, her conversation was worth listening to．
"My father’s sick," she said to no one in 5 ．I could see the anxiety and fear in her eyes．With a sudden change of attitude and interest, I asked, "What’s wrong with him?"
With her eyes wet and her voice tight from 6 the tears, she responded, "Heart trouble．" Her eyes 7 as she continued．"I’ve already lost my mum, so I don’t think I can 8 losing him．”
I couldn’t respond．I was 9 ．My heart ached for her．I sat on the old, smelly seat thinking of the great 10 my own mother was thrown into when my father died．
I saw how hard it was, and still is, for her．I wouldn’t like anyone to go through that．Suddenly I realized Janie wasn’t only a bus driver．That was just her job．She had a whole world of family and concerns too．I had never thought of her as anything but a 11 ．I suddenly felt very 12 ．I realized I had only thought of people as 13 as what their purposes were in my life．I paid no attention to Janie because she was a bus driver．1 had judged her by her job and regarded her as unimportant．
For all I know, I’m just another person in someone else’s world, and may not even be important．I should not have been so selfish and self-centered．Everyone 14 a place to go to, people to see and appointments to 15 ．Understanding people is an art．
A．determination B．decision C．attempt D．anxiety
A．make B．stand C．think D．find
A．topic B．message C．discussion D．conversation
A．devotedly B．carelessly C．truly D．sincerely
A．common B．silence C．particular D．surprise
A．avoiding B．clearing C．keeping D．fighting
A．glanced B．closed C．lowered D．saddened
A．mind B．regret C．bear D．miss
A．angry B．interested C．curious D．shocked
A．pain B．pity C．disappointment D．mercy
A．daughter B．worker C．driver D．passenger
A．selfish B．confused C．worried D．sad
A．long B．often C．far D．well
A．takes B．has C．finds D．needs
A．stay B．remain C．keep D．put
I know I should have told the headmaster at the time. That was my real 21 .
He had gone out of the study for some 22 , leaving me alone. In his absence I looked to see what was on his 23 . In the 24 was a small piece of paper on which were written the 25 “English Writing Prize 1949. History Is a Serious of Biographies (人物传记)”.
A(n) 26 boy would have avoided looking at the title as soon as he saw the 27 . I did not. The subject of the English Writing Prize was kept a 28 until the start of the exam so I could not 29 reading it.
When the headmaster 30 , I was looking out of the window.
I should have told him what had 31 then. It would have been so 32 to say: “I’m sorry, but I 33 the title for the English Writing Prize on your desk. You’ll have to 34 it.”
The chance passed and I did not take it. I sat for the exam the next day and I won. I didn’t mean to cheat, but it was still 35 anyhow.
That was thirty-eight years ago when I was fifteen. I have never told anyone about it before, nor have I tried to explain to myself why not.
A．plan B．fault C．grade D．luck
A．reason B．course C．example D．vacation
A．book B．head C．clothes D．desk
A．drawer B．book C．middle D．box
A．names B．words C．ideas D．messages
A．honest B．handsome C．friendly D．active
A．desk B．paper C．book D．drawer
A．question B．key C．note D．secret
A．help B．consider C．practise D．forget
A．disappeared B．stayed C．returned D．went
A．existed B．remained C．happened D．continued
A．tiring B．easy C．important D．difficult
A．saw B．gave C．set D．made
A．repeat B．defend C．correct D．change
A．cheating B．having C．staying D．finding
Education from My Father
My memories of my father are slim because he was so sick in the last years of his life. But there are 32 that I am often reminded of and which may have had some bearing on my love of 33 .
When I was small I was somewhat 34 of lightning and thunder. My father explained it. The explanation was in 35 that a child could understand but was basically correct. I gained a better 36 later, but I didn’t have to unlearn anything.
What he said was that there was electricity in the clouds 37 it traveled to the ground like a spark. When it traveled 38 the air it made the air so hot that it 39 . Then there was nothing where the air had been and the air all around rushed in to 40 the space. He clapped his hands together very loud, 41 to be the air rushing in, and said that makes the thunder. When I hear thunder, I can still hear that 42 .
He explained why if it was cloudy in the winter the night was warmer than if it was 43 . It was one of those nights when the sky was full of stars: no moon, no town lights. But there were more stars than you could 44 and they had color too. He said that if there were no clouds, we had no blankets and were 45 to the universe. Our warmth was going to 46 the whole universe. When there were clouds, they were like blankets and we were not exposed to the universe. I 47 feel on the edge of space on a very clear night.
I am sure there were many other lessons that I 48 but no longer remember. What I did 49 , in general, was that there were explanations and that the more I understood them, the more comfortable the world was to live in. I was not taught that there were 50 but that there was understanding if you looked for it. This may be why I have always been 51 in science.
A．others B．few C．some D．all
A．science B．nature C．weather D．universe
A．sure B．fond C．tired D．afraid
A．depth B．words C．gestures D．data
A．understanding B．knowledge C．command D．confidence
A．but B．and C．for D．or
A．above B．to C．along D．through
A．shone B．burned C．expanded D．broke
A．fill B．make C．avoid D．break
A．trying B．proving C．hoping D．pretending
A．clap B．remark C．voice D．crash
A．cold B．bright C．clear D．foggy
A．explore B．foresee C．imagine D．identify
A．committed B．exposed C．related D．led
A．heat B．protect C．extend D．light
A．ever B．also C．even D．still
A．selected B．arranged C．absorbed D．delivered
A．consider B．promise C．explain D．learn
A．memories B．blankets C．mysteries D．thunders
A．engaged B．interested C．successful D．skillful