An old man wanted to retire because of his poor health．The was in deciding which son would take his place．As his children gathered to his birthday, the father announced his ．The old man took out two boxes and said to his two sons．“Each of you take one．I want each of you to it with what you believe to be the most thing for our successful business． your choices, I will decide who will take the business,” father saiD． The next days the families and employees could sense the spirit of between the boys.
It was January 1st and the family to celebrate again．“Please with me what’s in your box!” father saiD． The first son said, “It’s outside on the back of truck．The box you gave me was much too ” Father walked to the window and from that distance could see all．With a deep tone of , he asked the other son，“What do you have to give?”The son his father the box．The old man looked inside and with great looked up at his son .“It’s !” father said .“Are you telling me that you have found nothing of value in our business?”
“On the contrary,” he saiD． “I could not place I found most valuable in a box．How does one measure the value of quality and honesty? What size box would the loyalty（忠诚） of our employees and customers? How big of a room would I need for our workers who have from our generous pay and health plan? Finally, father, the most valuable possessions（财富） I hold are the love of you and mother.”
It was what decision was made that day．There will come a time when each of us will be asked by our father to share what we value most．I hope your box is empty.
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Music to My Ears
Robby was 10 for his first piano lesson in my class. Much as he tried, he ____ even the basic rhythm. However, he dutifully reviewed the pieces that I required.
Over the months he tried and tried while I ____ and encouraged him. At the end of each lesson he'd always say, "My mom's going to hear me play some day." ____ it seemed hopeless.
I only knew his mother from a ____as she waited in her aged car to pick him up. Then one day Robby stopped coming. I was secretly ____ that he stopped because of his lack of ability.
Weeks later I informed the students, including Robby, of the coming recital（独奏）. To my ____, Robby asked me if he could be included. I told him he really did not qualify because he had ____ out. He said his mom had been sick and unable to take him to lessons but he was still ____ .
“I've just got to play!" he ____. Something inside me let me allow him to.
Then came the recital night. The gym was ____ with parents. I put Robby up ____, thinking that I could save his poor performance through my “curtain closer（谢幕）.”
The recital went off smoothly. Then Robby came up on stage. His clothes were wrinkled and his hair was ____. "Why didn't his mother at least make him comb his hair for this special night?" I thought.
Robby pulled out the piano bench and began. I was not ____ for what I heard next. His fingers were ____ on the keys. Never had I heard Mozart played so well by people of his age. After he ended, everyone was ____ their feet in wild applause.
In ____ I ran up on stage and put my arms around Robby. "I've never heard you play like that, Robby! How did you ____ it?"
Robby explained, "Well, Miss Hondorf…remember I told you my mom was sick? …____ she had cancer and passed away yesterday. She was born deaf, so tonight she could hear me play in heaven. I wanted to make it special."
There wasn’t a ____ eye in the house. That night I felt he was the teacher and I was the pupil, for it was he who taught me the meaning of perseverance and ____.
A．lacked B．had C．showed D．got
A．listened B．learned C．checked D．played
A．And B．But C．So D．Or
A．conversation B．performance C．distance D．picture
A．guilty B．sad C．anxious D．glad
A．relief B．surprise C．pleasure D．satisfaction
A．stepped B．worn C．run D．dropped
A．acting B．performing C．practicing D．recording
A．insisted B．suggested C．complained D．threatened
A．lined B．packed C．piled D．filled
A．least B．most C．first D．last
A．messy B．cool C．neat D．dull
A．eager B．concerned C．prepared D．grateful
A．hesitating B．dancing C．touching D．crawling
A．over B．under C．in D．on
A．chaos B．tears C．silence D．return
A．find B．feel C．make D．like
A．Gradually B．Suddenly C．Frequently D．Actually
A．dry B．curious C．bright D．wet
A．regret B．talent C．love D．courage
Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B,C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.
I hadn’t even got a chance to enter the store before an African American woman approached me and asked if I would help her return an item. The item she has _____ was intended for her daughter, but she had already received a similar one. The lady _____ to exchange the item for something else in the store but she was told she needed an ID or the deal could not take place.
I went to the ____ with the woman so we could use my ID. The sales associate immediately started ______ her of asking the first random person she saw to help her. Although that was ___ , I didn’t understand why it mattered. After all, not everyone is given the opportunity to ____ an ID in this country.
Then, we asked to speak with a manager, who explained that there was no way to return the item without a receipt and then went on to say the woman could not ______ she purchased the item.
“If I , a young white female, were to enter the store and request you to make an exchange without a receipt, I would not be _____ the privilege--- as I have proof from the past.” I said. He must have realized at that moment what he had done, because he _____ to exchange the item.
There are many valuable lessons in the story. The first is to help a stranger in need. I hesitated when the woman asked for my help, but ______ in my hand I asked myself, “ Why not? What valid reasons do I usually have?” I had none, so I helped her.
The second lesson is not to judge a book by its ______. The woman looked poor, but she _____ the same treatment as anyone else does.
A．purchased B．shown C．lost D．mended
A．managed B．wanted C．refused D．promised
A．counter B．department C．market D．window
A．warning B．informing C．reminding D．accusing
A．wrong B．true C．reasonable D．meaningful
A．leave B．pay C．find D．obtain
A．answer B．prove C．support D．admit
A．ordered B．asked C．denied D．given
A．agreed B．prepared C．failed D．remembered
A．totally B．gradually C．hardly D．quickly
A．design B．cover C．content D．price
A．deserved B．required C．received D．appreciated
Dealing with ADIS strengthens the bond of friendship, and encourages emotional and spiritual growth. Before October 16, 2011, I was the most person in the world. I never that anything bad could happen to me or my friends.
Then one day my best friend David pulled me aside and broke down in . He said he was infected with ADIS and was __ _. David was only 17. I had never felt so in my whole life.
As time went on, David became very ill. There was could do but watch him weaken. This to me meant was sure to come and all too quickly. I wasn’t ready to let him die. There were so many things that I wanted to do and say, couldn’t find the words. I went to doctor after doctor with him, and saw him so much. But I must keep a positive attitude . So, in times of stress I pushed all my aside and was strong for him.
Soon David was put in the . This gave him the feeling that there was no more left. He looked at me and said, “ Faye, I am dying; let’s that. All I want you to do is to remember me, life and be careful.” For the first time in front of him, I cried.
June 5, 2012 the end of David’s life. He went . That was a comfort all in its own. In a way I was that it was over, for he was no longer in pain.
It hasn’t been a year yet, but I am no longer that casual teenager. I now people about ADIS, and David is still with me and always will be, in mind and .
A．casual B．considerate C．determined D．cautious
A．hoped B．thought C．planned D．sensed
A．anger B．excited C．rags D．tears
A．leaving B．going C．dying D．changing
A．thoughtful B．careful C．meaningless D．powerless
A．something B．nothing C．anything D．everything
A．death B．pain C．illness D．stress
A．and B．so C．but D．or
A．go over B．go through C．go about D．go down
A．for his good B．at his convenience C．to his credit D．in his place
A．emotions B．strengths C．bravery D．happiness
A．school B．hospital C．ambulance D．avenue
A．cure B．treatment C．courage D．hope
A．suspect B．tolerate C．accept D．reject
A．possess B．enjoy C．respect D．create
A．sighed B．signaled C．showed D．marked
A．peacefully B．gradually C．patiently D．steadily
A．embarrassed B．shamefully C．disappointed D．glad
A．consult B．tease C．educate D．entertain
A．peace B．knowledge C．spirit D．imagination
I grew up in a tiny Baltimore row house in a faraway mountain area. My parents ______ the necessities of life but they couldn’t give much more. If I asked my father for a pair of jeans, he would say, “ If you want them, make the money and buy them yourself.” He wasn’t being mean; he just couldn’t ______ them. From age 12 on, I did part-time jobs after school.
When I ______ from high school, I joined the navy. Soon I was in a boot camp(新兵训练营) at Parris Island, S.C., where I learned that life in the navy centered around completing daily ______. These could be anything from cleaning the camp to conducting mock(模拟的) battles. Completing these tasks successfully ______ discipline, team-work and responsibility. It didn’t ______ whether you were black, white or Asian; everyone worked together for the ______ of the company.
I went on to graduate from the U.S. Naval Academic and later became an officer in the navy. The part of my job I ______ most was the consulting(咨询) meetings I ______ with the family members of the men and women in my ______, trying to help them deal with the long periods of ______. These proved popular and word of them spread. Before long I was being asked to give encouraging ______ to business groups, educators and kids across the country.
But I consider the boot camp my first real ______, and my life is still guided by the ______ lessons I learned there. It taught me discipline, friendship and the pride related to setting a task every day and working hard to ______ it.
A．provided B．got C．made D．bought
A．pay B．find C．produce D．afford
A．came B．returned C．escaped D．graduated
A．drills B．tasks C．exercises D．reports
A．included B．asked C．required D．met
A．matter B．mean C．exist D．work
A．good B．staff C．rest D．right
A．took B．hated C．enjoyed D．did
A．ended B．began C．continued D．held
A．charge B．situation C．position D．choice
A．lessons B．meetings C．training D．separation
A．gifts B．descriptions C．speeches D．performances
A．vacation B．place C．job D．travel
A．important B．bitter C．normal D．difficult
A．gain B．achieve C．show D．match
From the time I was seven, I had a dream of becoming a member of the Students Union. I always my school leaders for taking responsibility for all of us. So I dreamed of being a leader.
Years flew by, and soon I was able to take part in the elections(选举), I would win. But the reality proved that I hadn't had a chance. I wasn't pretty. Girls in the school hardly knew me. I just did not have what it to win a school election. I was .
As I cried in my room that evening, I suddenly took a deep breath and decided I wouldn't stop dreaming. I decided that I would for elections again in my final year at school—and I would the election.
I recognized that my had a lot of things in their favor. What were in favor? I had good grades, and I was friendly and helpful. And my biggest was the faith I had. I would not allow my plain appearance to hold me from my heading forward. That evening, I my election plans a whole year ahead of time.
I realized that girls would have to get to know me and recognize that I had the ability to them. I loved making friends and I liked being helpful, I decided that perhaps I could use these qualities to win. In order to learn how to give a great election , I also attended a course on effective public speaking.
The day after the election, when the headmaster announced I won the second highest number of votes, the students . That joy on the faces of all my friends showed me that my victory was theirs.
Suddenly, I realized that I had much more than I had dreamed of. I had made many new friends and had helped people along the way. I had won the and love of my schoolmates and they me as somebody who would stand by them. I was able to put a smile on their faces and their day.
A．admired B．remembered C．praised D．believed
A．hoping B．planning C．pretending D．judging
A．offered B．provided C．meant D．took
A．concerned B．upset C．surprised D．angry
A．pay B．speak C．enter D．wait
A．beat B．win C．defeat D．earn
A．competitors B．classmates C．enemies D．schoolmates
A．their B．your C．our D．my
A．problem B．strength C．worry D．dream
A．in B．up C．out D．back
A．began B．discussed C．announced D．challenged
A．consider B．accompany C．represent D．support
A．but B．and C．so D．or
A．research B．speech C．meeting D．promise
A．nodded B．gathered C．cheered D．cried
A．only B．still C．almost D．also
A．achieved B．avoided C．devoted D．developed
A．announcement B．recognition C．communication D．excitement
A．consider B．speak C．tell D．say
A．enlarge B．wish C．brighten D．experience