A strange thing happened to me last Sunday. It was such a beautiful day ________ I drove to go for a look in the country.
On the way back home, my ________ stopped. It was out of gas on a ________ road far from a town! I decided to walk until I found someone ________ could sell some gas. I had walked almost a mile ________ I finally found a house near the ________ . I was glad to see it because it was getting dark.
I knocked at the door and a little old lady with long white hair ________ . She said, “I’ve been ________ for you here for a long time. Come in. ________is almost ready.”
“But I only came for some gas,” I answered. I couldn’t ________ what she was talking about.
“Oh, Alfred! Gas? You ________tea,” said she.
I quickly ________ that my car was out of________ , but she didn’t seem to listen to me. She just kept ________ me Alfred and talking about how long it had been ________ she had seen me. She was acting very strangely and I was anxious to leave. As soon as she went to get tea, I went out of the house as fast as I ________ .
________, there was another house down the road and I was able to buy the gas I needed. When I told the man about my ________, he said, “Oh, that’s Miss Emily. She lives by herself in that big house. She’s strange, but she wouldn’t ________ anybody. She is still waiting for the man she was going to marry thirty years ago. The day before their wedding he left home and ________ came back because of the war.”
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I've spent most of my career as a traveling salesman, and so I know that 36 is an occupational disease．But one year, my 37 gave me the cure for my homesickness．
It had black bright eyes, a red bow tie and orange feet—a stuffed penguin（企鹅）that 38 about five inches tall．Attached to its left wing 39 a little sign with the hand-painted declaration "I Love My Dad! "．I 40 the penguin at once on my table．
On my next trip, I put the penguin in my suitcase．That night when I 41__ home, my daughter Jeanine was 42 because the penguin had disappeared．"Honey, he's here with me, " I explained, "I brought him 43 ."
44 , the penguin came with me—as necessary as my briefcase．And we __45 along the way．In Albuquerque, I checked into a 46 , dropped my bag and ran to a meeting．When I returned, the maid had 47 the bed and stood the penguin on the pillow．
One night, I discovered the penguin 48 , and after a mad phone call, I learned I' d 49 it in my previous hotel room, 50 it had been rescued by a maid．I __51 a hundred miles to get it, and when I arrived at midnight, the penguin was waiting at the front desk．In the hotel lobby（大厅）, other tired business travelers were __52 at the reunion of my penguin and me---I think with a bit of 53 ．
Jeanine is in college now, and I don't travel 54 . The penguin sits on my table, a reminder that love is a wonderful traveling companion．All those years on 55 , it was the one thing I never left home without．
A．cold B．hunger C．loneliness D．fever
A．wife B．daughter C．friend D．mother
A．stood B．lay C．jumped D．climbed
A．wrote B．turned C．was D．had
A．threw B．lost C．ordered D．placed
A．drove B．called C．wrote D．went
A．upset B．happy C．glad D．excited
A．up B．off C．along D．down
A．From now on B．In the future C．In future D．From then on
A．had friends B．had friend C．made friends D．made friend
A．school B．hotel C．shop D．supermarket
A．given B．turned C．made D．carried
A．sleeping B．going C．living D．missing
A．forgot B．left C．ordered D．sent
A．there B．when C．where D．how
A．ran B．walked C．hurried D．drove
A．surprised B．frightened C．looked D．laughed
A．anger B．admiration C．sadness D．illness
A．as many B．as seldom C．so few D．as much
A．the hotel B．the meeting C．the trip D．the house
Sports are full of wonderful moments, but perhaps36 is as exciting as the finish of the marathon. It is the longest, hardest37 of all. The name “marathon” comesfromavillage in 38 .Afamousbattle was 39 there in the year 490 BC. When the Greeks had beaten the Persians, a soldier40 all the way 41 Marathon to Athens, more than 40 kilometers to 42 people the good 43 . When the modern Olympic Games44 in 1896, the organizers knew this45 . The marathon has been a race46 that time.
In the ancient world the Olympic Games were held47 four years of 1000 years. They were an important partoflife. Inthe48 Gameswetrytocopy their49 . The finest sportsmen in the world are collected in one place 50 at least the finest “amateurs（业余爱好者 ） ” are. An amateur is someone who does not earn 51 money from sport. It is often difficult to say who is an amateur and who is not. It is 52 that Olympic athletes do not earn large amounts of money like professional （职业的）sportsmen. But Olympic athletes are often students orteachers of a53 . They haveto54 a lot of time training. Their governments pay for their training travel and pocket money, 55 they want them to win. Some people think this changes the Olympics. They feel that the Games are now a political marathon.
A．something B．everything C．anything D．nothing
A．run B．race C．game D．match
A．Greece B．England C．America D．France
A．broken out B．fought C．happened D．taken place
A．went B．drove C．ran D．walked
A．in B．of C．with D．from
A．tell B．say C．talk D．show
A．story B．film C．result D．news
A．held B．broke out C．had D．started
A．news B．soldier C．story D．race
A．at B．from C．after D．since
A．in B．each C．every D．after
A．modern B．exciting C．interesting D．important
A．plans B．diaries C．ideas D．programs
A．and B．but C．where D．or
A．some B．any C．a little D．much
A．true B．false C．a lie D．interesting
A．country B．lesson C．game D．sport
A．use B．take C．spend D．cost
A．as B．because C．since D．if
I was a publishing director and was looking forward to embracing a new day of work, as always，that morning．
I would always turn to the crossword, but that day it didn't 31 I'd been doing it for 30 odd years, but trying to read this one was like treading through syrup（糖浆）: 32 slow and hard． I thought I must be tired． I said to my assistant． The 33 colleague contacted my wife, Beth, and she drove me straight to hospital． There, confirmation came that I'd had a stroke in the part of my brain that 34 communication． I was now in a condition that means it's difficult or 35 to receive and produce language． It was the only time I 36．
I was back at home a week later, and my goal was to get better and 37 Work in a couple of months． The way to 38 my language ability was rough． I'd look at simple pictures and try to describe them as my mind 39 round and round in the darkness, looking for words．
As the months passed it became 40 that I wasn't going to be able to go back to my old job． For 25 years, I had 41 myself as a publisher． I was used to a busy day of meetings． I enjoyed colleagues and the 42 I'd had． I didn’t feel ready to say goodbye to my old self． There were times when I felt incredibly 43．
In the darkest months, I devoted myself to 44． I couldn't manage novels or newspapers, 45 I tried reading poetry, and found the shorter lines less overwhelming． My speech came back, and I learned how to read again, though much more slowly． I also learned the 46 to keep up． I allowed myself to slow down, and started to enjoy it．
47 , I rid of my old skin． I grieved the past, its passing and its absence, and started to 48 it． Now, 10 years later, I look after my grandson a day a week, and my relationship with my family is deeper than ever． If you'd asked me 15 years ago to 49 the importance of the things in my life I might have said work, but now I'm no longer a high-achieving publisher． I'm a 50 man．
A．wear off B．make any sense C．count up D．pay off
A．temporarily B．scarcely C．incredibly D．savagely
A．curious B．reserved C．rigid D．concerned
A．calls for B．deals with C．suffers from D．responds to
A．practical B．absurd C．impossible D．innocent
A．prayed B．cried C．failed D．withdrew
A．contribute to B．agree to C．return to D．appeal to
A．obtaining B．rebuilding C．revealing D．improving
A．slipped B．doubted C．wandered D．reckoned
A．messy B．flexible C．straightforward D．self-evident
A．informed B．estimated C．reflected D．defined
A．extinction B．reward C．agenda D．status
A．angry B．acute C．prejudiced D．merciless
A．speaking B．trying C．writing D．managing
A．since B．until C．SO D．as
A．favor B．patience C．coincidence D．comfort
A．Gradually B．Hopefully C．Narrowly D．Annually
A．keep up with B．come to terms with C．get around to D．live up to
A．arrange B．compare C．rank D．declare
A．genius B．community C．dignity D．family
Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. 36 man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon. His bed was next to the room's only 37 . The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.
They talked for hours 38 . Every afternoon when the man by the window could sit up, he 39 pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window. The other man felt his world would be 40 and enlivened by all the wonderful world outside.
The window overlooked a 41 with a lovely lake. Ducks played on the water while children 42 their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm in flowers. A fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the 43 .
As the man by the window described all this in delicate 44 , the other man would close his eyes and 45 the picturesque scene. One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade 46 . 47 the other man couldn't hear the band, he could see it in his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window pictured it with 48 words.
Days and weeks passed.
One morning, the nurse arrived, 49 to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and had the body taken away.
The other man asked to be 50 next to the window. Painfully, he sat up to take his first look at the world outside. 51 , he would have the joy of seeing it for himself.
He slowly turn to look out the window. It faced a blank wall.
The man asked the nurse what could have 52 his roommate to describe such wonderful things outside. The nurse 53 that the man was blind. "Perhaps he just wanted to 54 you."
Shared grief is half the sorrow, 55 happiness when shared, is doubled.
A．The one B．One C．Another D．This
A．entrance B．exit C．passage D．window
A．on end B．in vain C．at ease D．after all
A．would B．should C．might D．could
A．shortened B．deepened C．broadened D．sharpened
A．courtyard B．market C．wood D．park
A．flew B．designed C．sailed D．swapped
A．distance B．way C．process D．course
A．effect B．particular C．detail D．relief
A．expose B．imagine C．realize D．spot
A．passing away B．passing by C．passing down D．passing out
A．Because B．As C．Once D．Although
A．descriptive B．productive C．sensitive D．tentative
A．strangely B．surprisingly C．sceptically D．only
A．substituted B．offered C．switched D．organized
A．Willingly B．Finally C．Generously D．Occasionally
A．sacrificed B．referred C．motivated D．intended
A．responded B．respected C．requested D．resisted
A．recover B．defend C．observe D．encourage
A．or B．but C．so D．and
Many Tuesday mornings. I have coffee with my father. Although my father is a man of few words, I really 1 the time along with him.
One recent Tuesday, I found it a bit 2 when I rang the doorbell, no one seemed to be home. I climbed in through the window, noticing the lights that shone from the kitchen, and 3 that my dad must be there, but he wasn’t. I 4 through his home, checking every room. I tried not to 5 . Yet, upstairs, downstairs, no Dad anywhere.
I was worried . 6 , my father was seventy-one years old. Anything could have happened to him. Then, I got in my car and drove to my mother’s aerobics（有氧运动）class.
On the drive, I thought a lot about my father and our 7 together. Suddenly, I was three years old and he was 8 me up to the living room window to see the Christmas lights. In his 9 , I was safe and secure. At age ten, he used to wake me up with warm breakfast in bed. Then I was twelve and my dad was 10 all the kids at my birthday party with his magic tricks. I was so 11 of my father for being so 12 and talented. He’d made my party a 13 .
As I entered my mother’s class. I was nervous. My mom looked at me in 14.
“Mom, where’s Dad?” I asked, “He’s working in the 15 on the side of the house!” she answered.
And I hurried to my car and 16 back to the yard. “Hey, Dad!” I yelled out and told him about my fears of the last half hour. My dad 17 laughing his typical laugh that was always 18 . I was so thankful that I still had my daddy. And so , as I 19 the door to my father’s house, we went inside for our usual cup of coffee.
Thanks, Daddy, for all the 20 and more importantly, for all your love.
A．dislike B．share C．get D．enjoy
A．dangerous B．unusual C．joyful D．relaxing
A．decided B．hoped C．expected D．wondered
A．lived B．pulled C．hurried D．came
A．cry B．panic C．believe D．confirm
A．Above all B．In all C．After all D．For all
A．journey B．family C．interest D．past
A．holding B．picking C．calling D．bringing
A．heart B．chest C．eyes D．arms
A．amazing B．cheating C．inviting D．providing
A．sure B．aware C．proud D．afraid
A．honest B．special C．lucky D．practical
A．feast B．prize C．secret D．success
A．anger B．worry C．sorrow D．surprise
A．yard B．kitchen C．room D．home
A．fought B．raced(疾驰) C．looked D．fled
A．kept B．remembered C．began D．stopped
A．bitter B．simple C．familiar D．tight
A．closed B．unlocked C．kicked D．knocked
A．memories B．chances C．assistance D．advice