My grandparents were married for over half a century, and played their own special game from the time they had met each other. The goal of their game was to write the word "shmily" in a 31 place for the other to find. They took turns leaving "shmily" around the house, and as soon as one of them 32 it, it was their turn to hide it once more.
There was no 33 to the places where "shmily" would appear. Sometimes, "Shmily" was written in the 34 left on the mirror after a hot shower, where it would reappear bath after bath. 35 , my grandmother even unrolled an entire roll of toilet paper to 36 "shmily" on the very last sheet.
It took me a long time before I was able to fully 37 my grandparents' game. It was 38 their funny little game; it was a way of life. Grandma and Grandpa held hands every chance they could. They 39 kisses as they ran into each other in their tiny kitchen. Before every meal they bowed their heads and gave their 40 : a wonderful family, good fortune, and 41 .
But there was a 42 cloud in my grandparents' life: my grandmother had breast cancer, which had first appeared ten years earlier. As always, Grandpa was with her every
43 of the way. He comforted her in their yellow room, painted that way 44____ she could always be surrounded by sunshine, even when she was too 45 to go outside. Then one day, what we all 46 finally happened. Grandma was gone.
"Shmily." It was written in yellow on the pink ribbons of my grandmother's funeral bouquet. As the crowd 47 and the last mourners (哀悼者) turned to leave, my aunts, uncles, cousins and other family members 48 and gathered around Grandma 49 . Grandpa stepped up to my grand-mother's casket and, 50 with sorrow, he began to sing to her. Through his tears and grief, the song came, a deep and throaty lullaby (摇篮曲).
SHMILY: See how much I love you.
A．exact B．surprising C．usual D．regular
A．discovered B．defeated C．folded D．announced
A．start B．point C．doubt D．end
A．steam B．water C．air D．dust
A．In an instant B．As a result C．At one point D．Once for all
A．link B．leave C．find D．attract
A．enjoy B．attend C．handle D．appreciate
A．similar to B．due to C．rather than D．more than
A．rejected B．lacked C．stole D．assessed
A．blessings B．orders C．guides D．treats
A．a peaceful world B．each other C．delicious food D．happy time
A．colorful B．dark C．strange D．splendid
A．step B．minute C．time D．moment
A．in case B．even if C．as well as D．so that
A．comfortable B．sick C．cautious D．thrilled
A．hoped B．dreamed C．feared D．loved
A．thinned B．increased C．swelled D．approached
A．came forward B．set off C．broke away D．sat down
A．over and over again B．for one thing C．one last time D．here and there
A．shaking B．smiling C．leaving D．praying
Zhu Hengjun, a 52-year-old ginger(姜) grower, feels very depressed. Although he’s ______ with the decrease in his earnings compared with last year, he feels fortunate that he has _______ a contract with a processing company that ______ a competitive price. ______ he not done this, Zhu might have been ______ serious losses, in common with many other growers this year.
“I heard that a lot of growers have ______ losses this year. To be honest, I feel lucky because ______ I didn’t lose money,” said Zhu, from Zhangli Village in the city of Laiwu in East China’s Shandong Province.
Currently,70 percent of the area ______ with ginger in Laiwu is jointly developed by farmers and enterprise,______ the deputy head of this district.
Zhu ______ 6,000 kilograms(kg) of ginger produced on his 1,330 square meters of farmland to a local company ______ a price of 1.4 yuan (22 cents) a kg in mid-October. In doing so, he didn’t earn much money but ______ manage to balance his costs of around 8,000 yuan.
In recent years, Chinese farmers have often suffered from the severe price turbulence(动荡) that has ______ crops such as ginger, garlic and mung beans. The uncertainties have ______ them to seek new ways to avoid losses ______ by price fluctuations.
The price of ginger has ______ rapidly in recent years, prompting an increasing number of farmers to grow the crop. ______, in late October it fell by more than 70 percent, ______ with the same period in 2010.
In Laiwu, a major production base for ginger, farmers have ______ to form a targeted sales relationship with the processing companies as insurance against the ______ of fluctuating(波动的) prices.
A．pleased B．anxious C．worried D．disappointed
A．signed B．sighed C．resigned D．designed
A．supplies B．provides C．offers D．extends
A．Has B．If C．Had D．Did
A．faced B．facing C．undergone D．experienced
A．endured B．bore C．suffered D．experienced
A．at most B．as well C．at least D．in fact
A．planted B．grew C．planting D．growing
A．as for B．as to C．according to D．in spite of
A．purchased B．sold C．bought D．shopped
A．in B．for C．with D．at
A．doesn’t B．did C．has D．had
A．effected B．affected C．been influenced D．infected
A．argued B．made C．urged D．forced
A．causing B．producing C．caused D．taken
A．raised B．risen C．arisen D．decreased
A．However B．Still C．Otherwise D．Whereas
A．to compare B．compared C．comparing D．was compared
A．expected B．sought C．refused D．attempted
A．benefit B．harm C．danger D．risk
A LESSON FROM A FROG TALE
A group of frogs were jumping through the woods when two of them fell into a deep hole. All of the other frogs______ around the hole to see what could be done to help their ______. When they saw how deep the hole was, the rest of the group ______ that it was hopeless and told the two frogs in the hole that they should prepare themselves for their fate（命运）, because they were as good as ______.
Unwilling to accept this terrible fate, the two frogs began to jump with all their ______. Some of the frogs shouted into the hole that it was ______, and that the two frogs wouldn’t be in that ______ if they had been more careful.
The other frogs continued ______ shouting that they two should save their ______ and give up, since they were already as good as dead. The two frogs ______ jumping as hard as they could, and after several hours of hopeless ______ they were quite tired.
Finally, one of the two frogs followed the calls of his fellows. Disheartened, he lay down at the ______ of the hole, and died as the others looked on in helpless sorrow. The other frog continued to jump with every bit of energy he had, ______ he was completely worn out.
His companions began a new shouting to him to accept his fate, stop the pain and ______ die. The frog jumped harder and harder and, wonder of wonders, finally jumped so ______ that he sprang from the hole. ______ , the other frogs celebrated his unbelievable freedom and then gathering around him and asked, “Why did you continue jumping when we told you it was impossible?” ______ their lips, the astonished frog explained to them that he was deaf, and that when he saw their gestures and shouting, he thought they were ______ him on. What he had got as ______ inspired him to try harder and finally succeeded.
This simple story contains a powerful lesson. Your encouraging words can ______ someone up and help him or her make it through the day.
A．jumped B．hung C．rushed D．gathered
A．relatives B．companions C．neighbors D．families
A．agreed B．added C．quarreled D．doubted
A．alive B．dead C．awake D．calm
A．mind B．skill C．strength D．courage
A．harmless B．endless C．careless D．hopeless
A．action B．situation C．direction D．competition
A．sorrowfully B．painfully C．carefully D．helpfully
A．time B．resource C．energy D．supply
A．stopped B．continued C．avoided D．started
A．climb B．wait C．fight D．effort
A．top B．edge C．bottom D．side
A．while B．however C．therefore D．although
A．worn B．tired C．cried D．torn
A．great B．well C．far D．high
A．Please B．Satisfied C．Amazed D．Amused
A．Looking B．Reading C．Seeing D．Checking
A．cheering B．praising C．persuading D．supporting
A．treatment B．entertainment C．achievement D．encouragement
A．hold B．lift C．bring D．build
Sheri Straily never knew how far life’s highway could take her ______ her dream for her children helped her find out...
Growing up, Sheri ____ thought for a moment that she’d ______ it to college. Instead, she took a job driving a tractor trailer. ______ years passed, Sheri fell in love，married and had three children. ______ she wanted to be close to home，she ______ to a desk job at the trucking company.
But one day after work, while Sheri was ______ her kids playing, she began to think, “I want them to achieve so much，but how can I afford to give them the ______ they’ll need, like college?”
Then it came to her：she was the one who needed ______ first.
“______ for it，”her husband encouraged her. So Sheri enrolled at the University of Denver’s Women’s College, ______ let her take all of her classes on weekends，so she ______ still work.
Though Sheri loved her ______, she missed home. Sheri would stay at home on weekends. ______ make the two-hour trip to school. “I wish I were home with Steve and the ______,”she’d think. But Eric，eight，Ryan，seven，and Kristin, five, ______ their mom all the way.“______ do your best,” they said.
Sheri did，getting straight A’s as she entered a ______ in business administration. Now she is attending the University of Denver Law School on a merit scholarship.
“It hasn’t been ______,”wrote Sheri, “but it’s ______ for me and my family.”
A．after B．before C．until D．once
A．never B．just C．ever D．even
A．hit B．make C．admit D．have
A．Since B．With C．While D．As
A．Because B．For C．Therefore D．Thus
A．asked B．returned C．switched D．sought
A．finding B．noticing C．seeing D．watching
A．opportunities B．money C．jobs D．career
A．school B．college C．help D．assistance
A．Go B．Search C．Get D．Come
A．that B．where C．which D．as
A．could B．must C．should D．may
A．teachers B．studies C．classmates D．job
A．rather than B．other than C．as well as D．less than
A．kids B．relatives C．husband D．parents
A．opposed B．backed C．agreed D．liked
A．Rarely B．Just C．Still D．Never
A．degree B．work C．job D．interview
A．difficult B．unusual C．ordinary D．easy
A．rewarding B．interesting C．moving D．demanding
It was one of the happiest times of my life. I was 29 and had just received my bachelor’s degree, graduating with honors ______ working two jobs and being a wife and mother. My ______ and five-year-old son were in the audience when I walked onto the stage at Ashland University to get my diploma. I was so excited and ______ to be starting a teaching career and contributing more to my family’s well-being.
But when I got back home that evening, there was a ______ from my husband. It basically said he’d come to get his clothes and wouldn’t be ______. We’d been having trouble, but the finality of that note still came as a shock. He had ______ our bank account. We were horribly in debt. I had ______ my previous jobs in expectation of interviewing for a teaching position. ______, I was eight months pregnant.
Most young women have an______ picture of the happy-go-lucky life they’re going to live. But no one ever sits you down and says that’s not ______ and sometimes life is just extremely ugly. It all caved in for me that night. I was embarrassed, scared, and angry and felt I had ______ .
But I had my son, and I was about to bring a new life into the world, so despite my deep______ , I had to go on. The next morning, I woke up, put my feet on the floor, took a deep breath, prepared breakfast, and basically did ______ I always did. I used my ______ to keep me moving. After being in the military for six years, I guess you can say I fell back on my training, like all good ______ do in tough situations.
And in the past seven years, I’ve continued moving ______. I got a job as a kindergarten teacher, earned a master’s degree in education, and ______ my babies grow to twelve and seven. I certainly would never have chosen to ______ them through this, but in review, I’m glad it happened to me when it did. It helped me to ______ my voice and myself a lot sooner. It helped me ______ independent, and confident — things I’m hopefully implanting(灌输) now in my children.
A．through B．for C．by D．despite
A．parents B．daughter C．husband D．family
A．pleasant B．proud C．surprised D．worried
A．letter B．message C．note D．mail
A．out B．off C．back D．away
A．emptied B．stolen C．opened D．erased
A．obtained B．quitted C．offered D．found
A．Thus B．Therefore C．Nevertheless D．Moreover
A．impressive B．ideal C．exciting D．intelligent
A．reality B．practice C．possibility D．fact
A．died B．declined C．failed D．finished
A．sympathy B．feeling C．love D．sadness
A．something B．anything C．nothing D．everything
A．routine B．rule C．mind D．story
A．workers B．soldiers C．teachers D．mothers
A．backward B．downward C．forward D．outward
A．saw B．watched C．noticed D．found
A．look B．let C．break D．put
A．find B．lose C．lower D．raise
A．stay B．grow C．remain D．keep
Sometimes a step-parent has to take a step back. When I was thirty-five, I met my husband and came to ______ his kids, aged 10 and 7. We ______ playing basketball and shopping for cartoon books and became great friends. Then I got ______.
In most ______ ,stepkids live with their mom and stepdad. This makes our case quite ______ . Four years into our marriage, after going between their mom’s place and ours, the boys______ in with us full-time.
I was ______ a part-time friend, so everything changed. For example, ______ the kids to help didn’t appear an important thing before, but now they became unwilling. Once, after I’d asked my elder stepson to set the table, he ______ said, “You’re not my mother; I don’t have to ______ you.”
It was ______ but I realized it was about keeping ______ clear in our new family life. I told him he was right—I wasn’t his mom; I was another person in his life who ______ him, and we needed to get things done ______ .
______ in a life-in situation, a step-parent isn’t the parent. You help with everything and ______ lots of hugs and laughs. But you also have to learn to stand in the ______ . For example, when there were only enough ______ for Mom and Dad to sit up front, I sat in back. It was hurtful, but I realized it wasn’t personal.
Today, my stepsons know where to find me, whether it’s for long chats or a(n) ______ e-mail to say hi. And I know where to find them. The caring is surely there, even if the ______ isn’t.
A．know B．teach C．understand D．instruct
A．passed time B．agreed on C．had fun D．set about
A．convinced B．separated C．changed D．married
A．places B．ways C．cases D．families
A．unusual B．similar C．positive D．difficult
A．came B．moved C．got D．ran
A．as well B．just now C．once again D．no longer
A．allowing B．getting C．advising D．inviting
A．quietly B．suddenly C．simply D．immediately
A．work for B．listen to C．stay with D．focus on
A．selfish B．impolite C．reasonable D．painful
A．roles B．duties C．quarrels D．records
A．supported B．envied C．loved D．bothered
A．properly B．together C．already D．easily
A．Still B．Even C．Also D．Then
A．have B．expect C．avoid D．share
A．shadows B．positions C．shelters D．sufferings
A．spots B．beds C．chairs D．tickets
A．special B．extra C．quick D．private
A．bloodline B．influence C．comfort D．respect
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