Knowing how much her own children loved presents at Christmas, Ann Sutton, a social worker, always tried to seek help for one or two poor families. This year, Kinzie, Ann’s seven-year-old daughter, was 31 that Santa Claus would make a special visit to a young mother named Ashley who worked in a factory and was 32 her 12-month-old son, Evan, and her 12-year-old brother, Kenny, by herself.
At a 33 dinner, the phone rang. A representative from a local charity was calling to say that the 34 Ann had requested for Ashley had been cancelled. No Santa Claus, no presents, nothing. Ann saw the cheer fade away from her children's faces at the news. Without a word, she 35 down from her chair and ran from the room. Now, it didn't feel much 36 Christmas anymore. Kinzie returned, her face set with determination. She had opened up her piggy 37 , and now she counted out the coins and broken dollar 38 , one by one, onto the dining table: $3.30. Everything she had.
“Mom,” she told Ann, “I know it's not much. 39 maybe this will buy a present for the baby.”
Then 40 everyone was reaching into pockets and purses. Adding to Kinzie's gift became a game, with everyone 41 for loose change. By the time the search ended, there was a small mountain of bills and a neat pile of coins. The 42 : $130, plenty for a Christmas for three. “God multiplied your gift,” Ann said to Kinzie.
That evening, Kinzie went with her mother and sister to 43 the money.
On Christmas Eve, Ann 44 through the pouring rain to the small cottage where the family lived. When Ashley opened the door, Ann stood under her umbrella and 45 the astonished woman a merry Christmas. Then she began to 46 the gifts from the car, handing them to Ashley one by one. Ashley laughed in disbelief, and still the presents came. Ann abandoned the umbrella, and the young woman joined her in the rain, passing gifts 47 to Kenny. “Please, can I open up just one tonight?” he begged. Soon both women were 48 to the skin, and surprise had turned to something 49 , the kind of joy that brought them close to tears.
Reflecting on a little girl's generosity, Ashley says she hopes she'll one day be able to do something similar for someone else in 50 . “Kinzie could have used that money for herself, but she gave it away,” Ashley says. “She's the type of kid I'd like my son to grow up to be.”
A．disappointed B．pleased C．surprised D．puzzled
A．raising B．teaching C．helping D．protecting
A．sorrowful B．joyful C．pitiful D．grateful
A．reward B．job C．aid D．prize
A．knelt B．fell C．rolled D．slipped
A．like B．at C．over D．for
A．pocket B．case C．basket D．bank
A．checks B．bills C．receipts D．signs
A．So B．And C．But D．or
A．hopefully B．luckily C．obviously D．suddenly
A．hunting B．struggling C．rushing D．trading
A．goal B．budget C．total D．maximum
A．spend B．save C．distribute D．collect
A．looked B．drove C．wandered D．walked
A．owed B．offered C．brought D．wished
A．unload B．separate C．divide D．choose
A．out B．inside C．down D．up
A．wet B．excited C．close D．familiar
A．sadder B．heavier C．wilder D．deeper
A．vain B．store C．need D．touch
College was the best of times and the worst of times for me. I met the best friends of my life, had 21 experiences, but I also folded under more 22 than I ever had to deal with before. 23 bad grades, I ended up being asked to take a semester off at the end of the first semester of my senior year.
So I went back home to 24 with my father and stepmother. To their credit, they understood me and were very cool about my coming back. I felt their 25 from the moment I walked in the door. They 26 to let me feel like a failure.
One morning not long after I had come home, my father woke me up saying that my stepmother 27 on the kitchen floor. I went downstairs trying to perform CPR on her 28 it was too late. She was already dead of a massive heart attack.
I’ll never 29 the look on my father’s face when he was given the official news of her passing. I knew at that moment that I had to be 30 because he needed someone to lean on. It was as if our roles had 31 and I was being the protective parent while he took the time to 32 .
I guess the lesson I took from it is that even in our 33 moments we can still be of help to someone who is 34 something much harder. It’s so easy to close ourselves off to the things going on around us, and 35 feel that we are the only ones 36 . Helping someone else could actually help us 37 ourselves.
Needlessly to say I went back to college the next semester, and I studied harder and got my 38 . My father and I developed a bond that was 39 closer than it already was, and I have a much better ability to keep 40 times in perspective.（适当地）
A．hopeful B．careful C．difficult D．enjoyable
A．chance B．stress C．doubt D．pleasure
A．Because of B．In spite of C．Instead of D．For fear of
A．talk B．share C．live D．help
A．despair B．panic C．support D．hope
A．expected B．attempted C．pretended D．refused
A．fell over B．passed out C．turned over D．broke out
A．for B．so C．but D．and
A．forget B．repeat C．imagine D．recognize
A．selfless B．wealthy C．healthy D．strong
A．shaken B．exchanged C．begun D．strengthened
A．react B．relieve C．change D．improve
A．special B．last C．darkest D．busiest
A．going through B．searching for C．looking through D．preparing for
A．probably B．eagerly C．strangely D．naturally
A．falling B．hurting C．working D．thinking
A．teach B．enjoy C．fool D．heal
A．degree B．lesson C．job D．prize
A．enough B．ever C．even D．still
A．bad B．free C．poor D．modern
Although in 1947 we were still very new to the atomic age, we knew about mushroom clouds. A huge crack (裂缝) spread across the library wall upstairs, sending teachers and __31__ screaming down the hall.
Had a new world war started? Palefaced, our young science teacher quickly__32__us for a fire drill. We huddled (卷缩) in little groups on the beach side of the school grounds and__33__the spreading cloud darken the bright spring sky.
Rumors flew every which way，__34__two hours would pass before we got the full story. One rumor we heard was that the Texas City Monsanto Chemical plant had__35__； children whose parents__36__there began to cry.
I__37__—that was where my father was working that day.
The school bell called us back inside, and we were dismissed (解散) to__38__our way home the best way we could. I'd walked a quarter of the threemile trip to my home__39__a car horn frightened me to__40__. My Uncle Barney__41__alongside me in his old Ford. The instant I saw him, I knew my father__42__. Otherwise, Papa would have__43__for me himself.
As if in slow motion from a great distance, Uncle Barney motioned for me to__44__. Numb with grief, I crawled into the back__45__. I barely took notice of the man sitting there, and didn't recognize him until he__46__me. When Papa put his strong arms around me, I forgot for a moment that Cherokees aren't supposed to__47__.
Many of my fellow students lost their__48__in the explosion. Tragedy would one day come to our__49__， as it inevitably (不可避免地) comes to all, but one day Texas City blew up, it miraculously (奇迹般地) passed us by. Because he lost his keys on that April morning, as he explained, my father lived for__50__32 years—we were to have a second lifetime forever.
A．headmaster B．students C．workers D．books
A．organized B．ordered C．made D．asked
A．heard B．smelled C．watched D．felt
A．when B．as C．as if D．although
A．blown up B．been closed C．been opened D．been on fire
A．lived B．worked C．studied D．visited
A．smiled B．frightened C．froze D．worried
A．make B．feel C．push D．find
A．when B．while C．as D．for
A．decision B．attention C．feeling D．expression
A．pulled up B．pulled out C．pulled in D．pulled off
A．was there B．was here C．was gone D．was alone
A．gone B．come C．left D．stopped
A．get off B．get over C．get through D．get in
A．seat B．chair C．stool D．bag
A．looked at B．helped C．reached for D．called on
A．cry B．laugh C．excite D．shout
A．teachers B．relatives C．friends D．parents
A．class B．family C．school D．house
A．other B．others C．another D．the other
Unchangeable Love
One day I visited an art museum while waiting for my husband to finish a business meeting．I was expecting a quiet view of the splendid 36 ．
A young 37 viewing the paintings ahead of me 38 nonstop between themselves．I watched them a moment and __39___ the lady was doing all the talking．I admired the man's 40 for putting up with her 41 stream of words． 42 by their noise, I moved on．
I met them several times as I moved through the various rooms of art．Each time I heard her constant flow of words, I moved away 43 ．
I was standing at the counter of the museum gift shop making a 44 when the couple approached the 45 ．Before they left, the man 46 into his pocket and pulled out a white object．He 47 it into a long stick and then tapped his way into the 48 to get his wife's jacket．
"He's a 49 man．" the clerk at the counter said．"Most of us would give up if we were blinded at such a young age．During his recovery, he made a promise his life wouldn't change．
So, as before, he and his wife come in 50 there is a new art show．"
"But what does he get out of the art?" I asked．"He can't see．"
"Can't see! You're 51 ．He sees a lot．More than you and I do," the clerk said．"His wife 52 each painting so he can see it in his head．"
I learned something about patience, 53 and love that day．I saw the patience of a young wife describing paintings to a person without __54_ and the courage of a husband who would not 55 blindness to change his life．And I saw the love shared by two people as I watched this couple walk away, hand in hand．
A．vases B．statues C．paintings D．scenery
A．lady B．couple C．man D．clerk
A．chatted B．argued C．discussed D．spoke
A．found B．finding C．to find D．find
A．knowledge B．confidence C．wisdom D．patience
A．interesting B．boring C．continuous D．funny
A．Interested B．Discouraged C．Surprised D．Interrupted
A．quickly B．seriously C．anxiously D．angrily
A．comment B．decision C．purchase D．list
A．entrance B．exit C．front D．queue
A．reached B．held C．put D．turned
A．made B．lengthened C．brought D．changed
A．shop B．counter C．hall D．coatroom
A．brave B．kind C．rough D．blind
A．wherever B．whatever C．whichever D．whenever
A．silly B．wrong C．humorous D．unique
A．describes B．draws C．shows D．tells
A．curiosity B．pride C．enthusiasm D．courage
A．expectation B．support C．sight D．hesitation
A．get B．hope C．allow D．stop
I always think my spoken English is so poor that I can’t communicate with
native English speakers well. So after going to the college, I take as 36 English lessons as I can. 37 I am free, I go to English corners and 38 English lessons and lectures. To my surprise, I can understand most of 39 of the professors who come from Canada, and the USA. However, I haven’t had more 40 to talk to them in English.
Although I 41 English articles out aloud every day, I am not sure if I can make myself 42 by native English speakers. How I hope I can talk to 43 English speakers for a while. I went to the English 44 as usual last night. Surprisingly, there were three foreigners sitting there. There , however, were several Chinese students around them, too. “I must not 45 this chance,” I said to myself.
“Hi, nice to meet you.” I 46 to one of them.
“Nice to meet you too.” He put out his hand. We 47 hands, what a warm hand! Then I 48 myself to him. When I told him that I had 49 English by myself for three years, he said that it was 50 and my English was so good. His words gave me a lot of 51 . At that time he hadn’t had dinner. He asked us if it was rude or 52 to talk to us while he was eating (a) 53 . We, said we didn’t 54 that, only
if he was 55 to talk to us. He smiled and began to eat his supper.
A．much B．many C．some D．most
A．As long as B．As much as C．As far as D．As soon as
A．learn B．make C．take D．hold
A．lectures B．ideas C．opinions D．suggestions
A．energy B．courage C．time D．chances
A．talk B．speak C．see D．read
A．recognized B．understood C．heard D．realized
A．many B．nice C．native D．local
A．corner B．wall C．house D．club
A．miss B．catch C．get D．pass
A．laughed B．cried C．shouted D．smiled
A．joined B．put C．waved D．shook
A．explained B．introduced C．said D．told
A．used B．wrote C．learnt D．taught
A．impossible B．possible C．unacceptable D．unbelievable
A．encouragement B．surprise C． responsibility D．glory
A．polite B．impolite C．friendly D．lovely
A．lunch B．breakfast C．meal D．rice
A．care B．like C．love D．enjoy
A．anxious B．likely C．willing D．able
Miss Lovely began to work in our office last year. She thought she was 36 and hardly talked with us . Her house was a little far from our company and she had to go to work 37 every day.
Of course, she had to spend a lot of 38 on this, She decided to have her own car, and began to 39 how to drive two months ago . Now she was able to drive, but had to 40 a license before she could buy a car. It took her a week to 41 the traffic regulations. She was sure she would 42 the examinations.
It was finally time for her to take the examinations yesterday. Miss Lovely didn’t come to work. We 43 she would drive her new car to our company this morning. But to our 44 she came here by taxi and didn’t tell anybody about it. None of us asked her the 45 but her face clearly showed she had 46 in the exams.
This afternoon one of our workmates told us 47 had happened to the girl when she was 48. Yesterday the chief examiner had asked her some questions, but she could answer only a 49 .For example,“Would you run over a man or a dog if you see them both in the middle of the 50 ?”
“Of course I’d run over the dog ,sir”, Miss Lovely answered without 51 .
“I’m sorry to tell you, Miss Lovely,”the examiner shook his 52 and said ,“you have to take the examination again!”
“I don’t think my answers were 53 ,sir”the girl said in a hurry.“I 54 run over a man, you know!”
“Ｉagree with your 55, Miss Lovely,”the chief examiner said with a smile,“but why not brake（刹车）？”
A．old B．foolish C．clever D．kind
A．by taxi B．by train C．on foot D．by plane
A．time B．money C．energy D．room
A．teach B．plan C．operate D．learn
A．find B．apply for C．look for D．make
A．learn B．forget C．teach D．break
A．take B．prepare C．explain D．pass
A．surprise B．joy C． anger D．pleasure
A．name B．reason C． rule D．notice
A．believed B．heard C．found D．failed
A．why B．how C．what D．when
A．ill B．alone C．in D．out
A．few B．several C．all D．lot
A．room B．playground C．hospital D．road
A．asking B．thinking C．discussing D．advising
A．foot B．nose C．ears D．head
A．wrong B．correct C．right D．true
A．can B．needn’t C．can’t D．need
A．car B．opinion C．fact D．purpose
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