For 52 years my father got up every morning at 5:30 a.m., except Sunday, and went to work. I__41__saw my father home from work ill. He had no hobbies, __42__taking care of his family.
For 22 years, __43__I left home for college, my father__44__me every Sunday at 9:00 a.m.. He was always interested in my__45__,or how my family was doing, and I never once heard him__46__about his lot (生活状况) in life. The calls even came when he and my mother were in other states.
Nine years ago when I__47__my first house, my father, 67 years old, spent three days__48__my house. He would not__49__me to pay someone to have it done. All he __50__was a cup of tea, a paint brush and to talk to him. But I was too__51__.I had a law practice to run, and I could not take__52__to hold the brush, or talk to my father.__
53__things happened several times later.
The morning on Sunday. January 16, 1996, my father telephoned me__54__,this time from my sister’s home in Florida. But the__55__came again at 4:40 p.m. that day. My father was in the__56__in Florida with an aneurysm (动脉瘤)．I got on an a
irplane__57__, and on the way, I__58__of all the times I had not taken the time to talk to my father. I determined that when I arrived, I would__59__for the lost time, and have a nice long talk with him.
I arrived in Florida at 11:30 p.m., my father had__ 60__at 9:12 p.m.. This time it was he who did not have time to talk, or to wait for me.
.
．
A．ever B．never C．always D．often
A．except B．rather than C．more than D．or rather
B．before C．although D．since
A．visited B．praised C．telephoned D．met
A．work B．life D．plan
A．worry B．care C．talk D．look
A．built B．found C．bought D．sold
A．repairing B．painting C．cleaning D．decorating
A．teach B．order C．force D．allow
A．asked B．kept C．ordered D．served
A．smart B．upset C．busy D．tired
A．practice B．task C．tea D．time
A．Different C．Funny
A．as usual B．in pain C．casually D．finally
A．call B．moment C．situation D．scene
A．church B．school C．home D．hospital
A．immediately B．happily C．gradually D．carefully
A．heard B．spoke C．thought D．demanded
A．take up B．make up C．turn up D．put up
A．started out B．given in C．passed away D．come back
“ Down-to-earth” means someone or something that is honest, practical and easy to deal with．It is 36 to find someone who is down-to-earth．A person who is down-to-earth is easy to talk to 37 accepts other people as equals．A down-to-earth is just the 38 of someone who acts importantly and proudly.
Down-to-earth persons may be 39 members of society, of course．But they do not let their importance “ go to their 40 ”．They do not 41 themselves to be better persons than others of less importance, someone who is filled with his own importance and 42 , often without cause, is said to have “his nose in the air”．There is no way a person with his nose in the 43 can be down-to-earth．Americans use another expression that means almost the same 44 “down-to-earth”．The expression is “both-feet-on-the-ground”．Someone with both-feet-on-the-ground is a person 45 a good understanding of reality．He has what is called “ 46 sense”．He may have 47 , but he does not allow them to 48 his knowledge of what is real．The opposite kind of person is 49 who has his “head-in-the-clouds”．A man with his head in the clouds is a dreamer whose mind is not in the 50 world.
Sometimes 51 a dreamer can be brought back to earth． 52 words from a teacher can usually bring a day-dreaming student down-to-earth.
Usually, the person who is down-to-earth is very 53 to have both-feet-on-the-ground.
54 we have both our feet on-the-ground, when we are down-to-earth, we act 55 and openly toward others．Our lives are like the ground below us, solid and strong.
A．common B．sad C．pleasant D．surprising
A．but B．yet C．and D．while
A．kind B．like C．example D．opposite
A．important B．famous C．successful D．necessary
A．nose B．heads C．minds D．forehead
A．wish B．desire C．expect D．consider
A．proud B．pride C．famous D．fame
A．air B．sky C．tree D．cloud
A．like B．with C．of D．for
A．has B．who C．is D．with
A．usual B．ordinary C．common D．daily
A．dreams B．fortunes C．advantages D．luck
A．prevent B．protect C．block D．gain
A．one B．those C．that D．the one
A．reality B．real C．dreamful D．true
A．so B．such C．each D．that
A．Sharp B．No C．All D．Bad
A．able B．probable C．likely D．possible
A．When B．While C．As D．Since
A．kindly B．directly C．friendly D．honestly
My father was in the navy, which meant that my mother was married to both my father and the sea. As was often the case, we had to pack our belongings into boxes and 21 those we had grown to love. We would arrive at our new home and find ourselves once again 22 at the pier (码头) waving good-bye to my father as his 23 pulled him away from us. My mother would turn my brother and I around before the ship was out of 24 , wipe our tears, and take us back home to start the process of
25 in the new environment again.
Throughout the years of changing 26 , schools and friends, there remained one constant in my childhood — my mother. For both my 27 and I, she was the cook, maid and teacher. She played these roles while 28 some type of part-time job. Leaving a promising career is just one of the 29 which my mother made for my family as we moved around the world with our father every three years or so.
30 she had to deal with only a small budget, my mother, 31 , managed to make each house to be the very home that is safe and 32 .
This probably sounds like a depressing way to live, 33 with two small children: “single” parenthood, short-term friendships, and the inability (无能) to 34 a career or establish a home. But it was not for my mother. She turned this 35 into adventure for us all! Each relocation (变换位置) was a
chance to 36 another part of the world. My mother greeted each new culture, climate and neighborhood. Each new house was a 37 to rearrange furniture, make curtains and 38 pictures. Every part-time job was an opportunity to learn something new and work with interesting people.
No matter how difficult the life was, she was always having a 39 attitude.She always had strength in the face of struggle and change. My mother was so 40 all those years during my childhood — she was my island in a sea of change. She is my hero.
A．leave behind B．leave out C．leave off D．leave for
A．living B．staring C．standing D．going
A．car B．ship C．train D．plane
A．range B．shape C．sight D．control
A．adapting B．suiting C．matching D．fitting
A．names B．jobs C．addresses D．directions
A．father B．classmates C．brother D．relatives
A．performing B．seeking C．waiting D．applying
A．programs B．sacrifices C．contribution D．cooperation
A．Once B．While C．When D．Unless
A．somewhere B．somewhat C．sometime D．somehow
A．romantic B．comfortable C．mysterious D．wealthy
A．generally B．actually C．especially D．unfairly
A．desert B．develop C．affect D．limit
A．lifestyle B．value C．journey D．opportunity
A．acquire B．explore C．occupy D．realize
A．load B．sadness C．result D．challenge
A．hang B．draw C．take D．sell
A．changeable B．cautious C．positive D．negative
A．experienced B．brave C．ordinary D．annoyed
Last Monday, at the beginning of class, I 31 asked my students how their weekend had been. One young man said that his weekend had not been so 32 . He had his wisdom teeth removed. Then the young man asked me why I 33 seemed to be so cheerful.
His question reminded me of something I’d read somewhere before: “Every morning when you get up, you have a choice about 34 you want to approach life that day,” I said. “I choose to be cheerful.”
“Let me give you an example. 35 teaching here, I also teach out at the community college in Henderson, 17 miles down the freeway from where I live. One day, I drove those 17 miles to Henderson. I 36 the freeway and turned onto College Drive, only another quarter mile ahead to the college. But just then my car died. I tried to start it again, but the engine 37 turn over. So I put my flashers on, grabbed my books, and marched down the road to the college.”
“ 38 getting there I called AAA and arranged for a tow truck to meet me at my car after class. The secretary asked me what had happened. ‘This is my lucky day,’ I replied, smiling.”
“ ‘Your car breaks down and today is your lucky day?’ She was 39 . ‘What do you mean?’ ’’ “I live 17 miles from here.” I replied. “My car 40 have broken down 41 along the freeway. It didn’t. 42 , it broke down in the perfect place: off the freeway, 43 walking distance of here. I’m still able to teach my class, and I’ve been able to arrange for the tow truck to meet me after class.”
“The secretary’s eyes opened wide, and then she 44 . I smiled back and headed for class.” So ended my story.
I scanned the sixty faces in my class. Despite the early hour, no one seemed to be 45 . Somehow, my story had touched them.
A．calmly B．seriously C．cheerfully D．curiously
A．bad B．good C．exciting D．scary
A．often B．always C．usually D．seldom
A．how B．why C．where D．that
A．As well as B．As to C．In exchange for D．In addition to
A．entered B．left C．found D．hit
A．wouldn’t B．shouldn’t C．couldn’t D．won’t
A．While B．In C．Before D．After
A．surprising B．astonishing C．puzzled D．shaken
A．could B．can C．would D．must
A．somewhere B．anywhere C．nowhere D．wherever
A．However B．Instead C．Though D．So
A．between B．in C．within D．beyond
A．left B．understood C．paused D．smiled
A．clear B．asleep C．tired D．interested
It was the last day of the final examination in a large eastern university. On the steps of one building, a group of students were talking about the exam that was going to begin in a few 41 .On their faces was confidence（信心）.This was their 42 exam—then they would graduate and begin to work.
Some talked of jobs they already had, others talked of jobs they 43 get. With the certainty of four years of college, they felt 44 and able to take control（控制）of the world.
The coming exam, they knew, would be a(n) 45 task, as the professor had said they could bring 46 books or notes they wanted, requesting only that they did not 47 each other during the test.
48 they entered the classroom. The professor passed out the papers. And smiles 49 on the students’ faces as they found there were only five questions.
Three hours had passed 50 the professor began to collect papers. The students no longer looked confident. On their faces was a frightened expression. Papers in hand, no one spoke as the professor faced the class.
He looked at the 51 faces before him, and then asked: “How many completed all five questions?” 52 a hand was raised.
“How many answered four?” Still no hand.
“Three? Two?” The students moved restlessly in their seats.
“One, then? Certainly somebody finished 53 .” But the class remained silent.
The professor put down the papers. “That is exactly what I 54 ,” he said. “I just want you to know that, although you have completed four years of study, there are 55 many things about the 56 you don’t know. These questions you could not answer are relatively common（普遍）in everyday 57 .” Then, smiling, he added, “You will all 58 this course, but remember—even though you are now college graduates, your education had just 59 .”
The years have weakened the name of the professor, but not the 60 he taught.
A．seconds B．minutes C．hours D．days
A．only B．first C．very D．last
A．would B．must C．had to D．used to
A．glad B．ready C．sorry D．nice
A．interesting B．necessary C．easy D．unusual
A．no B．neither C．any D．some
A．listen to B．look at C．care for D．talk to
A．Hardly B．Happily C．Anxiously D．Carefully
A．appeared B．changed C．failed D．stopped
A．then B．as C．before D．after
A．pleased B．worried C．surprised D．moved
A．Not B．Once C．Only D．Even
A．all B．none C．one D．it
A．wondered B．enjoyed C．hated D．expected
A．even B．already C．so D．still
A．exam B．subject C．question D．college
A．exercise B．class C．practice D．homework
A．pass B．fail C．take D．start
A．begun B．completed C．failed D．succeeded
A．subject B．questions C．lecture D．things
Wings of Angel
I used to hate myself because I wasn’t “normal”. Everyone else could play on the monkey bars and ride on a bicycle, but not 21 . I had a severe spinal cord disorder (脊髓病) and I knew I would always be much 22 than others.
I hated going to school and I hated people 23 at me. I hated seeing others smiling broadly and standing 24 and tall. And most of all, I hated looking in the 25 and seeing an ugly hunchback (驼背).
My friends found me 26 because I didn’t let others get close to me. I thought I was going to go on like this for the rest of my life 27 Angela appeared.
That afternoon, I was sitting by myself in a corner of the school — a spot where no one would 28 me. That’s when I first heard her voice.
“Hi. Can I sit down?”
I raised my head and there she was, with an irresistible smile on her round face.
“What are you looking at?” she asked.
“Ants.”
“What are they doing?”
“No 29 .”
“I bet they’re playing games and making friends. Don’t you think so?”
That was how our 30 started and it didn’t stop. We talked about everything under the sun—the ants, the clouds, my little niche (处境) — until it was sunset.
Then suddenly, she saw my 31 . She just stared.
My heart 32 . What I feared most had happened and I knew for sure she would 
33 me now.
She stood up, pointed at my back and said, “I know 34 your back is hunched.”
I closed my eyes like a criminal waiting to be 35 . I begged in my heart for her to 36 , but she just kept on going. “I know what you’ve got in there. Do you?”
“No,” I answered 37 .
She bent and whispered in my ears.
“Your back is hunched because you’ve got a pair of wings from the angels.”
I was 38 . I looked into her eyes and her 39 touched my heart. From that day on, I started to learn to 40 myself because I have the wings of an angel and a kind-hearted friend.
A．them B．it C．me D．her
A．sadder B．shorter C．weaker D．slower
A．looking B．smiling C．aiming D．glaring
B．alone C．straight D．together
A．street B．sun C．corner D．mirror
A．distant B．disappointed C．hopeless D．unlucky
A．after B．while C．since D．until
A．disturb B．seek C．comfort D．ignore
A．wonder B．idea C．way D．problem
A．games B．performance C．conversation D．competition
A．face B．back C．eyes D．wings
A．sank B．beat C．broke D．ached
A．look up to B．catch up with C．look down upon D．put up with
A．that B．how C．whether D．why
A．tied B．arrested C．punished D．sentenced
A．relax B．leave C．stop D．forbid
A．shyly B．weakly C．proudly D．firmly
A．astonished B．ashamed C．annoyed D．upset
A．wisdom B．beauty C．honesty D．kindness
A．control B．like C．forgive D．forget
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