The story of the touchstone(探金石) tells of a man who was told that if he could find the touchstone, its magical powers could give him anything he wanted. It could be found, he was 31 , among the pebbles (卵石) of a beach. All he need to do is 32 a stone.If it feels warm, the magical touchstone is 33 .
The man rushed to the beach without delay. When he 34 a pebble that felt cold, he threw it into the sea. He 35 this practice for weeks. Each pebble felt cold, and each pebble was 36 thrown into the sea..
But one morning, he 37 to take hold of a pebble that felt 38 , unlike the other stones. The man, who had 39 noticed the difference, threw it into the sea. He hadn’t 40 to, but he had formed a habit that can be 41 to break.
Any behavior one 42 is strengthened. Repeated often enough, it becomes a(n) 43 . A Spanish proverb says, “Habits are first cobwebs (蜘蛛网), then cables (钢索).” It works well for 44 habits that first trap us like a cobweb. And if we continue the behavior, the 45 grows stronger and can be as difficult to break as a steel cable. 46 some habits can work in our 47 , such as patterns of our lives, positive attitudes and healthy ways of thinking. We form our habits, then our habits form us 48 .
When it 49 habits, practice may not make perfect. But practice will certainly make permanent. So form the habits you want and let them 50 you into the person you want to be.
A．tricked B．informed C．introduced D．traced
A．look on B．cut into C．knock down D．pick up
A．knew B．showed C．grasped D．grabbed
A．decided B．stopped C．required D．continued
A．immediately B．frequently C．greatly D．happily
A．tried B．decided C．hoped D．happened
A．smooth B．rough C．warm D．cold
A．commonly B．necessarily C．hardly D．quickly
A．designed B．determined C．failed D．meant
A．hard B．easy C．likely D．sure
A．forgets B．shows C．adjusts D．repeats
A．addiction B．instruction C．habit D．regret
A．annoying B．old C．influential D．bad
A．line B．web C．spirit D．feeling
A．Then B．Thus C．But D．Because
A．favor B．memory C．honor D．wish
A．in force B．in addition C．in return D．in vain
A．leads to B．comes to C．belongs to D．points to
A．adjust B．form C．transfer D．shape
Behind our house is the start of a fascinating trail (小径). This trail is one of the old roads that wind through untold miles of forest. My , Beans, and I walk the trail frequently. Normally, Beans sniffs alongside the trail to follow the smell of a deer track or some cause known only to him.
Beans is a white dog, quite handsome and very . He not only understands what we tell him, but also often makes sounds as if he were trying to back.
One morning, we took a different route, which led us to an unfamiliar trail. I was sure this trail would eventually lead us to our familiar . But, no. We seemed to be far off course. After two hours, I suddenly realized that Beans probably （21） the way home. So I urged, "Beans, take me home." He ran down a new trail. But it merely led to an intersection (岔道口) of trails.
Soon it became that we were getting nowhere. I began to picture the rest of the day in the , without food or drink. We had walked about ten miles. But Beans seemed totally . The sniffing and exploring was going well for him.
Finally, we a crossroad near a highway. Lady Luck suggested I should turn left. We did and reached a cottage beside a field. I knocked on the door and explained my situation to an old man. He laughed and then drove us home.
Since our adventure, I that Beans probably knew all along how to get home. He was just having too much fan exploring new trails.
A．deer B．dog C．lady D．man
A．imagine B．consider C．explore D．present
A．smart B．sweet C．slow D．shy
A．turn B．kick C．jump D．speak
A．driveway B．path C．crossroad D．highway
A．knew B．saw C．showed D．made
A．house B．forest C．field D．cottage
A．unconcerned B．unconscious C．undecided D．uncomfortable
A．left for B．went off C．came to D．drove toward
A．punctually B．frequently C．formally D．shortly
A．regretted B．remembered C．concluded D．confirmed
"What's it like to have a gap between your teeth?" a girl asked me one day.
Nobody had ever before. My hand unconsciously rose to cover my mouth. But, as she looked at me, sincerely waiting for
, 1 realized she was not trying to be rude. "I never think about it," I truthfully replied. She nodded and turned away. I was left wondering if people _
me and saw only gappy teeth.
Later that day at home, I began to ___ my teeth again. I felt upset. I thought my life would be somehow better if my teeth were not gappy. How I wanted the perfect teeth that everyone else seemed to have!
Of course, Mom everything. She has lived her entire life with gappy teeth, and tried to convince me that there was nothing to __
. When I refused to listen, she told me I could get the surgery to close the gap if it was that important. "Let's be
.though," she said. "If everyone got surgeries to become pretty, everyone would be exactly the same. There is beauty in differences."
Her __ made me consider my teeth seriously. The thought of losing my gap was more terrible than the reality that people were going to notice it. I realized how important it was to me. It is part of my
.
Nowadays many people do ridiculous things to realize their dream of "perfection." The is that no one is perfect. When all potential for ugliness is removed, so is all of the
potential for
So if that girl ever asked about my teeth I would truthfully answer. "You know? It's really cute."
A. faced B. guessed C. asked D. imagined
A. an offer B. an answer C. a suggestion D. a result
A heard of B. thought of C. talked about D. looked at
A. consider B. brush C. cover D. appreciate
A. admitted B. noticed C. controlled D. changed
A. worry about B. put off C. give up D. wipe out
A. friendly B. lovely C. honest D. helpful
A. words B. jokes C. dreams D. acts
A. ability B. decision C. goal D. identity
A. possibility B. purpose C. truth D. choice
A. courage B. wisdom C. kindness D. beauty
A. once B. again C. too D. instead
Peter’s job was to examine cars when they crossed the frontier to make sure that they were not smuggling anything into the country. Every evening he would see a factory worker coming ____ the hill towards the frontier, ____ a bike with a pile of goods of old straw on it. When the bike ____ the frontier, Peter would stop the man and ____ him take the straw off and untie it. Then he would examine the straw very ____ to see ____ he could find anything, after which he would look in all the man’s pockets ____ he let him tie the straw again. The man would then put it on his bike and go off down the hill with it. Although Peter was always ____ to find gold or other valuable things ____ in the straw, he never found ____. He was sure the man was ____ something, but he was not ____ to think out what it could be.
Then one evening, after he had looked ____ the straw and emptied the worker’s pockets ____ usual, he ____ to him, “Listen, I know you are smuggling things ____ this frontier. Won’t you tell me what it is? I’m an old man, and today’s my last day on the ____. Tomorrow I’m going to ____. I promise I shall not tell ____ if you tell me what you’ve been smuggling.” The worker did not say anything for ____. Then he smiled, turned to Peter and said quietly, “Bikes.”
A．towards B．down C．to D．up
A．filling B．pulling C．pushing D．carrying
A．arrived B．appeared C．came D．reached
A．ask B．order C．make D．call
A．carefully B．quickly C．silently D．horribly
A．that B．where C．how D．whether
A．before B．after C．first D．so
A．lucky B．hoping C．thinking D．wondering
A．had been B．hidden C．hiding D．have been
A．nothing B．something C．everything D．anything
A．taking B．smuggling C．stealing D．pushing
A．possible B．strong C．able D．clever
A．through B．thoroughly C．upon D．up
A．like B．more C．then D．as
A．told B．cried C．ordered D．said
A．cross B．past C．across D．into
A．thing B．work C．job D．duty
A．rest B．back C．retire D．retreat
A．everyone B．anyone C．no one D．someone
A．moment B．long time C．sometime D．some time
The Fitting-in of Suzy Khan
The first time I saw Suzy Khan, I knew I had to help her. She was really small for her age of 12. The boy in my class often about her and laughed their heads off. She would open a book, pretending to read, with tears dropping on the open page.
All I knew was that she was an orphan (孤儿) from Africa. She had just been adopted by a family in town who that the best way for her to learn American ways of life was to be with american kids. I looked down at this girl and promised myself that somehow I would help her.
But how could I help her in with us? There had to be a .
One day, when I went into the classroom, I saw that Suzy had her geography book to a picture of a train, and in her notebook, she had made a(n) (7) copy.
I was surprised and thought that she could do something in the coming (8) show. So, I took her to see the art teacher, Miss Parker, and showed her what Suzy had . “why, it’s wonderful,” said Miss Parker, who then showed us a poster she had painted the talent show. “I need more of these, but I just don’t have enough . Could you help me, Suzy?”
On the day of the talent show, Suzy’s were everywhere ---- all over the hall and all over the school, each one different.
“And finally,” said Mr Brown, the schoolmaster, at the end of the show, “we have a (n) award. I’m sure you’ve all noticed the wonderful posters.” Everyone nodded. “One of our own students them.”
I could hear everyone whispering. “Who in our school could draw well?”
Mr. Brown waited a while before saying, “ this student worked so hard on the posters, she deserves a ,too. Our mystery(神秘) artist is our new student ---- Suzy Khan!”
Mr. Brown thanked her for all the wonderful posters and gave her a professional artist’s set. “Thank you,” she cried.
I , at that time when I was looking at her excited face, she’d probably never anything in her whole life.
Everyone started to their hands. Suzy Khan gave them a shy smile and the applause was defening. I knew then Suzy was going to be all right.
A．joked B．cared C．trains D．worried
A．reported B．decided C．complained D．questioned
A．rich B．proud C．tiny D．popular
A．manner B．pattern C．choice D．way
A．read B．taken C．opened D．put
A．free B．perfect C．final D．extra
A．are B．talk C．quiz D．talent
A．colored B．written C．carved D．drawn
A．at B．after C．for D．around
A．room B．time C．paper D．interest
A．gifts B．books C．photos D．posters
A．special B．academic C．national D．rayal
A．painted B．found C．printed D．collected
A．very B．that C．quite D．too
A．If B．Though C．Unless D．Since
A．prize B．rank C．rest D．place
A．replied B．realized C．remembered D．regretted
A．offered B．valued C．owned D．controlled
A．clap B．wave C．raise D．shake
I stood in the living room doorway, extremely surprised. I found my grandmother was dancing.
Her body bent beautifully, her arms were raised high, and her legs obeyed her . As long as I could remember, her legs were when she walked, and she was always (3) by a walking stick. Grandma was once a star of the dancing world. And then she had a(n) and all was over. I had read that in a(n) newspaper.
I asked，"Have your legs got well，Grandma?" What she answered me a second time—her legs had been well all her life and she had all these years. I asked about the . Grandmother told me the following .
She and my grandfather were to get married when my grandfather had to go to war. It was the most time of her life after he left. She was so of losing him. The only way she could stop herself from getting mad was to dance. She put all her energy and time into —and she became very good and famous. But one day she received a from my grandpa, saying he had lost one leg in a battle (战斗)and asking her to him.
After reading the words, she made a(n) . She traveled away from the city. When she returned, she told the reporters she had been in an accident in another city and that her legs would never recover to allow her to dance. No one (17 ) the story—she had learned to walk a person with broken legs. Then she went to see my grandfather, who, of course, decided to stand up again to her.
"I was sure I would lose him if I continued dancing, so I chose love. You see, your grandpa has never made me regret my ," grandma smiled.
A．slowly B．firmly C．suddenly D．perfectly
A．long B．stiff C．smart D．soft
A．supported B．followed C．protected D．driven
A．baby B．operation C．accident D．cold
A．modem B．foreign C．old D．small
A．shocked B．puzzled C．disappointed D．comforted
A．prepared B．pretended C．waited D．hoped
A．excuse B．result C．detail D．reason
A．tip B．advice C．article D．story
A．terrible B．cheerful C．interesting D．common
A．proud B．confident C．afraid D．sure
A．singing B．talking C．dancing D．walking
A．book B．letter C．newspaper D．magazine
A．forget B．help C．follow D．change
A．mistake B．apology C．effort D．decision
A．finally B．completely C．exactly D．luckily
A．doubted B．knew C．believed D．told
A．beyond B．with C．like D．unlike
A．catch sight of B．take advantage of C．take hold of D．take care of
粤公网安备 44130202000953号