When I was in college twenty-five years ago, I spent four summers working in 36 at a luxury hotel in downtown Chicago. 37 , I was a maid.
I did not enter the world of housekeeping enthusiastically. My friends had 38 jobs such as making ice cream, selling goods at the mall, or life guarding at the outdoor pool. I had been hoping to get a job as an office lady for a famous company: 39 pay, air-conditioned office, the gold standard for summer jobs, as most of us dreamed of. When that 40 , the only option left was to take a train ride downtown each morning to work as a maid.
It was tiring work, cleaning up to eighteen rooms a day. My 41 attitude reflected my disdain(鄙视) for cleaning toilets, 42 bed sheets, dusting, eight hours a day for the comfort of total strangers who 43 left a tip. I thought it was beneathme. My maid work was average 44 the day I was assigned to the eighteenth floor.
That was Lorena’s regular floor. The only time another maid set foot on it was on Lorena’s day off. If you left any water 45 on the mirror, or a hair on the bed, Lorena would hunt you down when she 46 , as I found out firsthand. She’d ended her lecture to me with “ 47 some pride in your work.”
She did. And so did Rosalie, Helen, Annette, and all the other experienced maids. Their devotion to doing a good job and their belief that their work was a 48 of their character stuck with me throughout my 49 career after graduation. I learned a lot from them during those four summers.
Not a week would go without one of them 50 some firm but friendly advice: “Where’s your commode brush? You don’t have one? How do you expect to get that bowl clean?”
Their pride in a job well done was reflected in how they treated 51 . They left the building at the end of the day in nice dresses and 52 makeup. They looked like they could have been attending an afternoon tea. And, 53 often, they were smiling and laughing, cheerfully greeting their co-workers a good evening. When you work with happiness and 54 , a job will be well done. I believe there is 55 in any job if you work hard and try your best.
A．cleaning B．housekeeping C．serving D．managing
A．In short B．In brief C．In other words D．On the other hand
A．winter B．summer C．awful D．permanent
A．extra B．poor C．average D．good
A．fell over B．fell through C．fell down D．fell off
A．negative B．right C．excellent D．casual
A．making B．spreading C．changing D．doing
A．frequently B．rarely C．occasionally D．willingly
A．when B．after C．until D．before
A．drops B．signs C．tracks D．marks
A．visited B．arrived C．left D．returned
A．take B．obtain C．reject D．make
A．reflection B．truth C．gratitude D．award
A．special B．general C．different D．professional
A．taking B．following C．offering D．refusing
A．others B．themselves C．customers D．co-workers
A．expensive B．cautious C．cheap D．careful
A．more B．least C．most D．less
A．frustration B．regret C．prejudice D．satisfaction
A．respect B．aspect C．challenge D．failure
My nephew’s 10-year-old son came for a visit one hot, July weekend. I persuaded him to inside and joined him in a game. After for an hour, I suggested that we relax for a while. I fell into my favorite recliner（躺椅）to let my neck muscles relax. He'd slipped out of the room and I was catching a few moments of peace and quiet.
"Look，Alice,” he said as he ran over to the chair where I was sitting "I found a kite. Could we go outside and it?"
Glancing out a nearby window, I noticed it was outside. “I'm sorry, Tripper,.” I said, sad to see his eyes. "The wind is not blowing today. The kite won't fly.”
The 10-year-old replied, “I think it's enough. I can get it to fly,” he answered as he ran out to the back door .
Up and down in the yard he ran, pulling the kite to a small length of string. He ran back and forth，as hard as his ten year-old would carry him, looking back at the kite behind. After about ten minutes of determination, he came back in.
I asked, "How did it go?"
"Fine，”he said, not wanting to admit ．“I got it to fly some”
As he walked past me to return the kite to the closet shelf, I heard him say under his breath, "I guess I'll have to wait for the ．”
At that moment I heard another Voice speak to my . "Alice, sometimes you are just like that. You want to do it your way waiting for the Wind.”
And the voice was right. We usually want to use our own efforts to what we want to do. We wait for the Wind only after we have done all we can and have exhausted（耗尽）our own ．We must learn how to rely on Him in the first place!
.
A．live B．study C．stay D．lie
A．playing B．resting C．challenging D．arguing
A．worried B．troubled C．excited D．enjoyable
A．casually B．enthusiastically C．stubbornly D．deliberately
A．decorate B．drop C．hang D．fly
A．hot B．still C．noisy D．fine
A．bright B．disappointed C．dull D．satisfied
A．clever B．talented C．determined D．fearless
A．sunny B．cloudy C．windy D．rainy
A．hurriedly B．curiously C．suddenly D．unwillingly
A．adapted B．added C．attached D．devoted
A．mind B．body C．arms D．legs
A．angrily B．nervously C．doubtfully D．hopefully
A．unsuccessful B．successful C．uncomfortable D．comfortable
A．win B．defeat C．mistake D．luck
A．wind B．order C．news D．sunshine
A．heart B．memory C．dream D．world
A．regardless of B．instead of C．in spite of D．in case of
A．imagine B．decide C．apply D．accomplish
A．courage B．patience C．strength D．knowledge
Over the years, thanks to my life’s obstacles(障碍), I understood the meaning of faith and the strong will to survive. It was Hurricane Ike that made me fully____ the beauty of our strength and a human’s motivation to ____.
Mom had a two-week ____ in summer. While we enjoyed our holiday in Southeast Texas, we didn’t realize the fact that Ike ____ cause months and likely years of “labor”. By September 7th, the “eyes of Texas” were watching Hurricane Ike more ____, making the typical mad rush for last-minute hurricane ____. Two days later, both oil and ice were in ____ demand.
In the early hours of September 11th, some neighbors were planning to ____the storm in their homes, ____ others were making final preparations to get away. At first, we decided to stay. But that afternoon, the Houston-Galveston area would be on the more ____ side of the storm. Mom and I packed some of our most __ belongings in the car and ___ the East Texas town of Lufkin.
As Ike pushed farther inland, we __33__power in Lufkin. On Sunday, our next-door neighbor told us via cell phone that our ____ had remained well. Our hopes could not have been ____. But a few hours later, the neighbors reported that our brick chimney had ____, and it was sitting on our living room, ____ a hole in the roof between two skylights (天窗).
We wouldn’t be allowed to return home ____ September 17th. I climbed upstairs, and looked toward the hole in the roof which showed a beautiful blue sky.
Without hesitation, I shouted, “Wow! A third skylight!”
My neighbors could not believe I was making jokes ____ crying, but ____ is always good medicine. It was with that joke that I knew, given time, everything would be okay.
A observe B. appreciate C. explore D. improve
A．work B．apologize C．recover D．change
A．vacation B．journey C．meeting D．schedule
A．must B．might C．should D．would
A．closely B．constantly C．warningly D．differently
A．adventure B．equipment C．supplies D．reports
A．basic B．high C．pure D．neat
A．get through B．put away C．test out D．suffer from
A．since B．when C．until D．while
A．dangerous B．abundant C．peaceful D．awesome
A．available B．concrete C．prized D．potential
A．set out B．headed for C．settled down D．watched out
A．provided B．reduced C．produced D．lost
A．garden B．house C．pool D．yard
A．clearer B．wilder C．lower D．higher
A．passed B．stood C．gone D．followed
A．leaving B．digging C．filling D．kicking
A．by B．before C．until D．after
A．in spite of B．instead of C．apart from D．in terms of
A．faith B．will C．strength D．laughter
It was the end of the week at the village school. The bell had rung, and the children had run out into the bright sunshine, wild with laughter and fun. All were happy but poor Davy. He came out last and very . He was in trouble, and the bright, golden sunlight did not make him . He walked across the yard, and sat down on a stone behind the old maple. A little bird on the highest branch sang just to make him . But Davy did not notice it. He was thinking of the words that had been said about his ragged clothes. The stole out of his eyes, and ran down his cheeks. Poor little Davy had no , and his mother had to work hard to keep him at school all by herself. He did not wish to trouble his mother; so he among the trees , and at last threw himself on the green moss under them. Just then his beloved teacher Mrs. Smith came . She saw who it was, smith stopped to ask what was the . Davy did not speak, but the tears began to start. Mrs. Smith waited patiently Davy told her all his trouble. When he ended, she said , “Davy. I have a plan which I think will help you.” “Oh , what is it ?” He said, sitting up with a look of while a tear fell upon a blue violet. “Well, how would you like to be a little flower ? And earn money?” “That would be jolly. But where shall I get my flowers?” he asked. “ , my boy, the answer to the question is just right in there .” said Mrs. Smith. “Here are lively blue violets, down by the brook are white ones, and among the rocks are ferns and mosses. them all to my house, and I will help you them.” Davy nodded and went home happily. Day after day. Davy hunted the woods for the flowers, and the most beautiful ferns and mosses. After his teacher had helped him with new clothes. But for the , and sold them. He soon carted enough money to buy new clothes. But for the of his teacher, he couldn’t have solved his problem. Now he could see the bright sunshine and hear the bird’s singing.
A．steadily B．slowly C．rapidly D．happily
A．upset B．worried C．glad D．tired
A．cry B．run C．think D．laugh
A．cruel B．kind C．generous D．scary
A．sweat B．tears C．water D．sunshine
A．classmates B．nephew C．father D．friends
A．jogged B．jumped C．marched D．wandered
A．about B．along C．after D．into
A．matter B．thing C．question D．time
A．after B．before C．when D．until
A．cheerily B．fluently C．gratefully D．casually
A．anxiety B．hope C．doubt D．disappointment
A．assistant B．farmer C．merchant D．teacher
A．Watch out B．Look around C．Cheer up D．Calm down
A．yards B．fields C．sunshine D．woods
A．Bring B．Leave C．Rate D．Pick
A．arrange B．adjust C．sell D．fade
A．wildest B．prettiest C．smallest D．strangest
A．remote B．crowded C．modern D．near
A．comfort B．aid C．connection D．warning
I knew I could sing but I had to prove it. I don’t care what life gives me; I’ll it. It was my ninth time in front of a music executive to try to get a record deal. The first eight interviews had cold refusals.
When I found out the was at 6 a.m., I went a little crazy, for I had to get up very early in order to get to the audition (试唱) room on time. This audition was at the office of Sony Music’s president, John Grady. to sing songs for a man behind a desk, I was . It’s very hard to let someone whether you’re worthy of a commercial career in 10 minutes. But, in this business, it was something I had to do.
I grew up in a rural area. farming, there wasn’t much of a local economy. If one wanted new horizons, he had to learn a(n) that could take him out of there. That’s how I my singing. I took up singing at an early age. When I was 15, I made money from singing. That was a huge for me.
It was in the middle of my singing that John Grady didn’t appear at all. About halfway through, I saw him write something down. From where I stood, I could see him write the letter 'n’,
by the letter 'o’. I guessed he didn’t me.
As we said good-bye, Grady gave me a . Though my hands were , I found the to read the note. It didn’t say, "No." It said, "Now." Just then, I knew that my of becoming a professional musician was starting to come true.
A．handle B．operate C．encounter D．recall
A．recognizing B．accessing C．appearing D．Approaching
A．resulted from B．ended with C．turned down D．made up
A．appointment B．information C．reply D．competition
A．particular B．simple C．regretful D．amusing
A．Permitting B．Failing C．Welcoming D．Waiting
A．excited B．nervous C．hopeful D．helpless
A．finish B．judge C．solve D．persuade
A．Apart from B．Free from C．Absent from D．Far from
A．experience B．profession C．skill D．trick
A．viewed B．questioned C．required D．practiced
A．progress B．process C．stop D．step
A．interested B．embarrassed C．amazed D．puzzled
A．angrily B．clearly C．straightly D．hardly
A．proved B．supported C．hidden D．followed
A．appreciate B．understand C．trust D．refuse
A．record B．note C．chance D．promise
A．waving B．removing C．shaking D．Moving
A．courage B．patience C．imagination D．determination
A．plan B．dream C．preference D．tendency
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
When we read books we seem to enter a new world. This new world can be similar to the one we are living in, or it can be very . Some stories are told they were true. Real people who live in a world do real things; in other words, the stories are about people just like us doing what we do. Other stories, such as the Harry Potter books, are not . They are characters and creatures that are very different from us and do things that would be for us.
But there is more to books and writing than this. If we think about it, even realistic writing is only . How can we tell the difference between what is real and what is not real? For example, when we read about Harry Potter, we seem to learn something about the real world. And when Harry studies magic at Hogwarts, he also learns more about his real life than . Reading, like writing, is an action. It is a way of . When we read or write something, we do much more than simple look at words on a page. We use our -- which is real-- and our imagination-- which is real in a different way --- to make the words come to life in our minds.
Both realism and fantasy(幻想) the imagination and the “magic” of reading and writing to make us think. When we read realistic, we have to imagine that the people we are reading about are just like us, even though we that we are real and they are . It sounds , but it works. When we read, we fill in missing information and about the causes and effects of what a character does. We help the writer by that what we read is like real life. In a way, we are writing the book, too.
Most of us probably don’t think about what is going on in our when we are reading. We pick up a book and lose in a good story, eager to find out what will happen next. Knowing how we feel we read can help us become better readers, and it will help us discover more about the real magic of books.
.
A．possible B．easy C．new D．different
A．that B．what C．whether D．as if
A．usual B．normal C．certain D．common
A．realistic B．reasonable C．moral D．instructive
A．difficult B．impossible C．important D．necessary
A．thinkable B．designed C．imagined D．planned
A．do B．make C．have D．are
A．lessons B．dreams C．experience D．magic
A．working B．thinking C．living D．understanding
A．knowledge B．skill C．words D．grammar
A．make B．get C．use D．have
A．a newspaper B．something C．everything D．a story
A．find B．learn C．know D．hope
A．too B．not C．all D．so
A．dangerous B．serious C．strange D．terrible
A．talk B．learn C．read D．think
A．telling B．pretending C．promising D．guessing
A．mind B．life C．world D．society
A．heart B．time C．money D．ourselves
A．what B．how C．when D．why
粤公网安备 44130202000953号