A Leap(跳跃)to Honor
Leaping on a narrow balance beam(平衡木) is not easy.But Lola Walter, a 13－year－old gymnast, is an expert at it.
To perfect her skills, Lola ____ for four hours a day, five days a week.At the state championships in March, she finished seventh out of 16 girls.
That's especially impressive，____she is legally blind, born with a rare condition that causes her eyes to shift(移动)constantly.She often sees double and can't ____ how far away things are.
When she was little, her mom ___ that even though she couldn't see ____ , she was fearless.So her mom signed her up for gymnastics when she was three.She loved the ____ right away and gymnastics became her favorite.
Though learning gymnastics has been more ____ for her than for some of her teammates, she has never quit.She doesn't let her ____ stop her from doing anything that she wants to.
She likes the determination it takes to do the sport.Her biggest ____ is the balance beam.Because she has double vision, she often sees two beams.She must use her sense of touch to help her during her routine.Sometimes she even closes her eyes.“You have to ____ your mind that it'll take you where you want to go，” says Lola.
To be a top－level gymnast, one must be brave.The beam is probably the most ____ for anyone because it's four inches wide.At the state competition, Lola didn't fall ____ the beam.In fact, she got an 8.1 out of 10——her highest score yet.
Lola doesn't want to be ____ differently from the other girls on her team.At competitions, the judges don't know about her vision ____.She doesn't tell them, because she doesn't think they need to know.Her mom is amazed by her ____ attitude.
Lola never thinks about ____.She is presently at level 7 while the highest is level 10 in gymnastics.Her ____ is to reach level 9.She says she wants to be a gymnastics coach to pass down what she's learned to other kids ____ she grows up.
Lola is____of all her hard work and success.She says it's helped her overcome problems in her life outside gymnastics too.Her ____ for others is “just believe in yourself”．
A．runs B．teaches C．trains D．dances
A．since B．unless C．after D．though
A．tell B．guess C．assume D．predict
A．suspected B．remembered C．imagined D．noticed
A．deeply B．well C．ahead D．closely
A．task B．sport C．event D．show
A．boring B．enjoyable C．difficult D．satisfactory
A．talent B．quality C．nature D．condition
A．doubt B．advantage C．challenge D．progress
A．examine B．express C．open D．trust
A．fearful B．harmful C．unfair D．inconvenient
A．to B．on C．off D．against
A．greeted B．treated C．served D．paid
A．pains B．stresses C．injuries D．problems
A．positive B．friendly C．flexible D．cautious
A．defending B．quitting C．winning D．bargaining
A．standard B．range C．view D．goal
A．until B．as C．when D．before
A．proud B．tired C．ashamed D．confident
A．plan B．advice C．reward D．responsibility
A couple of years ago, I went to a lady’s house to buy some vitamins. Upon entering the house, I 36 that there was an electronic keyboard on a stand, leaning 37 the wall. Being a piano music lover and 38 , I asked, if the woman played. She nodded and added that she had been
39 lessons at age 54! I told her that it was very 40 that she was pursuing （追求） her passion（热情）to play the piano. . .
Then she asked me 41 question. “I have been playing for 8 years now,” I answered.
“Then you must play a song for me before you leave,” she 42 .I thought she was joking and I simply smiled. At the end of the deal of the vitamins, she 43 me of our musical “ 44 _”. She then showed me to an old upright piano in the living room, 45 asked me to play a song for her. I thought 46 and decided to play David Lantz’s “Return to the Heart”, since 
she had so much passion for 47 ,and it was my soul-searching song.
I played the song to the best of my ability, and with my emotions 48 into it as possible. She loved it. 49 I was about to step out of the door, I heard a weak voice ca
lling out, “Young man!”
I turned around. And there was an old lady 50 one little ste
p at a time with the help of another woman. “I wanted to come out to 51 you for the beautiful song that you played. I have been very sick, and it’s very hard for me to 52 my bed, but your music made me feel good ”sh
e said. With that, she turned around and walked 53 back to her room.
I was deeply 54 by her appreciation and felt a deeper understanding for the song. It served its purpose beautifully, returning to one’s 55 for peace and joy.
A．observed B．watched C．noticed D．caught
A．on B．at C．over D．against
A．player B．teacher C．composer D．starter
A．giving C．teaching D．reviewing
A．interesting B．wonderful C．moved D．impressive
A．another B．a different C．the same D．other
A．advised B．ordered C．demanded D．requested
A．warned B．reminded C．asked D．required
A．course B．task C．discussion D．deal
A．and B．but C．as a result D．what’s more
A．for the moment B．at the moment C．for a moment D．at a moment
A．music B．songs C．the piano D．vitamins
A．dropping B．falling C．pouring D．running
A．Since B．As C．While D．Because
A．taking B．making C．having D．giving
A．thank B．praise C．admire D．owe
A．get on B．get up C．get off D．get down
A．quietly B．calmly C．happily D．slowly
A．shocked B．touched C．delighted D．disturbed
A．world B．heart C．brains D．dreams
My Teacher in the School of Life
I spent the opening day of school this year at DeMatha Catholic High School in much the same way I spent the first day of classes 36 30 years ago; I sat in Dr Charles E. Offutt’s British literature class, listening to him 37 what his seniors would learn and get them excited about the journey they would 38 . I’m the principal (校长) of the school now , but for a few minutes I was back in 1975, 39 what the future held.
I have been learning from Dr Offutt for 30 of the 51 years he had been teaching at DeMatha. He not only taught me to think, he 40 me, as much by example as 41 , that it was my moral duty to do so and to serve 42 .
Neither of us could know how our 43 would develop over the years. When I first came back to DeMatha to teach English. I worked for Dr Offutt, the then department chair. After several years, I was 44 department chair, and our relationship changed 45 . I thought that it might be 46 chairing the department, since all of my former English teachers were still there, but Dr Offutt 47 me throughout. He knew when to give me 48 about curriculum, texts and personnel, and when to let me design my own course.
In 1997, I needed his advice about leaving DeMatha to become principal at another school. If he had asked me to stay at DeMatha, I might have. 49 , he encouraged me to seize the new 50 .
Five years ago, I became the 51 of DeMatha. Once again, Dr Offutt was there for me, letting me know that I could 52 on him as I tried to fill such big shoes. I’ve learned from him that great teachers have a (n) 53 wealth of lessons to teach. 54 his students don’t know it yet, I know how 55 they are; I’m still one of them.
A．mostly B．exactly C．only D．simply
A．explain B．predict C．speak D．teach
A．keep B．achieve C．choose D．take
A．preparing B．discovering C．wondering D．realizing
A．assisted B．reminded C．advised D．convinced
A．words B．action C．explanation D．models
A．the others B．everyone C．others D．anyone
A．relationship B．position C．situation D．condition
A．pointed B．named C．given D．taken
A．already B．yet C．still D．again
A．foolish B．surprising C．uncertain D．challenging
A．promoted B．accepted C．supported D．welcomed
A．advice B．information C．notice D．thought
A．Otherwise B．Therefore C．Furthermore D．Instead
A．choice B．opportunity C．occupation D．possibility
A．teacher B．principal C．officer D．clerk
A．live B．look C．depend D．take
A．rich B．little C．valuable D．endless
A．Once B．Even if C．Unless D．Until
A．fortunate B．curious C．innocent D．satisfied
One Christmas Eve, my husband made his way home from work. 36 , he worked the entire day but let his stuff go 37 so that they could be with their families.
He drove down the street and made the 38 towards our home. On one side of the road, an old man stood, drenched to the bone (被雨淋得湿透了), with his hand 39 . The rain had been 40 heavily that day. My husband stopped, and asked him where he was 41 . He wanted to go about five miles past our home, but my husband still told him to 42 . My husband chatted with him, drove 43 our house and took him home for his Christmas Eve. 44 turned out that this poor man was what we now 45 as a “slow learner” and the only job he could get to 46 him and his elderly mother was at the bakery near where my husband worked. He worked from 5 a.m. until 1 o’clock in the 47 . Not only that, but that poor man had been standing there trying to get a ride on Christmas Eve for about 5 hours 48 my husband picked him up. 49 else would give him a ride because they didn’t want to get their seats 50 .
Over the years my husband 51 to give him a ride home whenever he saw him trying to get a ride. When he passed 52 , my husband went to his funeral. 53 my husband didn’t know his family, they knew of him. Even his twin sister who 54 in the state of Washington knew who my husband was and everyone thanked him for his 55 toward one who had so little.
An act of kindness can make another person’s day, or even their life.
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When I was a teenager I volunteered to work at the water station at a 10,000m race. My job was to 36 water to the runners. I remember being so 37 to see all the different kinds of people who passed by and grabbed a cup of water. Some ran past, some walked past and a few wheeled past. I saw so many types of people doing it. I thought maybe I could do it too! So the next year I 38 up for the race.
That first 10,000m race was quite an 39 . I jogged, I walked, I jogged and I walked. 40 , I didn’t know if I could finish. Then came a defining (决定性) 41 .
At one point near the end, a 70-year-old man ran past me, very, very fast, and I felt 42 because I was 50 years younger than he but I couldn’t even keep up with him. I felt 43 for a second.
But then I 44 something. He was running his race and I was running mine. He had 45 abilities, experience, training and goals for himself. I had mine. Remember my 46 was only to finish.
After a minute, it 47 me that this was a lesson I could draw from. I learned something about myself in that moment. I turned my embarrassment into 48 .
I 49 that I would not give up on running races. In fact, I would run even more races and I would learn how to train and prepare 50 and one day I would be one of those 70-year-old persons who were still running. As I crossed the finish line, I was proud of my 51 .
In life we all have those moments where we 52 ourselves to others. It’s only 53 . Don’t allow those moments to 54 you. Turn them into motivation and let them inspire you. With the proper preparation and training, you can improve your result to 55 anything you want in life.
A．bring out B．pass out C．take out D．pick out
A．excited B．worried C．concerned D．anxious
A．gave B．made C．signed D．dressed
A．achievement B．encouragement C．instruction D．experience
A．At times B．In time C．In all D．After all
A．victory B．decision C．moment D．conclusion
A．embarrassed B．annoyed C．moved D．thrilled
A．relaxed B．defeated C．puzzled D．inspired
A．realized B．lost C．noticed D．remembered
A．special B．evident C．common D．different
A．motto B．plan C．goal D．direction
A．worried B．hit C．reached D．hurt
A．attraction B．devotion C．inspiration D．expectation
A．hoped B．promised C．decided D．suggested
A．slightly B．hardly C．clearly D．properly
A．excitement B．accomplishment C．movement D．judgment
A．introduce B．relate C．present D．compare
A．important B．natural C．strange D．ridiculous
A．weaken B．wound C．amuse D．cheer
A．reserve B．deliver C．achieve D．abandon
When I was young, I belonged to a club that did community service work. There was one specific event that was unusual for me. I spent three or four hours handing out warm dinner to the homeless out in the streets. After that I went to a homeless shelter not far from the Bay Bridge.
I was in high school and at the time my sister was too young to __36__. She wanted to help, __37__ she made four or five dozen chocolate chip cookies for me to __38__ and hand out to people. When getting to the homeless shelter __39__ passed out the remaining meals. __40__, I began making sandwiches and __41__ them with the crowd. I had the containers with my __42__ cookies in them and began to __43__, offering them to anyone near me.
I __44__ an old gentleman and said, “sir, would you like a cookie?” He stopped and turned around, __45__ and said, “What did you say? Did you call me sir?” I told him I __46__, and his eyes __47__ a little bit and he said, “No one has __48__ called me sir.” So he was __49__ taken aback(意外). It struck me.
I explained I had been raised that__ 50__color and social status, everyone deserved respect. It __51__ me to think that just because he was homeless, no one__ 52__ him the honor. It broke my heart, and I __53__. I just didn’t understand__ 54__ no one ever called him sir. I had never thought that anyone was below me because I wasn’t raised that way. Every __55__ person deserves to be treated with dignity. Ye
ars later, I still carry that memory and the lessons it taught me. Sometimes, what we take for granted can really make a difference in someone’s life.
How have you made a difference to others? How have others made a difference to you?
A．participate B．decide C．choose D．go
A．however B．but C．yet D．so
A．bring B．fetch C．collect D．take
A．I B．you C．she D．we
A．First B．Next C．Third D．Finally
A．shared B．gave C．helped D．assisted
A．classmate’s B．schoolmate’s C．sister’s D．family’s
A．walk around B．knock around C．come around D．stand around
A．went B．came C．approached D．met
B．stared at me with difficulty C．glared at me in anger D．looked at me right in the eye
A．had B．called C．did D．do
A．watered B．cried C．tore D．dropped
A．already B．ever C．still D．yet
A．differently B．normally C．completely D．exactly
A．in spite B．regardless of C．concerned about D．for fear of
A．strengthened B．saddened C．frightened D．pleased
A．handed B．afforded C．provided D．supplied
A．had no choice but to cry B．couldn’t help to cry C．had no right to cry D．couldn’t help but cry
A．what B．when C．whether D．why
A．single B．poor C．ordinary D．normal
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