It was the Year from Hell-September 1993 to September 1994-the dog died, my marriage of 24 years ended, and my house burned down. I had moved into a new rented house with my youngest son, after my husband and I split up. We'd been in the house just six weeks. I went to a dinner party one night, and as I drove home, I saw helicopters hovering in the general vicinity of my new home. Smoke was billowing into the sky, and sirens were wailing. As I got closer, I thought, Wouldn't it be awful if that was my house? Then I turned the corner, and sure enough, it was my house.
I was devastated. It had been such a horrible year, and now everything I owned had gone up in smoke. Mementos, baby pictures, family keepsakes, clothes, furniture-everything was destroyed. My marriage was gone, my dog was gone, my home was gone, and all my worldly possessions, except my car and the clothes on my back, were gone too.
My son and I stayed with a friend for a couple of nights. Then my friend Gail heard about the fire, called me up, and said, "Come move into my house. I have seven bedrooms and five bathrooms-plenty of space for you and your son." It was a sprawling ranch house on a double lot in La Jolla, with an ocean view, to boot. Gail had three kids at home, but there was still plenty of room for me and my son, Sutton. Her offer was a godsend. Little did I know that her offer of a temporary place to stay would turn into a living arrangement that lasted two and a half years.
Gail and I had a lot in common. We had both been raised Catholic and our unconscious minds had been programmed the same way-we saw ourselves as good little Catholic girls who were gonna stay married forever. But both of our husbands decided they didn't want to be married anymore, and so here we were, two single mothers, dazed, confused, and in a fog. We had followed the rules... why were we not happy? Gail and I spent the next couple of years sorting out a lot of things together.
After we moved in, I soon began to look for a permanent place to live. After a few weeks, Gail said, "Please don't leave. I've never had so much freedom!" Having me in the house meant someone to help take care of her kids, someone to share cooking and gardening, and someone to share day-to-day life. She loved having me there, and I loved being there. So we stayed.
It was an important chapter in my life. Gail and I gardened together, talking back and forth as we worked in the soil. We both needed time to heal from our divorces, time to sort out the confusion, time to get some clarity on the past and some focus on the future. It was a time of deeper insight and spiritual growth for both of us. Over time, I grew to realize how strong I really was, how even-tempered, and how I really could get my act together and go on with my life.
Gail's generosity was more than anyone could ever ask or expect from a friend. She gave me a safe haven in which to mourn and heal and grow into the next chapter of my life. She showed her love in countless ways. I am eternally grateful to have a friend like Gail.
I'm also grateful for the lessons I learned from the fire and the other losses that came so suddenly, so fast. Much to my surprise, I found gratitude among the ashes. I was tested sorely-literally trial by fire. But, like a phoenix, I rose from the ashes strong and whole. I would not be the person I am today if not for that Year from Hell.Why did the writer say Sep 1993 to Sep 1994 was the Year from Hell?
| A．She got divorced from her husband |
| B．Both of her houses were burned down |
| C．She met some misfortune one after another |
| D．Her dog was killed in the big fire |
What did the writer and Gail have in common?
| A．Both of them had one son |
| B．Both of them believed in the same faith |
| C．Both of them lost the home |
| D．Both of them decided to divorce |
How did the writer spend the days with Gail?
| A．She looked after the 4 kids alone |
| B．She planted some flowers with Gail |
| C．She shared the same bedroom with Gail |
| D．They did some cleaning together |
which is the right order of the following events?
①、She wanted to find a permanent house
②、She shared cooking with Gail
③、She went to a dinner party one night
④、She stayed with a friend for a couple of days
⑤、She lost her dog
| A．③⑤④①② | B．④①⑤③② | C．③④②⑤① | D．①③⑤④② |
What is the best title for the text?
| A．Generosity from a friend |
| B．Recover from the pain |
| C．The Year from Hell |
| D．Gratitude among the ashes |
I was in a rush as always, but this time it was for an important date I just couldn't be late for! I found myself at a checkout counter behind an elderly woman seemingly in no hurry as she paid for her groceries. A PhD student with not a lot of money, I had hurried into the store to pick up some flowers. I was in a huge rush, thinking of my upcoming evening. I did not want to be late for this date.
We were in Boston, a place not always known for small conversation between strangers. The woman stopped unloading her basket and looked up at me. She smiled. It was a nice smile -warm and reassuring-and I returned her gift by smiling back.
"Must be a special lady, whoever it is that will be getting those beautiful flowers," she said.
"Yes, she's special," I said, and then to my embarrassment, the words kept coming out.
"It's only our second date, but somehow I am just having the feeling she's 'the one'. Jokingly, I added, "The only problem is that I can't figure out why she'd want to date a guy like me."
"Well, I think she's very lucky to have a boyfriend who brings her such lovely flowers and who is obviously in love with her," the woman said." "My husband used to bring me flowers every week -even when times were tough and we didn't have much money. Those were incredible days; he was very romantic and - of course - I miss him since he's passed away."
I paid for my flowers as she was gathering up her groceries. There was no doubt in my mind as I walked up to her. I touched her on the shoulder and said, "You were right, you know. These flowers are indeed for a very special lady." I handed her the flowers and thanked her for such a nice conversation.
It took her a moment to realize that I was giving her the flowers I had just purchased. "You have a wonderful evening," I said. I left her with a big smile and my heart warmed as I saw her smelling the beautiful flowers.
I remember being slightly late for my date that night and telling my girlfriend the above story. A couple of years later, when I finally worked up the courage to ask her to marry me, she told me that this story had helped to seal it for her -that was the night that I won her heart.
| 1． |
Why was the writer in a hurry that day?
|
| 2． |
What does the underlined phrase "her gift"(Paragraph 2) refer to?
|
| 3． |
Why did the writer give his flowers to the elderly lady?
|
| 4． |
What is the message conveyed in the story?
|
请阅读下列文章和相关信息，并按要求匹配信息。请在答题卡上将对应题号的相应选项字母涂黑。
下面是几则寓言小故事：An ant went to the bank of a river to quench its thirst, and being carried away by the rush of the stream, was on the point of drowning. A dove sitting on a tree overhanging the water plucked a leaf and let it fall into the stream close to her. The ant climbed onto it and floated in safety to the bank. Shortly afterwards a birdcatcher came and stood under the tree, aiming at the dove. The ant, perceiving his design, stung him in the foot. In pain the birdcatcher shouted, and the noise made the dove take wing.
Two men were travelling together, when a bear suddenly met them on their path. One of them climbed up quickly into a tree and hid himself in the branches. The other, seeing that he must be attacked, fell flat on the ground, and when the bear came up and felt him with his snout, and smelt him all over, he held his breath, and pretended to be dead as much as he could. The bear soon left him, for he will not touch a dead body. When he disappeared, the other traveller descended from the tree, and asked his friend what it was the bear had whispered in his ear. “He gave me this advice,” his companion replied. “Never travel with a friend who deserts you at the approach of danger.”
A prince had some monkeys trained to dance. Being naturally good at learning, they showed themselves excellent pupils, and in their rich clothes and masks, they danced as well as any of the courtiers. Their performance was often repeated with great applause, till on one occasion a courtier, bent on mischief, took from his pocket a handful of nuts and threw them upon the stage. The monkeys at the sight of the nuts forgot their dancing and became (as indeed they were) monkeys instead of actors. Pulling off their masks and tearing their robes, they fought with one another for the nuts. The dancing spectacle thus came to an end in the laughter and ridicule of the audience.
A cock was once strutting up and down the farmyard among the hens when suddenly he noticed something shining in the straw. "Ho! ho!" said he, "that’s for me," and soon rooted it out from beneath the straw. It turned out to be a pearl that by some chance had been lost in the yard. “You may be a treasure,” signed the cock, “to man, but for me I would rather have a single barley-corn.”
An old man on the point of death summoned his sons around him to give them some parting advice. He ordered his servants to bring in a bunch of sticks, and said to his eldest son: "Break it." The son tried hard, but with all his efforts was unable to break the bundle. The other sons also tried, but none of them was successful. “Untie it,” said the father, “and each of you take a stick.” When they had done so, he called out to them: “Now, break,” and each stick was easily broken.
请阅读下面的故事寓意，然后匹配与之对应的小故事。
| A．Not everything you see is what it appears to be. |
| B．One man’s pleasure may be another’s pain. / One man’s meat is another’s poison, |
| C．Misfortune tests the sincerity of friends. |
| D．One good turn deserves another. |
E. Union gives strength.
F. Precious things are for those that can prize them.
“The first and best of victories is for a man to conquer himself; to be conquered by himself is, of all things, the most shameful,” says Plato. Self-control is at the root of all the advantages. Let a man give in to his impulses and feelings, and from that moment he gives up his moral freedom.
A single angry word has lost many a friend. When Socrates found in himself any temper or anger, he would check it by speaking low in order to control himself. If you are conscious of being angry, keep your mouth shut so that you can hold back rising anger. Many a person has dropped dead in great anger. Fits of anger bring fits of disease “Whom the gods would destroy they first make mad.” “Keep cool,” says George Herbert, “for fierceness makes error a fault.”
To be angry with a weak man is to prove that you are not strong your self. “Anger,” says Pythagoras, “bring with folly and ends with regret.” You must measure the strength of a man by the power of the feelings he conquers, not by the power of those which conquer him.
Self-control is man’s last greatest victory.
If a man lacks self-control he seems to lack everything. Without it he can have no patience, no power to govern himself; he can have no self-confidence, for he will always be controlled by his strongest feeling. If he lacks self-control, the very backbone and nerve of character are lacking also.
5. What does the reader learn from the first paragraph ?
The greatest victory for a man is to conquer everything except himself.
One’s moral freedom is based on the control of himself.
To control oneself is the most difficult in one’s life.
If a person is too stubborn, he will feel most shameful.
6. What is the correct interpretation of “Whom the gods would destroy they first make mad”?
If the gods want to kill you, they make you crazy first.
If you always lose your temper, you will soon be finished.
If you cannot control yourself, you will become crazy.
If you are mad, you will be punished by the gods.
7. If a man lacks self-control, he lacks all of the following EXCEPT _________.
the very backbone and nerve of character
the patience and power to control himself
strong feelings
self-confidence
8. The author’s main purpose in writing this article is to ___________.
explain that self-control is the key to success
teach people how to control everything in order to make a great success
distinguish all kinds of self-control and suggest ways for keeping it
advise people not to lose temper so as to make and keep more friends
Every year, on the International Volunteers Day, the world thinks highly of the work of millions of people who give their time to help others. The work they are doing is important. As Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations said“…each contribution—no matter how small—can help make a difference.” Lu Hao and Meng Yu are just two examples of the 13.5 million young Chinese Volunteers who want to make a contribution to society.
Lu Hao is a middle school student, who joined the “1 helps 1” scheme1 of the Youth Volunteer Community Development Project last year. Every Tuesday and Friday he visits an elderly gentleman who lives alone. “Mr. Zhao is weak and cannot do much for himself, so I help with shopping, do jobs in the house, or read the newspaper to him. With his help, Mr. Zhao’s health has improved, and he feels more energetic. Lu Hao has also found their relationship beneficial2. In the past history was his weakest subject, but it is one which greatly interests Mr. Zhao and they often discuss it. Mr. Zhao has encourages Lu Hao to study history lessons harder and his grades have improved a great deal.
Meng Yu is studying for her master’s degree in Canada. She has a busy timetable, but still finds time for voluntary activities during the weekends. “Last month I took part in an event to help starving children in some of the least developed countries. Twenty-two of us went without food for 30 hours! It was a challenge. We wanted to improve awareness3 of hunger because every day children are dying of starvation. It was a great success. The local newspaper and TV reported it and we received many money.” Meng Yu and her classmates organized this activity to raise money for a good cause, and in the process she formed strong friendships.
Lu Hao and Meng Yu are helping to make other people’s lives better, and they also make great friends, gain new skills and increase their chances of getting the job of their dreams. Would you like to make a difference by becoming a volunteer?
阅读短文，回答问题。According to the text, what is the reason why young people choose to do voluntary work?
_______________________________________________________________________________Lu Hao has chosen to volunteer on two evenings every week . How has Meng Yu chosen to give her time? Why has she made a different choice?
_______________________________________________________________________________What benefits has his voluntary work brought Lu Hao?
_______________________________________________________________________________What benefits did MengYu’s voluntary work bring the starving children?
_______________________________________________________________________________
The story goes that some time ago, a man had a very lovely little daughter. One day the man punished his 3-year-old daughter for wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper. Money was tight and he became angry when the child tried to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree. But the little girl brought the gift to her father the next morning and said, “This is for you, Daddy.”
The man was embarrassed by his earlier act, but his anger broke out again when he found out the box was empty. He shouted at her, saying, “Don’t you know, when you give someone a present, there is supposed to be something inside?” The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and cried, “Oh, Daddy, it’s not empty at all. I blew kisses into the box. They are all for you, Daddy.”
The father was ashamed. He put his arms around his little girl, and he begged for her forgiveness.
Only a short time later, an accident took the life of the child. It is also told that her father kept that gold box by his bed for many years and whenever he was discouraged, he would take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there. In a very real sense, each one of us, as human beings, has been given a gold box filled with unconditional love and kisses… from our children, family members friends and God. There are simply no other things anyone could hold, more precious than this.
阅读短文，判断正（T）误（F）。The girl hated her father because her father punished her and was mean in money.
The story happened on Christmas Eve.
The girl’s father felt very regretful because he didn’t understand the love of her daughter and hurt her at first.
Sadly, the girl died from her self-respect being hurt.
Unconditional love and kisses from our beloved people are the most precious of all things.
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