Don’t Wait Until Flowers Fade
Each spring brings a new blossom of wildflowers in the ditches (路沟) along the highway I travel daily to work.
There is one blue flower that has always my eye. I’ve noticed that it blooms only in the morning hours, and the afternoon sun is too warm it. Every day for approximately two weeks, I see those beautiful .
This spring, I started a wildflower garden in our yard. I can look out of the window while doing the dishes and see the flowers. I’ve often thought that those lovely blue flowers from the ditch would look in that bed alongside wildflowers.
Everyday I drove the flowers thinking, “I’ll stop on my way home and dig them.” “Gee, I don’t want to get my good clothes ...” Whatever the reason, I never stopped to dig them. My husband gave me a folding shovel(铁锹) one year to be used for that purpose.
One day on my way home from work, I was to see that the highway department had moved the ditches and the pretty blue flowers were gone. I thought to myself, “Way to go, you too long. You it when you first saw them blooming this spring.”
A week ago we were shocked and saddened to learn that my oldest sister-in-law has a terminal brain tumor(脑瘤晚期). She is 20 years older than my husband and , because of age and distance, we haven’t been as as we all would have liked.
I couldn’t help but see the between the pretty blue flowers and the between my husband’s sister and us. I do believe that God has given us some time left to plant some valuable that will bloom every year for us.
And yes, if I see the blue flowers again, you can bet I'll stop and them to my wildflower garden
A．sweet B．interesting C．different D．particular
A．fascinated B．struck C．caught D．charm
A．for B．to C．with D．on
A．plants B．flowers C．ones D．wilds
A．open B．main hall C．front D．kitchen
A．great B．well C．horrible D．ugly
A．many B．various C．other D．colorful
A．passed B．past C．pass D．pasted
A．damaged B．ready C．dirty D．smelly
A．ever B．once C．never D．even
A．expressed B．temporary C．unfinished D．permanent
A．annoying B．saddened C．interested D．helpless
A．wasted B．ignored C．thought D．waited
A．would have done B．need have done C．should have done D．muse have done
A．unconsciously B．fortunately C．unfortunately D．consciously
A．close B．closely C．closed D．near
A．connection B．difference C．meaning D．significance
A．friendship B．relationship C．support D．relative
A．trees B．memories C．species D．roses
A．dig B．rescue C．transmit D．transplant
When I was a law professor, a student reported that I made an error in grading his exam by giving him too many points. He was 36 , and after thanking him for his honesty, I changed the grade in my 37 . His beaming (欢笑的) face turned to shock. “You’re 38 my grade?” he said angrily. “I would never have come in 39 ……”
He didn’t finish the 40 , but it was obvious that his display of honesty was 41 . He thought he’d have it all—praise and the higher grade.
Several colleagues thought I should have let the higher grade 42 because all I’d accomplished was to discourage him from being 43 in the future. And every time I tell this story some people agree with this 44 .
But I can’t see how I could give good reason for worsening my 45 in grading by undermining (损害) the honesty of all my grades by failing to 46 an error. The grade itself would be a dishonest 47 of his knowledge and it would have been 48 to other students. How could I 49 give a student a gift of an unearned grade?
I know 50 reporting an error in one’s favor is unusual, but, like 51 too much change, it’s clearly the right thing to do. People of character, those with real honesty, hate to give up 52_ as much as anyone else. The difference is that for them a good conscience and reputation is _53 enough to give reason for the cost of doing the right thing.
Perhaps lowering the student’s grade did 54 him from being honest in the future, but bribing (贿赂) him to be honest so that he does the right thing when it’s cost-free would have _55
him even more. The duty to be honest is about right and wrong, not risks and rewards.
A．wise B．right C．grateful D．upset
A．files B．books C．records D．notes
A．lowering B．correcting C．changing D．making
A．though B．why C．where D．if
A．sentence B．work C．exam D．lesson
A．good B．false C．special D．impressive
A．remove B．change C．stand D．add
A．brave B．adventurous C．successful D．honest
A．remark B．complaint C．praise D．achievement
A．crime B．mistake C．doubt D．guilty
A．make B．find C．correct D．avoid
A．reaction B．sense C．sign D．reflection
A．unfair B．cruel C．tough D．funny
A．reluctantly B．responsibly C．impossibly D．impatiently
A．actively B．secretly C．voluntarily D．curiously
A．receiving B．paying C．earning D．returning
A．benefits B．honors C．awards D．gifts
A．pleasure B．reward C．content D．honor
A．protect B．influence C．discourage D．separate
A．improved B．encouraged C．blamed D．ruined
I’ve spent most of my career as a traveling salesman, and so I know that 1 is an occupational disease. But one year, my 2 gave me the cure for my homesickness.
It had black bright eyes, a red bow tie and orange feet--- a stuffed penguin (企鹅) that 3 about five inches tall. Attached to its left wing 4 a little sign with the hand-painted declaration “ I Love My Dad!”. I immediately 5 the penguin on my table.
On my next trip, I put the 6 in my suitcase. That night when I called home, my daughter Jeanine was 7 because the penguin had disappeared. “Honey, he’s here with me,” I explained, “ I brought him 8 ”.
9 , the penguin came with me --- as necessary as my briefcase. And we 10 along the way. In Albuquerque, I checked into a 11 , dropped my bag and ran to a meeting. When I returned, the maid had 12 the bed and stood the penguin on the pillow.
One night, I discovered the penguin 13 , and after a mad phone call, I learned I’d 14 it in my previous hotel room, 15 it had been rescued by a maid. I 16 a hundred miles to get it, and when I arrived at midnight, the penguin was waiting at the front desk. In the hotel lobby (大厅), other tired business travelers were 17 at the reunion of my penguin and me --- I think with a touch of 18 .
Jeanine is in college now, and I don’t travel 19 . The penguin sits on my table, a reminder that love is a wonderful traveling companion. All those years on 20 , it was the one thing I never left home without.
A．cold B．hunger C．loneliness D．fever
A．boy B．daughter C．friend D．mother
A．stood B．lay C．jumped D．climbed
A．wrote B．turned C．was D．had
A．threw B．lost C．gave D．placed
A．bear B．penguin C．dog D．rabbit
A．upset B．happy C．glad D．excited
A．up B．off C．along D．down
A．From now on B．In the future C．In future D．From then on
A．had friends B．had friend C．made friends D．made friend
A．school B．hotel C．shop D．supermarket
A．given B．turned C．made D．carried
A．sleeping B．going C．living D．missing
A．forget B．left C．ordered D．sent
A．there B．when C．where D．how
A．ran B．walked C．hurried D．drove
A．surprised B．frightened C．looked D．laughed
A．anger B．envy C．sadness D．illness
A．as many B．as seldom C．so little D．as much
A．the hotel B．the meeting C．the road D．the house
One afternoon, my son A dam asked me, “Are all people the same even if they are different in color?”
I thought for a minute, and then I said, “I'll explain, 36_ you can just wait until we make a quick 37_ at th grocery store. I have something 38 to show you. ”
At the grocery store, we 39 some apples — red, green and yellow ones. Back home, I told Adam, “It’s time to 40_ your question.” I put one apple of each 41__on the table. Then I looked at Adam, who had a 42 look on his face.
“People are like apples. They come in all 43_colors, shapes and sizes. On the 44,some of the apples
may not 45 look as the others. ” As I was talking, Adam was 46 each one carefully.
Then, I took each of the apples and peeled (削皮）them, 47 them back on the table, but 48_ a different place.
“Okay, Adam, tell me which is which”
He said, “I 49_ tell. They all look same now. ” Take a bite of 50_. See if that helps you 51_ which one is which"
He took a 52 . and then a huge smile came across his face.. ’’People are 53_ likeapples!They arealldifferent, but once you 54_ the outside, they’re pretty much the same on the inside. ”
He totally 55_ it. I didn’t need to say or do anything else.
A．although B．so C．because D．if
A．stop B．start C．turn D．stay
A．expressive B．encouraging C．informative D．interesting
A．bought B．counted C．saw D．collected
A．check B．mention C．answer D．improve
A．size B．type C．shape D．class
A．worried B．satisfied C．proud D．curious
A．ordinary B．normal C．different D．regular
A．outside B．whole C．table D．inside
A．still B．even C．only D．ever
A．examining B．measuring C．drawing D．packing
A．keeping B．placing C．pulling D．giving
A．on B．toward C．for D．in
A．mustn’t B．can’t C．shouldn’t D．needn’t
A．each one B．each other C．the other D．one another
A．admit B．consider C．decide D．believe
A．big bite B．deep breath C．firm hold D．close look
A．just B．always C．merely D．seldom
A．put away B．get down C．hand out D．take off
A．made B．took C．got D．did
Michael O’her lived alone with his father, and the two of them had a very special relationship. The father believed in encouragement.
Though Michael was the 21 of the class when he entered high school, his 22 continued to encourage him, but also made it very clear that he did not have to play 23 if he didn’t want to.
However, Michael loved football and was 24 to try his best at every practice. All through high school, he never 25 a practice or a game, but remained a bench warmer(替补队员) all four years. His 26 father was always in the stands, with words of 27 for him.
It was the end of the football season, and as Michael ran slowly onto the practice field shortly 28 the big final game, the coach met him with a telegram. Michael 29 the telegram and became deathly silent—his father died that morning, and the sad man left for 30 immediately.
In the third quarter, when the team was ten points 31 , a silent young man eagerly 32 onto the sidelines. The coach and his players were shocked to see their team-mate back so 33 .
“Coach, please let me 34 . I have to play today,” said Michael. Feeling sorry for him, the coach 35 . Before long, nobody could believe their eyes. This small bench warmer played like a(n) 36 . He helped his team win finally.
When the team was cheering for their 37 , Michael was sitting in the corner all alone. The coach came to him and said, “You were fantastic! Tell me 38 you did it?”
Tears in eyes, Michael said, “Well, you knew my dad died, but did you know he was blind?” He 39 a smile, “Dad came to all my games, but today was the first time he could 40 me play, and I wanted to show him I could do it!”
.
A．strongest B．smallest C．biggest D．youngest
A．coach B．players C．classmates D．father
A．football B．games C．practices D．basketball
A．required B．determined C．satisfied D．reminded
A．failed B．lost C．missed D．won
A．sympathetic B．upset C．faithful D．optimistic
A．encouragement B．judgment C．wisdom D．amusement
A．after B．since C．towards D．before
A．went through B．turned over C．got over D．tore up
A．school B．home C．field D．class
A．ahead B．beside C．behind D．away
A．walked B．ran C．stepped D．slipped
A．quietly B．sadly C．punctually D．soon
A．go B．fight C．work D．play
A．left B．refused C．agreed D．cried
A．star B．son C．amateur D．trainer
A．victory B．award C．memorial D．unity
A．why B．when C．where D．how
A．spread B．skipped C．forced D．stopp
A．hear B．see C．feel D．make
I devote myself to music because of my grandmother. My mom and I lived with my grandparents from the time I was two __36__ I was eight. And even then, I was at their house before and after school every day while my mother was __37__.
Grandma loved music. It was she that first __38__ me to Elvis Presley (猫王) as a very young child, and once I heard his music, I was truly in __39__ with it. Most five-year-olds ask for __40__ for birthdays, but I wanted Elvis’ albums. I would play them non-stop and __41__ to the music in my grandma’s family room though my movements didn’t look good.
Grandma played the piano and __42__ me to sing “America the Beautiful” and “Somewhere over the Rainbow”. I __43__ started playing music on the piano, and soon Grandma was paying for me to __44__ piano lessons from a lady living in the __45__. I would come home from __46__ and walk three houses down for my lesson. I __47__ took about nine months of lessons, but it was enough to give me a foundation (基础) and __48__ me to continue to teach myself.
Last month when I came home to visit Grandma in the hospital, I __49__ my guitar with me. She was in a lot of pain, but the music seemed to __50__ her soul. She had me sing some songs and when I started to sing “Somewhere over the Rainbow”, her weakened voice __51__ in with mine for a few lines. That experience was one of the most __52__ of my lifetime and one I will certainly cherish forever. I told her of my music career and she was very __53__ and said, “That’s wonderful!” I __54__ to play for her throughout the week I was home.
My grandma passed away two days ago. In my opinion, part of her will live on through every __55__ I write or sing in my life.
A．unless B．until C．after D．when
A．at work B．in trouble C．on board D．in danger
A．sent B．left C．remembered D．introduced
A．debate B．love C．agreement D．doubt
A．music B．space C．gifts D．toys
A．wave B．sleep C．dance D．play
A．forced B．prepared C．enabled D．taught
A．generally B．eventually(最后) C．suddenly D．fortunately(幸运地)
A．observe B．make C．take D．enjoy
A．hotel B．apartment C．neighborhood D．countryside
A．school B．hospital C．street D．office
A．exactly B．only C．completely D．seldom
A．ask B．make C．let D．allow
A．gave up B．gave away C．brought along D．brought up
A．comfort B．blame C．attract D．find
A．joined B．poured C．moved D．fell
A．surprising B．touching C．puzzling D．tiring
A．sad B．calm C．bored D．pleased
A．refused B．expected C．continued D．pretended (假装)
A．project B．article C．book D．song
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