Two weeks before Christmas, Mother told me we were going to my grandmother's house for the holiday. Grandma and Uncle Henry lived on a farm some 15 miles out of town. They had no electricity or running water and what I considered the “good things” in life. They made no plans for Christmas. When Christmas Eve arrived, Mom told me in her best “I-mean-it” voice to all the decorations(装饰物) from our tree. She packed those up, all the trimmings(材料) for a turkey dinner.
Christmas morning dawned perfectly, with the sun brightly across a fresh blanket of snow. I sulked(生气) silently in the backseat of the car because my parents made our to grandma's. This was going to be the Christmas ever! Grandma was to see us as we walked up to her door. “What on earth are you doing here?” She stammered(结巴地说). “We weren't expecting . It's Christmas, and I don't even have a turkey to cook for you.” I knew . Mom said as we set boxes of things on the kitchen table. “That's we brought one with us.” “We have a tree,” Mom insisted. “ , what will we do with all these decorations?” Uncle Henry quickly knew Mom's meaning. He called me to join him, and we a perfect Christmas tree. Soon the house smelled fresh and piney as we decorated the tree, and the day was a festive air. The turkey dinner was very good, too. I was actually beginning to enjoy this unusual Christmas day!
Dessert was forgotten Mom came out with the final surprise-----a flaming(燃烧的) pudding! “Merry Christmas, mother,” Mom said. “Dear me!” Grandma gasped. “I haven't seen a flaming pudding since I left England before I was married.” Tears of filled her eyes.
I could not keep the tears my eyes, either. I knew then that Mom had also given me the best Christmas present ever—she had taught me what a beautiful thing it is to give.
A．prepared B．lacked C．refused D．desired
A．even B．too C．never D．hardly
A．replace B．return C．remove D．show
A．instead of B．by the side of C．along with D．in spite of
A．sad B．complete C．fresh D．separate
A．shinning B．setting C．breaking D．happening
A．But B．So C．And D．Then
A．progress B．way C．wish D．hope
A．last B．busiest C．best D．worst
A．expected B．eager C．surprised D．ready
A．anyone B．others C．some one D．no one
A．you B．them C．that D．this
A．how B．why C．where D．what
A．may B．will C．can D．must
A．Meanwhile B．Therefore C．However D．Otherwise
A．improved B．found C．caused D．changed
A．showed off B．went on C．filled with D．lighted up
A．until B．after C．because D．unless
A．sadness B．joy C．regret D．worry
A．onto B．back C．into D．from
One day I took a bus with my girlfriend. It was so that we stood for several stops until a vacant seat was for her.
Then a pretty girl rushed towards me, saying, "Hi, where are you going?" I was so struck by the stranger that I had a hard time trying to her. Clearly she had taken me somebody else. I returned her greeting with politeness, to give explanation to my girlfriend later.
Noticing my dialogue with somebody else, my girlfriend her eyes and found she was pretty. She asked jealously, "Who's she?" The pretty girl, quite of the situation, spoke out first, "Hi, let me myself. I'm Nancy, used to be . Very glad to meet you." She behaved very .
But I was to search in my memory for someone called Nancy among my neighbors. I was worrying how to explain this to my girlfriend the pretty girl again turned to me, "Will you give me your cell phone number so that we keep contacts later?" I had to submit to her . Then the girl got off the bus at the next stop.
A minute later I got a short on my phone－from a stranger. My girlfriend my phone and read the note. It was from the girl, who said, "Just now, two thieves tried to your pocket. I had to act as an acquaintance to draw your attention. I should have left at the stop but gave up as I noticed these two thieves also to leave at the same stop. Because of the I delayed my departure. Now you' ll understand all I have done to you. Wish you luck."
A．tiring B．slow C．crowded D．messy
A．ready B．available C．special D．suitable
A．identify B．realize C．remind D．judge
A．on B．by C．with D．for
A．preferring B．planning C．managing D．promising
A．fixed B．opened C．raised D．focused
A．proud B．careful C．afraid D．aware
A．explain B．enjoy C．introduce D．help
A．partners B．neighbors C．friends D．colleagues
A．naturally B．generously C．cautiously D．normally
A．in a hurry B．at a loss C．at ease D．in time
A．while B．before C．when D．until
A．would B．can C．should D．must
A．request B．question C．command D．opinion
A．suggestion B．warning C．notice D．message
A．removed B．seized C．found D．caught
A．steal B．reach C．get D．pick
A．terminal B．former C．previous D．latter
A．pretending B．intending C．demanding D．announcing
A．incident B．matter C．accident D．affair
I used to be a very self-centered person, but in the past two years I have really changed. I have started to think about other people I think about myself. I am happy that I am becoming a person.
I think my started when I was at Palomar College. At first, I just wanted to get my and be left alone. I thought I was smarter than everyone else, so I hardly ever to anyone in my classes. By the end of my first semester, I was really . It seemed as if everyone but me had made friends and was having fun. So tried a(n) . I started asking people around me how they were doing, and if they were having trouble I to help. That was really a big for me. By the end of the year, I had several new friends, and two of are still my best friends today.
A bigger cause of my new , however, came when I took a part-time job at a Vista Nursing Home. One old lady there who had Alzheimer’s disease became my . Every time I came into her room, she was so because she thought I was her daughter. Her real daughter never her, so I took her place. She let me that making others feel good made me feel good, too, when she died, I was , but I was very grateful to her.
I think I am a much person today than I used to be, and I hope I will not these experiences. They have me to care about other people more than about myself. I who I am today, and I could not say that a few years ago.
A．before B．since C．or D．unless
A．famous B．simple C．different D．skilled
A．education B．career C．change D．tour
A．balance B．homework C．interest D．degree
A．talked B．wrote C．lied D．reported
A．careful B．lonely C．curious D．guilty
A．argument B．game C．experiment D．defence (防御)
A．offered B．dared C．hesitated D．happened
A．dream B．problem C．duty D．step
A．us B．which C．them D．whom
A．attitude B．hobby C．hope D．luck
A．friend B．partner C．guide D．guest
A．polite B．happy C．strange D．confident
A．bothered B．answered C．visited D．trusted
A．explain B．guess C．declare D．see
A．homeless B．hopeless C．bad-tempered D．heartbroken
A．quieter B．busier C．better D．richer
A．forget B．face C．improve D．analyze
A．forced B．preferred C．ordered D．taught
A．miss B．like C．wonder D．expect
I’m sitting in a quiet room at the Millcroft Hotel, a peaceful place hidden back among pine trees about an hour out of Toronto. It’s just past noon, late July, and I’m the desperate (绝望的) sounds of a life-and-death going on a few feet away.
There’s a small burning out the last of its short life’s energies in a (an) to fly through the glasses of the window. , it’s not working. The great effort offers no hope for survival. Ironically (讽刺地), the struggle is part of the trap. It is for the fly to try hard enough to succeed in through the glass. This fly is doomed (注定失败). It will there on the windowsill.
Across the room, ten steps , the door is open. Ten seconds of flying time and this small creature could reach the outside world it . With only a small effort now being , it could be free of this self-set . The breakthrough possibility is there. It would be so .
Why doesn’t the fly try another approach, dramatically different? How did it get so locked in on the idea this particular route and determined effort offer the most promise for success?
No doubt this way makes to the fly. Regrettably, it is an idea that will kill it.
Trying hard isn’t necessarily the solution achieving your goal. It may not offer any real for getting what you want out of life. Sometimes, in fact, it is a big part of the problem.
If you your hopes like the fly for a break-through, you may your chances for success.
A．seeing B．crying out C．watching D．listening to
A．struggle B．cry C．yell D．test
A．bird B．fly C．insect D．worm
A．experience B．direction C．force D．attempt
A．Thus B．So C．Although D．However
A．usual B．likely C．impossible D．uncommon
A．digging B．breaking C．pushing D．jumping
A．kill B．die C．lie D．stick
A．away B．far C．near D．distant
A．dreams to B．thinks of C．looks after D．longs for
A．done B．owned C．wasted D．planned
A．tunnel B．trap C．cave D．goal
A．easy B．necessary C．hard D．obvious
A．attempt B．anything C．struggle D．something
A．that B．what C．which D．where
A．sense B．trouble C．room D．effort
A．of B．from C．off D．to
A．advice B．support C．hope D．power
A．risk B．get C．make D．take
A．fail B．kill C．overlook D．fulfill
What is intelligence anyway? When I was in the army I_____an intelligence test that all soldiers took, and, against _____of 100, scored 160.
I had an auto-repair man once, who, on these intelligence tests, could not ______ have scored more than 80. ____, when anything went wrong with my car I hurried to him -- and he always _____ it.
Well, then, suppose my auto-repair man____questions for some intelligence tests. By every one of them I'd prove myself a _____. In a world where I have to work with my ____, I'd do poorly.
Consider my auto-repair man_____.He had a habit of telling ____. One time he said, "Doe. a deaf-and-dumb (聋哑) man______some nails. Having entered a store, he put two fingers together on the counter and made ______ movements with the other hand. The clerk brought him a hammer. He ______ his head and pointed to the two fingers he was hammering. The clerk ______ him some nails. He picked out the right size and left. Well, Doe. the______man who came in was blind. He wanted scissors. ______ do you suppose he asked for them?" I lifted my right hand and made scissoring movements with my first two fingers. He burst out laughing and said, "Why, you fool, he used his ______ and asked for them. I've been ______ that on all my customers today, but I knew ______ I'd catch you." "Why is that?" I asked. "Because you are so goddamned educated, Dr. I knew you couldn't be very______.
And I have an uneasy feeling he had something there.
A．failed B．wrote C．received D．chose
A．an average B．a total C．an exam D．a number
A．always B．possibly C．certainly D．frequently
A．Then B．Thus C．Therefore D．Yet
A．fixed B．checked C．drove D．changed
A．answered B．practised C．designed D．tried
A．teacher B．doctor C．winner D．fool
A．brains B．effort C．hands D．attention
A．again B．as usual C．too D．as well
A．lies B．jokes C．news D．tales
A．bought B．tested C．found D．needed
A．cutting B．hammering C．waving D．circling
A．nodded B．raised C．shook D．turned
A．brought B．packed C．sent D．sold
A．clever B．other C．right D．next
A．What B．How C．Who D．Which
A．imagination B．hand C．voice D．information
A．trying B．proving C．practising D．examining
A．for sure B．at once C．in fact D．right now
A．clear B．silly C．slow D．smart
One day, my father drove his employer to another city for a business meeting. On the outskirts（郊区）of town, they for a sandwich lunch. While they ate, several boys playing in the street passed by their . One of the boys limped（跛行）．Looking more closely, my father’s boss that the boy had a clubfoot（畸形足）．He stepped out of the car and the boy, saying that he was able to help get that foot fixed. The young boy was .The businessman wrote down the boy’s name before the boy joined his friends down the street.
The man and said to my father, “Woody, the boy’s name is Jimmy. Find out where he and do your best to get his parents to let him have his foot operated on. I’ll pay all the costs.” They finished their sandwiches and went on their .
It didn’t take long for my father to Jimmy’s house, a small one that needed paint and repair. For almost an hour, my father explained the plan to Jimmy’s parents. , they looked at each other. When my father they still weren’t quite sure about the generous offer from an unknown benefactor (捐助者).
Later, my father’s employer got in touch with the local government with a to send someone to Jimmy’s home to the family that this was a lawful offer. Soon, with permission papers signed, my father took Jimmy to an excellent in another state. After five operations, his limp disappeared.
His parents watched in as the returned boy stepped lightly toward them. They still could not that a man they had never seen would pay a large sum of money to have a foot corrected for their son.
The benefactor was Mr. Henry Ford, the founder of the Ford Motor Company. He always said it’s more fun to do something for people they don’t know who did it.
A．waited B．paid C．prepared D．stopped
A．car B．town C．office D．restaurant
A．thought B．observed C．doubted D．worried
A．took care of B．got hold of C．hung out with D．caught up with
A．delighted B．satisfied C．interested D．relaxed
A．laughed B．apologized C．returned D．nodded
A．plays B．studies C．lives D．stays
A．determination B．permission C．help D．plan
A．chat B．ride C．meeting D．holiday
A．build B．decorate C．paint D．find
A．patiently B．briefly C．proudly D．calmly
A．Confused B．Excited C．Ashamed D．Tired
A．visited B．finished C．refused D．left
A．purpose B．decision C．request D．promise
A．warn B．remind C．argue D．convince
A．hotel B．hospital C．school D．store
A．anger B．fear C．amazement D．disappointment
A．agree B．admit C．prove D．believe
A．secret B．polite C．humorous D．cautious
A．until B．when C．unless D．Whom
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