For John and Amy, birthdays have always been a big deal—a welcome excuse to celebrate life．When their son, Alex, three in 2005, they invited 20 friends to a nearby park．Not long after that the were brainstorming ways to teach Alex about giving to ．“We wanted to do something that would have a（n） on our community（社区）, and that our young child could in．We started wondering what fortunate kids do on their birthdays．The next day, we called a local shelter, and learnt that children typically didn’t do to celebrate at all．No cake．No gifts．No party．” The couple said．
Several weeks later, threw a party at the for the children who had birthdays that month．They decorated, served cake, and danced with 50 kids．Alex helped presents．
that first party, the couple have turned their simple idea Birthday Blessings, a non-profit that hosts monthly parties at 10 shelters．
To date, Birthday Blessings （birthday blessings．org．） has thrown more than 500 at different shelters and handed out 22,000 party to nearly 4,000 homeless children in and around their community．
Birthday Blessings is entirely by volunteers．The charity（慈善）will take almost anything — toys, clothing, candy, baby items— it’s not used．“These kids never get anything new．” John said, “It makes a big to them psychologically．”
Being “part of this labor love” is making an impression on their son Alex．On his seventh birthday, his grandparents sent a check． it, the first thing he said was that he wanted to give half to the birthday kids．
A．turned B．grew C．came D．got
A．shelters B．neighbors C．friends D．couple
A．the other B．another C．others D．each other
A．impression B．influence C．permission D．limitation
A．participate B．take C．bring D．move
A．fairly B．less C．rather D．more
A．penniless B．jobless C．homeless D．hopeless
A．nothing B．anything C．everything D．something
A．Alex B．John C．Amy D．the family
A．shelter B．church C．school D．community
A．make out B．pass out C．show out D．leave out
A．Before B．Until C．After D．Since
A．into B．down C．out D．off
A．birthdays B．parties C．presents D．donations
A．cakes B．honors C．favors D．surprises
A．continued B．undertaken C．operated D．performed
A．as far as B．as soon as C．as simple as D．as long as
A．difference B．surprise C．benefit D．advantage
A．never B．always C．hardly D．already
A．Realizing B．Saving C．Opening D．Folding
“It was all his own idea,” says Pat, the wife of California high school football coach Bob Peters. Bob had ____ made a “motherhood contract(合同)”—declaring that for 70 days this summer he would ____ the care of their four children and all the housework. ____ he didn’t even know how to make coffee when he signed, he was very confident.
After 40 of the 70 days, he was ready to ____. “I was beaten down,” admits Bob. “Not only is motherhood a ____ task, it is an impossible job for any normal human being. ”
Bob and Pat were married in 2008. After they married, Pat ____ a secretary to help put him through university. ____ Bob has been the football coach while Pat raised the kids. ____ two years ago Pat went back to work. “I had been ____ children so much,” she ____, “I couldn’t talk to a grown-up.” She continued to run the household, ____ -- until Bob signed the contract.
Bob tried hard to learn cooking, but the meals he prepared were ____. For the last three weeks, the family ____ a lot--- sometimes having MacDonald’s hamburgers for lunch and dinner.
____ housekeeping, a home economics teacher had told Bob that a room always looks clean ___ the bed is made. “I found ____ –I shut the doors,” he says. Soon the kids were wearing their shirts inside out. “When we went to ____ Pat at work, I made them wear their shirts ____ side out so they would look clean.”
Now that Bob has publicly ____ he was wrong, he is ____ the child-raising and household tasks with Pat.
A．only B．just C．nearly D．ever
A．stick to B．set about C．think about D．take over
A．If B．As C．Since D．Although
A．carry on B．give up C．break down D．find out
A．strange B．pleasant C．difficult D．serious
A．sent B．employed C．learned from D．worked as
A．In time B．Before long C．Since then D．Later on
A．Then B．Thus C．So D．Still
A．near B．after C．about D．around
A．insists B．sighs C．jokes D．apologizes
A．besides B．therefore C．however D．otherwise
A．terrible B．tasty C．expensive D．special
A．starved B．traveled C．worked out D．ate out
A．Due to B．As for C．Along with D．Except for
A．until B．before C．if D．unless
A．an easier way B．a cheaper way C．a cleaner way D．a harder way
A．receive B．welcome C．greet D．fetch
A．good B．wrong C．right D．opposite
A．admitted B．suggested C．agreed D．explained
A．operating B．realizing C．sharing D．performing
The Man was very sad. He knew that the Cat's days were . The doctor had said there wasn’t anything more that could be done, and that he should take the Cat home and make him as as possible.
A rolled down the Man’s cheek and landed on the Cat’s forehead. The Cat gave him a slightly annoyed . “Why do you , Man?” the Cat asked, “Because you can’t bear the thought of me? Because you think you can never replace me?” The Man nodded, “Yes”.
“ up that piece of string from the floor-— there, my ‘toy’.”The Man reached over and picked up the string. It was about two feet long and the Cat had been able to himself for hours with it. “Now take end of the string in one hand.” the Cat ordered. The Man did so.
“The end in your left hand is my and the end in your right hand is my death. Now bring the two ends together.” the Cat said. The man did so. Then the Cat continued, “You have made a continuous . Does any point along the string appear to be different, worse or better than any other part of the string?” The Man inspected the string and then his head.
“Close your eyes.” the Cat said. “Now lick your hand.” The Man his eyes in surprise. “Just do it,”the Cat said. “Lick your hand, think of me in all my places, and think about all the pieces of string.”
Licking his hand, he discovered a cat must know — that licking a paw is very calming and allows one to think more . He continued licking and the corners of his mouth turned into the first smile he had shown in days. He waited for the Cat to tell him to , and when he didn’t, he opened his eyes. The Cat’s eyes were closed. The Man softly the warm, brown fur with his fingers , but the Cat was gone.
One day, not long after, there was a new cat on his lap. She was a lovely and white one. It is very different from his earlier Cat and very much the same.
A．gone B．numbered C．finished D．ended
A．soon B．lively C．long D．comfortable
A．tear B．rain C．sweat D．water
A．impression B．expression C．passion D．action
A．scream B．yell C．cry D．call
A．killing B．destroying C．lacking D．losing
A．Pick B．Put C．Pull D．Push
A．help B．learn C．entertain D．teach
A．each B．both C．neither D．any
A．life B．fate C．origin D．birth
A．string B．circle C．knot D．rope
A．nodded B．bowed C．shook D．bent
A．twinkled B．broadened C．widened D．closed
A．familiar B．similar C．junior D．superior
A．where B．what C．when D．that
A．cleanly B．clumsily C．clearly D．closely
A．upward B．downward C．inward D．outward
A．come B．go C．stop D．run
A．combed B．patted C．struck D．rubbed
A．friendly B．devoted C．lovely D．beloved
Leonardo da Vinci began painting the Mona Lisa in 1503. He was working a special painting for a church at that time,
the church painting was not
well. An Italian businessman asked da Vinci to paint a picture of his second
. This is the woman who
be seen in the Mona Lisa.
All in all, the Mona Lisa is a very good example of da Vinci's and it satisfied the husband. Da Vinci used
and light in a clever
in the painting. Da Vinci loved science and
. Right away a person can see that there is a lot of geometry (几何形状)in the Mona Lisa. The face of the Mona Lisa is made of many circles and
shapes like
. Even her
can be seen as a small part of a large circle. The woman in the
is sitting on a balcony (阳台)，and
can be seen behind her. Da Vinci loved to study rocks，so these can be seen
in his other paintings. The woman is sitting with her knees
the side. Her head is turned to look out of the painting. Her hands are
together in front of her. This way of
is now used by many
when they are being painted. The Mona Lisa is a
master.
A. up B. in C. on D. about
A. but B. thus C. however D. so
A. doing B. going C. making D. working
A. servant B. daughter C. nurse D. wife
A. must B. should C. might D. can
A. works B. jobs C. novels D. photos
A. heaviness B. black C. darkness D. oils
A. way B. picture C. hand D. eye
A. chemistry B. mathematics C. geography D. biology
A. square B. round C. long D. egg
A. balls B. sticks C. vases D. boxes
A. smile B. shout C. cry D. anger
A. church B. painting C. sofa D. house
A. trees B. buildings C. mountains D. flowers
A. by and by B. here and there C. over and over D. up and down
A. on B. by C. to D. beyond
A. caught B. held C. supported D. hung
A. painting B. living C. smiling D. sitting
A. women B. actresses C. girls D. models
A. remarkable B. strange C. frightening D. disgusting
A man and his girlfriend were married. It was a large .
All of their friends and came to see the lovely ceremony and to in the festivities and celebrations. All had a wonderful time. The bride was impressive her white wedding gown and the groom was very attractive in his black suit. Everyone could that the love they had for each other was .
A few months later, the wife came to the husband with a/an , "I read in a magazine about how we can our marriage," she offered. "Each of us will write a list of the things that we find a bit with the other person. Then, we can talk about how we can them and make our lives happier together."
The husband agreed. So of them went to a separate room in the house and thought of the things that annoyed them. They thought about this question for of the day and wrote down what they . The next morning, at the breakfast table, they decided that they would their lists.
"I'll start," offered the wife. She took out her list. It had many on it, enough to fill three pages. In fact, as she started reading the list, she noticed that tears were starting to appear in her husband's eyes.
"What's wrong?" she asked. "Nothing," the husband replied, "keep reading your list."
The wife continued to read until she had read all three pages to her husband. She placed her list on the table and her hands over the top of it.
"Now, you read your list," she said happily.
Quietly the husband , "I don't have anything on my list. I think that you are perfect the way you are. I don't want you to change anything for me. The wife, by his honesty and the depth of his love for her and his acceptance of her, turned her head and wept.
We have a wonderful world that is full of beauty, light and promise. Why waste time in this world looking for the bad, disappointing or annoying when we can look around us, and see the wonderful before us?
A．festival B．feast C．celebration D．holiday
A．family B．colleagues C．relatives D．neighbors
A．overcome B．undertake C．intake D．partake
A．dressed in B．pull on C．put on D．wore
A．say B．tell C．know D．learn
A．real B．actual C．true D．pure
A．proposal B．idea C．request D．command
A．expand B．strengthen C．broaden D．deepen
A．annoyed B．disturbed C．disturbing D．annoying
A．focus B．fix C．concentrate D．react
A．both B．all C．each D．neither
A．the remained B．the rest C．the left D．the following
A．came up B．came out C．came for D．came up with
A．go over B．make up C．look over D．turn to
A．matters B．topics C．items D．details
A．cleanly B．clearly C．proudly D．neatly
A．unfolded B．folded C．opened D．stretched
A．stated B．declared C．announced D．suggested
A．what B．where C．who D．that
A．encouraged B．criticized C．touched D．loved
A sufferer of Hansen’s Disease in Fiji, with twisted hands, became an internationally known artist. “My ____ I see as a gift led me to my life’s work,” he said. “If it had not been for it, none of these things would have ____.”
Some people succeed ____handicaps(残疾). Others succeed because of them. The ____is that our problems help to make us what we are. Those who____often learn the value of sympathy. And those who ____often teach others how to rise again. Our troubles can ____us in ways a carefree (无忧无虑的) existence cannot.
A ____is told about an Eastern village that through the centuries was known for its good pottery（陶器）. Especially ____were its pots, high as tables, wide as chairs; they were ____around the globe for their strong form and great beauty.
Legend has it that when each pot was seemingly ____, there was still one final step. The craftsman ____it---and then put it back together with gold filigree(金银丝).
A(n) ____pot was then transformed into a priceless work of art. What seemed finished wasn’t until it was broken.
So it is with ____! Broken by hardships, disappointments and tragedies, they can become ____and bitter. ____when mended by a hand of patience and love, the finished ____will be a work of beauty; a life that could ____reach its wholeness after it was broken.
If you feel broken, ____that you are a work of art! And you may not actually be complete until the ____are bonded with gold filigree of love.
A．sickness B．guilt C．danger D．complaint
A．failed B．spread C．happened D．stopped
A．in honour of B．in place of C．in advance of D．in spite of
A．decision B．truth C．excuse D．promise
A．escape B．suffer C．argue D．exist
A．fall down B．calm down C．get up D．turn up
A．scold B．shape C．trap D．disturb
A．story B．dream C．lie D．joke
A．boring B．frightening C．relaxing D．striking
A．saved B．lost C．admired D．stolen
A．counted B．purchased C．received D．finished
A．shared B．collected C．broke D．changed
A．ordinary B．precious C．small D．heavy
A．history B．culture C．people D．space
A．disappointed B．ashamed C．amused D．shy
A．Or B．But C．So D．Because
A．experiment B．building C．passage D．product
A．seldom B．never C．only D．sometimes
A．explain B．deny C．inform D．remember
A．edges B．pieces C．ends D．facts
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