My father grew up in Oklahoma during the early years of the Great Depression. He was the only living child of a hardworking farmer and a____mother.When Dad completed the eighth grade, my grandfather believed his only son would work on the farm. My grandmother, however, understood the door that education could open even in____economic times. She persuaded grandfather to____Dad to finish high school.
Dad worked hard and completed high school at the age of 16. At last, grandpa was to have his wish. Dad would work on the farm, easing the economic and physical ____grandpa carried. But grandmother again begged grandpa to permit my father to go to college.
After____, grandpa made the most difficult decision of his lifetime. He walked to the chicken coop (鸡笼子), where he did his____. Taking a shovel in his work-worn hands，grandpa dug up a jar that held all the family’s savings. He offered the jar and its precious____to Dad, saying, “Here boy, go and make something of yourself.”
Realizing that his family wassacrificingall their savings by in his education, Dad became a steward(管家)of those funds. He____his bachelor’s degree and then went on to the University of Oklahoma，where he graduated second in his____school class in 1936. Jobs were hard to come by when Dad graduated, so he opened his own practice and lived in a home with a dirt floor. He worked long hours, but I remember him____the great books he discovered in the course of his education with me.
Our family was changed by the long walkthatgrandpa took to the chicken coop. Education is more than an investment in our family. It is a treasure. I____my father to college and law school, and all of my children have also____ higher education. We have been transformed by a sacrifice made twogenerationsago by a loving. If grandfatherhad not been convincedbymypersistent(固执的)grandmother,hewould not havemade the____.
A．beautiful B．devoted C．lazy D．curious
A．tough B．great C．peaceful D．competitive
A．permit B．take C．ask D．force
A．pains B．troubles C．burdens D．activities
A．graduation B．work C．reflection D．permission
A．cooking B．cleaning C．farming D．banking
A．books B．bills C．savings D．coins
A．investing B．storing C．treasuring D．raising
A．failed B．received C．offered D．needed
A．maths B．educat C．economics D．law
A．making B．writing C．protecting D．sharing
A．joined B．followed C．advised D．accompanied
A．sought B．insisted C．favored D．considered
A．toughly B．kindly C．rudely D．fully
A．sense B．use C．difference D．effect
A year ago, August, Dave Fuss lost his job driving a truck for a small company in west Michigan. His wife, Gerrie, was still working in the local school cafeteria, but it was for Dave to find work, and the price of everything was rising. The Fusses were at the risk of joining the millions of Americans who have their homes in recent years. Then Dave and Gerrie received a timely —$7,000, a legacy(遗产) from their neighbors Ish and Arlene Hatch, who died in an accident. “It really made a difference when we were meeting difficulty.” says Dave.
But the Fusses weren’t the only folks in Alto and the neighboring town of Lowell to unexpected legacy from the Hatches. Dozens of other families were by what the Hatches had done. In some cases, it was a few thousand dollars; in , it was more than $100,000.
It nearly everyone that the Hatches had so much money, more than $3 million—they were an elderly couple who lived in an old house on what was left of the family farm.
Children of the Great Depression, Ish and Arlene were known for their habit of . They preferred comparison shopping and would go from store to store, checking prices before making a new purchase.
Through the years, the Hatches paid for local children to attend summer camps when their parents couldn’t it. “Ish and Arlene never asked if you anything,” says their friend Sandy Van Weelden, “They could see things they could do to make you happier, and they would do them.”
Even more extraordinary was that the Hatches their farmland. It was the Hatches’ wish that their legacy—a legacy of kindness as much as one of dollars and cents—should the whole community and last for generations to come.
Neighbors helping neighbors—that was Ish and Arlene Hatch’s story.
A．happy B．hard C．easy D．nice
A．lost B．bought C．left D．wanted
A．gift B．money C．encouragement D．package
A．accept B．defeat C．win D．receive
A．amazed B．excited C．upset D．touched
A．the other B．another C．other D．others
A．surprised B．frightened C．pleased D．encouraged
A．kind B．generous C．living D．saving
A．afford B．buy C．offer D．keep
A．suffered B．enjoyed C．needed D．did
A．put away B．put up C．gave up D．gave away
A．enrich B．bless C．brighten D．expand
There was a Greek shopkeeper in a small corner shop in London. She taught me about the of an act of kindness, which has motivated me to give.
On the day I went to that shop, I was with a very high fever. I had been off work for days and I had out of food. Because I had been working so hard since I had to town, I also had no friends who could help.
So I went out to get some food. , I would have gone to the supermarket, but on this , I went into the Greek shop because it was closer. I a few things, which revealed the that I lived alone. Then I them to the shopkeeper, who told me, “You are unwell.” I rather shyly. She pointed at the things I was buying and “I can make you a sandwich, so you don’t have to do it yourself.”
So, she made the sandwich and asked me to a moment. She went in the back room and reappeared with a container of hot soup.” It will you up,” she said with a smile.
What really warmed me up, , was not the soup. It was her that told me she cared. Her kindness made me feel cared for when I was particularly .
And it me. It made me want to be as as the shopkeeper. I had been quite shy, but, from that day on, I did not let shyness prevent me from random acts of kindness.
I was determined to the joy… and I haven’t felt lonely since!
A．power B．method C．lesson D．cause
A．sick B．angry C．satisfied D．nervous
A．made B．sold C．run D．eaten
A．arrived B．turned C．moved D．saved
A．Normally B．Officially C．Formally D．Probably
A．chance B．occasion C．point D．reason
A．picked up B．took in C．gave off D．made out
A．news B．fact C．secret D．idea
A．handed B．lent C．returned D．threw
A．paid B．listened C．nodded D．followed
A．promised B．wondered C．introduced D．offered
A．leave B．stop C．wait D．last
A．warm B．take C．put D．catch
A．thus B．even C．still D．though
A．permission B．choice C．smile D．view
A．bored B．curious C．guilty D．lonely
A．surprised B．inspired C．developed D．punished
A．patient B．lovely C．kind D．pure
A．performing B．judging C．accepting D．helping
A．hold B．spread C．enjoy D．value
When I walked into the house after school, the first thing I noticed was a box with items I recognized from my dad’s office.
“What are you doing at home?” I asked casually.
“Andrew, I was today,” he answered quietly.
I was sure he was joking. “No, you weren't. Why are you at home?”
Then I noticed his and realized he was telling me the truth. My father has always been a hard worker and prided himself on his career. our family has been his joy, and I guess I have his work for granted.
My father’s unemployment many changes in our lives. For starters, he was at home all the time, which meant my bed had to be , my room cleaned up, and my done right after school. I would come home every day to find him at the computer jobs. I began to notice how he seemed, and how losing his job affected his self-esteem, though he tried to be . For the first time, I my dad as vulnerable (易受伤的). He asked my brother and me to less. I gave up my pocket money, it wasn’t much. I felt I was doing the right. I also found a part-time job.
After several difficult months of searching, my dad to go in a totally different direction. He that he never wanted to be laid off again, so he was going to start his own business. Day by day, I watched him it, and I admired how much time and he expended. I knew he was a hard worker, but watching him in action really affected me.
Although this was one of the experiences for our family, it taught me a lot about dealing with adversity (逆境), and will be my foundations for success.
A．taken off B．put off C．laid off D．called off
A．finally B．really C．frequently D．especially
A．happiness B．kindness C．loneliness D．seriousness
A．Supporting B．Providing C．Offering D．Shooting
A．regarded B．taken C．viewed D．looked
A．came out B．brought about C．gave off D．let out
A．made B．sold C．banned D．applied
A．job B．homework C．fun D．time
A．falling into B．putting up C．keeping on D．searching for
A．depressed B．patient C．smart D．honest
A．disappointed B．optimistic C．anxious D．appropriate
A．considered B．remembered C．refused D．predicted
A．earn B．enjoy C．spend D．find
A．even so B．if only C．even though D．as if
A．hoped B．decided C．dreamed D．expected
A．advised B．informed C．explained D．insisted
A．form B．open C．set D．build
A．strength B．power C．force D．energy
A．never B．seldom C．always D．hardly
A．worst B．best C．most D．least
Eighty-year-old retired tailor, James McKay, spent Saturday night in jail after thirty-year-old Keith Smith over the head his walking stick. McKay's wife, Laurence told us that while McKay is usually a person, he had been to this act of violence by getting wet just once too often.
Smith lives above the McKays and it appears that not only is he a keen gardener, he is also a collector. Unfortunately for him, the water he sent over his balcony every day ended up on the McKay's, or too often, on the McKays .
“For the last fortnight, since Smith moved into the flat above us, we have hardly dared to go to our ,” said Laurence. She added that it wasn't so much the water falling onto their balcony from Smith watering his plant bothered them, it was more the way he cleaned his fish tanks. “We'd be there happily reading our newspapers, when so much water would come from above that we'd be as wet as if we'd with our clothes on! Neither could we get rid of the of fish!”
And on Saturday evening it was just too . “It was James's birthday,” explained Laurence, “and I'd made him a birthday cake. The candles were a great sight as you can imagine, but James didn't get to blow them out.” , Smith emptied one of his larger tanks over his balcony and both the McKays and the cake were wet . Rarely had Laurence seen McKay move so fast. “I couldn't him. He was up there in a flash. It was the fastest I'd seen him move since 1964.”
Smith is not going to take things further with the police. He has also promised to change his from now on. And what of James McKay? he left the police station, a large crowd of supporters sang him, “Happy Birthday”. “ the most exciting birthday !” said the cheerful old man. “The best since my adolescence I'd say!”
A．hitting B．tapping C．pushing D．touching
A．by B．via C．through D．with
A．quiet B．peaceful C．sensitive D．stubborn
A．accustomed B．taken C．driven D．attracted
A．fish B．seed C．plant D．newspaper
A．himself B．itself C．themselves D．herself
A．bathroom B．kitchen C．bedroom D．balcony
A．which B．what C．that D．whether
A．sitting B．exercising C．sleeping D．eating
A．regularly B．unconsciously C．precisely D．suddenly
A．swum B．showered C．watered D．drowned
A．taste B．sense C．feeling D．smell
A．little B．soon C．late D．much
A．Beside B．Instead C．Otherwise D．Consequently
A．over B．across C．through D．down
A．stop B．blame C．ignore D．stand
A．views B．attitude C．ways D．mind
A．While B．Since C．Until D．As
A．Sincerely B．Impossibly C．Definitely D．Previously
A．before B．ever C．already D．since
There was a boy who was sent by his parents to a boarding school (寄宿学校). ____ being sent away, this boy was the ____ student in his class. He was at the top in every ____ always with high marks.
But the boy changed after ____ home and attending the boarding school. His grades started ___. He hated being in a ____. He was lonely all the time. And there were especially dark times when he ____ committing suicide (自杀). All of this was because he felt ____ and no one loved him.
His parents started ___about the boy. But they even did not know what was __50with him. So his dad decided to travel to the boarding school and ____ him.
They sat on the bank of the lake near the school. The father started asking him some casual questions about his classes, teachers and ____. After some time his dad said, “Do you know, son, why I am here today?”
The boy answered back, “To ___- my grades?”
“No, no,” his dad replied. “I am here to tell you that you are the most ___ person for me. I want to see you ____. I don’t care about grades. I care about you. I care about your happiness. YOU ARE MY LIFE.”
These words ____ the boy’s eyes to be filled with tears. He ____ his dad. They didn’t say anything to each other for a long time.
Now the boy had ____ he wanted. He knew there was someone on this earth who cared for him deeply. He ___ the world to someone. And today this young man is in college at the top of his class and no one has ever seen him ____!
A．After B．Before C．When D．While
A．hardest B．naughtiest C．brightest D．dullest
A．exam B．activity C．game D．class
A．coming B．returning C．leaving D．reaching
A．rising B．increasing C．reducing D．dropping
A．group B．term C．company D．party
A．led to B．felt like C．thought back D．looked for
A．worthless B．careless C．concerned D．annoyed
A．caring B．turning C．worrying D．speaking
A．crazy B．true C．possible D．wrong
A．talk with B．listen to C．tell to D．care about
A．family B．friends C．study D．grades
A．realize B．analyze C．check D．test
A．outstanding B．important C．famous D．familiar
A．happy B．excellent C．interested D．satisfied
A．caused B．wanted C．encouraged D．forced
A．answered B．ignored C．hated D．hugged
A．nothing B．something C．everything D．anything
A．showed B．meant C．intended D．expressed
A．sad B．angry C．pleasant D．joyful
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