I used to watch her from my kitchen window. She seemed so as she muscled her way through the crowd of boys on the playground. The school was the street from our home and I would often the kids as they played during breaks.
I remember the first day I saw her playing basketball. I watched in as she ran circles around the other kids. She managed to shoot jump shots just their heads and into the net. The boys always tried to stop her but nobody could.
I began to notice her at other times, basketball in hand, playing alone. She would practice dribbling（运球）and shooting over and over again, sometimes dark. One day I asked her why she practiced so much. She looked me in eyes and without a moment of she said, “I want to go to college. The only way I can go is if I get a scholarship. I like basketball. I that if I were good enough, I would get a scholarship. I am going to play college basketball. I want to be the best. My told me if the dream is big enough, the facts don’t count.” Then she smiled and ran towards the court to repeat the routine.
Well, I had to admit that she was . I watched her through those junior high years and into high school. Every week, she led her school team to victory.
One day in her senior year, I saw her sitting in the grass, head in arms. I walked across the street and sat down in the cool grass beside her. I asked what was wrong. “Oh, nothing,” came a soft reply. “I am just too .” The coaches told her that at 5’5” she would probably get to play for a top ranked team— much less offered a scholarship — so she should stop dreaming about college.
She was heartbroken and I felt my own throat tighten as I her disappointment. I asked her if she had talked to her dad about it yet.
She her head from her hands and told me that her father said those were wrong. They just did not understand the of a dream. He told her that if she really wanted to play for a good college and if she truly wanted a scholarship, nothing could stop her except one thing — her own . He told her again, “If the dream is big enough, the facts don’t count.”
The next year, as she and her team went to the Northern California Championship game, she was seen by a college basketball coach. She was indeed offered a , and admitted to the college team. She was going to get the college education that she had of and worked toward for all those years.
It’s true: If the dream is big enough, the facts don’t count.
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I can honestly say it was the best of times and the worst of times. I was joyfully expecting my first child at the same time that my mother was 1 her battle with a brain tumor(瘤). For ten years, my fiercely independent and 2 mother had fought, but none of the treatments had been successful. 3 , she never lost her ability to smile. But now, finally, she became totally 4 —unable to speak, walk, eat or dress on her own.
As she grew closer and closer to death, my 5 grew closer and closer to life inside me. My biggest 6 was that their lives would never connect. I was sad not only at the 7 loss of my mother, but that she and my baby would never know each other. Her doctor did not 8 any hope; they told us her time was up.
We brought Mother 9 to her own bed in her own house. As 10 as I could, I sat beside her and talked to her about the baby moving inside me.
On February 3, 1989, at about the same time my labor(分娩) 11 , Mother opened her eyes. When they told me this at the 12 , I called her home, “Mom, listen. The baby is coming! You’re going to have a new grandchild!”
“Yes! Yes! I know!”
Four beautiful words! The first 13 words she’d spoken in months!
When I 14 again an hour later, the nurse at her house told the 15 message: Mom sat up, smiling, with her oxygen tubes removed. When I brought Jacob home. Mom was sitting in her chair and 15 to welcome him. Tears of joy blocked my vision(视野) as I 17 my son in her arms and she clucked (发出咯咯声) at him. They 18 .
Then she quietly clipped back into a coma (昏迷) and 19 peacefully. Memories of my son’s birth will always be bittersweet(甜中带苦的) for me, but it was then that I learned love has the 20 to overcome any worries and any sorrow. And love can last forever.
A．attending B．losing C．quitting D．defeating
A．brave B．interesting C．funny D．lucky
A．So B．Again C．Instead D．Still
A．outstanding B．blind C．disabled D．troublesome
A．sorrow B．love C．baby D．body
A．problem B．dream C．surprise D．fear
A．coming B．disappearing C．falling D．greeting
A．admit B．hold C．drop D．permit
A．up B．away C．about D．home
A．soon B．fast C．early D．often
A．started B．failed C．ended D．continued
A．office B．hospital C．house D．station
A．common B．caring C．clear D．correct
A．got up B．woke up C．called up D．looked up
A．impossible B．possible C．necessary D．terrible
A．likely B．ready C．free D．nervous
A．hugged B．threw C．took D．laid
A．joined B．knew C．nodded D．cried
A．passed away B．turned over C．settled down D．gave out
A．depth B．description C．power D．mask
When I was a boy, every holiday that I had seemed wonderful. My ( 1 ) took me by train or by car to a hotel by the ( 2 ) . All day, I seem to remember, I ( 3) on the sands with strange (4 ) children. We made houses and gardens, and ( 5) the tide destroy them. When the tide went out, we (6) over the rocks and looked down at the fish in the rock-pools.
In those days the ( 7 ) seemed to shine always brightly （ 8 ） the water was always warm. Sometimes we left beach and walked in the country,（ 9 ） ruined houses and dark woods and climbing trees. There were （ 10 ） in one’s pockets or good places where one could （ 11 ） ice creams. Each day seemed a lifetime.
Although I am now thirty-five years old, my idea of a good （ 12 ） is much the same as it was. I （ 13 ） like the sun and warm sand and the sound of （ 14 ） beating the rocks. I no longer wish to （ 15 ） any sand house or sand garden, and I dislike sweets. （ 16 ） , I love the sea and often feel sand running through my fingers.
Sometimes I （ 17 ） what my ideal (理想的) holiday will be like when I am （ 18 ） . All I want to do then, perhaps, will be to lie in bed, reading books about （ 19 ） who make houses and gardens with sands, who watch the incoming tide, who make themselves （ 20 ） on too many ices…
A．teacher B．parents C．nurse D．younger sister
A．sea B．lake C．mountain D．river
A．played B．slept C．sat D．stood
A．moving B．exciting C．anxious D．nervous
A．made B．brought C．watched D．heard
A．rolled B．jumped C．turned D．climbed
A．light B．sun C．moon D．lamp
A．and B．yet C．but D．or
A．exploring B．examining C．repairing D．measuring
A．sweets B．sand C．ice-creams D．money
A．make B．sell C．buy D．offer
A．house B．holiday C．garden D．tide
A．hardly B．almost C．still D．perhaps
A．waves B．tides C．hands D．feet
A．destroy B．fix C．use D．build
A．But B．However C．Otherwise D．Besides
A．wonder B．feel C．understand D．believe
A．strong B．weak C．young D．old
A．children B．boys C．girls D．grown-ups
A．happy B．tired C．sad D．sick
Years ago, there was a very wealthy man who, with his devoted young son, shared a passion for art collecting. Together, they traveled around the world, adding only the 36 art treasures to their collection.
One year, as winter approached, 37 engulfed (吞没) the nation, and the young man left to 38 his country. After only a few short weeks, his father received a telegram. His beloved son was 39 in action. The art collector 40 awaited more news, 41 he would never see his son again. Within days, his fears were 42 . The young man had died while rushing a fellow soldier to a doctor.
Upset and 43 , the old man faced the coming Christmas holidays with sadness. On Christmas morning, a knock on the door awakened the 44 old man. As he opened the door, he was greeted by a 45 with a large package in his hands.
He introduced himself to the old man by saying,“ I was a 46 of your son. I was the one he was 47 when he died. May I come in for a few moments? I have something to show you.”
As the two began to 48 , the soldier told of how the man's son had told everyone of his, not to mention his father's 49 of fine art. “I am no 50 ,” said the soldier, “but I want to give you this.”
As the old man unwrapped the package, he saw a portrait his son. Though the world would 51 consider it the work of a genius, the painting featured the young man's face 52 striking detail.
Overcome with emotion, the man 53 the soldier. After the soldier had left, the old man put the painting above the fireplace, pushing 54 thousands of dollars worth of art. His task completed, the old man sat in his chair and spent Christmas gazing at the 55 he had been given.
A．latest B．richest C．cheapest D．finest
A．war B．fire C．storm D．flood
A．save B．serve C．help D．build
A．fighting B．acting C．missing D．dying
A．anxiously B．calmly C．quietly D．secretly
A．wondering B．doubting C．fearing D．expecting
A．comp1eted B．doubled C．removed D．confirmed
A．lonely B．tired C．nervous D．frightened
A．sad B．puzzled C．angry D．worried
A．farmer B．soldier C．painter D．seller
A．friend B．photographer C．partner D．guard
A．rescuing B．carrying C．guarding D．hiding
A．argue B．move C．talk D．eat
A．description B．love C．sense D．understanding
A．reporter B．businessman C．hero D．artist
A．sometimes B．often C．never D．still
A．for B．in C．of D．on
A．treated B．questioned C．welcomed D．thanked
A．own B．aside C．up D．off
A．treasure B．souvenir C．gift D．Package
One day a few years ago we had a guest of the uninvited variety. In fact, this uninvited guest was a bird--- a(n) __1__, to be more precise(精确地).
“What’s that?” I asked when I first heard the thump(重击声). “It sounds like Joe is outside playing basketball,” my wife, Anita, said. She paused and __2__ more devotedly. “It’s coming from the __3__.” she said. “Maybe it’s one of the little __4__”.
We rushed out the door. Jonathan, our youngest, was easy to make __5__. “If he’s making holes in the wall again…” I said as I searched there. No children at all. But there was that __6_ again, coming from right up there.
And that’s when I __7__ the sparrow. It was flying __8__ just inches below the ceiling. It was clearly trying to __9__, but couldn’t see that the way out wasn’t up, but down and out through the open _10__. So the bird continued beating its wings and hitting its head against the __11__.
“Poor thing,” Anita said. “It must be __12__.”
“Well, maybe it’s because of me,” I said as I moved toward it. I tried to show the bird how to glide (滑翔) down a few feet so it could get outside, __13__ that only seemed to frighten it more.
“Why don’t we just __14__?” Anita suggested. “I’m sure he’ll __15__ eventually.”
So we went back into the house, where we continued to hear the ongoing struggle. Then suddenly, it was __16__. We looked into the garage, and our uninvited guest was __17__.
“See?” Anita said. “I told you he would make it.”
“Yeah,” I said. “But how many knocks on the head did it __18__ him?”
I’ve thought about that little sparrow through the years. Just like that sparrow, we often meet situations we don’t know how to __19__. Born to go upward, we don’t __20__ consider the possibility that something good might happen if we stop flapping(拍打) around and just glide down a little bit.
A．swallow B．eagle C．sparrow D．pigeon
A．searched B．listened C．studied D．thought
A．basement B．kitchen C．garage D．yard
A．kids B．cats C．birds D．dogs
A．trouble B．fun C．sense D．effort
A．cry B．attack C．knock D．sound
A．recalled B．realized C．spotted D．caught
A．bravely B．anxiously C．patiently D．happily
A．come up B．come down C．get in D．get out
A．car B．hole C．door D．roof
A．wall B．floor C．window D．ceiling
A．terrified B．tired C．stupid D．mad
A．since B．if C．but D．so
A．leave B．wait C．flee D．escape
A．attempt B．recognize C．understand D．succeed
A．strange B．silent C．busy D．noisy
A．injured B．awesome C．gone D．dead
A．cost B．offer C．earn D．owe
A．stand B．deal with C．comfort D．face
A．still B．ever C．also D．even
We were travelling in Italy recently and what really made our trip memorable are the encounters (邂逅) with Italian grandmas. I just ___1___ a busy road in Rome. A grandma right next to me sprinted (飞奔) across and came back with my baby’s missing shoe. I hadn’t even ___2___ and she thought it would be easier to run twice than try to communicate with me through our language ___3___.
Another time, I was looking for Fontana de Trevis (许愿池) and ___4___ off in the name of looking at this and that. Out came a ___5___ from a small café and she at once knew I was ___6___. She took me by the hand and asked where I was heading for. Then she ___7___ me to the fountain and three minutes later, I was standing in front of the masterpiece.
On the last day of our ___8__, we were in the local Metro train and a very old grandma got on. The train was ___9__ and many of us offered our seats to her. She accepted my ___10__ and a couple of stops later, I found myself ___11___ again, right next to her. We ___12__, she in Italian and me in English. When she ___13__ my husband and I were heading for Tivoli, she took out her return ___14__ for the expensive inter-city bus and put them into my hand.
I’ve lost count of the grandmas that played with our baby as if he was their own. But the ___15__ of all those grandmas is very hard to forget.
A．crossed B．chose C．visited D．found
A．left B．cried C．noticed D．arrived
A．translation B．study C．skill D．barrier
A．called B．ran C．wandered D．set
A．waitress B．customer C．foreigner D．grandma
A．optimistic B．honest C．lost D．sick
A．led B．told C．put D．pointed
A．conference B．trip C．term D．show
A．full B．empty C．fast D．new
A．department B．gift C．offer D．opinion
A．standing B．sitting C．thinking D．sleeping
A．sang B．chatted C．wrote D．quarreled
A．said B．remember C．forgot D．learnt
A．map B．tickets C．money D．plans
A．warmth B．experience C．heart D．trip
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