閱讀下面短文，從短文后各題所給的四個選項(xiàng)（A、B、C和D）中，選出可以填入空白處的最佳選項(xiàng)。

1

I planted two seeds side by side in the soil in my backyard. The first said， “I want to grow！ I want to send my roots? into the soil， and try to . I want to feel the? of the sun on my face！” And it grew. The second seed said， “I am . If I send my roots into the ground below， I dont know what I will meet in the . If I push my way through the hard soil， I may? my small sprouts （芽）. What if a small child may? me up from the ground. No， it is much better for me to wait until .” A hen walking around for food found the waiting seed and? ate it.

I sometimes? myself—What if I stop focusing on the worst and go for the ？ Most people can do? things if they have the confidence to take the ， yet most people dont. There are lots of people? on the sofa saying， “Im going...” They will do it when they are rich and when they get? and their children are perfectly grown.

The? is that your life can never be . Part of it might be， though. Step away from the sofa sitters who are? a single perfect day to begin? their dreams.

Believe in yourself and know that you can do anything！ However， those who? to risk get controlled by life finally.

1. A. high B. wide C. short D. deep

2. A. get up B. stand out C. go out D. come up

3. A. warmth B. beauty C. strength D. coolness

4. A. happy B. afraid C. wrong D. excited

5. A. sky B. sea C. dark D. light

6. A. damage B. grow C. help D. touch

7. A. send B. hold C. pull D. put

8. A. wet B. clear C. clean D. safe

9. A. frequently B. kindly C. seriously D. immediately

10. A. support B. ask C. doubt D. control

11. A. easiest B. smallest C. best D. farthest

12. A. unusual B. humorous C. boring D. useless

13. A. suggestions B. measures C. risk D. invitation

14. A. walking B. jumping C. sitting D. standing

15. A. married B. rich C. young D. organized

16. A. quality B. truth C. dream D. advantage

17. A. nice B. interesting C. shiny D. perfect

18. A. spending B. thinking C. wasting D. waiting

19. A. realizing B. reaching C. sharing D. having

20. A. start B. prefer C. refuse D. fail

2

I was on vacation with my husband， my brother， and his wife and daughter. We were not? ? 1? ? with the area and got on a bus， thinking it would be a nice way to see the downtowns old town area. Well， until? ? 2? ? with the bus driver， we didnt find that we were on the neighborhood route which? ? 3? ? school children and delivers people to various? places. That was a route of over about two hours. That was a surprise and a concern because we had? ? 5? ? our vehicle （汽車） in a timed parking area and it was going to? ? 6? ?.

We shared this with the bus driver only to let her know we were not from the area and? ? 7? ? for getting on her bus by mistake. Then she surprised us by? ? 8? ? saying， “I get off shift （換班） after a few more blocks， and if you dont? taking my company car， Id be happy to take you? ? 10? ? to your vehicle before the time end.” The bus driver received permission from her? ? 11? ?， so we thankfully said yes to her? ? 12? ?.

She went out of her way to take us back to our vehicle after her shift was? ? 13? ? and it wasnt on her route home， either. We were? ? 14? ? and grateful for her kindness.? ? 15? ?， because she shared some of her? ? 16? ? about the school-age children she sometimes had on the bus route， I offered her a few? ? 17? ? on how to quiet the children with a skill that would make the ride? ? 18? ? for them as well as for her. She was so? ? 19? ?. It was a wonderful? ? 20? ? of kindness！

1. A. angry B. familiar C. busy D. patient

2. A. talking B. dealing C. going D. meeting

3. A. puts down B. drives off C. picks up D. brings up

4. A. downtown B. district C. attraction D. neighborhood

5. A. stopped B. parked C. repaired D. damaged

6. A. end B. change C. drop D. land

7. A. cared B. answered C. apologized D. prepared

8. A. faster B. worse C. earlier D. further

9. A. mind B. mention C. appreciate D. enjoy

10. A. up B. back C. down D. off

11. A. colleague B. child C. passenger D. manager

12. A. instruction B. offer C. invitation D. requirement

13. A. over B. open C. clean D. clear

14. A. satisfied B. astonished C. exhausted D. touched

15. A. In fact B. In common C. In return D. In general

16. A. concerns B. attitudes C. behaviors D. disciplines

17. A. tips B. tools C. ways D. approaches

18. A. shorter B. quicker C. easier D. safer

19. A. disappointed B. excited C. thankful D. hopeful

20. A. expression B. exchange C. explanation D. expansion

3

Its been so long that I cant remember the crime， but Ill never? ? 1? ? the punishment： Dig up the fig （無花果） tree in the backyard and plant it at Mumsys place in the country. As I often did when I was punished to do hard work in the garden， I thought this was my parents way of? ? 2? ? me to do their dirty work.

It was a Sunday morning. With some tools， I went to the tree and? ? 3? ? it down. “What did that? ? 4? ? ever do to you？ You should have left some taproot （主根）， at least. Go and load up the truck，” my father said. On any other day before， during the? ? 5? ? to Mumsys， we would have pleasantly? ? 6? ? school as usual， but I kept silent that time.

Then， at Mumsys， instead of sitting back to watch me work， he? ? 7? ? me. As my father and I took turns to work， I could feel my? ? 8? ? disappeared， making room for the simple satisfaction of working at my fathers side toward a（n）? goal.

“Well，” my father said when we? ? 10? ?， “weve done what we can do.” “Do you think theres any? ? 11? ? that it can grow up？” I asked. “Its rich dirt. They say you can? ? 12? ? toenails in it and grow little kids，” my father answered. I never tried the toenail trick， but I did? ? 13? ? as it settled in， took root， and began to prosper. I was? ? 14? ? and happy when bowls of figs began to fill the fridge.

In a? ? 15? ? fair world， I dont deserve the reward. I had? ? 16? ? the tree for my own complaints. What right did I have to the fruit？ Years later， I put this? ? 17? ? to my father. Watching him slide a bowl of figs from the fridge one morning， I felt shameful for my boyhood? ? 18? ?. My father took a fig from the? ? 19? ? and let me think of the fruit as forgiveness. “You，” he said， “? ?20? ? some of that.”

1. A. allow B. forget C. accept D. recall

2. A. inviting B. helping C. forcing D. advising

3. A. cut B. pulled C. put D. turned

4. A. truck B. tool C. tree D. taproot

5. A. rest B. way C. walk D. ride

6. A. thought over B. talked about C. broke into D. gave up

7. A. forgave B. tricked C. entertained D. joined

8. A. anger B. courage C. strength D. interest

9. A. amusing B. ridiculous C. common D. equal

10. A. argued B. continued C. started D. finished

11. A. relationship B. chance C. advantage D. value

12. A. dig B. plant C. remove D. observe

13. A. understand B. remember C. watch D. feel

14. A. relaxed B. amazed C. embarrassed D. disappointed

15. A. perfectly B. partly C. mostly D. probably

16. A. forgotten B. hurt C. helped D. guarded

17. A. task B. trouble C. question D. complaint

18. A. background B. misfortune C. memory D. mistake

19. A. fridge B. bowl C. kitchen D. desk

20. A. deserve B. receive C. protect D. know

4

A few years ago， I was working on a project in a small office of a company. While everyone was friendly， there seemed to be a（n）? ? 1? ? of the workplace culture， for which I wanted to do something? ? 2? ?.

So one evening， I wrote up a few quotes （引語） that have? ? 3? ? me over the years. The next morning， I went to work a bit early and quickly? ? 4? ? them up by the sinks and mirrors in the office? ? 5? ?.

For the next few months， some of the quotes got? ? 6? ? but I noticed that a couple? ? 7? ?. So perhaps they were meaningful to some of them.

Eventually， I finished out my contract （合同） with that? ? 8? ? and went to work in another place.

A few months ago， I was? ? 9? ? to a reunion （聚會） with my colleagues to hear updates on how the? ? 10? ? I had worked on was going. Although I no longer? ? 11? ? in this office building， I had really enjoyed working with the team， and was? ? 12? ? to see them all again. Towards the end of the? ? 13? ?， I went to the restroom， and one of the quotes that I had written before was still? ? 14? ? in the same spot by the mirror！ It? ? 15? ?： The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new ， but seeing with new eyes.

Maybe the quote still stood out as a? ? 17? ? reminder each time someone went to the restroom. Whatever the case is， it is a sweet? ? 18? ? and reminder that we never know how long a seed planted will? ? 19? ? to bloom and give fruit—but to simply keep? ? 20? ? seeds of kindness from the heart nothing less， and nothing more.

1. A. sign B. lack C. honor D. atmosphere

2. A. finally B. separately C. secretly D. peacefully

3. A. encouraged B. shaped C. shocked D. protected

4. A. held B. picked C. tied D. posted

5. A. windows B. building C. halls D. restroom

6. A. put down B. shut down C. taken down D. turned down

7. A. remained B. appeared C. changed D. broke

8. A. office B. company C. leader D. job

9. A. admitted B. invited C. ordered D. requested

10. A. report B. research C. problem D. project

11. A. talked B. worked C. enjoyed D. relaxed

12. A. curious B. proud C. worried D. happy

13. A. movement B. event C. activity D. business

14. A. up B. indoor C. off D. outside

15. A. told B. wrote C. read D. spoke

16. A. houses B. people C. information D. lands

17. A. warning B. challenging C. shining D. joking

18. A. moment B. memory C. sentence D. quote

19. A. stick B. remind C. take D. afford

20. A. bringing B. planting C. harvesting D. sharing

5

Sometimes I thought I was a good Mom. Sometimes， I felt like I spent the day nagging （嘮叨） my kids rather than? them， especially my strong-willed son.? a family get-together taught me an important .

My son was ten at the time and we were on a late night family? trip to Cleveland for the get-together the next day. I was taking my? at the wheel while my husband and my small daughter . My son， full of energy， was wide awake in the back seat. I? to stay awake， too， and I didnt want to? the radio， so I asked him to talk to me to help keep me . “Sure， Mom，” he said， “what do you want to ？” I told him Id talk about? he wanted to talk about. “How about frogs （青蛙）？” he asked. I said that would be ， and for the next hour or so we talked about the? between frogs and toads （蟾蜍）， and —basketball and soccer. He was quite? when we talked about Michael Jordan and Michael Jackson and how they got to be so famous. Now and then he would ， but wed continue to talk as I drove down the? road.

About an hour and a half later， when I finally ， the bright lights woke everyone， and the magic of our discussion . But I knew that I had taken the first step toward changing a bad? habit with someone I love very much.

1. A. visiting B. knowing C. worrying about D. dealing with

2. A. Or B. So C. Since D. But

3. A. idea? ? ? ? ? B. plan? ? C. lesson? ? D. reason

4. A. car? ? ? ? ? B. plane C. bike? ? D. train

5. A. offer? ? ? B. step C. place? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? D. turn

6. A. learned? ? ? ? B. ate C. exercised? ? ? ? ? D. slept

7. A. failed? ? ? B. needed? ? C. refused? ? ? D. agreed

8. A. move? ? ? ? B. take C. play? ? ? ? ? D. touch

9. A. patient? ? ? ? B. pleased C. awake? ? ? D. calm

10. A. discuss? ? B. do C. prove? ? ? ? D. say

11. A. anyone? ? ? ? B. someone? C. nothing? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? D. anything

12. A. lucky? ? ? ? B. fine C. simple? ? ? ? ? ? D. dangerous

13. A. studies B. rules? ? C. differences? ? ? ? D. competitions

14. A. tasks B. sports C. shows? ? ? ? D. programs

15. A. interested? ? B. surprised C. serious? ? ? ? ? ? D. sorry

16. A. stay? ? ? ? ? B. stop C. watch? ? ? ? ? ? D. leave

17. A. dark? ? ? ? ? ? B. main C. wide? ? ? ? ? ? D. beautiful

18. A. passed B. followed? C. finished? ? ? D. arrived

19. A. worked? ? B. continued C. disappeared? ? D. changed

20. A. reading? ? ? B. listening C. living D. driving

6

When I was young， each morning I woke up and would find my father nowhere around the house. He usually got up early before? ? 1? ? and began cleaning the farmyard. In summer， he got up even earlier to? ? 2? ? the flowers and vegetables in the garden. Once I helped my father to? ? 3? ? weeds （野草） from the corn field. It wasnt long before I felt very? ? 4? ? but the field ridge （田?。?seemed? ? 5? ?. Finally I totally threw myself flat in the field， feeling? ? 6? ?. My dad seemed to have? ? 7? ? my mind. He came up and said， “Farming is tiring and really takes? ? 8? ? and sweat， but in? the sweet harvest will be worth the? ? 10? ?.” Encouraged by his words， I struggled to my feet. My father? ? 11? ? and added， “Rome is not built in a? ? 12? ?， but it can be built in hundreds of days. So whenever? ? 13? ? with a huge project， just break it into? ? 14? ? parts and then complete it one by one.? ? 15? ? you will be amazed at your? ? 16? ?.” Hearing what he said， I was greatly? ? 17? ? and continued removing the weeds from patch to patch. Believe it or not， at the end of the day， I? ? 18? ? weeding half an acre of the corn field.

Now I have tried different? ? 19? ? and finally settled down running a big restaurant. In my lifetime， my fathers devotion to his job and his special working? ? 20? ? can always encourage and guide me through all kinds of difficulties.

1. A. noon B. night C. dark D. sunrise

2. A. wash B. pick C. water D. sell

3. A. throw B. stop C. remove D. drop

4. A. tired B. sad C. worried D. happy

5. A. faraway B. endless C. challenging D. boring

6. A. angry B. disappointed C. hopeless D. nervous

7. A. read B. bothered C. spoken D. seen

8. A. pains B. wisdom C. patience D. courage

9. A. spring B. fall C. summer D. winter

10. A. strength B. cost C. effort D. risk

11. A. confused B. smiled C. sighed D. followed

12. A. day B. month C. minute D. year

13. A. left B. faced C. dealt D. worked

14. A. natural B. common C. small D. suitable

15. A. Finally B. Luckily C. Suddenly D. Secretly

16. A. confidence B. achievement C. failure D. change

17. A. satisfied B. shocked C. delighted D. inspired

18. A. insisted on B. went on C. succeeded in D. got through

19. A. jobs B. plans C. models D. ways

20. A. conditions B. experience C. relationship D. methods

7

After the birth of my second child， I got a job at a restaurant. Having worked with an experienced? ? 1? ? for a few days， I was? ? 2? ? to wait tables on my own. All went? ? 3? ? that first week. When Saturday night came， I was luckily? the tables not far from the kitchen. However， I still felt it a little? ? 5? ? to carry the heavy trays （托盤）.

Before I knew it， the? ? 6? ? was full of people. I moved slowly，? ? 7? ? every step. I remember how? ? 8? ? I was when I saw the tray stand near the tables; it looked different from the one I was? ? 9? ? on. It had nice handles （手柄）， which made it? to move around. I was pleased with everything and began to? ? 11? ? I was a natural at this job.

Then， an old man came to me and said， “Excuse me， dear， my wife and I loved? ? 12? ? you work. It seems your tray stand has been very? ? 13? ? to you， but we are getting ready to? ? 14? ? now， and my wife needs her? ? 15? ? back.”

At first his? ? 16? ? did not get across. “What was he talking about！” Then I got it. I had set my trays on his wifes orthopedic walker （助步器）. I stood frozen as ice， but my face was? ? 17? ?. I wanted to get into a hole and? ? 18? ?.

Since then， I have learned from many mistakes such as the one I just? ? 19? ?. I have learned to be more? ? 20? ? and not to be too sure of myself.

1. A. manager B. assistant C. cook D. waitress

2. A. promised B. invited C. allowed D. advised

3. A. well B. fast C. safely D. kindly

4. A. provided B. given C. brought D. shown

5. A. embarrassed B. hard C. hurried D. shy

6. A. kitchen B. street C. restaurant D. table

7. A. minding B. changing C. taking D. saving

8. A. shocked B. calm C. nervous D. happy

9. A. fixed B. trained C. loaded D. acted

10. A. slower B. smoother C. quieter D. easier

11. A. believe B. agree C. accept D. wish

12. A. letting B. making C. watching D. finding

13. A. useful B. familiar C. unusual D. interesting

14. A. rest B. order C. eat D. leave

15. A. bag B. walker C. tray D. coat

16. A. idea B. praise C. message D. need

17. A. cold B. horrible C. strict D. red

18. A. lie B. hide C. run D. stay

19. A. repeated B. discovered C. corrected D. described

20. A. proud B. patient C. honest D. practical

8

Like millions of people around the world， I used to spend every December making a New Years resolution or two. However， by February， like clockwork， exactly nothing would be achieved.

When I was younger， this didnt? me all that much. But in my 20s I realized that trying to keep a? New Years resolution was like writing a novel or climbing a mountain—it just wasnt .

So，? focusing on one large thing and giving up when I didnt succeed， I decided to make a? of little things I wanted to work on during the year. So far this has? things like keeping my house a little bit ， spending more time with my dog. My? has been to focus on taking small steps every day.

Im now making? toward those goals without feeling? pressured or disappointed that I havent done more. Simple upgrades like wiping down my bathroom sink （洗臉盆） every day after? my makeup have become second? ?to me.

I dont even? these New Years resolutions， and that helps to make my small goals feel more achievable. I also? myself once in a while along the way. For example， I? myself a new pair of sneakers when I ran three weeks out of the month. And then theres the free time I naturally have in tidying the bathroom sink every day， which takes less time than a deep? on a Sunday.

If keeping your New Years resolution is harder than you thought， the? to success might be giving up the idea of resolutions . Instead， break down your goals into small milestones you can easily? daily or weekly—and enjoy the? feeling of meeting each and every mini goal.

1. A. bother B. attract C. help D. harm

2. A. different B. huge C. special D. magical

3. A. complex B. traditional C. realistic D. achievable

4. A. along with B. instead of C. except for D. long before

5. A. list B. number C. group D. total

6. A. suggested B. explained C. included D. described

7. A. bigger B. softer C. tidier D. stronger

8. A. future B. revolution C. act D. plan

9. A. progress B. signals C. information D. turns

10. A. silently B. happily C. distantly D. painfully

11. A. leaving behind B. putting on C. looking up D. pointing to

12. A. nature B. chance? C. interest D. challenge

13. A. discuss B. consider C. realize? D. expect

14. A. excuse B. respect C. treat D. appreciate

15. A. passed B. made C. found D. bought

16. A. clean B. breath C. sleep D. thought

17. A. road B. key C. way D. direction

18. A. quietly B. hopefully C. completely D. sadly

19. A. set B. make C. keep D. reach

20. A. simple B. empty C. proud D. inspired

9

My family often had a get-together with friends in my childhood. As I was smart， there was always someone who would come up to mention my high? ? 1? ? and ask， “What are you going to do when you? ? 2? ? up？”

Well， it started out being a teacher or a hero.? ? 3? ? it was a fireman， an artist... As I grew older my dreams of the future? ? 4? ?. When I was going to college， I was asked， “What will you major in？”—another question designed to? what I would be when I grew up.

By then I made up my mind to become a? ? 6? ? programmer. So I was studying software for much of my life. I am? that I could realize my dream. The realization of my life purpose encourages me to help others to succeed in their own .

However， for many， there is a “? ?9? ?” which goes around stealing our dreams and robbing us of the? ? 10? ? mental state to achieve our? ? 11? ?. Sometimes， the thief will? ? 12? ? as a parent， a relative， or a friend， but the greatest thief is just ourselves.

Usually when we are about to? ? 13? ? the aim， a “small” voice inside will say， “You will never? ? 14? ?.” “Very few have ever done this .” And on and on the “small” voice makes us lose heart and fail.

Failure，? ? 16? ?， helps our dreams to come true. It is one of the most important? ? 17? ? we have， because it teaches us? lessons. And， when we learn these lessons well， we are? ? 19? ? for success.

There are no “overnight” successes， but with perseverance （毅力）， they will come. So just dont? ? 20? ?. Let dreams stay in your life.

1. A. intelligence B. power C. quality D. character

2. A. get B. wake C. grow D. cheer

3. A. Later B. Finally C. Sometimes D. Usually

4. A. disappeared B. changed C. formed D. continued

5. A. talk about B. find out C. think of D. advise on

6. A. car B. radio C. computer D. satellite

7. A. surprised B. happy C. patient D. worried

8. A. studies B. work C. lives D. experience

9. A. thief B. parent C. friend D. relative

10. A. same B. normal C. necessary D. exact

11. A. results B. advantages C. ideas D. goals

12. A. develop B. dress C. act D. come

13. A. reach B. choose C. forget D. remove

14. A. fail B. succeed C. arrive D. start

15. A. carefully B. successfully C. easily D. completely

16. A. though B. instead C. besides D. therefore

17. A. purposes B. tools C. messages D. medicines

18. A. formal B. private C. definite D. valuable

19. A. responsible B. sorry C. angry D. ready

20. A. stand by B. give up C. move away D. set off

10

Troy longed to be a professional basketball player. He had loved the? ever since he was a small child. He was also very skilled. However， he had one small . He was very short. Although his school coach had suggested that he would never? it in the professional leagues （聯(lián)盟）， he? to give up on his dream.

Troy had several? tries at professional clubs. Then he went to a? in Los Angeles and asked the coach for a try. As usual， he was .

“But you havent even given me a（n） ，” said Troy.

“Why should I？” asked the coach.

“Because one day I am going to be the best player in the world and I will be able to help you out，” Troy replied seriously.

The coach smiled at the? of the answer.

“Alright kid，” he said.

Troy took part in a short practice match and the coach was? at his skills.

“You? have a lot of talent，” he said.

After two short years， Troy was a regular for the? and had even won the award as the teams most valuable player.? with Troys help， the team wasnt winning many games and the coach was said to be close to losing his . It was before a game against the New York team that he called Troy into his office for a（n） .

“I have heard that if we lose tonight then I will be? as coach，” he told Troy. “I need you to? the team and win the game. Do you remember your? before I signed you？”

Troy nodded. He? to play the game of his life that evening. The team won the game and won every game that was? that season.

1. A. task B. class C. sport D. place

2. A. doubt B. problem C. dream D. reason

3. A. change B. learn C. hear D. make

4. A. tried B. regretted C. refused D. feared

5. A. unsuccessful B. meaningful C. unfair D. careless

6. A. shop B. club C. school D. class

7. A. praised B. employed C. limited D. refused

8. A. choice B. instruction C. suggestion D. chance

9. A. influence B. confidence C. interest D. speed

10. A. annoyed B. disappointed C. confused D. surprised

11. A. certainly B. usually C. finally D. possibly

12. A. program B. party C. club D. school

13. A. Again B. Almost C. Even D. Only

14. A. money B. job C. team D. patience

15. A. discussion B. practice C. introduction D. decision

16. A. hated B. affected C. controlled D. replaced

17. A. hold B. carry C. train D. accept

18. A. promise B. purpose C. advice D. secret

19. A. remembered B. volunteered C. went on D. turned back

20. A. lost B. shown C. wasted D. left

11

I work as the reception manager at my hotel. A? came in a few weeks ago with a note saying that the guest would be traveling with her? father. His daughter wanted to make his trip to Ireland as? as possible.

Upon seeing this note， I? I would be the one to check them in as I was scheduled for their arrival time. I? to learn some very basic sign language. I? the guest in my usual fashion， asking for the surname on the booking. Once I heard the name I? immediately who was standing in front of me.

I had been learning for two weeks how to say “welcome to Ireland. My sign language is ， but please if you need anything during your stay just let me know and we will help you”.

I? at the father and daughter and greeted him in the sign language I had learned for him. His daughter broke down? and called me sweet when she learned about the truth. But the father just smiled and was so . Honestly， seeing his? was enough for me.

On check out， I? wasnt working， but they had? a gift for me—a small box with some chocolates and a book on sign language. Inside was a? saying， “Thank you very much for what you did on check in. You have no idea how much this? to my father and me. We cant? you enough. Youve made his trip home to his family after 50 years very? with one simple gesture.”

They wrote a letter to the general manager，? to give me a raise， which I really . I cried for 5 minutes when I came into work today to find this gift in my locker.

1. A. stranger B. woman C. booking D. call

2. A. deaf B. retired C. lonely D. blind

3. A. fun B. cheap C. smooth D. long

4. A. worried B. knew C. said D. hoped

5. A. pretended B. preferred C. struggled D. decided

6. A. greeted B. eyed C. guided D. introduced

7. A. recognized B. realized C. wondered D. observed

8. A. excellent B. useful C. terrible D. useless

9. A. smiled B. stared C. pointed D. shouted

10. A. laughing B. singing C. complaining D. crying

11. A. entertained B. embarrassed C. excited D. encouraged

12. A. presence B. disability C. appearance D. reaction

13. A. fortunately B. sadly C. commonly D. generally

14. A. left B. made C. picked D. ordered

15. A. card B. poster C. proverb D. note

16. A. showed B. meant C. happened D. referred

17. A. help B. pay C. give D. thank

18. A. attractive B. special C. brilliant D. important

19. A. asking B. offering C. promising D. requiring

20. A. understood B. thought C. appreciated D. deserved

12

We made a quick stop at a grocery store to pick up cupcakes for my daughter Norahs fourth birthday. As an older gentleman walked by， Norah? ? 1? ? and waved， “Hi， old person！ Its my birthday today！” I apologized to him? ? 2? ? for her impoliteness.

His expression softened as he? ? 3? ?， “Hello， little lady！ And how old are you today？” They? ? 4? ? for a couple of minutes， with Norah? ? 5? ? him in on the details of her birthday， and we went our? ? 6? ? ways. But a few minutes later， Norah decided she really wanted a? ? 7? ? with him. Uh， my cutest baby！

We went back and found him at the? ? 8? ?. “Excuse me， sir？ Shed like to know if youd take a photo with her，” I asked，? ? 9? ? the man to be angry at my daughters strange? ? 10? ?. Instead， I got the completely contrary response！ “A photo？ With me？” But his expression? ? 11? ? changed from confused to delighted. So they posed together and then they? each other as if they were long-lost friends. The precious? ? 13? ? blocked other shoppers， making the shop a little ， but no one cared.

We thanked Mr Dan （I knew his name later on） for his? ? 15? ?. Now， Norah and Mr Dan are more than just friends. We make regular? ? 16? ? to see him because she? ? 17? ? his being lonely. Mr Dan says that his friendship with Norah helped to mend his? ? 18? ? heart for his wifes sudden death.

Sometimes talking to? ? 19? ? turns into the most beautiful thing in the world. I think this? ? 20? ? story brilliantly reminds us to see and hear people， so please share it with your loved ones！

1. A. nodded B. asked C. wondered D. smiled

2. A. carefully B. nervously C. embarrassedly D. seriously

3. A. explained B. returned C. replied D. questioned

4. A. stood B. talked C. waited D. discussed

5. A. filling B. dropping C. turning D. putting

6. A. various B. daily C. personal D. separate

7. A. photo B. break C. moment D. party

8. A. store B. street C. market D. corner

9. A. causing B. encouraging C. expecting D. reminding

10. A. order B. request C. action D. suggestion

11. A. actively B. exactly C. rapidly D. rarely

12. A. hugged B. greeted C. supported D. valued

13. A. situation B. view C. event D. scene

14. A. noisy B. crowded C. different D. busy

15. A. time B. lesson C. effort D. work

16. A. calls B. meals C. trips D. visits

17. A. cares for B. worries about C. thinks of D. deals with

18. A. lost B. weak C. broken D. uneasy

19. A. shoppers B. friends C. passengers D. strangers

20. A. amusing B. inspiring C. important D. typical

13

Do you believe cats have nine lives？ If they do， then a cat named Scarlett may have used a few of her? all at once.

Scarlett was a cat? in an old， empty building in New York. One day， the building caught fire. Most animals would have tried to quickly . But， Scarlett had five kittens to . As the fire got bigger， Scarlett ignored the . One by one， she carried her? to safety. By the time Scarlett? the last kitten， her fur was badly burned， and her eyes were burned shut.

A? firefighter found all the kittens and? their mother. Even though Scarlett could not see him， she? his voice and let him pick her up. He put her in a box with her babies. She could not? her kittens， so she counted them by touching each ones nose.

Scarlett and her kittens were? to an animal hospital where it took almost three months for them to heal. Scarletts? story was reported in the local newspapers. Many people wanted to? Scarlett and her kittens. An official of the hospital made sure that they were all adopted into? homes.

Scarletts fur grew back， and her eyes fully opened once again. In her new ， she played with paper balls . She did not act as if she were . She was just happy to live in a safe home with? owners. To prove it， she purred （發(fā)出呼嚕聲） loudly when her? were near. Scarlett was a true survivor.

1. A. chances B. interests C. lives D. partners

2. A. missing B. surviving C. wandering D. playing

3. A. change B. escape C. hide D. return

4. A. feed B. choose C. protect D. follow

5. A. danger B. trouble C. unfairness D. anger

6. A. boxes B. food C. friends D. kittens

7. A. lost B. left C. saw D. saved

8. A. kind B. smart C. busy D. strange

9. A. asked for B. looked for C. knew about D. gave up

10. A. forgot B. heard C. recognized D. trusted

11. A. see B. touch C. raise D. smell

12. A. invited B. introduced C. rushed D. forced

13. A. scary B. sad C. heroic D. romantic

14. A. praise B. help C. examine D. cure

15. A. good B. rich C. healthy D. old

16. A. basket B. city C. home D. hospital

17. A. proudly B. bravely C. nervously D. happily

18. A. famous B. blind C. ill D. cute

19. A. patient B. humorous C. loving D. positive

20. A. enemies B. doctors C. babies D. owners

14

There were many tents in the woods.? ? 1? ? carefully， I could see the winding? ? 2? ? that led me to another way of . This was our first visit. My father and I had arranged with Sam， a? ? 4? ? man living in the woods to bring the group daily goods from a nearby church.

We also brought some gas for the two electrical machines that? ? 5? ? some small fans fighting the July? ? 6? ?. We continued this routine for a while and spent time getting to know the people who? ? 7? ? these woods home. “Ill be? when the fall comes，” a guy named Billy said.

We were all? ? 9? ? to helping the homeless， but it soon dawned on us that produce and gas werent really the . We learned their lives were complex. Divorces， job losses， addictions， or poor health issues had? ? 11? ? them into the woods. In some? ? 12? ?， events unfolded abruptly. In other cases， they had? ? 13? ? something bad before they were reduced to the spot on which they set up their? ? 14? ?.

As we tried to? ? 15? ?， we realized we really didnt have a plan because of our inexperience， so we decided to give money to groups that were more? ? 16? ? in helping the homeless.

Remember how Billy was looking forward to the? ? 17? ?？ Well， fall was short-lived that year. And before the cold winter came we? ? 18? ? found a small studio apartment for Sam， and then one for Billy.

They have become family to us， and were going to? ? 19? ? taking care of them as family. Who would have thought that could have? ? 20? ? from our initial （最初的） trip into the woods？

1. A. Listening B. Checking C. Looking D. Thinking

2. A. trees B. roads C. rivers D. walls

3. A. life B. love C. recreation D. relaxation

4. A. generous B. lonely C. friendly D. homeless

5. A. contained B. powered C. controlled D. pushed

6. A. rain B. sunlight C. heat D. air

7. A. called B. preferred C. named D. offered

8. A. surprised B. calm C. relaxed D. glad

9. A. nice B. new C. free D. equal

10. A. answer B. truth C. problem D. aim

11. A. attracted B. carried C. turned D. led

12. A. cases B. countries C. parts D. periods

13. A. created B. understood C. experienced D. imagined

14. A. groups B. tents C. business D. standard

15. A. leave B. change C. help D. follow

16. A. skilled B. active C. interested D. careful

17. A. success B. assistance C. end D. fall

18. A. increasingly B. generally C. eventually D. gradually

19. A. consider B. discuss C. practice D. continue

20. A. learned B. developed C. separated D. protected

15

Last weekend， I had an opportunity to serve as a volunteer at a nursing home in another city. I dont have a car and even the? train station is far away from my house. Therefore， I wasnt sure how to get there.

I posted a（n）? for a ride on the ride share board. Soon an individual Id never met? that hed be able to? ?me up and drop me off at the station. He said hed wait until my train arrived before he drove away. My heart? and the stress Id been feeling disappeared? and thus our friendship began.

I ended up arriving at the nursing home in . The tiny team of servers there were? for the additional help. We all worked together as a team. I was glad to be a part of this and be of? to the elderly.

That evening when my new? dropped me off at the station， he? that it was in a deserted area. So he parked his car and said， “We will wait for the? to come together.” I couldnt believe his .

With five minutes left before the train arrived， he? with me stories of his childhood. As a young boy， he? ?to sit near the edge of the train tracks， waiting? for the trains to rush by with all their . That night he waited with me as my train . It didnt rush by with full force but I left that station feeling the full force of his? ?and generosity. People like him would always? me how to love and how to give.

1. A. oldest B. largest C. closest D. latest

2. A. excuse B. charge C. preference D. request

3. A. replied B. joked C. remembered D. pretended

4. A. call B. pick C. raise D. take

5. A. broke B. warmed C. sank D. changed

6. A. immediately B. peacefully C. perfectly D. occasionally

7. A. order B. return C. time D. turn

8. A. thankful B. regretful C. responsible D. sorry

9. A. interest B. service C. hope D. treat

10. A. colleague B. customer C. neighbor D. friend

11. A. admitted B. heard C. noticed D. intended

12. A. train B. bus C. taxi D. car

13. A. bravery B. confidence C. courage D. kindness

14. A. argued B. shared C. discussed D. compared

15. A. used B. had C. wished D. decided

16. A. unwillingly B. proudly C. excitedly D. embarrassedly

17. A. power B. speed C. fuel D. force

18. A. started B. passed C. stopped D. approached

19. A. happiness B. strength C. kindness D. patience

20. A. warn B. remind C. ask D. teach