【推荐1】For a long time I saw happiness as a huge banner (旗帜) across the finish line of a long race. I felt that only when I____certain things could I finally be happy in my life. Most of the time I felt like a tortoise believing that being slow and____would win the race. At other times I would_____like a rabbit trying different side roads at a dangerous _____hoping to reach that banner a little faster._____，I began to see that no matter how long I raced towards it，the banner was never any_____. I finally decided to_____and take a break. It was then that I saw my_____sitting beside me.

It had been with me as I_____hard to support my family, as I played with my children and heard their______and even when I was ______with my wife at my side looking after me. It had been with me as I raced towards that stupid banner. I just didn’t have the______to see it.

There is an old Chinese proverb that says，“Tension is who you think you should be. ______is who you are.” Perhaps we all should stop our race towards the______life we think we should have and ______the life we have now. Happiness will never be found under some banner far away. It will be found______your own heart，soul and mind. It will be found when you______that others love you just as you do.

Don’t be a tortoise or a rabbit when it comes to your happiness. Be a playful puppy and carry your stick of______with you everywhere you go. ______yourself out of the race and realize that when it comes to love and happiness, you are______there.

1.

A．forgot

B．missed

C．overcame

D．accomplished

2.

A．safe

B．steady

C．calm

D．quiet

3.

A．act

B．run

C．jump

D．walk

4.

A．place

B．height

C．speed

D．time

5.

A．Generally

B．Gradually

C．Fortunately

D．Firstly

6.

A．clearer

B．lower

C．closer

D．smaller

7.

A．settle in

B．start off

C．stop by

D．sit down

8.

A．happiness

B．goal

C．success

D．friendship

9.

A．studied

B．fought

C．exercised

D．worked

10.

A．laughter

B．complaints

C．stories

D．breathing

11.

A．lonely

B．tired

C．sick

D．hungry

12.

A．courage

B．chance

C．wisdom

D．strength

13.

A．Stress

B．Relaxation

C．Failure

D．Pain

14.

A．real

B．perfect

C．common

D．ordinary

15.

A．enjoy

B．change

C．improve

D．create

16.

A．from

B．on

C．over

D．in

17.

A．realize

B．believe

C．hope

D．admit

18.

A．sorrow

B．responsibility

C．fortune

D．joy

19.

A．Carry

B．Make

C．Push

D．Take

20.

A．never

B．still

C．already

D．ever

【推荐2】A simple act of kindness sometimes means a lot to others, especially those broken or hard-hearted people.

A mother and daughter living in my community are two of the most _______ people I have ever come across in my life. They are totally _______, mixing with nobody.

On moving into this neighborhood, I was _______ of these two but decided I would make up my own mind. This proved quite a _______ to me as more than once either the mother or the daughter would knock on my door and blast (猛烈抨击) me with some complaints or other.

I _______ answered politely and made sure I _______ as they went past my place and also made the effort now and then to make a kind remark about their garden or pets.

Time passed and in October, as part of the kindness rock give, Maureen and I _______ to place a kindness rock in their garden. Their _______ remained unchanged, however, and I continued to be as friendly as possible. During the Easter give, we decided once again to _______ these two unhappy ladies to our list and ________ a packet of cookies on their gate. Imagine my ________ when two days later they ________ at my gate and jokingly said they are considering hanging their Christmas stockings on their gate, and they ________ me a bunch of flowers!

So my fellow gifters, do not ________ on your random gifts of kindness. You may never know just ________ this   means to others.

1.

A．optimistic

B．humorous

C．unfriendly

D．unselfish

2.

A．separated

B．depressed

C．equipped

D．delighted

3.

A．accused

B．warned

C．heard

D．convinced

4.

A．task

B．strike

C．matter

D．challenge

5.

A．seldom

B．never

C．always

D．sometimes

6.

A．waved

B．stared

C．noticed

D．laughed

7.

A．started

B．continued

C．mentioned

D．decided

8.

A．smile

B．attitude

C．decision

D．anger

9.

A．add

B．apply

C．relate

D．refer

10.

A．forgot

B．shared

C．left

D．took

11.

A．smile

B．surprise

C．anxiety

D．doubt

12.

A．lay

B．shouted

C．stopped

D．kicked

13.

A．brought

B．sold

C．threw

D．returned

14.

A．take in

B．take up

C．give in

D．give up

15.

A．how

B．what

C．which

D．when

【推荐3】Having relocated often, I’ve developed a love of de-cluttering（整理）. Actually, there have been times when I’ve questioned whether it’s an/a ______. But I’ve concluded that it isn’t. ______, the habit is just wonderful blessing.

Standing ______ my wardrobe (衣橱) at least once every couple of months, I consider what can go. Even doing so ______, there’s always something that I no longer love. Perhaps it’s an article of ______ that doesn’t express how I see myself any more or is not the most ______. Maybe it’s something that has ______ through the last few selections and has finally lost its fight to _______in the wardrobe.

Either way, some clothes _____ at the charity shop. Occasionally such a ______ may see something new-to-me come home from the store. At least I know, though, that the new item adds a different energy to my wardrobe. So it’s ______. If however, I haven’t worn the new item within a few weeks, then it’s ______ that I am not as in love with it as I thought. It’s then donated back to the ______ on the next trip.

De-cluttering does not belong only to wardrobes, though. I also delete old computer files and emails, ______ the recycle bin on my computer daily. That way, ______ I look at my computer, it is like my wardrobe — only that which serves a purpose remains.

The best form of de-cluttering we can really do is to rid ourselves of outdated _____. Like with all forms of de-cluttering, saying ______ to thinking patterns that no longer serve us creates ______ to breathe. It also makes room for new ways of thinking. Yes, de-cluttering can ______ all areas of our lives.

I wish you the courage to abandon the parts of your life that no longer ______ you and make space for fresh energy to flow.

1.

A．advantage

B．addiction

C．excuse

D．habit

2.

A．Instead

B．Besides

C．Otherwise

D．Meanwhile

3.

A．near

B．in

C．behind

D．before

4.

A．eventually

B．gradually

C．regularly

D．willingly

5.

A．clothing

B．furniture

C．luggage

D．beddings

6.

A．expensive

B．useful

C．comfortable

D．colorful

7.

A．passed on

B．hung on

C．showed off

D．turned up

8.

A．involve

B．join

C．live

D．stay

9.

A．gave up

B．ended up

C．went up

D．sold out

10.

A．trip

B．change

C．choice

D．situation

11.

A．possible

B．hopeful

C．welcome

D．unbelievable

12.

A．vital

B．strange

C．necessary

D．clear

13.

A．school

B．wardrobe

C．store

D．church

14.

A．fill

B．empty

C．search

D．exchange

15.

A．when

B．unless

C．though

D．until

16.

A．papers

B．thoughts

C．clothes

D．customs

17.

A．truth

B．yes

C．goodbye

D．hello

18.

A．value

B．time

C．chance

D．space

19.

A．apply to

B．benefit from

C．react to

D．break down

20.

A．delight

B．include

C．serve

D．love

【推荐3】It was a dream born in fire.

“Throw the ______ down!” said one of the firemen below. Andrea Peterson was 5 when she and her mother were ______ in a burning building, and little Andrea jumped into lifesaving arms and a lifelong ______: She wanted to fight fires like her ______ did. She told that to the men who had saved her, and they ______ good-naturedly (善意地) the way grown-ups do when a kid says they want to be an astronaut ______ this was back in a time when little girls weren’t even allowed to dream about such grand goals. “You’ll be a good mom,” the firemen told her. “You’ll be a good teacher, or a nurse, ______ you can never be a fireman.”

And then, as it tends to do, life sidelined her dreams. Nothing good comes easy. She went to college and studied for a ______ in aviation (航空) technology — the only female in her class. Soon after her marriage, ______, her husband, Dennis, was diagnosed with cancer. Peterson spent 31 years ______ the man she loved, and, in 2007, when Dennis lost his fight against the disease, he was ______ but worried about her. “I’ll be fine,” she told him.

At 61, during an ambulance ride-along as a community volunteer, Peterson felt that long-ago ______ of childhood. She earned her emergency medical technician license and responded to fire calls with the ambulance. She found that her years of tending to Dennis had ______ her for dealing with the variety of hurts and ills. After a year, she told her boss she wanted to be a firefighter. The fact that everyone else in her training unit was between 18 and 21 didn’t ______ her. She passed the written test, she cleared the ______ examination and, finally, that little girl’s dream became a reality.

1.

A．patient

B．boy

C．clerk

D．kid

2.

A．trapped

B．lost

C．absorbed

D．buried

3.

A．career

B．course

C．ambition

D．education

4.

A．trainers

B．rescuers

C．parents

D．agents

5.

A．yelled

B．opposed

C．ignored

D．laughed

6.

A．because

B．until

C．before

D．unless

7.

A．or

B．so

C．but

D．and

8.

A．loan

B．degree

C．prize

D．license

9.

A．unfortunately

B．hopefully

C．randomly

D．intentionally

10.

A．running after

B．longing for

C．looking after

D．struggling for

11.

A．at a loss

B．at risk

C．at a disadvantage

D．at peace

12.

A．warning

B．calling

C．training

D．blessing

13.

A．prepared

B．backed

C．inspired

D．trained

14.

A．encourage

B．strengthen

C．discourage

D．misguide

15.

A．regular

B．physical

C．difficult

D．general

【推荐1】It was my birthday last Thursday. I decided to celebrate it by inviting a few friends out to supper. I chose a restaurant in a ____ part of town. It is one of my favorite restaurants because the food is good and the waiters are friendly. It is ____ ever crowded, because not many people know about it, so it is not usually ____ to book a table. In any case, Thursday is not a busy evening ____
When we entered the restaurant, we were surprised to find it completely ____ I looked around but not ____ table was free. One of the waiters ____ me. He came across and explained the situation. “A party of tourists came in about half an hour ago.” he said. “It was like an invasion(侵略). Suddenly the place was full! We can hardly ____. ”
The waiter then pointed to a table in the corner. “The people there are about to ____, ” he said, “Just hold on and you’ll ____ a place there.” He was right. Fifteen minutes later, the people ____ the corner table paid their ____, got up and left. I led my friends across and we all sat down.
____our table was almost out of sight. We tried to call the attention of the waiter ____ sent us there, but he, like all the other waiters, ____ the party of tourists. They ordered lots of food. At last, an hour later, the tourists were finishing their meal and looking very ____with life. The waiter, now very tired, appeared at our table. I advised my friends about the best dishes and finally the waiter went off with our ____
A few moments later he returned to our table. We could tell from his face that he had ____for us. ____ a little sorry, he told us that there was ____ left. “All we can offer you” he said, “is an omelet(煎蛋卷) !”1.

A．quiet

B．calm

C．busy

D．silent

2.

A．hard

B．often

C．hardly

D．always

3.

A．necessary

B．possible

C．important

D．certain

4.

A．as before

B．as a matter of fact

C．as usual

D．as is known to all

5.

A．empty

B．full

C．free

D．quiet

6.

A．all

B．every

C．a single

D．a double

7.

A．realized

B．recognized

C．comforted

D．settled

8.

A．watch

B．care

C．try

D．manage

9.

A．start

B．leave

C．end

D．pay

10.

A．find

B．find out

C．wait

D．see

11.

A．by

B．beside

C．at

D．near

12. A money

A．bill

B．food

C．drinks

13.

A．Luckily

B．Fortunately

C．Generally

D．Unluckily

14.

A．whom

B．which

C．he

D．who

15.

A．were kept busy

B．was busy with

C．kept busy with

D．were busy with

16.

A．exciting

B．tired

C．pleased

D．disappointed

17.

A．dishes

B．food

C．order

D．menu

18.

A．good presents

B．good news

C．bad news

D．bad presents

19.

A．Looking

B．Seeing

C．Looked

D．Found

20.

A．no meat or fish

B．no meat and fish

C．meat and fish

D．not meat or fish

【推荐3】As I stood at the crossroads, the male villagers all asked the same question: Was I sure I wanted to climb the ______ mountain? Believe it or not, I, a Western female, ______ it.

I explained that I had been ______ for some time. I stressed that I would ______ their local traditions and hire some villagers as guides, but it seemed to do little to ease their ______. The male villagers told me that I would encounter quick mud that would ______ me whole, emphasizing that this would certainly be my fate given my small ______ .

The village women, on the other hand, smiled at me, and a few women ______ their arms. After witnessing the support and ______ voices of them, the men agreed to the arrangement that seemed to put them ______ with my climb.

As I made my way toward the mountain, I was ______ not only by my new support ______ ，but also by every village woman.

I knew I wasn’t the first Western female to make the climb, and I certainly wouldn’t be the last. But with the women villagers ______ accompanying me, I felt an overwhelming sense of collective ______. The greatest risk is not taking a risk, and we should always ______ our dreams.

1.

A．dangerous

B．famous

C．distant

D．bare

2.

A．hit

B．made

C．remembered

D．broke

3.

A．searching

B．standing

C．caring

D．preparing

4.

A．enrich

B．keep

C．simplify

D．change

5.

A．stress

B．anger

C．services

D．concerns

6.

A．lift

B．swallow

C．attack

D．stretch

7.

A．size

B．strength

C．ambition

D．effort

8.

A．raised

B．hid

C．touched

D．crossed

9.

A．unusual

B．active

C．steady

D．urgent

10.

A．at ease

B．on purpose

C．by chance

D．in public

11.

A．offered

B．afforded

C．assessed

D．joined

12.

A．team

B．base

C．situation

D．atmosphere

13.

A．particularly

B．proudly

C．seriously

D．secretly

14.

A．challenge

B．judgment

C．accomplishment

D．responsibility

15.

A．consult

B．accompany

C．interpret

D．follow