【推荐1】One windy spring day, I observed young people having fun using the wind to fly their kites. Multicolored creations of varying_________and sizes filled the skies like beautiful birds darting and dancing. As the strong winds blew hard against the kites, a_________kept them in check.

Instead of blowing away with the wind, they arose against it to achieve great_________They shook and_________, facing upward and against the wind. But the restraining (约束，控制) string and the heavy_________grasped them closely behind. As the kites_________and trembled against the string, they seemed to say, “Let me go! Let me go! I want to be free!” They soared_________even as they fought the restriction of the string._________, one of the kites succeeded in breaking loose. “Free at last,” it seemed to say. “Free to fly with the wind.”

Yet_________from restraint simply put it at the mercy of an unsympathetic__________. It flew up and down__________to the ground and landed in a twisted mass of weeds and string against a dead bush. “Free at last”—free to lie powerless in the__________, to be blown helplessly along the ground, and to stuck lifeless against the first__________.

Let us each rise to the great heights,__________that some of the restraints that we may chafe (擦伤，摩擦) under are actually the steady force that helps us__________and achieve.

1.

A．colours

B．shapes

C．weight

D．noises

2.

A．handle

B．hand

C．string

D．child

3.

A．success

B．power

C．possibility

D．heights

4.

A．pushed

B．pulled

C．escaped

D．knocked

5.

A．tail

B．head

C．material

D．wing

6.

A．broke

B．struggled

C．headed

D．leaned

7.

A．hopelessly

B．awkwardly

C．lightly

D．beautifully

8.

A．Finally

B．Gradually

C．Continuously

D．Expectedly

9.

A．respect

B．freedom

C．trouble

D．change

10.

A．rain

B．storm

C．wind

D．sunlight

11.

A．ungracefully

B．cheerfully

C．shamelessly

D．hopefully

12.

A．sky

B．city

C．dirt

D．ocean

13.

A．roof

B．block

C．step

D．slide

14.

A．recognizing

B．wondering

C．announcing

D．insisting

15.

A．wake up

B．show off

C．stand by

D．climb up

【推荐2】Lisa was a teacher of my two sons. In 2000, she________to teach my elder son, Bob, who had difficulty in writing and reading. It took Lisa much patience to________Bob. With her special education, Bob_______ in his class and was finally admitted to a Chinese university with excellent grades. I________believed it was Lisa’s special teaching style that made Bob finally________out. Years later, my complete________was confirmed again.

Luckily, my younger son, Mike, also studied in Lisa’s class. Lisa made a bigger________on him. “Every student is unique, so________teaching is the key,” she said. “Every man has his price.” Because she was aware of her students’________, she designed multiple schemes to guide the children.

Mike’s grades had fallen behind other students. It was a challenge for Lisa to teach him whose grades were at the     _____of the class. Lisa learned Mike had a(n)_______ personality. He liked meeting friends, loved chatting with them and enjoyed their_______ . It was because he often stayed with others that he didn’t have enough time to focus on his________. Lisa not only taught Mike to________life and learning but also________time — most for study and some for fun. She even invited Mike’s best friend to learn together with him and________them after school. Eventually, they significantly raised their scores. However, Lisa reminded me that it wasn’t the scores but the________that mattered. She couldn’t be more proud of my son’s stepping________.

In terms of child education, Lisa is a(n)________example to all. Although Mike has graduated, I can’t be more________. I really want to say to her again, “Thanks.”

1.

A．forgot

B．began

C．failed

D．refused

2.

A．send

B．protect

C．instruct

D．accommodate

3.

A．got ahead

B．called back

C．turned up

D．looked around

4.

A．doubtfully

B．slightly

C．rarely

D．firmly

5.

A．drop

B．stand

C．burst

D．go

6.

A．trust

B．change

C．silence

D．disagreement

7.

A．mistake

B．decision

C．impact

D．comment

8.

A．free

B．conventional

C．changeless

D．individualized

9.

A．differences

B．secrets

C．habits

D．looks

10.

A．beginning

B．level

C．bottom

D．top

11.

A．selfish

B．awful

C．quiet

D．outgoing

12.

A．praise

B．company

C．victories

D．meals

13.

A．needs

B．contacts

C．study

D．housework

14.

A．balance

B．start

C．investigate

D．prepare

15.

A．memorize

B．plan

C．record

D．display

16.

A．tutored

B．amused

C．criticized

D．trapped

17.

A．speech

B．sympathy

C．relationship

D．progress

18.

A．punctually

B．occasionally

C．forward

D．first

19.

A．false

B．humble

C．abstract

D．awesome

20.

A．regretful

B．grateful

C．anxious

D．curious

【推荐3】When I asked my mom for piano lessons in 2010, we were in the fallout of the recession (经济衰退). She said a polite “No”.

That didn’t stop me. I googled the   _______for a keyboard, drew the keys on a piece of paper and _______it on my desk. I would click notes on an online   _______and “play” them back on my paper one—keeping the   _________they made on the computer in my head. Once my mom saw that I was _______, she borrowed money and bought me 10 lessons.

I still remember the first one. I was   _________by how real the sound of the piano was. I _________   my grade one test after eight lessons. But when I started secondary school, we couldn’t _________ lessons again. I passed grade five, practicing only on my piece of paper.

When I was about 13, my mom said she had a   _______for me; it was an electronic keyboard, bought with   ________borrowed money. It was the first time I’d played for her.

Later I found the Purcell School for young musicians. The tryouts were________. Some of the questions ____________   an assessment of the composer or when the music was written. I felt stressed out. To my amazement I was offered a________. At Purcell, I saved enough to buy my first piano.

When I left Purcell, I was awarded the senior academic music prize. I am now at the Guildhall School in London, one of the world’s   leading music schools. I feel proud: it’s been 10 years ________ I     drew my paper piano. I continue to do a lot of my practice away from the piano: what we call________ practice. The paper piano helped solve my curiosity about how music works and what forms the masterpieces.

1.

A．measurements

B．tunes

C．pictures

D．scales

2.

A．folded

B．piled

C．wrapped

D．stuck

3.

A．screen

B．course

C．keyboard

D．website

4.

A．voice

B．sound

C．whisper

D．record

5.

A．nervous

B．disappointed

C．satisfied

D．serious

6.

A．amused

B．frightened

C．struck

D．accessed

7.

A．ran into

B．got across

C．passed by

D．went through

8.

A．afford

B．perform

C．postpone

D．participate

9.

A．secret

B．task

C．question

D．surprise

10.

A．little

B．less

C．much

D．more

11.

A．easy

B．tough

C．enjoyable

D．fulfilling

12.

A．related

B．concerned

C．involved

D．collected

13.

A．role

B．prize

C．place

D．refund

14.

A．after

B．since

C．until

D．before

15.

A．mental

B．abundant

C．false

D．fancy

【推荐1】One Friday we were packing to leave for a weekend away when my daughter heard cries for help. When I went to investigate, I discovered an elderly neighbour we _______ knew had taken a bad fall on her front steps. She was clearly in _______so I helped her inside her house and settled her on the couch.
I noticed how _______and dark her place was and it was obvious she hadn't cleaned in a while. She _______she didn't need an ambulance or _______help and that someone would be around soon, so I _______ her with a bottle of water at her side.
As I left, I felt saddened to _______that apart from a few smiles in the past 18 months we had been neighbours, we hadn't _______She didn't know my name and I didn't know hers, and I hadn't even noticed she hadn't been_______for weeks due to backache.
That weekend I ________my grandmother for her 80th birthday and noticed how clean and spacious her flat seemed in comparison to my neighbour's. Then my thoughts turned to all the ________ — daughters, grandkids, nieces and nephews — my grandmother had, and how ________the atmosphere was.
My neighbour, as far as I knew, had no family ________ dropping by to visit.
When I ________I went to check on her but she didn't answer my ________ Trying the back door and ________it open, I walked inside. More grateful than scared to see me, she explained she was________ Yet, unable to bend down due to her bad back, she could not unpack groceries a delivery boy had left at floor level. Her kitchen was filled with garbage she was unable to ________ by herself.
We've since become good friends and chat every few days. She keeps thanking me for my kindness but I ________ helping her. Every time I return from putting out her garbage, collecting her mail or just chatting, I feel a deep sense of ________and peace.1.

A．well

B．barely

C．widely

D．never

2.

A．pain

B．relief

C．sorrow

D．surprise

3.

A．vast

B．quiet

C．messy

D．chilly

4.

A．insisted

B．promised

C．advised

D．agreed

5.

A．technical

B．legal

C．financial

D．medical

6.

A．accompanied

B．left

C．annoyed

D．warned

7.

A．doubt

B．notice

C．regret

D．realize

8.

A．separated

B．complained

C．connected

D．explained

9.

A．outside

B．inside

C．away

D．abroad

10.

A．missed

B．supported

C．ignored

D．met

11.

A．assistants

B．neighbours

C．visitors

D．fellows

12.

A．lively

B．tense

C．romantic

D．heavy

13.

A．hurriedly

B．officially

C．normally

D．regularly

14.

A．moved

B．returned

C．departed

D．wandered

15.

A．phones

B．questions

C．knocks

D．messages

16.

A．blowing

B．keeping

C．finding

D．tearing

17.

A．filled

B．poor

C．ill

D．OK

18.

A．take out

B．leave out

C．pick out

D．hand out

19.

A．enjoy

B．dislike

C．consider

D．risk

20.

A．safety

B．direction

C．satisfaction

D．honesty

【推荐2】I am a guide at the California Academy of Sciences. Weeks ago, I was ________ with a lovely family at the Academy’s Swamp exhibit. Their young son was ________ by the swallow and asked many questions about it. As the family was leaving, I asked the boy if he would like a sticker to put on his shirt. He ________ chose a swallow sticker (贴纸), while the boy’s younger brother spent lots of time ________ all the sticker choices before choosing a butterfly. The boy who had chosen first said softly to his father, “I didn’t see the frog sticker.” His father immediately ________ the boy to ask me for a second sticker. The boy said, “No, I’m happy with what I have.”

I was so ________. Such grace, gratitude and ________, are all from an eight-year-old boy. Too often, we ________ to be happy with what we have and in our forgetfulness, we spread the infection of ________.

I recently purchased my first laptop computer. In discussions with the ________, he said, “Within two years, you’ll probably want a new one anyway.” Why would I want a new one, if my ________ one was working? Perhaps, “________” is the key word. I won’t ________ need a new laptop in two years but I will probably want one. I may want _________ things, but I don’t need them. What I do desperately need is the peace of mind. I need to ________ each of my sudden urges to purchase or possess as either “want” or “need”.

1.

A．seeing

B．visiting

C．leaving

D．saying

2.

A．trapped

B．called

C．caught

D．fascinated

3.

A．quickly

B．slowly

C．frequently

D．temporarily

4.

A．going about

B．going by

C．going for

D．going through

5.

A．expected

B．forced

C．urged

D．persuaded

6.

A．satisfied

B．astonished

C．rigid

D．excited

7.

A．wisdom

B．patience

C．passion

D．guilt

8.

A．used

B．tried

C．pretended

D．forgot

9.

A．fortune

B．greed

C．discontent

D．benefit

10.

A．cashier

B．host

C．salesman

D．waiter

11.

A．broken

B．old

C．favourite

D．dusty

12.

A．want

B．need

C．hope

D．mind

13.

A．obviously

B．specially

C．simply

D．necessarily

14.

A．violent

B．absurd

C．shiny

D．similar

15.

A．promise

B．identify

C．possess

D．access

【推荐3】We love letters. Just as John Donne, a poet, _________ it, “Letters, to me and my friends mean _________ greetings; they get souls together. Thanks to letters, friends who are _________ speak.” He wrote these words nearly 400 years ago. Today, in the age of instant text message, social media, and email, they still ring truer than ever, because writing or receiving a letter has become such a _________ event.

A UK-wide survey undertaken by Sunday Times suggests that one in four of us has not _________ a letter for at least 10 years. That’s ten years without the sweet pleasure of pacing the floor waiting for the _________; ten years without recognizing the handwriting on the envelope and eagerly _________ the letter to read its content.

We may not get them any more, but we still love handwritten letters. In the same survey, one third of _________ people interviewed say that they remember the content of sentimental (充满情感的) letters. Shouldn’t we make _________ to give our friends and families what they will treasure forever? Ann Bickley went online in 2017 and offered to handwrite a letter to anyone who __________ her. Her website received 50,000 __________ in its first three months. Five years later, she is still the main force behind one-million-lovely-letter.com and has personally written 4,000 letters offering hope and __________ to strangers.

The thought behind a letter __________ as much as its contents. “I never tell anyone that __________ is going to be OK,” Ann Bickley says, “I am letting someone know that there is someone in the world who __________ them.” Who wouldn’t love to receive a letter like that? Let’s get writing!

1.

A．made

B．put

C．helped

D．managed

2.

A．rather than

B．less than

C．more than

D．other than

3.

A．absent

B．active

C．amused

D．admirable

4.

A．popular

B．common

C．rare

D．simple

5.

A．received

B．sent

C．written

D．rejected

6.

A．engineer

B．doctor

C．police

D．postman

7.

A．seizing

B．tearing

C．hiding

D．carrying

8.

A．American

B．Chinese

C．Australian

D．British

9.

A．money

B．room

C．history

D．time

10.

A．contacted

B．interviewed

C．consulted

D．admired

11.

A．guests

B．visitors

C．friends

D．partners

12.

A．effort

B．comfort

C．surprise

D．experience

13.

A．educates

B．guides

C．matters

D．rewards

14.

A．nothing

B．anything

C．something

D．everything

15.

A．looks after

B．cares about

C．struggles for

D．agrees with