【推荐1】Sometimes people around you can change your values. My elder brother Steve, in the —__ of my father who died when I was six, gave me important lessons in __ that helped me grow into an adult. Once when I returned __ from a baseball game, it was Steve __ took the time to ask me what happened. When I explained that my baseball had __ through Mrs. Holt’s basement window, breaking the glass, Steve encouraged me to __ to her. After all, I should have played in the park and not in the path __ buildings. Although my __ trembled as I stood explaining, I offered to __ the window if she would return my ball. I also learned that personal property is a __ thing.

After I found a shiny silver pen in my fifth-grade classroom. I wanted to keep it, but Steve explained that it might be important to someone else __ the fact that it had little value. He reminded me of how much I’d hate to lose to someone else the small dog my father __ from a piece of cheap wood. I returned the pen to my teacher, and ___remembered the smell of her perfume as she patted me on my shoulder. Yet of all the __ Steve gave me, his respect   for life is the most __ in my mind.

At twelve I killed a sparrow with a gun. Excited with my __, I screamed to Steve to take a look. I shall never forget the way he stood for a long moment and __ the bird on the ground. Then in a dead, quiet voice, he asked, “Did it hurt you first, Mark? “ I didn't know what to answer. He continued with his eyes __. "The only time you should even think of hurting a living thing is __ it hurts you first. And then you think a long, long time. " I really felt terrible then, but that moment __ as the most important lesson my brother has taught me.

1.

A．absence

B．influence

C．presence

D．appearance

2.

A．personalities

B．beliefs

C．impressions

D．values

3.

A．in surprise

B．in tears

C．at ease

D．in vain

4.

A．which

B．what

C．who

D．whom

5.

A．dashed

B．rocketed

C．swelled

D．paced

6.

A．admit

B．subscribe

C．confess

D．appeal

7.

A．beneath

B．above

C．in

D．between

8.

A．legs

B．hands

C．toes

D．back

9.

A．pay for

B．break down

C．account for

D．pull through

10.

A．genuine

B．sacred

C．magical

D．specific

11.

A．regardless of

B．instead of

C．on account of

D．in spite of

12.

A．produced

B．shaped

C．purchased

D．carved

13.

A．therefore

B．even

C．still

D．yet

14.

A．gifts

B．lessons

C．pens

D．sparrows

15.

A．vivid

B．casual

C．permanent

D．valid

16.

A．prediction

B．intelligence

C．accuracy

D．expectation

17.

A．stared at

B．picked up

C．glared at

D．caught sight of

18.

A．blank

B．shut

C．firm

D．wide

19.

A．as

B．for

C．since

D．whether

20.

A．passes by

B．stands out

C．crowds of

D．fades of

【推荐2】My grandma is good at gardening. She could make anything bloom (开花), _______me. In my eyes, she was inspiring and _______. For most of her life, she lived on a farm, where she brought up four children, and buried my grandpa.

I visited her on weekends. After the gardening work, I was _______ to climb the mountain, singing songs and gathering flowers. Sometimes the plants scratched me. She would say, “Beauty has a _________. I hope it was worth it.”

“Yes, ma’ ma,” I’d say. “ _______ was.”

I loved gathering flowers on my own. But what I loved best was gathering them with her. Even then, as a child, I knew what I wanted most from my grandma was not her flowers, but her _______. She’s been gone for years, but sometimes, when I _______ down to pick a flower or pull a weed, I see her _______, not mine.

I thought I’d grow up to be a gardener too. I told myself, someday my children had children, I’d be a gardening grandma. Then the grandbabies started showing up, and I discovered I’d much rather run after them _______ go digging. Actually I’m no gardener. I’m a __________, not a planter. I differ from my grandma in lots of ways, but this: I will always carry __________ me a heart she made from her own.

I needn’t plant a garden. My children are my flowers. They delight and complete me with a beauty that is worth any price. All I need to do is __________ them with time, water them with love, and hope that someday, when they hold their first grandchild, they might see my hand.

1.

A．Not

B．Even

C．Only

D．Often

2.

A．famous

B．humorous

C．caring

D．amusing

3.

A．determined

B．anxious

C．curious

D．free

4.

A．standard

B．range

C．price

D．quality

5.

A．It

B．I

C．She

D．That

6.

A．possession

B．promise

C．beauty

D．time

7.

A．climb

B．reach

C．look

D．sit

8.

A．smile

B．spirit

C．soul

D．hand

9.

A．than

B．until

C．unless

D．since

10.

A．worker

B．teacher

C．picker

D．farmer

11.

A．to

B．within

C．beyond

D．for

12.

A．attend

B．miss

C．promote

D．influence

【推荐3】An executive was driving his new car on a street. He was _______for kids rushing out from between parked cars.

_______his car passed, a brick hit the car’s side door. He pressed hard the brake and drove the car back to the_______ from where the brick had been thrown.

He jumped out of the car,_______ a kid and pushed him up against a parked car,shouting,“What was that all about and who are you?Just what the hell are you doing?”_______more and more angry, he went on “That brick you threw will_______much money. Why did it?” “Please, mister, please, I’m sorry. I didn’t know what else to do!”_______the youngster.“My brother fell out of the wheelchair and I can’t_______him up.”Sobbing,the boy asked, “Could you help me? He’s hurt and he’s too heavy.” 

_______beyond words, the driver tried to__________the rapidly swelling lump(块)in his throat. He helped the young man back into the wheelchair and used a __________ to wipe the scrapes(擦伤)and cuts,__________ everything would be okay. 

“Thank you,” the little boy__________his brother to the sidewalk toward their home. 

After that, he never did__________the side door in order to remind him not to go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your__________.

1.

A．looking

B．watching

C．caring

D．waiting

2.

A．Before

B．Although

C．As

D．While

3.

A．spot

B．situation

C．surface

D．lounge

4.

A．saw

B．found

C．stuck

D．grabbed

5.

A．Remaining

B．Growing

C．Building

D．Making

6.

A．cost

B．spend

C．use

D．cause

7.

A．begged

B．required

C．asked

D．wondered

8.

A．get

B．light

C．lift

D．put

9.

A．Worried

B．Depressed

C．Moved

D．Surprised

10.

A．chew

B．melt

C．spit

D．swallow

11.

A．medicine

B．handkerchief

C．belt

D．money

12.

A．demanding

B．expecting

C．checking

D．wanting

13.

A．pushed

B．brought

C．handed

D．raised

14.

A．recover

B．repair

C．reform

D．record

15.

A．information

B．hope

C．attention

D．noise

【推荐1】I was thirty-four the first time I saw the real Santa.

My husband had lost his job earlier, and we _________ expenses everywhere we could . He’d been hunting for jobs and _________ often, but the process was slow.

One afternoon, we were feeling particularly _________, so we decided to treat ourselves to a meal outside. It was a(n) _________ for us to get out of the house, too. Plus, the pizzas were _________ our names in the restaurant.

When we got to the counter to pay, the employee said our meal had been covered by the truck ahead. While people did this sometimes, and it was always a lovely _________, this time we really didn’t want to just take the gift and leave. Instead, we attempted to keep the _________ going by offering to pay for the order for the car behind us.

“No need, that man just paid for everyone in line.” We had no choice but to get _________ with the fact that a stranger had just done something kind for us, and there was no way to _________ the kindness.

Looking toward the truck, I thought I could see the man’s __________ in the driver’s side mirror. He stuck his hand out the window and gave a __________ wave, which __________ reminded me of the scene where Santa was flying away into the night, gloved hand __________ in a goodbye wave.

My husband found a wonderful job shortly afterwards. We’ve gone on to do __________ acts of kindness for others, remembering the effect this __________ meal had on us when Santa drove a truck with a big smile and a little wave.

1.

A．cut back on

B．got down to

C．caught up with

D．broke away from

2.

A．fleeing

B．resigning

C．researching

D．interviewing

3.

A．annoyed

B．low

C．confused

D．scared

4.

A．pity

B．excuse

C．ability

D．choice

5.

A．showing

B．mentioning

C．calling

D．inviting

6.

A．suggestion

B．approach

C．introduction

D．gesture

7.

A．mission

B．responsibility

C．chain

D．reaction

8.

A．impressed

B．patient

C．comfortable

D．familiar

9.

A．pay forward

B．pass through

C．light up

D．bring out

10.

A．frown

B．smile

C．enthusiasm

D．confusion

11.

A．brave

B．cheerful

C．continuous

D．fearless

12.

A．gradually

B．possibly

C．carefully

D．instantly

13.

A．raised

B．tied

C．seized

D．covered

14.

A．formal

B．precious

C．admirable

D．random

15.

A．delicate

B．fancy

C．free

D．costly

【推荐2】完形填空(共20小题；
阅读下面短文，从短文后所给各题的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
I grew up in a tiny Baltimore row house in a faraway mountain area. My parents_______ the necessities of life_______they couldn’t give much more. If I asked my father_______a pair of jeans, he would say, “If you want them, make the money and buy them_______.” He wasn’t being mean; he just couldn’t_______ them. From age 12 on, I did part-time jobs after school.
When I_______ from high school, I joined the navy. Soon I was in a boot camp (新兵训练营) at Parris Island, S.C., where I learned that life in the navy centered around completing daily_______These could be anything from cleaning the camp to conducting mock (模拟的) battles. Completing these tasks successfully_______ discipline, team-work and responsibility. It didn’t_______ whether you were black, white or Asian; everyone worked together for the____________ of the company.
I went________________ to graduate from the U.S. Naval Academy and later became an officer in the navy. The part of my job I________________ most was the consueling(咨询) meetings I______________ with the family members of the men and women in my________________, trying to help them deal with the long periods of________________ . These proved popular and word of them spread. ________________ I was being asked to give encouraging________________ to business groups, educators and kids across the country.
But I consider the boot camp my first real________________, and my life is still guided by the____________ lessons I learned there. It taught me discipline, friendship and the pride related to setting a task every day and working hard to________________ it.1.

A．provided

B．got

C．made

D．bought

2.

A．while

B．but

C．so

D．or

3.

A．about

B．with

C．for

D．of

4.

A．themselves

B．ourselves

C．yourself

D．myself

5.

A．pay

B．find

C．produce

D．afford

6.

A．came

B．returned

C．escaped

D．graduated

7.

A．drills

B．tasks

C．exercises

D．reports

8.

A．included

B．asked

C．required

D．met

9.

A．matter

B．mean

C．exist

D．work

10.

A．good

B．boss

C．rest

D．right

11.

A．out

B．on

C．away

D．off

12.

A．took

B．hated

C．enjoyed

D．did

13.

A．ended

B．began

C．continued

D．held

14.

A．charge

B．situation

C．position

D．choice

15.

A．lessons

B．meetings

C．training

D．separation

16.

A．Long before

B．Before long

C．As usual

D．Once again

17.

A．performances

B．descriptions

C．speeches

D．gifts

18.

A．vacation

B．place

C．job

D．travel

19.

A．important

B．bitter

C．normal

D．difficult

20.

A．gain

B．achieve

C．show

D．match

【推荐2】I remember the first day when I saw Sally playing basketball. I watched in wonder as she struggled her way through the crowd of boys on the playground. She seemed so_____ , but she managed to shoot jump shots just over their heads and into the net. The boys always tried to stop her _____ nobody could.

I began to notice Sally at other times, basketball in hand, playing______   , sometimes until dark. She practiced dribbling (运球) and _____over and over again.

One day I asked Sally why she_____ so much. Without a moment of hesitation (犹豫) she said, “I want to go to college. The only way I can go is to get a _____ I’m going to play college basketball and I want to be the best one. I believe that if I am ____ enough, I will get one. My father has told me that if the dream is big enough, the facts don’t_____ . ”

I ____her through those junior years and into. senior high school. Every week, she led her team to______. One day in her senior year, I saw her sitting on the grass, with her head ____ in her arms. Slowly and quietly, I ____ and sat down beside her. “What’s wrong?”I asked. “Oh, nothing,” came a soft reply, “I am just too short. ”The ____told her that at 165cm she would probably never play for a top team—still less she would be _____ a scholarship (奖学金) —so she should stop dreaming about college.

I felt she was extremely. _____. I asked her if she had talked to her dad about it yet. She told me that her father said those coaches were ___ . They didn’t understand the ___ of a dream.

The next year, Sally was seen by a college basketball coach after the Northern California Championship game. She was ____ offered a scholarship and   _____ to the college team. She was going to get the college education that she had ____ and worked toward for all those years.

It’s true: if the dream is big enough, the facts don’t count.

1.

A．silent

B．strong

C．small

D．huge

2.

A．and

B．but

C．so

D．for

3.

A．alone

B．again

C．well

D．still

4.

A．passing

B．running

C．struggling

D．shooting

5.

A．practiced

B．studied

C．expected

D．improved

6.

A．prize

B．scholarship

C．title

D．fee

7.

A．active

B．generous

C．careful

D．good

8.

A．settle

B．escape

C．count

D．appear

9.

A．encouraged

B．respected

C．commanded

D．watched

10.

A．victory

B．confidence

C．responsibility

D．insurance

11.

A．dropped

B．covered

C．buried

D．sunk

12.

A．walked away

B．walked up

C．turned down

D．turned up

13.

A．coach

B．teacher

C．captain

D．leader

14.

A．suggested

B．requested

C．promised

D．offered

15.

A．satisfied

B．disappointed

C．excited

D．surprised

16.

A．serious

B．strict

C．wrong

D．cruel

17.

A．power

B．attack

C．cause

D．pressure

18.

A．frequently

B．naturally

C．normally

D．really

19.

A．persuaded

B．admitted

C．graduated

D．appointed

20.

A．talked of

B．though of

C．dreamed of

D．heard of

【推荐3】Recently I had dinner at a "dark restaurant", where people eat in complete darkness, served by blind staff. I wanted to________ what being blind was like, and I thought ________ would be the most difficult activity.

It was a difficult meal. ________ we couldn't see where anything was, my friend and I knocked over glasses and dropped food. My senses of taste and smell became more sensitive, and I ate much more slowly, trying to________ what I was eating. Pouring water was very difficult, plus I kept drinking from my friend's glass.

After________ to pick up any food with a fork for five minutes, I decided to use my hands. I________ down, expecting rice and vegetables, but instead stuck my ________ into a bowl of warm. thick soup. "It's best to use a spoon for this course," the waiter said into my ear, ________ but much too late. Even using a spoon, most of the soup ended up on my shirt. I felt ________ even though no one could see me.

Our waiter advised us to lift the plates and bowls close to our faces. However, I still left the restaurant feeling hungry, though I was much more aware of the ________ that blind people face.

1.

A．observe

B．hear

C．experience

D．remember

2.

A．drinking

B．eating

C．meeting

D．cooking

3.

A．Because

B．Although

C．Once

D．While

4.

A．forget

B．buy

C．introduce

D．guess

5.

A．failing

B．offering

C．pretending

D．promising

6.

A．calmed

B．reached

C．sat

D．looked

7.

A．fork

B．spoon

C．hand

D．tongue

8.

A．hopefully

B．helpfully

C．successfully

D．peacefully

9.

A．annoyed

B．disappointed

C．confused

D．embarrassed

10.

A．risks

B．results

C．challenges

D．choices