1 . Many years ago, Dad worked as a farmhand (农场工人). At that time, he had a horse. Every Saturday he _________ to the town after dinner and spent a few hours on social _________ with other farmhands, such as drinking, chatting, and playing cards in the cafe. On Saturday evenings, the cafe was _________ because many farmhands were there. Before midnight Dad returned home on his horse, quite satisfied with his _________. In his words, he _________ thought of changing his job.

At the age of 36, Dad married my mother. In the following spring I came _________ into the world. Life became hard, so my mother felt _________. She told Dad that they must make a _________.

My mother had _________ of how some famous persons fought against fate (命运) and achieved greatness and __________, just like Thomas Edison. And she __________ that I would some day become a great leader __________ men or cities and Dad should be a successful businessman. So she __________ Dad to give up his job as a farmhand, sell his horse and __________ a small business of his own. And I went to high school and college. She even sent me abroad for __________ education when I graduated from college. Under the drive (驱使) of my mother’s hope, Dad and I __________ what we have today. Dad runs a big international __________ and I am a successful lawyer __________ great fame in my country, __________ not a leader as my mother expected.

Dad said, without my mother, we wouldn’t be what we are today; at least, he would remain a farmhand. __________ he got a lesson of life — sometimes we really need drive from outside.

1.

A．drove

B．walked

C．ran

D．rode

2.

A．conversations

B．activities

C．relationships

D．games

3.

A．cold

B．quiet

C．crowded

D．dirty

4.

A．life

B．entertainment

C．horse

D．beer

5.

A．often

B．never

C．ever

D．sometimes

6.

A．laughing

B．singing

C．crying

D．sleeping

7.

A．relaxed

B．unsatisfied

C．serious

D．sick

8.

A．living

B．house

C．decision

D．change

9.

A．heard

B．dreamed

C．thought

D．spoken

10.

A．honesty

B．money

C．fame

D．energy

11.

A．cared

B．knew

C．forgot

D．hoped

12.

A．training

B．ruling

C．helping

D．protecting

13.

A．warned

B．wanted

C．allowed

D．persuaded

14.

A．start

B．find

C．design

D．sell

15.

A．farther

B．higher

C．easier

D．closer

16.

A．showed

B．kept

C．lost

D．achieved

17.

A．company

B．school

C．farm

D．cafe

18.

A．suffering

B．sharing

C．enjoying

D．following

19.

A．though

B．if

C．and

D．since

20.

A．Because

B．However

C．So

D．Or

2 . My wife and I moved into our home two years ago. We had a yard with a lot of ________. Very often when we have flowers, Denise or I would plant some between the rocks, just to add some ________ to the area.

Last summer, I found a tiny little plant in the yard that I could not immediately identify. I knew I didn’t plant it and Denise said she didn’t either.

We decided to let it ________ growing until we could find out what it was.

Weeks passed and as I made my way back to the ________ plant, it appeared to be a sunflower. I decided to ________ the weeds (杂草) around it. As I pulled rocks from the area to get to the weeds, I noticed something ________.The sunflower had not ________ where I saw it begin. It actually had begun under a big rock and grown under and around it to reach the ________.

That’s when I ________ that if a tiny little sunflower didn’t let a big rock stand in its way of developing, we too have the ability of doing the same thing. If we ________ ourselves like that little sunflower, we can reach where we ________ to go and get what we need for growth.

We need to believe in ourselves knowing we have the ________ to achieve our goals. Like the sunflower, it knew it had the ability to get over the rocks because it had ________ in itself that it would succeed. Stand tall like the sunflower and be ________ of who and what we are, and then the environment will begin to ________ us. We will find a way to go under or around any “rocks” in order to reach our goals.

1.

A．flower

B．insects

C．vegetables

D．rocks

2.

A．water

B．fertilizer

C．color

D．shape

3.

A．stop

B．continue

C．improve

D．escape

4.

A．weak

B．strange

C．lonely

D．pretty

5.

A．collect

B．tend

C．remove

D．watch

6.

A．unusual

B．wonderful

C．terrible

D．valuable

7.

A．passed

B．started

C．left

D．died

8.

A．air

B．top

C．sun

D．house

9.

A．hoped

B．realized

C．doubted

D．regretted

10.

A．fill in

B．put in

C．worry about

D．believe in

11.

A．forget

B．hate

C．aim

D．wait

12.

A．wish

B．plan

C．ability

D．idea

13.

A．faith

B．energy

C．virtue

D．courage

14.

A．aware

B．afraid

C．proud

D．tired

15.

A．forgive

B．support

C．upset

D．affect

3 . There once was a king in a faraway country. One day, he decided to ____ a prize to the artist who would paint the best picture of____ . So many artists _____. At last, the king looked at all the pictures. ____there were only two he really liked, and he had to ____between them.

One picture was of a ____ lake. The lake was a perfect mirror with peaceful huge mountains all around it. Above was a ____ sky with light white clouds. All who ____ this picture thought that it was a perfect picture of peace.

The other picture had ____ , too. But these were not peaceful at all. Above was an ____sky. Rain fell heavily and lightning played ____. Down the side of the mountain was a waterfall with loud sound. This did not look ____ at all.   But when the king looked ____, he saw a tiny tree ____ in the rock behind the waterfall. In the tree a mother bird had ____ her nest. There, with the current of angry water, the mother bird was ____ her hungry children in the nest, taking no attention to its ____ surroundings --in perfect peace.

Which picture do you think ____ the prize? The king chose the second picture. Do you know why?

“Because,” said the king. “Peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no ____, trouble or hard work. Peace means although you are surrounded by noisy things you ____keep calm in the heart. That is the real meaning of peace.”1.

A．take

B．send

C．offer

D．leave

2.

A．honesty

B．silence

C．beauty

D．peace

3.

A．tried

B．managed

C．succeeded

D．went

4.

A．And

B．Or

C．But

D．Yet

5.

A．choose

B．like

C．give

D．need

6.

A．beautiful

B．noisy

C．calm

D．dirty

7.

A．black

B．gray

C．blue

D．dark

8.

A．liked

B．saw

C．painted

D．had

9.

A．mirror

B．peace

C．mountains

D．clouds

10.

A．gentle

B．sunny

C．calm

D．angry

11.

A．slowly

B．gently

C．wildly

D．happily

12.

A．noisy

B．peaceful

C．happy

D．beautiful

13.

A．seriously

B．strictly

C．quickly

D．closely

14.

A．planting

B．rising

C．growing

D．coming

15.

A．built

B．created

C．left

D．lain

16.

A．beating

B．touching

C．speaking

D．feeding

17.

A．silent

B．noisy

C．beautiful

D．faraway

18.

A．want

B．lost

C．received

D．won

19.

A．noise

B．silence

C．shock

D．joy

20.

A．just

B．again

C．even

D．still

4 . When I settled (定居) in Chicago, my new city seemed so big and unfriendly. Then I had a ______ problem and had to go to hospital for a ______examination.

It seemed a small _____ compared to the one I was about to face, but things started to go ______ right from the beginning. Not having a car or______ the city, I was depending on the buses to get me from A to B.   ______I’d left myself plenty of time, soon it was _______ I was going to be late, because I had mistakenly boarded a bus that was taking me in the ______ direction.

I ______ the bus and stood on the road not knowing what to do. I looked into the eyes of a ______ , who was trying to get past me.   ______ , instead of moving on ,she stopped to ask if I was ______ . After I explained my ______to her, she pointed to a bus stop across the street , where a bus would take me back into the city to my ______ . Sitting there waiting, I felt ______that someone had been willing to help. ______ , hearing a horn (喇叭) nearby, I looked up to see a car with my new friend ______ at me to get in. She had returned to offer me a ______ to the hospital.

Such unexpected ______ from a passer-by was a lovely gift to receive. As I climbed out of the car at the hospital and turned to thank her, she smiled and told me not to lose ______, for all things are possible.

1.

A．physical

B．traveling

C．social

D．housing

2.

A．scientific

B．final

C．previous

D．thorough

3.

A．chance

B．challenge

C．success

D．error

4.

A．wrong

B．easy

C．fast

D．ahead

5.

A．leaving

B．visiting

C．knowing

D．appreciating

6.

A．Although

B．Since

C．Unless

D．Once

7.

A．strange

B．necessary

C．clear

D．important

8.

A．same

B．right

C．general

D．opposite

9.

A．looked at

B．waited for

C．got off

D．ran into

10.

A．driver

B．friend

C．stranger

D．gentleman

11.

A．Especially

B．Surprisingly

C．Probably

D．Normally

12.

A．nervous

B．excited

C．OK

D．dangerous

13.

A．idea

B．motivation

C．excuse

D．situation

14.

A．hospital

B．apartment

C．office

D．station

15.

A．afraid

B．grateful

C．certain

D．disappointed

16.

A．Thus

B．Then

C．Perhaps

D．Surely

17.

A．staring

B．laughing

C．waving

D．speaking

18.

A．lift

B．suggestion

C．bike

D．guidebook

19.

A．results

B．news

C．kindness

D．appearance

20.

A．power

B．faith

C．touch

D．support

5 . Mark was walking home from school one day when he noticed a boy ahead of him had dropped all of the books he was carrying, along with a baseball bat and several other things. Mark________down and helped the boy pick up these articles.________ they were going the same way, he helped to carry some of them for him. As they walked Mark________the boy’s name was Bill, that he________computer games, baseball and history, that he was having a lot of ________with his other subjects and that he had just broke________with his girlfriend.

They arrived at Bill’s home first and Mark was________ in for a Coke and to watch some television. The afternoon passed________with a few laughs and some shared small talk, and then Mark went home. They________ to see each other around school, had lunch together once or twice, and then both ended up from the same high school. Just three weeks before ________, Bill asked Mark if they________ talk. Bill________him of the day years ago when they had first met. “Do you________wonder why I was carrying so many things home that day?” asked Bill. “You see, I________out my locker because I didn’t want to leave a mess (脏乱)________ anyone else. I had planned to run away and I was going home to________ my things. But after we spent some time together________and laughing, I realized that________I had done that, I would have________a new friend and missed all the fun we would have together. So you see, Mark, when you picked up my books that day, you did a lot more. You________my life.”

1.

A．fell

B．sat

C．lay

D．knelt (跪倒)

2.

A．Although

B．Since

C．After

D．Until

3.

A．discovered

B．realized

C．said

D．decided

4.

A．played

B．loved

C．tried

D．made

5.

A．questions

B．ideas

C．trouble

D．doubt

6.

A．up

B．out

C．off

D．away

7.

A．called

B．helped

C．invited

D．allowed

8.

A．peacefully

B．willingly

C．freely

D．pleasantly

9.

A．continued

B．agreed

C．forced

D．offered

10.

A．graduation

B．movement

C．separation

D．vacation

11.

A．would

B．should

C．could

D．must

12.

A．demanded

B．reminded

C．removed

D．asked

13.

A．ever

B．usually

C．even

D．never

14.

A．checked

B．took

C．cleaned

D．put

15.

A．over

B．into

C．with

D．for

16.

A．find

B．pick

C．pack

D．hold

17.

A．talking

B．playing

C．reading

D．watching

18.

A．before

B．if

C．while

D．as

19.

A．forgotten

B．passed

C．left

D．lost

20.

A．helped

B．recovered

C．improved

D．changed

6 . As we all know, eyes are considered as the window of the souls. Through one’s eyes, we can _____sorrow, happiness or encouragement and many other _____. Eyes are always one of the fastest and most direct organs to ______ our thoughts.

I still remember an ______ experience, which happened when I took part in a singing contest at the age of nine. It was the ______ of my mother’s eyes that encouraged me to go for it. I had showed great ______ in singing before that. But I was too shy to sing in ______. So one day my mother took me to ______ up for the singing contest. With my mother’s ______and encouragement, I was determined to meet that ______. Standing on the stage, I suddenly found I became the ______ of all the eyes. I got so nervous that I couldn’t even ______ my eyes open. When it was my turn to be introduced to the audience and sing, I became even more ______. I felt my legs were shaking and my memory seemed ______, as I couldn’t remember anything. Searching for help, I______ my mother’s eyes which were sparkling with encouragement and strong power. It seemed that they were ______ to me, “Come on, Baby! Take it easy. I’ll ______ be with you!” I read the message through her eyes and at that moment I ______ my confidence and began to sing my song. When I came down from the stage, she came up to me and gave me a hug, saying, “Great! I’m ______you!” At that time, I found her eyes filled with tears of ______. Sometimes, you see, just the encouraging eyes themselves can make a shy person brave.

1.

A．feel

B．find

C．read

D．cause

2.

A．senses

B．feelings

C．expressions

D．impressions

3.

A．improve

B．sharpen

C．repeat

D．show

4.

A．unforgettable

B．annoying

C．avoidable

D．interesting

5.

A．view

B．glance

C．power

D．sight

6.

A．pride

B．interest

C．surprise

D．delight

7.

A．air

B．school

C．person

D．public

8.

A．sign

B．hang

C．join

D．stay

9.

A．cooperation

B．respond

C．company

D．control

10.

A．occasion

B．difficulty

C．change

D．challenge

11.

A．center

B．focus

C．direction

D．angle

12.

A．keep

B．make

C．leave

D．have

13.

A．curious

B．serious

C．nervous

D．anxious

14.

A．unlocked

B．gone

C．checked

D．recalled

15.

A．turned

B．opened

C．missed

D．met

16.

A．telling

B．passing

C．speaking

D．whistling

17.

A．usually

B．even

C．almost

D．always

18.

A．lost

B．regained

C．revised

D．returned

19.

A．grateful to

B．worried about

C．strict with

D．proud of

20.

A．joy

B．sorrow

C．mercy

D．regret

7 . It was a busy morning, about 8:30, when an elderly gentleman in his 80s came to the hospital. I heard him saying to the nurse that he was in a hurry for all appointment(约会)at 9:30. The nurse had him take a _______ in the waiting area,_______ him it would be at least 40 minutes_________someone would be able to see him. I saw him_______his watch and decided, since I was_______busy—my patient didn’t_______ at the appointed hour, I would examine his wound. While taking care of his wound, I asked him if he had another doctor’s appointment. The gentleman said no and told me that he_______to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his_________. He told me that she had been_________for a while and that she had a special disease. I asked if she would be____________if he was a bit late. He replied that she __________ knew who he was, that she had not been able to __________ him for five years now. I was____________, and asked him, “And you__________go every morning, even though she doesn’t know who you are?” He smiled and said. “She doesn’t know me but I know who she is”. I had to hold back __________ as he left.            

Now I __________ that in marriages, true love is____________of all that is. The happiest people don’t__________have the best of everything, they just__________the best of everything they have. ____________isn’t about how to live through the storm, but how to dance in the rain.

1.

A．breath

B．test

C．seat

D．break

2.

A．persuading

B．promising

C．understanding

D．telling

3.

A．if

B．before

C．since

D．after

4.

A．taking off

B．fixing

C．looking at

D．winding

5.

A．very

B．also

C．seldom

D．not

6.

A．turn up

B．show off

C．come on

D．go away

7.

A．needed

B．forgot

C．agreed

D．happened

8.

A．daughter

B．wife

C．mother

D．sister

9.

A．late

B．well

C．around

D．there

10.

A．lonely

B．worried

C．doubtful

D．hungry

11.

A．so far

B．neither

C．no longer

D．already

12.

A．recognize

B．answer

C．believe

D．expect

13.

A．moved

B．disappointed

C．surprised

D．satisfied

14.

A．only

B．then

C．thus

D．still

15.

A．curiosity

B．tears

C．words

D．judgment

16.

A．realize

B．suggest

C．hope

D．prove

17.

A．agreement

B．expression

C．acceptance

D．exhibition

18.

A．necessarily

B．completely

C．naturally

D．frequently

19.

A．learn

B．make

C．favor

D．try

20.

A．Adventure

B．Beauty

C．Trust

D．Life

8 . The expression, “Everybody’s doing it,” is very much at the center of the concept of peer pressure. It is a social influence applied on an individual in order to get that person to act or believe in a(n) ______ way as a larger group. This influence can be negative or positive, and can exist in both large and small groups.

People are social creatures by nature, and so it is hardly ______ that some part of their self-respect comes from the approval of others. This instinct explains why the approval of peers, and the fear of ______, is such a powerful force in many people’s lives. This instinct drives people to dress one way at home and another way at work, or to answer a simple “fine” when a stranger asks “How are you?” even if it is not necessarily true. There is a(n) ______ aspect to this: It helps society to function efficiently, and encourages a general level of self-discipline that ______ day-to-day interaction between people.

For certain individuals, seeking social acceptance is so important that it becomes a(n) ______: in order to satisfy the desire, they may go so far as to ______ their sense of right and wrong. Teens and young adults may feel forced to use drugs, or join gangs that _______criminal behavior. Mature adults may sometimes feel ______ to cover up illegal activity at the company where they work, or end up in debt because they are unable to hold back the desire to buy a house or car that they can’t afford in an effort to ______ the peers.

However, peer pressure is not always negative. A student whose friends are good at contests may be ________ to work harder and get good grades. Players on a sports team may feel driven to play harder in order to help the team win. This type of ______ can also get a friend off drugs, or to help an adult take up a good habit or drop a bad one.

Although peer pressure is sometimes quite obvious, it can also be so ______ that a person may not even notice that it is affecting his or her behavior. For this reason, when making important decisions, simply going with a(n) ______ is risky. Instead, people should seriously consider why they feel drawn to taking a particular action, and whether the real ______ is simply that everyone else is doing the same thing.

1.

A．traditional

B．similar

C．peculiar

D．opposite

2.

A．understandable

B．believable

C．acceptable

D．surprising

3.

A．disapproval

B．failure

C．absence

D．independence

4.

A．uncertain

B．practical

C．impossible

D．vague

5.

A．promotes

B．prevents

C．simplifies

D．increases

6.

A．challenge

B．inspiration

C．promise

D．addiction

7.

A．recognize

B．abandon

C．decrease

D．define

8.

A．avoid

B．encourage

C．decline

D．punish

9.

A．pressured

B．respected

C．delighted

D．regretted

10.

A．catch sight of

B．stay away from

C．make fun of

D．keep up with

11.

A．taught

B．argued

C．urged

D．adapted

12.

A．knowledge

B．interest

C．assistance

D．influence

13.

A．specific

B．ridiculous

C．subtle

D．reasonable

14.

A．consciousness

B．motivation

C．instinct

D．encouragement

15.

A．motivation

B．danger

C．support

D．achievement

9 . After their business trip, John and Mary returned, eager to see their lovely children. As they drove into their hometown feeling glad to be back, they noticed ________, and they went off their usual route to see what it was. They found a ________ in flames. Mary said, “Oh, well, it isn’t our fire, let’s go home.”

But John ________ closer and screamed, “That home belongs to Fred Jones who works at the plant. He wouldn’t be ________ work yet, maybe there is something we could do.” “It has nothing to do with us,” Mary ________.

But John drove up and stopped and they were both horror-stricken to see the whole house in ________. A woman on the lawn was screaming, “The children! Get the children!” John ________ her by the shoulder saying, “Get a hold of yourself and tell us where the children are!” “In the ________,” cried the woman. “Down the hall and to the left.”

In spite of Mary’s disagreement, John ________ for the basement which was full of smoke and ________ hot. He found the door and two children. ________ he left he could hear some more sobbing. He ________ the two badly frightened children into ________ arms and started back asking how many more children were down there. They told him ________ more and Mary grasped his arm and screamed, “John! Don’t go back! It’s ________! That house will fall down any second.”

________ he ran into the smoke-filled hallway and at last he found both children. As he climbed up the ________ stairs, the thought went through his mind that there was something strangely ________ about the little bodies next to him, and at last when they came out into the ________ and fresh air, he found that he had just ________ his own children.

The baby-sitter had left them at this home while she did some shopping.

1.

A．direction

B．mistake

C．danger

D．smoke

2.

A．home

B．plant

C．store

D．kitchen

3.

A．ran

B．walked

C．drove

D．rode

4.

A．at

B．off

C．to

D．on

5.

A．whispered

B．nodded

C．disagreed

D．required

6.

A．ruins

B．pieces

C．flames

D．silence

7.

A．pushed

B．seized

C．greeted

D．stopped

8.

A．basement

B．department

C．house

D．hall

9.

A．went

B．reached

C．asked

D．rushed

10.

A．heavily

B．slightly

C．partly

D．terribly

11.

A．If

B．As

C．Since

D．Unless

12.

A．comforted

B．delivered

C．recognized

D．protected

13.

A．cheering

B．freezing

C．waiting

D．suffering

14.

A．many

B．several

C．three

D．two

15.

A．dangerous

B．foolish

C．practical

D．painful

16.

A．Therefore

B．So

C．Instead

D．But

17.

A．wide

B．endless

C．narrow

D．dirty

18.

A．particular

B．interesting

C．familiar

D．fortunate

19.

A．car

B．sunlight

C．crowd

D．arms

20.

A．rescued

B．found

C．lost

D．missed

10 . Steve was a seventh grader, a big boy, looking more like a teenager than a 12-year-old. Yet, he went unnoticed — he had been________ every examination since first grade — until Miss Wilma.

In the middle of the first semester of school, the entire seventh grade was________ for basic skills.

“You all did pretty well,” Miss Wilma told the class after going over the________ except for one boy. And it________ my heart to tell you this, but…” she________ , “the smartest boy in the seventh grade is failing my class.” Steve________ his eyes and carefully examined his fingertips.

After that, Steve still wouldn’t do his homework. Even if Miss Wilma________ punished him, he remained________ .     

“Steve, please! I care about you!”________ , Steve got it! “Someone CARES ABOUT ME?!”

One Monday a couple of weeks later, Miss Wilma gave a________ on the weekend homework. Steve________ through the test and was the first to hand in his paper. With a look of________ , Miss Wilma took his paper and began to look it over.

Miss Wilma’s face was in________ shock! She glanced up at Steve, then________ , then up. The smartest boy in the seventh grade had just passed his first test!

From that moment, nothing was the same for Steve. He discovered that not only could he remember and understand________ , but he could translate what he learned into his life. He became________ . After high school, Steve enlisted in the Navy, and he had a(n)________military career. During his naval years, he inspired many young people who might not have________ themselves without him. A________ took place within the heart of a boy all because of one teacher, who________ .

1.

A．missing

B．failing

C．passing

D．skipping

2.

A．tested

B．classified

C．separated

D．dismissed

3.

A．questions

B．effects

C．lessons

D．results

4.

A．fills

B．presses

C．breaks

D．destroys

5.

A．shouted

B．hesitated

C．interrupted

D．laughed

6.

A．dropped

B．raised

C．covered

D．closed

7.

A．strangely

B．steadily

C．severely

D．secretly

8.

A．helpless

B．stubborn

C．flexible

D．crazy

9.

A．Commonly

B．Unwillingly

C．Particularly

D．Suddenly

10.

A．quiz

B．chance

C．speech

D．presentation

11.

A．slept

B．looked

C．lived

D．hurried

12.

A．disappointment

B．surprise

C．satisfaction

D．inspiration

13.

A．better

B．total

C．precious

D．ridiculous

14.

A．down

B．away

C．out

D．back

15.

A．homework

B．grades

C．knowledge

D．subjects

16.

A．outstanding

B．lazy

C．rough

D．troublesome

17.

A．tiring

B．ordinary

C．hardworking

D．successful

18.

A．relied on

B．looked after

C．believed in

D．turned to

19.

A．competition

B．choice

C．change

D．campaign

20.

A．waited

B．listened

C．wished

D．cared