1 . 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 _______. She practiced dribbling and _______ over and over.

One day I asked Sally why she _______ so much. Without a moment of hesitation 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 high years and into high school. Every week, she led her team to ________. One day in her senior year, I saw her sitting on the grass, 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 165 cm she would probably never play for a top team—still less she would be ________ a scholarship—so she should stop dreaming about college.

I felt she was extremely disappointed. The next year, by chance, Sally 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．small

C．strong

D．huge

2.

A．but

B．and

C．so

D．for

3.

A．still

B．again

C．well

D．alone

4.

A．passing

B．running

C．shooting

D．struggling

5.

A．studied

B．practiced

C．expected

D．improved

6.

A．title

B．prize

C．scholarship

D．reward

7.

A．good

B．brave

C．careful

D．active

8.

A．start

B．talk

C．appear

D．matter

9.

A．encouraged

B．respected

C．watched

D．helped

10.

A．victory

B．confidence

C．responsibility

D．profession

11.

A．dropped

B．buried

C．covered

D．sunk

12.

A．walked off

B．walked out

C．walked around

D．walked up

13.

A．coach

B．teacher

C．captain

D．leader

14.

A．suggested

B．sent

C．promised

D．offered

15.

A．dreamed of

B．picked up

C．benefited from

D．carried out

2 . Hello, everyone. It’s my honour to recommend ( 推 荐 ) “Educator of the year”. I’m sure everyone has a(n) _________teacher that they will be able to _________for years to come. There is one famous teacher that everyone wants to have in our middle school—Ms Sullivan, whose_________you must often hear at school. Ms Sullivan does a lot of things to make herself _________. First of all, she has great enthusiasm for her_________. She teaches many different classes—Language Arts Enrichment, Writing for Publication and Reader’s Theatre, though most teachers in middle school only teach one _________, such as Maths, Social Studies, Science, etc. Ms Sullivan is also responsible for_________the school play. Every year she devotes her time into_________ an amazing school play. Luckily I have been a part of it and_________it so much!

In addition, Ms Sullivan always shows her students that she__________us, whether in our study or in life. Some teachers teach us the lessons in a strict way, __________Ms Sullivan shows us that she is always __________like a friend. In writing classes, she makes us have a group discussion first, which I think is a good way to __________our creative thinking. Then she lets us __________ write our stories at our own speed. She __________everything we write and gives us a(n) __________ opinion about it. We are getting more __________writing a composition, and no longer consider it hard work. Last but not least, she also makes each of her classes __________.__________, I think Ms Sullivan should be “Educator of the Year”. Even if she doesn’t get the__________, she still deserves our respect and love!

1.

A．energetic

B．favourite

C．enthusiastic

D．responsible

2.

A．follow

B．focus

C．remember

D．understand

3.

A．name

B．lecture

C．proposal

D．behaviour

4.

A．humorous

B．amusing

C．intelligent

D．amazing

5.

A．work

B．goal

C．hobbies

D．performance

6.

A．student

B．calligraphy

C．object

D．subject

7.

A．delivering

B．deciding

C．directing

D．describing

8.

A．calling on

B．putting on

C．sticking to

D．lying in

9.

A．enjoyed

B．expected

C．achieved

D．appeared

10.

A．cares

B．reminds

C．considers

D．requires

11.

A．unless

B．while

C．because

D．if

12.

A．acceptable

B．positive

C．accessible

D．absent

13.

A．change

B．believe

C．attract

D．develop

14.

A．quietly

B．quickly

C．freely

D．independently

15.

A．studies

B．checks

C．exchanges

D．tests

16.

A．honest

B．embarrassing

C．tough

D．regular

17.

A．proud of

B．addictive to

C．connected with

D．confident in

18.

A．living

B．lively

C．lovely

D．live

19.

A．In particular

B．Over time

C．In conclusion

D．In return

20.

A．aim

B．contribution

C．permission

D．honour

3 . My son Joey was born with club feet (足内翻). The doctors _______ us that with treatment he would be able to walk _______ — but would never _______ very well. The first three years of his life were spent in surgery, casts and braces._______ the time he was eight, you wouldn’t know he had a problem when you saw him walk.

In seventh grade he decided to _______ for the cross-country team. Every day he _______ with the team. He worked harder and ran more than any of the others — perhaps he _______ that the abilities that seemed to come _______ to so many others did not come naturally to him. Although the _______ team runs, only the top seven runners have the ________ to score points for the school. We didn’t tell him he probably would never ________ the team, so he didn’t know.

He ________ to run four to five miles a day, every day — ________ the day he had a 103-degree fever. I was ________, so I went to look for him after school. I found him running all   ________. I asked him how he felt. “Okay,” he said. He had two more miles to go. The ________ ran down his face and his eyes were glassy from his ________. Yet he looked straight ahead and kept running.

Two weeks ________ , the names of the team runners were called. Joey was number six on the list. Joey had made the team. We never told him he shouldn’t ________ to make the team. We never told him he couldn’t do it...so he didn’t know. He just ________ it.

1.

A．showed

B．assured

C．reminded

D．insured

2.

A．normally

B．usually

C．ordinarily

D．commonly

3.

A．jump

B．go

C．run

D．climb

4.

A．Before

B．Until

C．For

D．By

5.

A．go all out

B．go in

C．take part

D．enter

6.

A．exercised

B．competed

C．trained

D．traveled

7.

A．believed

B．admitted

C．decided

D．sensed

8.

A．naturally

B．specially

C．particularly

D．properly

9.

A．all

B．entire

C．perfect

D．complete

10.

A．strength

B．power

C．potential

D．ability

11.

A．become

B．make

C．join

D．beat

12.

A．continued

B．stopped

C．struggled

D．managed

13.

A．especially

B．even

C．still

D．also

14.

A．surprised

B．moved

C．worried

D．disturbed

15.

A．around

B．along

C．aloud

D．alone

16.

A．sweat

B．tears

C．dust

D．colour

17.

A．running

B．steps

C．fever

D．face

18.

A．early

B．late

C．later

D．back

19.

A．expect

B．want

C．wish

D．look forward

20.

A．liked

B．hated

C．did

D．appreciated

4 . Some years ago on a hot summer day, a little boy decided to go for a swim in the lake behind his house. In a hurry to dive into the_________ water, he ran out of the back door. He flew into the water, not _________ that an alligator (鳄鱼) was swimming toward the _________. His mother in the house was _________ of the window and saw the alligator as it got closer and closer. In fear, she ran toward the water, yelling to her son as _________ as she could.

Hearing her voice, the little boy became _________ and made a return to swim to his mother. It was too _________. Just as he reached her, the alligator _________ him. From the shore, the mother grasped her little boy by the arms just as the alligator grasped his legs. The alligator was much _________ than the mother, but the mother was much too struggling to let the boy go.

Luckily, after weeks in the hospital, the little boy __________. His legs were scarred by the animal and, on his arms, were __________ scratches where his mother’s fingernails scratched. A newspaper reporter, who __________ the boy, asked if he would show him his __________. The boy lifted his pants legs. And then, with obvious __________, he said to the reporter, “But look at my arms.I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my mom wouldn’t let me go. They are my mother’s __________ for me.”

1.

A．hot

B．cool

C．polluted

D．boiled

2.

A．resisting

B．remembering

C．realizing

D．ignoring

3.

A．roadside

B．entrance

C．exit

D．shore

4.

A．looking out

B．giving out

C．picking out

D．getting out

5.

A．politely

B．exactly

C．loudly

D．gently

6.

A．interested

B．tired

C．moved

D．alarmed

7.

A．late

B．funny

C．kind

D．nice

8.

A．reached

B．saved

C．helped

D．loosed

9.

A．younger

B．heavier

C．stronger

D．cleverer

10.

A．died

B．survived

C．appeared

D．disappeared

11.

A．nice

B．tall

C．expensive

D．deep

12.

A．told

B．doubted

C．interviewed

D．warned

13.

A．power

B．scars

C．ability

D．spots

14.

A．pride

B．failure

C．success

D．progress

15.

A．experience

B．story

C．wish

D．love

5 . When things went wrong, Ittleby Fein always had something nice to say.

When Dad forgot about the pizza and it burned, Ittleby said, “Don’t_________. It’ll still taste good.” And he was_________. The pizza edges were dark, but the middle wasn’t bad. 

Ittleby looked on the_________side. And everyone, except Hazel, liked that about him. 

Hazel was the_________student in class. On her first day, Ittleby said, “Nice to meet you, Hazel. I think you’ll like it here.” Hazel looked at him, “I_________ it.” Ittleby didn’t know what to do. He’d never_________anyone like Hazel. 

_________ Mr D. said they’d have recess (休息) inside because of the rain, Hazel said, “Bad things come in threes. No outdoor recess is number one. What will the_________thing be?” 

The class didn’t have to_________long to find out. Greta was carrying a box of paints during art class. She__________, and paints went flying. Hazel turned to Ittleby, “That was the second bad thing. What will the third be?” 

Ittleby didn’t know what to say. Hazel seemed so__________about the Rule of Three Bad Things. 

Emma came to look at Ittteby’s__________. She picked it up, not realizing she had paints on her fingers. Hazel pointed, “Ittleby’s picture is ruined! There’s number three.” Emma looked__________. “I’m sorry, Ittleby.” “It’s OK, Emma. If I add wings, the fingerprint (指纹) could look like butterflies,” said Ittleby. 

So Ittleby added wings.__________ he said, “Everyone, let’s make a field of butterflies.” 

Everyone put a fingerprint on Ittleby’s paper. Only Hazel didn’t.

“Want to add one?” Ittleby asked her. Hazel thought about it, and she carefully added wings.

“It looks__________. I like it very much,” said Ittleby. Hazel smiled, “You know, I don’t really think there’s a Rule of Three Bad Things.” Ittleby nodded, “Bad things happen. But good things happen, too. And sometimes, there are good things hiding where you don’t expect them.”

1.

A．laugh

B．worry

C．talk

D．stop

2.

A．hungry

B．different

C．right

D．wrong

3.

A．humorous

B．easy

C．bright

D．back

4.

A．shy

B．good

C．poor

D．new

5.

A．forget

B．want

C．enjoy

D．doubt

6.

A．met

B．helped

C．asked

D．believed

7.

A．Unless

B．When

C．Before

D．Though

8.

A．second

B．last

C．first

D．third

9.

A．walk

B．work

C．wait

D．stand

10.

A．calmed down

B．went down

C．fell down

D．looked down

11.

A．sure

B．sorry

C．excited

D．disappointed

12.

A．pen

B．butterfly

C．painting

D．book

13.

A．happy

B．surprised

C．angry

D．sad

14.

A．Then

B．Thus

C．Yet

D．Still

15.

A．old

B．dirty

C．great

D．normal

6 . A few summers ago my daughter and I were swimming in our pool. The sun was setting and the night was _______ approaching. For the shallow end of our pool, my daughter _______ it first. Right about eye level, a spider was spinning her _______ by the pool. It _______ me that my daughter noticed this, and it surprised me even _______ that she wasn’t afraid of the spider.

As we both gazed at this _______ of nature, a very simple thought _______ me. I had lost track of time. I honestly didn’t know _______ we had been just standing there and staring at that spider _______ her web. We were having fun ________ really doing anything really BIG or special, I thought. However, in contrast, I believe that by sharing this ________ of the spider building her web we were ________ just as fulfilled as if we had done something very important.

Remember that the ________ things are the best things in life. Spend time together appreciating the simple things in ________, and even more importantly, ________ time together talking about life.

1.

A．eventually

B．frequently

C．carefully

D．quickly

2.

A．invented

B．noticed

C．informed

D．ruined

3.

A．cloth

B．craft

C．pot

D．web

4.

A．surprised

B．interested

C．frightened

D．excited

5.

A．farther

B．more

C．longer

D．better

6.

A．sight

B．signal

C．wonder

D．advertisement

7.

A．caught

B．occurred

C．knocked

D．hit

8.

A．how soon

B．how often

C．how long

D．how far

9.

A．removing

B．building

C．painting

D．sending

10.

A．for

B．without

C．by

D．in

11.

A．ability

B．knowledge

C．happiness

D．experience

12.

A．all

B．both

C．either

D．neither

13.

A．simple

B．expensive

C．bright

D．flexible

14.

A．office

B．earth

C．life

D．hope

15.

A．kill

B．waste

C．cost

D．spend

8 . When I was a child my father taught me five words: stand porter to your mind. I’ve used it all my life — in my acting career, as a mother, and in my _______ activities. Nowadays this phrase might seem old-fashioned, but it still _______.

A porter is a gatekeeper, someone who stands at a door letting people in or out. Dad would get me to picture myself stopping _______ things — such as fear — at the door, but saying “Come in” to faith, love and _______.

As an actress, before I went on camera, I’d make sure anxiety stayed out and confidence in my ability _______. And as a mother, when I was anxious about my children, I would try not to let worry in but would fill my mind with _______ in them.

Of course, there were always times when I’d _______ those words. I remember one time _______. In 1972 my husband and I opened our own hotel. This was a new business venture for us, and it was more _______ than we had figured. Something was ________ going wrong. Once, a flu epidemic (流感) suddenly left us with no maids. Then there was the energy crisis. The price of gasoline doubled, and tourism in California ________. How could we fill our beds? What if we kept ________ money? Here I was at the front desk of the hotel, and those old uninvited guests, fear and worry, were sneaking in. But I ________ them just in time. I stood porter. I stood in the door of my mind and sent fear packing.

These days at the hotel, whenever fear tries to ________, I just smile and point to the ________ that reads No Vacancy.

1.

A．school

B．family

C．business

D．association

2.

A．makes sense

B．pays off

C．keeps up

D．comes out

3.

A．destructive

B．reliable

C．productive

D．suitable

4.

A．progress

B．confidence

C．truth

D．interest

5.

A．went away

B．came in

C．came about

D．went up

6.

A．trust

B．disappointment

C．sadness

D．delight

7.

A．remember

B．expect

C．understand

D．forget

8.

A．in contrast

B．in particular

C．in general

D．in vain

9.

A．adventurous

B．rewarding

C．appropriate

D．demanding

10.

A．always

B．rarely

C．ever

D．simply

11.

A．stopped

B．dropped

C．developed

D．reviewed

12.

A．making

B．raising

C．donating

D．losing

13.

A．caught

B．welcomed

C．needed

D．ignored

14.

A．withdraw

B．explain

C．register

D．board

15.

A．signal

B．picture

C．word

D．sign

9 . From childhood, Diane loved to write. Throughout school she_______ writing, but pursuing it_______ was never a possibility. Her father was a doctor, her mother was a nurse. “Medicine was a fairly_______ option,” Diane says. “And writing was a career where it wasn’t a _______ that you’d have high income.”

She became a doctor but still wanted to do some writing. However, being a doctor was so_______ that she didn’t take up writing until her thirties. She_______ a novel—a fictionalized version of her travels in China after university. She got excellent_______ . Diane sent it off to as many agents as she could find, and found one who wanted to _______ her. Suddenly, it seemed she was on her _______  as an author.

“I had one lengthy phone call with the agent where we ________all possible areas she thought needed ________. I worked on those and sent it back to her but didn’t hear anything.” It was not long ________ Diane found another agent who was________ if she was willing to rewrite it from the first person to the third person. She did the hard work and sent it off again. “I got back a really brief letter: ‘Thank you, I’m no longer interested.’ It was really________.”

A decade went by, and Diane found herself itching to write again, this time ________ for her own enjoyment. She ________ herself the challenge of creating a thriller and chose Western Australia as her setting.

As she was writing just for herself, something surprising began to happen. “The characters________ a life of their own; they started doing things I hadn’t thought about. It just________ out.” One day, an agent called from Australia. Three weeks later, Diane had a publication deal. Her novel Cicada was published in March.

“________ it hadn’t been published, I still gained so much from the________ ,” says Diane.

1.

A．learned

B．avoided

C．enjoyed

D．considered

2.

A．professionally

B．enthusiastically

C．energetically

D．permanently

3.

A．safe

B．explicit

C．terrible

D．influential

4.

A．dream

B．certainty

C．choice

D．purpose

5.

A．interesting

B．discouraging

C．promising

D．demanding

6.

A．bought

B．produced

C．introduced

D．received

7.

A．rewards

B．readers

C．praises

D．reviews

8.

A．represent

B．employ

C．trust

D．guide

9.

A．own

B．way

C．feet

D．business

10.

A．took off

B．pulled down

C．went through

D．came over

11.

A．deleting

B．polishing

C．adapting

D．covering

12.

A．since

B．after

C．before

D．when

13.

A．fascinated

B．amused

C．anxious

D．interested

14.

A．disappointing

B．absurd

C．terrifying

D．common

15.

A．instantly

B．wonderfully

C．purely

D．sadly

16.

A．made

B．found

C．set

D．permitted

17.

A．put up

B．got down

C．went over

D．took on

18.

A．bought

B．flew

C．broke

D．carried

19.

A．Even if

B．As if

C．If only

D．Ever since

20.

A．adventure

B．result

C．practice

D．process

10 . During the day, I heard something happened at the Twin Towers. But nobody seemed to really ____ what was going on. Not until school let out did I realize something might be ____. My dad usually ____ me up, but he wasn’t there. My dad was a firefighter. His ____ was less than a mile from the Twin Towers.

When I got home, my mum told me that the Twin Towers had been attacked, and that my dad had gone there to ____. I remember only bits and pieces, like my mum calling hospitals all over New York City, ____ to find my dad. Hopelessly, she told me that he was probably ____.

We didn’t learn exactly what had happened to him until much later. We ____ that he had sent a radio message at 9:56 am when he and hundreds of other ____firefighters were in the burning South Tower, saving as many people as possible. Just three minutes later, the tower ____.

Twenty years later, I still ____ my dad every day. He instilled (灌输) in me a ____ for my community, and his ____ encouraged me to volunteer.

Looking back, I don’t think only of the sad ____. I also remember the great acts of so many people, ____ my dad. I’m really proud to call him my hero.

1.

A．wonder

B．care

C．know

D．anticipate

2.

A．wrong

B．ambitious

C．different

D．strange

3.

A．stimulated

B．picked

C．recalled

D．shifted

4.

A．objective

B．region

C．mission

D．station

5.

A．help

B．assign

C．cease

D．cite

6.

A．hoping

B．promising

C．requiring

D．refusing

7.

A．significant

B．gone

C．chosen

D．mistaken

8.

A．made sense

B．made sure

C．picked out

D．found out

9.

A．serious

B．courageous

C．excited

D．surprised

10.

A．showed up

B．shut up

C．fell down

D．broke down

11.

A．protest

B．miss

C．worry

D．quote

12.

A．profile

B．passion

C．love

D．resolution

13.

A．carefulness

B．patience

C．wisdom

D．bravery

14.

A．event

B．lesson

C．option

D．change

15.

A．apparently

B．occasionally

C．literally

D．especially