1 . One summer day, as I was heading to the teaching building, I heard someone call my name. I turned around and saw Philip, a counselor at our college, standing with another young man. Philip introduced me to him, Stephen, and reminded me that Stephen would be taking one of my classes.

Stephen looked at me. With a somewhat painful expression, he asked if my class was going to be hard and if he would be able to pass. I introduced all the things that he would be expected to learn. As we talked, I saw Stephen’s eyes getting big with fear.

I told him to do all of his assignments, and to hand them in on time. Rather than being overwhelmed(压倒) by all of the work, I told him the most successful students made a master calendar of all the assignments so they could plan their workload.

As the fall semester went on, I learned more of Stephen’s story. It had taken him longer to finish the assignments than most young people. Family members, including his mother, kept reminding him thathewasafailure.Buthekeptatitanddidn’ttakethemtoheart.Hetoldmethatbeforecomingto our college, no one believed he could manage it.

Stephen didn’t become an A student. However, he managed to pass most of his courses by being in class every day, turning in all of his assignments on time and breaking down his studying into bite-sized parts. By passing course after course, he began to gain a measure of self-confidence.

On his graduation day, he walked up to me, and said,“Thank you.”

1. According to Stephen’s questions to the author, what do we know about Stephen?

A．He had never been an A student.	B．He didn’t want to attend the author’s class.
C．He wasn’t very confident about himself.	D．He couldn’t pass the author’s exam.

2. What can we learn about the author according to the passage?

A．He helped Stephen get an A in his class.

B．He told Stephen how to deal with his studies.

C．He didn’t believe that Stephen could study in college.

D．He wouldn’t have met Stephen without the introduction of Philip.

3. What does the passage mainly tell us about Stephen?

A．He was an average student but hard-working.

B．He was a little stupid and didn’t do well at school.

C．He was far from a top student because of his failure.

D．He was an excellent student, but didn’t have self- confidence.

4. What lesson can we learn from the passage?

A．One bite at a time.	B．Look before you leap.
C．Haste makes waste.	D．A good beginning is half done.

2 . I became a gardener when I was twelve. My early________of gardening may not have originated from my love for nature. It was to ________my parents.

At that time, we had a big yard in which a beautiful maple tree stood. But my mother often looked with ________at this work of natural art. Those golden leaves seemed like tons of rubbish to her, “something else to ________!”Seeing the neighbors busy with gardening, my father ever thought it a waste of time.

At that age, I always did something________to whatever my parents did! If gardening were something they found________, I would plant a garden!

I planted some lily (百合花)seeds in the yard. But they failed to ________. I continued to sunflower seeds and roses. Wild ________joy, I found the first rose bloom (开花). One by one, the flowers bloomed their heads off.________, I was touched by this land of wonder.

________, my parents showed no interest in my garden. My father even________at me because he found it was ________to move around my garden to the driveway. To my mother’s ________, I put her vase my real roses which, in her eyes, were simply weeds________flowers.

Regardless of their ________, I kept on planting my garden and ________to enjoy the pleasure gardening. Plants make such good companions: they breathe, they bloom, they________to care and love.

It has been many years since I made my first garden out of my desire to ________my parent. Today I become known as Mrs. Greenthumbs, teaching gardening and hosting a gardening show which makes my parents feel very________. And now I could say it is my affection for________that makes me a real gardener.

1.

A．memory

B．dream

C．intention

D．design

2.

A．please

B．change

C．help

D．annoy

3.

A．doubt

B．appreciation

C．surprise

D．excitement

4.

A．collect up

B．care about

C．clean up

D．come in

5.

A．equal

B．similar

C．superior

D．opposite

6.

A．painful

B．valuable

C．upsetting

D．interesting

7.

A．come up

B．break out

C．hold on

D．get through

8.

A．to

B．with

C．in

D．by

9.

A．Luckily

B．Cheerfully

C．Regularly

D．Eventually

10.

A．Inetead

B．However

C．Therefore

D．Besides

11.

A．shouted

B．laughed

C．glanced

D．jumped

12.

A．convenient

B．troublesome

C．enjoyed

D．dangerous

13.

A．sadness

B．displeasure

C．delight

D．relief

14.

A．other than

B．more than

C．rather than

D．less than

15.

A．dislike

B．encouragement

C．threat

D．suggestion

16.

A．decided

B．stopped

C．continued

D．struggled

17.

A．devote

B．turn

C．respond

D．lead

18.

A．defeat

B．satisfy

C．respect

D．challenge

19.

A．proud

B．comfortable

C．strange

D．disappointed

20.

A．freedom

B．life

C．growth

D．nature

3 . The journey my daughter Cathy has had with her swimming is as long as it is beautiful.

Cathy suffered some terrible _______ in her early childhood. After years of regular treatment, she _______ became healthy.

Two years ago, while Cathy was watching the Olympics, a dream came into her sweet little head—to be a swimmer. Last summer, she wanted to _______ our local swim team. She practiced hard and finally _______ it. The team practice, _______ was a rough start. She coughed and choked and could hardly _______ her first few weeks. Hearing her coughing bitterly one night, I decided to _______ her from it all. But Cathy woke me up early next morning, wearing her swimsuit _______ to go! I told her she shouldn’t swim after a whole night’s coughing, but she refused to _______ and insisted she go.

From that day on, Cathy kept swimming and didn’t ________ a single practice. She had a ________ intention within herself to be the best she could be. My ten-year-old was growing and changing right before my eyes, into this ________ human being with a passion and a mission. There were moments of ________ of course: often she would be the last swimmer in the race. It was difficult for Cathy to accept that she wasn’t a ________—ever. But that didn’t stop her from trying.

Then came the final awards ceremony at the end of the year. Cathy didn’t expect any award but was still there to ________ her friends and praise their accomplishments. As the ceremony was nearing the end, I suddenly heard the head coach ________, “The highest honor goes to Cathy!” Looking around, he continued, “Cathy has inspired us with her ________ and enthusiasm. ________ skills and talents bring great success, the most valuable asset(财富) one can hold is the heart.”
It was the greatest ________ of my daughter’s life. With all she had been ________ in her ten years, this was the hour of true triumph(成功).1.

A．failure

B．pressure

C．loss

D．illness

2.

A．usually

B．finally

C．firstly

D．frequently

3.

A．improve

B．train

C．join

D．contact

4.

A．increased

B．found

C．created

D．made

5.

A．however

B．therefore

C．otherwise

D．instead

6.

A．use

B．survive

C．save

D．waste

7.

A．pull

B．tell

C．hide

D．fire

8.

A．afraid

B．nervous

C．ready

D．free

9.

A．take off

B．set off

C．give up

D．show up

10.

A．attend

B．miss

C．ban

D．start

11.

A．rich

B．weak

C．firm

D．kind

12.

A．trusted

B．determined

C．experienced

D．embarrassed

13.

A．frustration

B．delight

C．excitement

D．surprise

14.

A．beginner

B．learner

C．partner

D．winner

15.

A．cheer on

B．compete with

C．respond to

D．run after

16.

A．admitting

B．explaining

C．announcing

D．whispering

17.

A．humor

B．will

C．honesty

D．wisdom

18.

A．Although

B．Since

C．Once

D．Because

19.

A．discovery

B．choice

C．influence

D．moment

20.

A．through

B．under

C．across

D．around

4 . In1973,I was teaching elementary school. Each day,27kids_______“The Thinking Laboratory.” That was the __________ students voted for after deciding that “Room 104” was too________.

Freddy was an average_________,but not an average person .He had the rare balance of fun and compassion（同情）.He would________ the loudest over fun and be the saddest over anyone’s_________.

Before the school year________,I gave the kids a special ________, T-shirts with the words “Verbs Are Your________” on them. I had advised the kids that while verbs（动词）may seem dull ,most of the_______ things they do throughout their lives will be verbs.

Through the years, I’d run into former students who would provide _______ on old classmates. I learned that Freddy did several jobs after his _______ from high school and remained the same ______ person I met forty years before .Once, while working overnight at a store, he let a homeless man _______in his truck. Another time ,he _______a friend money to buy a house .

Just last year, I was________ a workshop when someone knocked at the classroom door. A woman________ the interruption and handed me an envelope. I stopped teaching and ________ it up. Inside were the “Verbs” shirt and a _______ from Freddy’s mother. “Freddy passed away on Thanksgiving. He wanted you to have this.”

I told the story   to the class. As sad as it was, I couldn’t help smiling. Although Freddy was taken from us, we all________something from Freddy.

1.

A．built

B．entered

C．decorated

D．ran

2.

A．name

B．rule

C．brand

D．plan

3.

A．small

B．dark

C．strange

D．dull

4.

A．scholar

B．student

C．citizen

D．worker

5.

A．speak

B．sing

C．question

D．laugh

6.

A．misfortune

B．disbelief

C．dishonesty

D．mistake

7.

A．changed

B．approached

C．returned

D．ended

8.

A．lesson

B．gift

C．report

D．message

9.

A．Friends

B．Awards

C．Masters

D．Tasks

10.

A．simple

B．unique

C．fun

D．clever

11.

A．assessments

B．comments

C．instructions

D．updates

12.

A．graduation

B．retirement

C．separation

D．resignation

13.

A．daring

B．modest

C．caring

D．smart

14.

A．wait

B．sleep

C．study

D．live

15.

A．paid

B．charged

C．lent

D．owed

16.

A．observing

B．preparing

C．designing

D．conducting

17.

A．regretted

B．avoided

C．excused

D．ignored

18.

A．opened

B．packed

C．gave

D．held

19.

A．picture

B．bill

C．note

D．diary

20.

A．chose

B．took

C．expected

D．borrowed