1 . It was Christmas morning. The ground was white with _________. The birds could not get anything to _________.

Bessie looked out of the window and saw them _________ about the street. They were _________ food. Bessie was a kind little girl. She felt _________ for the poor birds. She wanted to ask them to come into her warm home. _________ she knew that they were afraid to come in. At last she thought of a good idea. She decided to make a Christmas _________ for the birds. Bessie put a little tree outside the window. Then she hung on it little baskets full of _________ and small pieces of bread.

_________ the birds did not come to the tree. But by and by two or three came near and looked at it. They ate some of the seeds and bread. Then they flew __________ to tell the other birds about it. Soon many birds flew here to get their __________. They liked them as much as Bessie liked her Christmas presents. They sang songs to give their __________ to her.

Being __________, Bessie told her parents that she would give some of her bread to the birds every cold day. But her father said that she could not feed all the hungry birds even if she gave __________ of their bread. Thinking for a while, she said that all the birds would be fed __________ other children did the same.

1.

A．rain

B．water

C．snow

D．ash

2.

A．drink

B．eat

C．wear

D．make

3.

A．jumps

B．to jump

C．jumping

D．jumped

4.

A．begging for

B．living on

C．cutting up

D．looking for

5.

A．sorry

B．weak

C．empty

D．cold

6.

A．Otherwise

B．Or

C．For

D．But

7.

A．cake

B．box

C．tree

D．card

8.

A．seeds

B．flowers

C．eggs

D．sandwiches

9.

A．At last

B．At first

C．After all

D．Before long

10.

A．in

B．out

C．away

D．past

11.

A．noodles

B．presents

C．medals

D．coats

12.

A．thanks

B．calls

C．congratulations

D．hopes

13.

A．nervous

B．honest

C．thankful

D．glad

14.

A．little

B．either

C．both

D．all

15.

A．if

B．before

C．unless

D．though

2 . The New Year was heartbreaking for Melanie Lee. A few weeks earlier, her 33-year-old son had ________ his battle with a long illness. Then the engine on her old car ________ working. She had no means of paying for it to be fixed.

“When it ________, I broke down,” Lee said. “Now I don’t have my ________, now I don’t have transportation. How am I supposed to stay ________ in my grandchildren’s lives?”

Eliot Middleton, 38, the owner of a barbecue restaurant and a former auto mechanic who, in his free time, ________ and gives away used cars. He’d heard about Lee’s difficult ________ from her nephew. On New Year’s morning, Middleton showed up unannounced at Lee’s home with a(n) ________: a white 1933 Oldsmobile.

“I had no idea what was going on,” said Lee. “He ________ me the keys and didn’t ask for anything.” Once again, she was able to ________ her granddaughters from school and take them to dance classes. “I got my ________ back.”

The ________ for the used-car giving away came to Middleton a year earlier during a ________ drive he’d organized. Many of those who’d lined up for a meal ________ up to four miles to get there because they didn’t have cars.

________ are the lifeline in this part of South Carolina, Middleton said. There’s no public ________, no taxis to take people to doctor appointments, even food shopping. So he ________ on a social media platform an offer to trade his restaurant’s specialty for broken-down ________. Since then, people have left more than 100 cars in ________ states of disrepair. Many cars sit in Middleton’s yard waiting to be fixed and ________, usually to those he’s heard about by word of mouth.

It’s a list of names that grow daily.

“People think Middleton is a good man,” Lee’s nephew said. “And I do too.”

1.

A．survived

B．lost

C．won

D．faced

2.

A．kept

B．finished

C．began

D．stopped

3.

A．broke down

B．broke away

C．broke up

D．broke off

4.

A．daughter

B．nephew

C．son

D．grandchild

5.

A．calm

B．generous

C．brilliant

D．active

6.

A．repairs

B．rents

C．paints

D．decorates

7.

A．surroundings

B．position

C．situation

D．factors

8.

A．prize

B．gift

C．honor

D．souvenir

9.

A．bought

B．showed

C．fetched

D．handed

10.

A．pick up

B．pick out

C．take up

D．take out

11.

A．belief

B．property

C．investment

D．freedom

12.

A．rule

B．suggestion

C．idea

D．theory

13.

A．food

B．clothing

C．medicine

D．music

14.

A．drove

B．walked

C．climbed

D．orbited

15.

A．Appointments

B．Cars

C．Jobs

D．Supplies

16.

A．restaurant

B．hospital

C．transportation

D．security

17.

A．posted

B．received

C．withdrew

D．refused

18.

A．tools

B．devices

C．machines

D．vehicles

19.

A．various

B．excellent

C．changeable

D．steady

20.

A．lent

B．donated

C．sold

D．returned

3 . My daughter performed on behalf of her class in the school concert today. She played so ________ that I could not help cheering her. The very ________reminded me of her experiences of piano practicing.

When she was five, we gave her a piano as a birthday present. With great excitement, she began learning it. However, when she was no longer ________ , she became sick of it. After all, it is a tough job to learn the piano, not to mention the daily routine (常规) of ________ .

When her first teacher left, my friend ________ me to an American teacher whose way of teaching was completely American. After practicing, she would give my daughter some good comments, and then point out what should be ________. Every time she came, ________ beginning the lesson right away, she would first play some music. She said, “To learn the piano, you should learn not only the ________of playing, but more importantly, to ________the music and love it.”

After some time, my daughter became fond of her lessons. Sometimes she even would like to ________ a little bit when her skill had reached a certain level.

Surprisingly, my daughter said to me one day, “Mom, I was ________ that you didn’t give up my piano lessons. Learning it is like climbing a mountain. You’ll feel ________when you are on the way. When you look ________from where you are, you will realize that you have been making ________ . But if you ________ , you’ll never take one more step.” That was the very thing I wanted to teach her.

1.

A．regularly

B．smoothly

C．carefully

D．happily

2.

A．music

B．scene

C．arrangement

D．praise

3.

A．young

B．free

C．curious

D．cautious

4.

A．cost

B．practice

C．education

D．show

5.

A．led

B．sent

C．directed

D．introduced

6.

A．explained

B．changed

C．stopped

D．improved

7.

A．as with

B．instead of

C．except for

D．thanks to

8.

A．levels

B．skills

C．credits

D．secrets

9.

A．create

B．follow

C．feel

D．read

10.

A．make up

B．look back

C．show off

D．give away

11.

A．nervous

B．lucky

C．afraid

D．astonished

12.

A．tired

B．easy

C．embarrassed

D．excited

13.

A．ahead

B．up

C．down

D．over

14.

A．mistakes

B．choices

C．progress

D．time

15.

A．stop

B．continue

C．do

D．move

4 . The pickle jar (腌菜罐子) as far back as I can remember sat on the floor in my parents’ bedroom. _________ he got ready for bed, Dad would empty his pockets and drop his _________ into the jar. When the jar was _________, he would take the coins to the bank and say _________ to the cashier, “These are for my son’s college fund. He’ll _________ work at the mill (磨坊) all his life like me.”

The years passed, and I _________ college and took a job in another town. Once, while visiting my parents, I noticed that the pickle jar was gone. It had served its purpose and had been removed. My dad was a man of _________ words, and never taught me the _________ of determination, perseverance and faith. The pickle jar had taught me more than _________ could have done.

When I got married, I told my wife Susan about the __________. In my mind, it showed how much my dad had __________ me. Dad continued to drop his coins into the jar, no matter how __________ things got at home.

The first Christmas after our daughter Jessica was born, we spent the holiday with my parents. After dinner, Susan __________ our baby into my parents’ bedroom to feed her. When Susan came back into the living room, there was strange tears in her __________. She handed Jessica to Dad before taking my hand and leading me into the room.

“Look,” she said __________, her eyes directing me to a spot on the floor. To my __________ there, as if it had never been __________, stood the old pickle jar, the bottom already __________ with coins. I walked over to the pickle jar, dug down into __________ and pulled out a handful of coins. With the strong emotions choking me, I dropped the coins into the jar. I looked up and saw that Dad, carrying Jessica, had slipped quietly into the room. Our eyes __________ and I knew he was feeling the same emotions I felt. Neither one of us could speak.

1.

A．While

B．If

C．When

D．Unless

2.

A．coins

B．wallet

C．money

D．bill

3.

A．emptied

B．filled

C．sold

D．broken

4.

A．relaxedly

B．strictly

C．proudly

D．anxiously

5.

A．still

B．also

C．always

D．never

6.

A．finished

B．started

C．entered

D．dropped

7.

A．no

B．many

C．few

D．big

8.

A．worth

B．values

C．use

D．differences

9.

A．money

B．words

C．books

D．actions

10.

A．coins

B．jar

C．determination

D．faith

11.

A．loved

B．treated

C．supported

D．encouraged

12.

A．hard

B．easy

C．smooth

D．wrong

13.

A．led

B．carried

C．brought

D．took

14.

A．body

B．head

C．arms

D．eyes

15.

A．happily

B．angrily

C．loudly

D．softly

16.

A．surprise

B．delight

C．comfort

D．satisfaction

17.

A．used

B．lost

C．removed

D．forgotten

18.

A．covered

B．filled

C．spread

D．supplied

19.

A．the pillow

B．the jar

C．my hand

D．my pocket

20.

A．separated

B．left

C．locked

D．ran

6 . I was standing in the checkout line behind a woman who looked like in her 60s. When it was her turn to ________, the cashier greeted her by name and ________ her how she was doing. The woman shook her head and said, “Not so good. My husband just ________ his job and my son is up to his old tricks. I don’t know how I’m going to ________ the holidays.” Then she gave the cashier food stamps.

My ________ ached. I wanted to help ________ didn’t know how. As I walked into the parking lot, I spotted the woman ________ her shopping cart, and I remembered something in my purse that could ________ her. It wasn’t a handful of cash or a job for her ________, but maybe just maybe it would make her life better.

“Excuse me,” I said. “I couldn’t help overhearing what you said to the cashier. It ________ like you’re going through a really hard time right now. I’m so ________. I’d like to give you something.”

And I ________ her a card. When the woman read the card’s only two words, she began to ________. Her eyes filling with tears, she said, “You have no idea how much this means to me.”

I was a little ________ by her reply. All I could respond was “Oh, would it be OK to give you a hug?” After we embraced, I walked back to my ________ and began to cry too. The words on the ________: You Matter.

A few weeks earlier, a colleague gave me the same card as ________ for a project I was working on. When I ________ the card, I felt a warm glow spread inside of me. Deeply ________, I came home and ordered my own box of You Matter cards and started ________ them too.

1.

A．show

B．check

C．count

D．pay

2.

A．gave

B．offered

C．asked

D．called

3.

A．satisfied

B．lost

C．began

D．minded

4.

A．get through

B．get across

C．break through

D．put out

5.

A．head

B．heart

C．stomach

D．brain

6.

A．so

B．and

C．or

D．but

7.

A．getting

B．cleaning

C．returning

D．using

8.

A．help

B．save

C．respect

D．change

9.

A．husband

B．son

C．relative

D．friend

10.

A．smells

B．tastes

C．feels

D．sounds

11.

A．nervous

B．puzzled

C．sorry

D．afraid

12.

A．bought

B．handed

C．taught

D．showed

13.

A．cry

B．smile

C．swim

D．leave

14.

A．concerned

B．amused

C．surprised

D．frightened

15.

A．office

B．car

C．position

D．horse

16.

A．watch

B．phone

C．invitation

D．card

17.

A．convenience

B．advice

C．amazement

D．encouragement

18.

A．prepared

B．accepted

C．read

D．processed

19.

A．supported

B．touched

C．confused

D．required

20.

A．sharing

B．discovering

C．exchanging

D．making

7 . The moon had gone behind a cloud and there weren’t many stars in the sky. As I took a glance (一瞥) at my neighbor’s house, I saw a flame (火焰) in his ________. I thought he was having a midnight fast food so I went back to my________.

Soon, there was a ______ smell in the air and I guessed something was wrong. ________, I jumped out of bed and went downstairs to ________. I saw fire coming out of my neighbour’s kitchen. Right away, I ______ “Fire! Fire!” But there was no one nearby to ________ my shouts for help.

I ______into my house, called the Fire Department and went back to my neighbour’s house. I rang the doorbell, hit on the door and ______ my neighbour’s name but there was no ______. I managed to ______ the house and rescued a cat and a rabbit.

I tried to throw water through the kitchen window ________ it was no use; the fire was too strong. _______, a fire engine arrived and soon the firemen put out the fire. They arrived just ________ as the fire was going to _______ to the other rooms in the house.

When my neighbor came back, he was ________ because his kitchen was burnt down, but he thanked me for calling the Fire Department and for saving his ________. He wanted to give me some money in return but I did not ________ it.

Weeks later, my neighbor repaired and restored his kitchen. He ________ me to see his new kitchen and there he gave me a medal (奖章) that he had ________ ordered from a factory. It made me feel very happy.

1.

A．sitting room

B．bathroom

C．kitchen

D．bedroom

2.

A．chair

B．table

C．bed

D．sofa

3.

A．valuable

B．hot

C．special

D．burning

4.

A．After a while

B．In a row

C．Once in a while

D．At once

5.

A．examine

B．search

C．reserve

D．smell

6.

A．cheated

B．shouted

C．received

D．whispered

7.

A．hear

B．listen to

C．ask

D．turn to

8.

A．walked

B．rushed

C．jumped

D．stepped

9.

A．gave way

B．fell behind

C．called out

D．cheered up

10.

A．answer

B．light

C．sound

D．fire

11.

A．take out

B．take up

C．break down

D．break into

12.

A．and

B．but

C．because

D．therefore

13.

A．Luckily

B．Gently

C．Unfortunately

D．Suddenly

14.

A．in time

B．on time

C．at a time

D．at times

15.

A．run

B．spread

C．flow

D．return

16.

A．amazing

B．upset

C．sick

D．angry

17.

A．children

B．parents

C．life

D．pets

18.

A．expect

B．want

C．accept

D．permit

19.

A．persuaded

B．begged

C．admitted

D．invited

20.

A．gradually

B．steadily

C．specially

D．regularly

8 . When I was in the sixth grade, my teacher had us write letters to our heroes. _________ others wrote to Nelson Mandela or Hillary Clinton, I wrote to Jennifer Cihi, a popular singer. We didn’t actually_________ the letters, so mine was_________ in my drawer.

In that _________ letter, I promised to devote my first _________ to Jennifer. Years later, I did become a writer, and did keep my_________. Jennifer was the prototype (原型) of the character of my first novel. But she was just a passing thought that faded (变暗) _________ about five years later. Then at age thirty-one, a social media meeting allowed me to_________ her. Later I seat my first Facebook message, _________ to tell her about the “story” between us.

I didn’t want to seem like a crazy fan. So I__________ said, “I want you to know that you__________ me to live the amazing life that I’ve led. I have written several novels, been an actress. and now I am a__________. Thank you.” Without receiving an immediate reply. I soon forgot the__________. But two days later, my phone made a “ding” which__________ I got a new Facebook message.

It was from Jennifer. We__________ a few pleasantries (客套话) on Facebook. When I told her I was teaching at a unique school for kids with mental__________, Jennifer suddenly asked if we could talk on the phone.

During the conversation, we realized we__________ a passion for helping children with mental disorders. Later, we founded Mariposa, __________ support and education for kids with mental health problems. And we were both__________ as presenters at the Mental Health America 2018 Annual Conference.

Jennifer Cihi, who is my hero and had been a source of inspiration to me in the past, __________ played a crucial role in encouraging me and pushing me forward on my life’s journey.

1.

A．Whether

B．While

C．Unless

D．Once

2.

A．write

B．receive

C．mail

D．open

3.

A．found out

B．missed out

C．piled up

D．put away

4.

A．fan

B．business

C．reminder

D．introduction

5.

A．journal

B．book

C．toy

D．song

6.

A．diary

B．balance

C．word

D．appointment

7.

A．gradually

B．suddenly

C．generally

D．quickly

8.

A．comfort

B．appreciate

C．admire

D．meet

9.

A．embarrassed

B．excited

C．unwilling

D．surprised

10.

A．simply

B．gently

C．slowly

D．hardly

11.

A．allowed

B．expected

C．inspired

D．advised

12.

A．teacher

B．singer

C．presenter

D．dancer

13.

A．website

B．letter

C．phone

D．matter

14.

A．signaled

B．left

C．took

D．sent

15.

A．published

B．discussed

C．exchanged

D．expressed

16.

A．work

B．ability

C．development

D．illness

17.

A．needed

B．hid

C．shared

D．promoted

18.

A．controlling

B．providing

C．attracting

D．using

19.

A．described

B．selected

C．considered

D．designed

20.

A．so far

B．ever since

C．right now

D．once again

10 . Life was easy for my family 15 years ago. My mum, now 51, had ____ her modelling career to start a family while my dad was the only breadwinner. Our family was _____, with mum, dad, two daughters, and three sons, including me.

Life took a ____ turn one day. My dad had suddenly passed away for some unknown ____ on a business trip to Jakarta. At first we were not _____

for life without him. Our mum, jobless and ____ managed to look after a six-month-old baby and four crying children through ____ and love.

When my father was alive, my mum lived a ____ life: she had two maids looking after her as a stay-at-home mum. After my father’s death, she selflessly accepted a total lifestyle ____ , so our lives would not be different completely. She ____ different jobs, working tirelessly from home, sewing curtains and baking cakes. As we got older, she worked even harder to ____ our education. She began to work in her canteen from 6 am and ____ home to monitor our homework.

We may never understand what ____ our mum has gone through to provide us with the basic necessities. From living a fascinating lifestyle as a fashion model to working as a waitress in a restaurant, it requires humility that could have only been ____ by love.

While providing for us financially was _____, providing emotionally was even harder. My mum’s mental health was ____ damaged after my father's death. We knew she was struggling, ____ she always managed to put up a strong front. My mom’s ____ has rebuilt this family, kept it together and even put me through school.

Fifteen years on, we still spend weekends as a family and have managed to ____ stereotypes (模式化形象) associated with a single-parent family. ____ her, this family portrait is still picture-perfect.

1.

A．quit

B．began

C．chosen

D．saved

2.

A．complete

B．crowded

C．powerful

D．orderly

3.

A．wrong

B．sharp

C．hard

D．natural

4.

A．origin

B．need

C．example

D．reason

5.

A．eager

B．late

C．prepared

D．pleased

6.

A．sorrowful

B．serious

C．guilty

D．doubtful

7.

A．preference

B．sense

C．determination

D．imagination

8.

A．lazy

B．positive

C．convenient

D．comfortable

9.

A．choice

B．change

C．break

D．mistake

10.

A．insisted on

B．carried on

C．took on

D．agreed on

11.

A．enter

B．afford

C．receive

D．improve

12.

A．rushed

B．left

C．supported

D．moved

13.

A．practice

B．process

C．stage

D．experience

14.

A．achieved

B．overcome

C．concerned

D．driven

15.

A．complex

B．tough

C．boring

D．helpless

16.

A．seriously

B．hardly

C．quietly

D．properly

17.

A．and

B．so

C．yet

D．for

18.

A．situation

B．manner

C．emotion

D．spirit

19.

A．respect

B．challenge

C．suspect

D．create

20.

A．According to

B．But for

C．Thanks to

D．Apart from