1 . It was at the midnight. I had just gone to bed, a bit drunk after
Our town was on the bank of the Ahr River, and it had been raining heavily that week; there were flood warnings for nearby areas, but not where I was. I
As I drifted off to sleep, I was
Any
The following day, the
A.congratulating | B.celebrating | C.broadcasting | D.applauding |
A.even | B.already | C.yet | D.still |
A.laughed at | B.approved of | C.stared at | D.accused of |
A.take a risk | B.make a fortune | C.make a bet | D.take a guess |
A.annoyed | B.awakened | C.affected | D.attacked |
A.bent | B.sought | C.swung | D.hung |
A.feet | B.knees | C.waist | D.chest |
A.slid | B.wandered | C.hurried | D.skipped |
A.wall | B.fence | C.sandbags | D.barriers |
A.excuses | B.causes | C.consequences | D.effects |
A.escape | B.direction | C.help | D.passion |
A.forwards | B.backwards | C.downstairs | D.upstairs |
A.before long | B.every time | C.as soon as | D.any time |
A.observed | B.experienced | C.searched | D.examined |
A.gap | B.glimpse | C.blank | D.distance |
A.jump | B.ride | C.squeeze | D.pull |
A.safety | B.health | C.actuality | D.motivation |
A.Since | B.If | C.After | D.Before |
A.harmful | B.fearful | C.stressful | D.powerful |
A.What’s more | B.Worst of all | C.In contrast | D.In any case |
2 . One Saturday morning, an old man went into the market to buy something. He was dressed
“I wish to get a
Just then a young gentleman
“Carry it myself! Who do you think I am?” said the young gentleman.
Hearing all that was said, the old man said, “Well, that is lucky. I
“Oh, it’s nothing, sir,” replied the old man. “It was no
“Who is that
In fact, Mr Marshall taught us a lesson that no man should feel himself too fine to carry his own goods.
1.A.simply | B.warmly | C.casually | D.formally |
A.cage | B.bag | C.basket | D.box |
A.chicken | B.duck | C.fish | D.turkey |
A.only | B.just | C.always | D.also |
A.satisfied | B.familiar | C.busy | D.bored |
A.walked around | B.searched for | C.passed by | D.stepped into |
A.office | B.farm | C.house | D.hospital |
A.agreed | B.refused | C.hesitated | D.continued |
A.Besides | B.However | C.Therefore | D.Instead |
A.right | B.intention | C.rule | D.custom |
A.important | B.dirty | C.heavy | D.expensive |
A.sorry | B.angry | C.hungry | D.depressed |
A.happen | B.hope | C.regret | D.choose |
A.help | B.employ | C.pay | D.allow |
A.Until | B.Unless | C.When | D.Before |
A.praised | B.thanked | C.stopped | D.invited |
A.trouble | B.expectation | C.surprise | D.doubt |
A.smiled | B.imagined | C.waited | D.wondered |
A.brave | B.strange | C.kind | D.ordinary |
A.peaceful | B.shamed | C.sad | D.disappointed |
3 . Instead of being a pacing-up time, winter is a locking-down time. Winter frees us in all sorts of ways.
I once had a neighbor named Earl. An old-timer and a self-made man, he
And I’ll never
As I write these words I occasionally raise my head to
As I tended to all those things, when did I have time to
Some years ago a friend sent me a quote by Socrates that I try to be mindful of: Beware the fruitlessness of a
The advice
A friend of mine who lives in the Southeast recently called. In the course of our
But I think I need a good time of winter.
1.A.gradually | B.excitedly | C.angrily | D.unwillingly |
A.struggled | B.explored | C.survived | D.celebrated |
A.laughter | B.evidence | C.expectation | D.patience |
A.buried | B.struck | C.destroyed | D.supported |
A.realize | B.forget | C.recall | D.learn |
A.designing | B.improving | C.fixing | D.tending |
A.bought | B.controlled | C.built | D.filled |
A.look at | B.watch over | C.glance out | D.glare at |
A.picked | B.cut | C.planted | D.fell |
A.settle | B.arrange | C.work | D.breathe |
A.busy | B.happy | C.creative | D.special |
A.demanded | B.taught | C.appointed | D.assisted |
A.amazement | B.surroundings | C.opportunity | D.ability |
A.convenience | B.appearance | C.contribution | D.conversation |
A.employs | B.forces | C.enables | D.saves |
4 . Yesterday was my birthday, but I didn’t
To my
We spent one hour
A.give away | B.come up with | C.stick to | D.break away from |
A.sad | B.tired | C.proud | D.excited |
A.helped | B.advised | C.drove | D.followed |
A.listen | B.fight | C.order | D.change |
A.friends | B.bosses | C.customers | D.workers |
A.show | B.celebrate | C.protect | D.attend |
A.full | B.empty | C.far | D.clean |
A.lay | B.move | C.share | D.buy |
A.reported | B.refused | C.recorded | D.accepted |
A.fear | B.pity | C.surprise | D.regret |
A.cake | B.dish | C.menu | D.gift |
A.standing | B.talking | C.looking | D.waiting |
A.Luckily | B.Finally | C.Slowly | D.Secretly |
A.ladies | B.gentlemen | C.kids | D.parents |
A.taught | B.wished | C.asked | D.offered |
5 . It is strange how a small moment can change a person’s life. My son walked into the kitchen this morning and opened his
My Italian grandma had been a big hugger when I was a boy, but my mum and dad didn’t hug me much as I got
When I was sixteen, I
When my own children were born then I
A.arms | B.hands | C.mouth | D.eyes |
A.flash | B.style | C.topic | D.memory |
A.older | B.stronger | C.quicker | D.slower |
A.looked | B.opened | C.left | D.put |
A.thought of | B.stopped by | C.asked for | D.burned down |
A.greeted | B.annoyed | C.checked | D.cheated |
A.suitable | B.thin | C.small | D.huge |
A.challenge | B.confidence | C.turn | D.impression |
A.jumped | B.broke | C.packed | D.stepped |
A.warmth | B.anxiety | C.curiosity | D.horror |
A.personality | B.adventure | C.spirit | D.stomach |
A.realize | B.wonder | C.understand | D.notice |
A.exploring | B.designing | C.refusing | D.receiving |
A.advice | B.joy | C.blood | D.knowledge |
A.decided | B.forgot | C.changed | D.returned |
6 . Dan Price was the CEO of Gravity Payments, a financial services company. One day, he found out a friend was struggling
This point was driven home when he
That’s when Dan decided to do something to stop income
More than a third of his employees saw their
When COVID-19 hit the U.S, Dan’s company
As the saying goes, a rising tide lifts all boats! Dan treated his employees well. And when it was their turn to
A.politically | B.financially | C.physically | D.emotionally |
A.reasonable | B.predictable | C.high | D.low |
A.unfair | B.strange | C.challenging | D.harmful |
A.forgot | B.composed | C.discovered | D.reviewed |
A.insisted | B.argued | C.suggested | D.admitted |
A.in peace | B.in line | C.in demand | D.in relief |
A.inequality | B.growth | C.redistribution | D.limit |
A.looking into | B.taking over | C.showing off | D.giving up |
A.earn | B.raise | C.collect | D.reduce |
A.market | B.creativity | C.salaries | D.costs |
A.same | B.opposite | C.following | D.first |
A.separated | B.returned | C.removed | D.hidden |
A.focus on | B.pass down | C.apply for | D.talk about |
A.requirement | B.competition | C.risk | D.productivity |
A.suffered | B.escaped | C.masked | D.caused |
A.disappointed | B.astonished | C.frightened | D.amused |
A.service | B.reward | C.check | D.cut |
A.public | B.free | C.strong | D.quiet |
A.benefit | B.change | C.learn | D.recover |
A.repay | B.respect | C.improve | D.invite |
7 . The Malaysian state of Sabah on the island of Borneo is a
Just recently, scientists
In 2018, scientists used laser imagery from airplane to
Bringing just a tape measure (卷尺) and climbing equipment, an
In an interview, Jami talked about his
A.shelter | B.hell | C.paradise | D.nightmare |
A.researched | B.designed | C.planted | D.discovered |
A.width | B.height | C.length | D.depth |
A.came across | B.led to | C.set aside | D.left out |
A.unsurprisingly | B.unhappily | C.unbelievably | D.unfortunately |
A.remove | B.transport | C.measure | D.surround |
A.modern | B.unusual | C.effective | D.strange |
A.clean | B.cut | C.plant | D.spot |
A.assess | B.arrange | C.check | D.identity |
A.traditional | B.crazy | C.ridiculous | D.awkward |
A.educated | B.experienced | C.admired | D.approved |
A.draw | B.prevent | C.put | D.prove |
A.decorated | B.climbed | C.trimmed | D.protected |
A.easily | B.fearfully | C.surely | D.clumsily |
A.reached | B.observed | C.calculated | D.judged |
A.arrival | B.approach | C.flight | D.journey |
A.top | B.distance | C.middle | D.bottom |
A.sunshine | B.air | C.wind | D.view |
A.work | B.sleep | C.lie | D.eat |
A.habitats | B.heritages | C.wonders | D.resources |
8 . My friend North is a manager in a large business company. She often
She told her mother several times to stop it. But the next second, another
I once saw a
When we were young, they told us not to talk to strangers. But now they regard the person who sells insurance on the street
The most
A.debates | B.explains | C.complains | D.chats |
A.amazing | B.annoying | C.terrifying | D.challenging |
A.approximately | B.immediately | C.sincerely | D.frequently |
A.reference | B.trash | C.bargain | D.advertisement |
A.conflict | B.say | C.associate | D.consult |
A.message | B.word | C.post | D.motto |
A.childish | B.stupid | C.foolish | D.silly |
A.resist | B.relieve | C.arouse | D.transfer |
A.reminded | B.frustrated | C.impressed | D.motivated |
A.where | B.that | C.why | D.what |
A.like | B.for | C.of | D.as |
A.something | B.anything | C.everything | D.nothing |
A.how | B.when | C.whether | D.what |
A.imperfections | B.confusions | C.strengths | D.traditions |
A.prevent | B.admit | C.puzzle | D.remove |
A.As a result | B.After all | C.First of all | D.In the meantime |
A.bring about | B.come about | C.result from | D.result in |
A.forgetful | B.stressful | C.forceful | D.regretful |
A.put | B.express | C.take | D.have |
A.behaving | B.acting | C.pretending | D.performing |
9 . Once there was a farmer with a wife and two sons. He became quite
After some time, his wife died and
So he thought about this for a long time and he
And he called his neighbors and said, “I’m going to
So the neighbors provided them with
Certainly the brothers didn’t want to be robbed of the
So the brothers sat down and one
But the other brother said, “No, I think our father was saying that the
So like all the other
A.rich | B.strong | C.clever | D.busy |
A.hard | B.easy | C.different | D.ordinary |
A.always | B.often | C.never | D.sometimes |
A.also | B.thus | C.ever | D.still |
A.work | B.move | C.study | D.play |
A.healthy | B.sick | C.foolish | D.wise |
A.brothers | B.friends | C.children | D.relatives |
A.showed | B.taught | C.visited | D.called |
A.lost | B.hidden | C.planted | D.put |
A.harvest | B.find | C.buy | D.use |
A.leave | B.travel | C.die | D.disappear |
A.look at | B.look out | C.look after | D.look for |
A.relief | B.money | C.water | D.food |
A.gold | B.silver | C.oil | D.coal |
A.dug | B.piled | C.operated | D.searched |
A.advised | B.asked | C.followed | D.doubted |
A.loved | B.cared | C.understood | D.cheated |
A.gardening | B.fishing | C.building | D.farming |
A.roots | B.stones | C.fields | D.pipes |
A.farmers | B.workers | C.fishers | D.builders |
10 . For some strange reason, the tradition of writing a thank-you note is fading away. As a result, the sending of handwritten thank-you notes
People
Doug Conant, CEO of Campbell's soup, is a very
An expression of being grateful written by hand in this crazy world still
A.expressing | B.including | C.writing | D.desiring |
A.friendliness | B.politeness | C.kindness | D.carefulness |
A.complained | B.explained | C.permitted | D.admitted |
A.remember | B.notice | C.love | D.ignore |
A.Because | B.While | C.As | D.Unless |
A.getting | B.borrowing | C.choosing | D.buying |
A.letter | B.note | C.novel | D.story |
A.ever | B.recently | C.never | D.frequently |
A.convenient | B.real | C.important | D.interesting |
A.stubborn | B.honest | C.busy | D.reliable |
A.On behalf of | B.Instead of | C.Regardless of | D.In the face of |
A.science | B.simple | C.complex | D.interesting |
A.employer | B.professor | C.companion | D.employee |
A.eventually | B.obviously | C.hardly | D.briefly |
A.offered | B.shared | C.donated | D.wrote |
A.understand | B.believe | C.question | D.accept |
A.pen | B.stick | C.fan | D.book |
A.lost | B.spared | C.wasted | D.killed |
A.happiness | B.effect | C.price | D.result |
A.makes a fortune | B.earns a living | C.makes a difference | D.takes a chance |