School was over and I was both mentally and physically tired. I sat at the very front of the bus because of my ____1___ to get home. Sitting at the front makes you __2_____ out like a shiny coin in a pile of dull pennies.

   Janie, the driver, tries to break the ____3____ atmosphere by striking the match of ___4_____ . I try to mind my manners and ____5____ listen, but usually I am too busy thinking about my day. On this day, ___6_____, her conversation was worth listening to.

   “My father’s sick,” she said to no one in ___7___. I could see the anxiety and fear in her eyes. With a sudden change of attitde and interest, I asked, “What’s wrong with him?” With her eyes wet and her voice tight from ____8____ the tears, she responded, “Heart trouble.” Her eyes lowered as she ____9____. “I’ve already lost my mum, so I don’t think I can stand losing him.”

   I couldn’t respond. I was ____10____. My heart ached for her. I sat on the old, smelly seat thinking of the great ____11____ my own mother was thrown into when her father died. I saw how hard it was, ____12____ still is, for her. I wouldn’t like anyone to go ____13___ that.

   Suddenly I realized Janie wasn’t only a bus driver. That was ____14____ her job. She had a whole world of family and concerns too. I had never thought of her as __15______ but a driver.

I suddenly felt I was very ___16____. I realized I had only thought of people as__17____as what their purposes were in my life. I paid no attention to Janie because she was a bus driver. I had judged her by job and brushed her off as ____18_____.

For all I know, I’m just another person in ____19_____ else’s world, and may not even be important. I ___20_____ not have been so selfish and self-centered. Everyone has places to go, people to see and appointments to keep. Understanding people is an art.

1.A. anxiety        B. determination       C. decision        D. attempt

2.A. find           B. make              C. think          D. stand

3.A. unpopular    B. uncomfortable    C. unusual   D. unforgettable

4.A. fire            B. topic      C. conversation    D. discussion

5.A. politely     B. devotedly     C. carelessly      D. sincerely

6.A. however      B. therefore      C. thus          D. otherwise

7.A. surprise      B. common       C. silence        D. particular

8.A. fighting        B. avoiding        C. clearing       D. keeping

9.A. told           B. lasted         C. repeated      D. continued

10.A. for sure        B. at ease         C. in shock       D. in despair

11.A. mercy        B. pain         C. pity           D. disappointment

12.A. but           B. yet           C. and           D. or

13.A. over          B. round       C. through       D. without

14.A. almost       B. nearly            C. ever            D. just

15.A. something    B. anything       C. nothing         D. everything

16.A. sad          B. embarrassed     C. selfish      D. worried

17.A. far           B. long          C. much         D. well

18.A. unfit    B. unselfish      C. unnecessary      D. unimportant

19.A. everyone     B. someone     C. anyone          D. no one

20.A. must          B. may             C. can             D. should

I made a promise to myself on the way down to the vacation beach cottage. For two weeks I would try to be a loving husband and father. Totally loving. No ifs, ands or buts.

The idea had come to me as I listened to a talk on my car radio. The speaker was quoting a Biblical passage about husbands and their wives. Then he went on to say, “Love is an act of will. A person can choose to love.” To myself, I had to admit that I had been a selfish husband. Well, for two weeks that would change.

And it did. On arriving at the beach cottage, I kissed Evelyn meeting me at the door and said, “That new yellow sweater looks great on you.” “Oh, Tom, you noticed”, she said, surprised and pleased. Maybe a little puzzled. After the long drive, I wanted to sit and read. Evelyn suggested a walk on the beach. I started to refuse, but then I thought, “Evelyn’s been alone here with the kids all week and now she wants to be alone with me.” We walked on the beach while the children flew their kites.

So it went. Two weeks of not calling the Wall Street firm where I am a director; a visit to the shell museum though I usually hate museums. Relaxed and happy, that’s how the whole vacation passed. I made a new promise to keep on remembering to choose love.?

There was one thing that went wrong with my experiment, however. Evelyn and I still laugh about it today. On the last night at our cottage, preparing for bed, Evelyn stared at me with the saddest expression.

“What’s the matter?” I asked her.

“Tom,” she said in a voice filled with distress, “I don’t?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well…that checkup I had several weeks ago…our doctor…did he tell you something about me? Tom, you’ve been so good to me…am I dying?”

It took a moment for it all to be understood. Then I burst out laughing.

“No, honey,” I said, wrapping her in my arms. “You’re not dying; I’m just starting to live.”

From the story we may infer that Tom drove to the beach cottage ______.

A. with his family     B. with Evelyn    C. alone      D. with his children

During the two weeks on the beach, Tom showed more love to his wife because ______.

A. she looked lovely in her new clothes

B. he had made a lot of money in his Wall Street firm

C. he was determined to be a good husband

D. the doctor said his wife was seriously ill

The author says, “There was one thing that went wrong with my experiment.” What does “one thing” refer to?

A. He praised her sweater, which puzzled her.

B. He was so good to her that she thought she must be dying.

C. He knew something about her illness but didn’t tell her.

D. She insisted on visiting a museum, which he hated.

By saying “I’m just starting to live,” Tom means that ______.

A. he is just beginning to understand the real meaning of life

B. he is just beginning to enjoy life as a loving husband

C. he lived an unhappy life before and is now starting to change

D. he is beginning to feel regret for what he did to his wife before


I'm feeling sad.My 19-year-old∞nleft home about a week ago to  36  the Air Force, and my 23-year-old daughter left two days ago to marry in another state.I'm so  37  of my son as he had to really work hard to get into the Air Force, and my daughter moved to be with her fiance(未婚夫).I'm just simply upset.It  38  feels like someone has ripped my heart from my chest.I’ve tried to talk to their father, friends, and family but it just feels like no one around me   39  what I'm going through.
My children were  40  to me.I put all my energy into   41  both of them and doing all types of activities with them, even sometimes at the  42 of my own best interests.I understand they grow up and need their _43 ,but for some reason I just can't seem to let go.I am go _ 44  that they're establishing their own lives,   45 I get so depressed whenever I have even a simple _46 of them.I've been crying for over a week now.I really don't know what to do to make this  47 go away.I can't even walk by either one's room without bursting into tears.I don't understand why I'm unable to _48 this sense of great loss.I'm  49  that I need to move on with my own life and find  _50 things to devote my attention to, but I _51 being a mom and spending time on my children.I've    52  adopting a child but it's _53  atthe moment for me considering my poor health.
I'm just thankful to have found this website and found there are others who are  54 similar problems.It helps to   55 I'm not crazy or overreacting.Thank you for sharing your problems and showing others like myself this isn’t so abnormal.

【小题1】
A.joinB.visitC.contactD.lead
【小题2】
A.afraidB.proudC.ashamedD.guilty
【小题3】
A.hardlyB.even C.almostD.truly
【小题4】
A.remindsB.regretsC.understandsD.questions
【小题5】
A.everythingB.everyoneC.nothingD.anyone
【小题6】
A.persuadingB.raisingC.payingD.charging
【小题7】
A.mercyB.distanceC.sightD.cost
【小题8】
A.freedomB.countryC.careerD.house
【小题9】
A.anxiousB.embarrassedC.amazedD.happy
【小题10】
A.ifB.andC.butD.unless
【小题11】
A.thoughtB.lookC.impressionD.idea
【小题12】
A.momentB.decisionC.feelingD.event
【小题13】
A.recognizeB.realizeC.achieveD.overcome
【小题14】
A.afraidB.awareC.doubtfulD.confident
【小题15】
A.expensiveB.greatC.newD.simple
【小题16】
A.forgotB.triedC.stoppedD.enjoyed
【小题17】
A.admittedB.consideredC.suspectedD.remembered
【小题18】
A.impossibleB.disappointing C.worthyD.surprising
【小题19】
A.researchingB.experiencingC.imitatingD.recording
【小题20】
A.hearB.imagineC.knowD.say

School was over and I felt quite tired. I sat at the very  41 of the crowded bus because of my anxiety to get home. Sitting there makes me  42  out like a shiny coin in a pile of dull pennies.
Janie, the  43  , tries to break the uncomfortable atmosphere by striking the match of  44  .
I tried to mind my manners and  45  listen, but usually I am too busy thinking about my day. On this day,   46  , her conversation was worth listening to.
“My father’s sick,” she said to no one in particular (专门) , I could see the  47  and fear in her eyes. “What’s wrong with him?” I asked. With her eyes wet and her voice tight from  48  the tears, she answered, “Heart trouble.” Her eyes   49  as she continued. “I have already lost my mum, so I don’t think I can stand losing him.”
I was  50  . My heart ached for her. And this reminded me of the great  51  that my own mother was thrown into when her father died. I saw how hard it was, and   52  is, for her. I wouldn’t like anyone to  53  that.
Suddenly I realized Janie wasn’t only a bus driver. That was  54  her job. She had a whole world of   55  and concerns, too. I suddenly felt very  56  . I realized I had only thought of people as far as what their purposes were in my life. I paid no attention to Janie  57  she was a bus driver. I had  58  her by her job and brushed her off as unimportant.
For all I know, I’m just another person in  59  else’s world, and may not be  60 . I should not have been so selfish and self-centered. Everyone has places to go, people to see and appointment to keep. Understanding people is an art.

【小题1】
A.frontB.endC.sideD.middle
【小题2】
A.findB.takeC.thinkD.stand
【小题3】
A.doctorB.driverC.teacherD.assistant
【小题4】
A.fireB.topicC.conversationD.discussion
【小题5】
A.politelyB.slightlyC.carelesslyD.partly
【小题6】
A.howeverB.thereforeC.insteadD.otherwise
【小题7】
A.surpriseB.worryC.curiosityD.anger
【小题8】
A.fightingB.turningC.clearingD.protecting
【小题9】
A.openedB.shoneC.closedD.lowered
【小题10】
A.recognizedB.worriedC.shockedD.excited
【小题11】
A.victoryB.painC.respectD.disappointment
【小题12】
A.awayB.seldomC.stillD.never
【小题13】
A.pick upB.work outC.go throughD.get down
【小题14】
A.almostB.nearlyC.everD.just
【小题15】
A.familyB.busC.schoolD.friend
【小题16】
A.selfishB.desperateC.pessimisticD.ridiculous
【小题17】
A.whileB.becauseC.thoughD.until
【小题18】
A.blamedB.receivedC.consideredD.judged
【小题19】
A.everyoneB.anyoneC.someoneD.nobody
【小题20】
A.happyB.wiseC.usefulD.important

违法和不良信息举报电话:027-86699610 举报邮箱:58377363@163.com

精英家教网