Four days after Dad’s 67th birthday, he had a heart attack. Luckily, he survived. But something inside him had died. His enthusiasm for life was gone. He refused to follow doctor’s orders, and his sour attitude made everyone upset when they visit him. Dad was left alone.

So I asked Dad to come to live with me on my small farm, hoping the fresh air would help him adjust. Within a week after he moved in, I regretted the invitation. He criticized everything I did. I became frustrated. Something had to be done.

One day I read an article which said when given dogs, depressed patients would be better off. So I drove to the animal shelter that afternoon. As soon as I got there, a pointer’s eyes caught my attention. They watched me calmly.

A staff member said: “He got here two weeks ago and we’ve heard nothing. His time is up tomorrow.”

I turned to the man in horror. “You mean you’re going to kill him?”

“Ma’am,” he said gently. “We don’t have room for every unclaimed dog.”

The staff member’s calm brown eyes awaited my decision. “I’ll take him,” I said.

I drove home with the dog on the front seat beside me. I was helping it out of the car when Dad walked onto the front porch. “Look what I got you!” I said excitedly.

Dad wrinkled his face. “I don’t want it,” he muttered, turning back towards the house. Then, suddenly, the dog pulled free from my grasp. He sat down in front of my Dad.

Dad’s anger melted, and soon he was hugging the dog.

This was the beginning of a warm friendship. Dad named the dog Cheyenne. Together they spent long hours walking down dusty lanes and relaxing on the banks of streams.

Dad’s bitterness faded, and he and Cheyenne went on to make many friends. Then, late one night two years later, I felt Cheyenne’s cold nose burrowing(搜寻) through my bed covers. He had never before come into my bedroom at night. I ran into my father’s room and found that he had passed away.

Two days later, my shock and grief deepened when I discovered Cheyenne lying dead beside Dad’s bed. As I buried him near their favorite stream, I silently thanked the dog for restoring Dad’s peace of mind.

1.After the author’s father survived the heart attack, he .

A. no longer wanted to live

B. was left alone to get full rest

C. ignored everyone who visited him

D. became unpleasant toward other people

2.Why did the author take the pointer home?

A. It was a type that is known for its friendliness

B. Its eyes made her think it was the best dog available

C. It caught her attention right away and she didn’t want it to be killed

D. It was good at getting people’s attention and entertaining them

3.From the last two paragraphs we can conclude that .

A. more attention should be given to old people

B. dogs are so loyal that they usually die for their friends

C. the author’s father and Cheyenne formed a real connection

D. friendship and care is much more efficient than the medicine

4.Which section of a newspaper is the source of the passage?

A. Health B. Entertainment

C. Education D. Friends

完形填空

阅读下面短文,从每题所给的A、B、C和D四个选项中,选出最佳选项。

I sit outside of my daughter’s nursery school classroom, patiently waiting for her. When the door opens, my daughter runs out with a broad smile. She 1 the excitement of school.

"How was your 2 ?" I ask casually, while 3 wanting to hear every single detail. "It was so good, Mommy!" my daughter replies. That’s it. That’s all I 4 .

On the car ride home, I ask her a lot of questions. She answers me with a few words, but never goes into much __5__. Usually she tells me that she wants to 6 something else.

It has only been a few weeks, but I still find it so 7 that my daughter has a whole morning in school without me. I 8 ask the teachers for details and I am often provided with the same 9 answers that my daughter gives.

Now, three mornings a week, I close her classroom door behind me and she has her own 10 . I am given some 11 of her days like apples glued onto paper trees and paint dirt under her fingernails.

I know she 12 this privacy and the time to 13 a new environment and meet different kids. 14 , I can’t help but want to know about the details of her days. The ride home is the 15 time that she will provide me with some 16 about her morning.

When we pull into the driveway, I change the 17 to something else. I am sure that my constant questions annoy her, so I try to 18 them to the car ride after school.

I am 19 that my daughter doesn’t quite know our driving route yet; she can’t tell that I sometimes take the long way home, 20 we have those few extra minutes together.

1.A. learns B. adds C. misses D. enjoys

2.A. morning B. afternoon C. evening D. night

3.A. tiredly B. carelessly C. secretly D. suddenly

4.A. get B. need C. plan D. understand

5.A. study B. detail C. advice D. work

6.A. wait for B. prepare for C. worry about D. talk about

7.A. strange B. simple C. common D. practical

8.A. always B. just C. even D. never

9.A. satisfying B. funny C. short D. confusing

10.A. direction B. imagination C. influence D. experience

11.A. kindness B. excuses C. evidence D. challenges

12.A. promises B. achieves C. deserves D. ignores

13.A. remember B. explore C. choose D. consider

14.A. Then B. Again C. Also D. Still

15.A. only B. other C. second D. last

16.A. permission B. information C. devotion D. intention

17.A. interest B. rule C. conversation D. routine

18. A. take B. guide C. show D. limit

19.A. proud B. disappointed C. anxious D. grateful

20.A. although B. because C. so D. or

In the early 1980s, one of our neighbors asked my mom if she would make a few gift baskets for her to give as gifts for the holidays. My mom agreed and news of the unique gift baskets my mom was making spread like wildfire throughout the neighborhood. My mom was busy throughout the holiday season, so she asked a friend to help her. When the orders continued after the holiday season for baby gifts, birthday gifts and more, it occurred to them that maybe this job could be turned into a business and they did it.

My mom went into her business because she had creative ideas. She got orders and filled order. But there was no goal and no real plan. In 1991, my mom’s partner got into financial trouble and there was not enough money to support either mom or her partner.

So if you are led by your creativity or enthusiasm, make sure you ask yourself what you purpose to do your business is. If you don’t set goals, how will you know which direction to go in? Do you want to create jobs and growth in the economy? Are you looking for a hobby? You can’t keep scores if you don’t know what game you are playing.

After my mom’s partner quit, she had to abandon her business to support herself. She swore she would run a business again and do it differently the next time. However, there wasn’t a “next time” for her. She passed away just after her 51st birthday. She never had someone tell her how important having a goal was, she never had a chance to be everything she could be.

There are no right or wrong goals, only the ones that matter to you. Set them so that you can make progress and achieve success, whatever they may mean to you.

1.What did the writer’s mom do after failing in her business?

A. She found a different partner.

B. She celebrated her 51st birthday.

C. She planned to have a second try with different methods.

D. She decided never to run a business again.

2.What can we infer from the passage?

A. The writer began her business with a set goal.

B. The writer mother was a woman without creativity.

C. The writer’s mother died because of her failure in business.

D. The writer believes having goals in mind ensured one’s success.

3.How does the writer present his point of view mainly?

A. By providing examples. B. By explaining causes.

C. By making comparisons. D. By listing figures.

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