When I was an education official in Palo Alto, California, Polly Tyner, the president of our school board, wrote a letter that was printed in the Palo Alto Times. Polly’s son, Jim had great difficulty in school. He was classified as educationally disabled and required a great deal of patience on the part of his parents and teachers. But Jim was a happy kid with a great smile that lit up the room. His parents acknowledged his academic difficulties, but always tried to help him see his strengths so that he could walk with pride. Shortly after Jim finished high school, he was killed in a motorcycle accident. After his death, his mother submitted this letter to the newspaper.

Today we buried our 20-year-old son. He was killed instantly in a motorcycle accident on Friday night. How I wish I had known when I talked to him last that it would be the last time. If I had only known I would have said, “Jim, I love you and I’m very proud of you.”

        I would have taken the time to count the many blessings he brought to the lives of the many who loved him. I would have taken the time to appreciate his beautiful smile, the sound of his laughter, his genuine love of people.

       When you put all the good qualities on the scale and try to balance all the irritating phenomena such as the radio which was always too loud, the haircut that wasn’t to our liking, the dirty socks under the bed, etc., your angry feelings won’t amount to much. 

        I won’t get another chance to tell my son all that I would have wanted him to hear, but, other parents, you do have a chance. Tell your young people what you would want them to hear as if you knew it would be your last conversation. The last time I talked to Jim was the day he died. He called me to say, “Hi, Mom! I just called to say I love you. Got to go to work. Bye.” He gave me something to treasure forever. 

       If there is any purpose at all for Jim’s death, maybe it is to make others appreciate more of life and to have people, especially family members, take the time to let each other know just how much we care. 

According to the passage, we know that ________. 

A. Jim kept to himself

B. Jim did very well in his studies

C. Jim’s parents were patient with him

D. Jim failed to finish his high school.

The underlined word “irritating” in Paragraph 4 means _________.

A. annoying  B. aggressive   C. impatient    D. thrilling

By writing the letter printed in the Palo Alto Times, the mother intends to ______________.

A. mourn her son’s sudden death in a traffic accident

B. remind people to be cautious of motorcycles

C. advise people to take the chance to express their love in time

D. appreciate more of life than ever before

What can be the best title of the passage?

A. Love your Family             B. Do it Today

C. Walk with Pride              D. Appreciate Smiles

Three years ago, I had a job in a retail store (零售店). I    21   to talk to everybody and know what was going on in their    22  . I remember a girl who started    23   there a few months after me. We seldom talked but we always    24   each other and smiled.

She always smiled in a really happy way    25   one day when we got to work in the    26   department. She smiled as if she was the    27   girl in the world. I went up to her and asked, “What’s wrong with you?” She answered, “Why?” I said, “I could feel you’re very    28  , but you’re always trying to    29   it.”

Her mouth just dropped as if I had    30   her deepest secret, so we started talking. She told me    31   she was feeling unhappy and why she was trying to    32   that nothing was wrong. Time went by and we became good friends. She’d always tell me I had   33   her life in so many ways.

Today that girl is one of my best   34  . I really don’t know what I would do    35   her. She has been there for me in every    36   way a friend could be.

What I’m trying to say is that you never know    37   you’re helping yourself. I helped this girl never knowing that at the same time I was helping myself by finding a    38   friend.

So the next time you see a    39   and he needs someone who will    40   to him, wait and let him say what he wants to say. You never know, you might just end up helping yourself.

1.                A.managed       B.intended        C.remembered  D.liked

 

2.                A.lives           B.jobs            C.studies   D.marriages

 

3.                A.shopping       B.talking          C.going     D.working

 

4.                A.assisted        B.looked at        C.realized  D.stared at

 

5.                A.though         B.since           C.until D.unless

 

6.                A.similar         B.nearby         C.same D.different

 

7.                A.quietest        B.happiest        C.busiest   D.luckiest

 

8.                A.sad            B.angry          C.happy    D.surprised

 

9.                A.keep           B.stop            C.hide D.show

 

10.               A.caught         B.discovered      C.controlled D.checked

 

11.               A.when          B.how           C.why  D.what

 

12.               A.pretend        B.become        C.make D.admit

 

13.               A.protected       B.recovered      C.supported D.changed

 

14.               A.customers      B.friends         C.neighbors  D.classmates

 

15.               A.without        B.for            C.upon D.with

 

16.               A.simple         B.possible        C.strange    D.perfect

 

17.               A.before         B.since          C.because   D.when

 

18.               A.truthful        B.useful          C.hopeful   D.careful

 

19.               A.stranger        B.worker         C.passenger D.visitor

 

20.               A.belong         B.refer          C.listen D.turn

 

 

I first went to hear a live rock concert when I was eight years old. My brother

and his friends were all  36  of a heavy metal group called Black Wednesday. When they  37  that Black Wednesday were going to perform at our local theatre, they all bought  38  for performance. However, at the last minute, one of the friends couldn’t go, so my brother  39  me the ticket. I was really  40 !

I remember the buzz (嘈杂声) of excitement inside the theatre as we all found our  41 . After a few minutes, the lights went down and everybody became  42 . I could barely make out the stage in the  43 . We waited. Then there was a roar from the crowd, like an explosion, as the first members of the band  44  the stage. My brother leaned over and shouted something in my ear, but I couldn’t  45  what he was saying. The first song was already starting and the music was as  46  as a jet engine. I could  47  the drum beats and bass notes in my stomach.

I can’t recall any of the songs that the band played. I just  48  that I really enjoyed the show and didn’t want it to  49 . But in the end, after three encores (加演), the show finished. We left the  50  and walked unsteadily out onto the pavement. I felt a little dizzy, as if I had just  51  from a long sleep. My ears were still  52  with the beat of the last song.

After the  53  , I became a Black Wednesday fan too for a few years before getting into other kinds of music. Once in a while,  54 , I listen to one of their songs and  55  I’m back at that first show.

1.                A.members       B.fans            C.friends   D.volunteers

 

2.                A.guessed        B.thought         C.discovered    D.predicted

 

3.                A.flowers         B.drinks          C.clothes   D.tickets

 

4.                A.offered         B.booked         C.returned  D.found

 

5.                A.relaxed         B.excited         C.embarrassed   D.encouraged

 

6.                A.seats           B.entrance        C.spots D.space

 

7.                A.comfortable     B.serious         C.nervous  D.quiet

 

8.                A.silence         B.darkness        C.noise D.smoke

 

9.                A.fell upon        B.got through      C.stepped onto  D.broke into

 

10.               A.forget          B.bear           C.repeat    D.hear

 

11.               A.loud           B.hard           C.sweet D.fast

 

12.               A.enjoy          B.touch          C.feel  D.digest

 

13.               A.realize         B.understand      C.believe    D.remember

 

14.               A.continue       B.finish          C.delay D.change

 

15.               A.theatre         B.party          C.opera D.stage

 

16.               A.escaped        B.traveled        C.woken    D.benefited

 

17.               A.aching         B.burning        C.rolling D.ringing

 

18.               A.competition     B.performance    C.interview  D.celebration

 

19.               A.besides        B.otherwise       C.instead    D.though

 

20.               A.decide         B.regret          C.imagine   D.conclude

 

 

I spotted (发现;认出) him at the checkout counter, bagging at No.14. His arms shook violently as he placed a carton (纸板箱;纸盒) of eggs into a plastic bag. He wore a yellow plastic name tag on which he had written “Jerry” in kindergarten penmanship (书法). He looked middle-aged but his mental age must have been about 12.

Ever since I smiled at him the first time he bagged my groceries at my local supermarket, Jerry has followed me around like an adoring fan. His lack of boundaries makes me uncomfortable. I don’t know how to avoid being noticed by him. I don’t want to speak to the manager — my complaint could get him fired. So I start avoiding him.

There are other grocery stores, but I choose this one because it employs people with disabilities, from which my brothers have also suffered.

Last Wednesday after I finished choosing what I wanted, I turned around and drove my cart to Checkout No.3, hoping Jerry would not notice me and stay at No.14.

“Paper or plastic, ma’am?” Jerry’s soft voice surprised me from behind. “Paper, please.” I noticed that the checkout stand created plenty of space between Jerry and the clerk. In this situation, he knew where to stand. The clerk said to me: “$27.30, please.” I handed my own cart, signed my receipt and stepped around the counter, where Jerry was holding my last packet of biscuits. He came towards me, stopping an inch from me. He was too close. I wanted to dash out of the store and leave behind the packet. Instead, I stood with my hand frozen on the cart. His eyes looked lonely — I knew they would follow me after I left the store. I wanted to apologize for my coldness. “I’m …I’m sorry.” A tiny voice inside me said. I tapped my head with my hand as if I had forgotten something. “Forgive me. I’m from New York City. I’m not used to people being so helpful.”

He laughed. I laughed. His eyes brightened. “It’s my job, ma’am. I like it.” he said. When he offered to push my cart, I didn’t care but nodded deeply. 

44. The author feels uncomfortable because _______________ .

A. Jerry is like an adoring fan to her

B. Jerry is mentally younger

C. Jerry’s handwriting is terrible

D. Jerry is too close to her without proper distance

45. At the checkout stand, _______________ .

A. Jerry offered to pay my biscuits

B. Jerry was left behind with a packet of biscuits.

C. Jerry knew the social importance of distance.

D. Jerry was not close to me.

46. From the passage we can infer that _______________ .

A. Jerry liked his job

B. the author was afraid of Jerry

C. the author’s brothers were disabled

D. Jerry saw the author as his close friend

47. What would be the best title for this passage?

A. Too Close for Comfortable

B. Don’t Look Down upon the Disabled

C. How to Keep a Good Relation    

D. Don’t Smile at Strangers

 

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