Flowers only bloom(开花) when they are planted in the right soil. That is also true for me.
I first moved to Foxboro, Massachusetts, as a single mother with my baby daughter, Darcy. I was drawn to its New England beauty, friendly people and rich history. It happened that there were a lot of forsythia(连翘) bushes around the house in which I lived just like my childhood home. I joined St. Mark’s Episcopal Church where I taught the Sunday school. At church, I met my second husband, Dean. For more than 25 years, I bloomed in Foxboro, and I had another two children.
Then, when Darcy was a few years out of college, she moved to Alameda, California, to be near friends. I missed her badly. A year later my beloved husband Dean had deadly cancer. He only made it eight months. My heart was broken. Later I moved to Alameda with my children. It was a beautiful Victorian island, and I was grateful to spend more time with Darcy. I even attended a church and made a few friends there. Still, I couldn’t help but miss Foxboro. It had everything and everyone I loved.
One spring day, when I was walking by a school, something yellow caught my eyes. Forsythia bushes! They made me homesick and I kept back my tears. “I miss you, Foxboro,” I whispered. Then I went into a shop and looked at some ceramic(陶瓷的) pots lined up on a shelf. A large white one seemed to catch my attention. “That’ll be perfect in my living room,” I thought.
I turned it over to look at the price. Instead I found these words: “New England Pottery, Foxboro, Massachusetts.” A piece of artwork, from my second hometown, was right here. It was able to spread across the country and so were forsythia bushes. I took it as a sign that I can bloom, right where I am.
【小题1】From the text we learn that the author ____.

Flowers only bloom(开花) when they are planted in the right soil. That is also true for me.

I first moved to Foxboro, Massachusetts, as a single mother with my baby daughter, Darcy. I was drawn to its New England beauty, friendly people and rich history. It happened that there were a lot of forsythia(连翘) bushes around the house in which I lived just like my childhood home. I joined St. Mark’s Episcopal Church where I taught the Sunday school. At church, I met my second husband, Dean. For more than 25 years, I bloomed in Foxboro, and I had another two children.

Then, when Darcy was a few years out of college, she moved to Alameda, California, to be near friends. I missed her badly. A year later my beloved husband Dean had deadly cancer. He only made it eight months. My heart was broken. Later I moved to Alameda with my children. It was a beautiful Victorian island, and I was grateful to spend more time with Darcy. I even attended a church and made a few friends there. Still, I couldn’t help but miss Foxboro. It had everything and everyone I loved.

One spring day, when I was walking by a school, something yellow caught my eyes. Forsythia bushes! They made me homesick and I kept back my tears. “I miss you, Foxboro,” I whispered. Then I went into a shop and looked at some ceramic(陶瓷的) pots lined up on a shelf. A large white one seemed to catch my attention. “That’ll be perfect in my living room,” I thought.

I turned it over to look at the price. Instead I found these words: “New England Pottery, Foxboro, Massachusetts.” A piece of artwork, from my second hometown, was right here. It was able to spread across the country and so were forsythia bushes. I took it as a sign that I can bloom, right where I am.

1.From the text we learn that the author ____.

A．gave birth to three children in Foxboro

B．planted forsythia bushes around her house

C．got to know her second husband at church

D．worked as a middle school teacher in Foxboro

2.The author moved to Alameda so that she could ____.

A．have more time together with Darcy

B．forget the sorrow at her husband’s death

C．visit her children at Alameda College frequently

D．enjoy the beautiful scenery on the Victorian island

3.When the author saw forsythia bushes at a school she _____.

A．wanted to buy a ceramic pot to put them in

B．thought of her life in Foxboro

C．felt they would look great in her living room

D．believed they were real art work

4.Why does the author compare herself to flowers?

A．Because she wanted to show she likes flowers.

B．Because she can live in any place that is right like flowers.

C．Because she moved across the country just like flowers.

D．Because girls are like flowers that are blooming.

“Welcome, Mary,” I said. She raised her head and looked into my eyes. The smile on my face 36 . Dear God, I thought, what 　37 has entered the life of this little girl?

After settling Mary into her new desk and 　38 her, I went to the headmaster. She said, “Sit down and I’ll 　39 you in. Mary’s mother who loved her very much was shot and killed in her 　40 one night at their house. Mary, screaming, escaped to a neighbor’s. Then the child went into 　41 . She hadn’t cried or 　42 her mother since.”

I returned only to discover that the children were already avoiding this “ 43 ” child. “Mary’s been hurt badly, but we can do a lot to help her,” I explained gently. Bless all children. How loving they can be 　44 they understand.

In spite of our 45 , we seemed to be getting no closer to Mary and even my faith was wearing 　46 . My heart ached so badly, wanting this child to come alive, to be aware of the beauty, the wonder, the fun, and even the 　47 of living.

Spring approaching, children 　48 to make flower baskets for room decoration. During the lunch time, a girl came hurrying to me. “Come to see Mary’s basket,” she said 　49 . “You’ll never believe it!” I 　50 my breath at its beauty, for it couldn’t have been the work from a child that 　51 .

“Mary,” I said. “This is beautiful. How did you ever 　52 ?” She looked at me with the shining eyes of any 　53 little girl, saying, “My mother loved flowers.”

Thank you, God, You’ve 　54 us the miracle . I knelt and put my arms around the child. Then the tears came, slowly at first, but soon she was 　55 her heart out against my shoulder. The other children had tears in their eyes, too, but theirs—like mine—were tears of joy.

36. A. formed　　　　　　　 B. broadened 　　　 C. spread 　　　　　　 D. froze

37. A. wonder 　　　　　　 B. problem 　　　　　 C. horror 　　　　　 D. amazement

38. A. introducing 　　　 B. comforting 　　　 C. praising 　　　　　 D. touching

39. A. come 　　　　　　　 B. fill 　　　　　　　　　 C. push 　　　　　　　 D. let

40. A. home　　　　　 　 B. presence　　　　　 C. company 　　　 D. eyes

41. A. shock 　　　　　　 B. anger 　　　　　　 C. hunger 　　　　　 D. action

42. A. missed 　　　　　 B. mentioned 　　　 C. seen　 　　 　　D. heard

43. A. sweet 　　　　　　 　　B. sad 　　　　　　　　 C. lonely 　　　　　 D. different

44. A. before 　　　　　　 B. though 　　　　　　 C. once 　　　　　　 D. unless

45. A. lessons 　　　　　 B. talks　　 　　C. words　 　　　 D. efforts

46. A. strong 　　　　　　 B. thick　　　 　　 C. thin 　　　　　　　 D. heavy

47. A. cost　 　　　　　　　　　　 B. pain　　　　 　 C. course 　　　　　 D. pleasure

48. A. decided　 　　　 B. waited　　 　　 C. preferred 　　　　　　 D. wished

49. A. worriedly　　 B. excitedly　　 　 C. softly　 　 　　D. secretly

50. A. caught 　　　　　　　　　　 B. stopped　 　　　 C. counted 　　　　 D. took

51. A. old 　　　　　　　　 B. weak　 　　　　　 C. young 　　　　　 D. clever

52. A. arrange 　　　　　　 B. prepare　　　　　　 C. handle 　 　　D. manage

53. A. unusual　　 　　 B. careful 　　　　　 C. normal 　　　　　 D. friendly

54. A. told　 　　　　　　 B. taught　　 　　　 C. paid 　　　　 　　D. given

55. A. crying 　　　　　　　 B. shouting 　　　　 C. drawing 　　　　　 D. knocking

Mrs. White was a wealthy lady. She lived 　36　 in a large comfortable house where her children and grandchildren came to visit her frequently. However, she was　37　. She spent a lot of time thinking about her  38  and about her dead husband. Her children   39 about her and asked Dr. Green to see her.
Mrs. Green was an experienced doctor. She knew old people became upset in their ways and didn’t like to   40  what to do. She decided to get to know Mrs. White before she said anything. During the visit, Dr. Green asked Mrs White to give her a   41  of the house. Mrs. White was  42   her house and happily agreed. As they walked from room to room, Dr. Green   43  that there were a lot of violets (紫罗兰) in every window. She asked, “__44 _ do you have so many violets?” Mrs White replied, “ I love these   45  and they  46  so fast that I have more and more. When the tour of the house was over, Dr. Green said, “I have one suggestion to make. Whenever you   47 a friend or a neighbor that is   48 in bed or getting married, give 49  one of your violets.”
Mrs White said   50   about the doctor’s advice and for a few months    51 her visit, she didn’t give away any of her violets. Then one day she was invited to the   52  of her neighbor's daughter. She put a ribbon(丝带) on one of her potted plants and took it to the party. Later one of her friends was sick so she took a violet plant and took it to the hospital.  53    she began to give more and more of her potted violets to her neighbors. Over the years she  54 so many that she became known as the “  55  lady”.