It was my first day of high school, and I was late. My next class, German, scared me. I just could not speak that  21  . As the bell rang, I ran to the classroom.

At the door, a hand reached out and   22  mine firmly. I looked up. A man with large glasses smiled. He  23  himself as Tony, which means teacher in German.  24 , his warm smile and   25  words eased my fears. That year, I   26  his classes a great deal because I learned   27  just German.

I admit I only speak a little German.   28  I try to live out the life lessons I learned from Tony.

Every day Tony stood   29  his classroom before and after class to give his “hand hug”. After school his room was always filled with students and he would  30  to and chat with them—_31   those not in his class. He taught me that every person is  32  your time.

One time, I was rejected by my friends. Tony told me, “Linda, life gives you  33. But learning its lessons will turn those ashes to jewels.” Therefore, I learned to look at my troubles   _34   and not to fear any difficulty.

In my senior year, I  35  president of one of the school’s clubs, so I was very  36 . Many times I didn’t even have time to buy lunch. He served me by giving me his food as well as advice. He   37   out what he taught us to do:   38  others.

The author William Arthur Ward  39 : “The mediocre(平庸的) teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher  40 .” Thank you Tony, for inspiring me.

The Best Holiday

 I was unbelievably proud of my nine-year-old daughter. Emily  21  to buy a mountain bike. she’d been saving her pocket money all year,  22  doing small jobs to earn extra money.

 By Thanksgiving, she had collected only $49. I said, “ You  23  have your pick from my bicycle  24 .” “Thanks, Daddy. But your bikes are so old.” She was right. All my girls’ bikes were 1950s models, not the kind a kid today would   25   choose.

  As Christmas  26  near, Emily and I went bike shopping. As we left one store, she  27  a Salvation Army volunteer standing next to a big pot. “Can we give something, Daddy ?” she asked.  “Sorry, Em , I’m out of  28  .”

  Throughout December, Emily continued to   29  hard. Then one day, she made a  30  announcement. “You know all the money I’ve been saving ?” she said hesitantly. “I’m going to give it to the poor people.” So one cold morning before Christmas, Emily handed her total savings of $ 58 to a volunteer who was really very  31 .

  32  by Emily’s selflessness, I decided to contribute  33  of my old bicycles to a car dealer who was collecting used bikes for poor children.     34   I selected a shiny model from my collection, however, it seemed as if a second bike took on a glow(发光). Should I  contribute two? No, one would be enough. But I couldn’t  35  the feeling that I should give a second bike. When I later  36  the bikes, the car dealer said, “You’re making two kids very  37  , sir. Here are your tickets. For each bicycle contributed, we’re   38   away one chance to win a girls’ mountain bike.”

Why wasn’t I surprised when that second ticket proved to be the  39   ? I like to think it was God’s way of  40  a little girl for a sacrifice beyond her years--- while giving her dad a lesson in the process.

Five and a half years ago my father was suddenly rushed to the hospital for an operation. We had  21  idea that he was seriously ill until we were told that the operation did not go well. My father remained  22  . Due to the laws of our state, we were  23  to keep him on a ventilator(呼吸器) for 72 hours, though it was   24    his wish that medical treatment should stop if he was too ill.

At the end of the next day, I was    25   in the waiting room and watching others walk their fathers around who had had operations. Normally, I am very happy for others that are 26  . But that evening, I guess I was a little   27  because I finally realized I would never be  28   to hold my father’s hand and walk down the hall again.

I had to jump up and run down the hall to   29  everyone. This was not in my nature but I just had to be alone. After running for what seemed like a long time, I went into a restroom and       30   for at least five minutes.

When I came out of the stall(厕所侧间),there was a   31  by the sink(水槽). I went to  32 the water to wash my face and she came to  33  me though I didn’t know her. She held onto me until I   34  stopped crying. Then she grabbed a paper towel, wet it   35   handed it to me. She looked at me, smiling, and then left. She never said one word but she   36  my heart.

She taught me that you do not  37   to be a conversationalist to  38  someone who is hurt. Never    39  to hug someone who may need it. You can make a  40   in someone’s life without ever saying a word.

21.  A . no           B. bit           C. some       D. much

22.  A. unhappy       B. uneasy       C. unaware     D. unconscious

23.  A. inspired       B. trained        C. forced      D. forbidden

24.  A. against        B. through       C. for         D. to

25.  A. sitting         B. playing       C. chatting     D. reading

26.  A. walking       B. recovering     C. returning    D. leaving

27.  A. angry         B. pleased       C. curious      D. calm 

28.  A. sure          B. nervous       C. able         D. regretful

29.  A. catch up with   B. take care of   C. pay attention to D. get away from

30.  A. cried         B. shouted       C. screamed     D. sighed

31.  A. father         B. son          C. stranger      D. relative

32.  A. turn on        B. turn off       C. turn up       D. turn down

33.  A. advise         B. criticize      C. call          D. hug

34.  A. meanwhile     B. suddenly      C. soon         D. finally

35.  A. but           B. and           C. or           D. so

36.  A. closed         B. lost          C. touched       D. broke

37.  A. need          B. promise       C. refuse        D. forget

38.  A. forgive        B. confirm       C. excite        D. comfort

39.  A. learn          B. hesitate       C. continue      D. dream

40.  A. choice         B. mistake       C. difference     D. decision

I stood there listening to dad’s severe words. He gathered us into our yard and had the look on his face that told us one of us did something   21  .

We stared down at the floor containing the art of a child’s   22   in chalk. I suppose that was a no-no for us, though I can’t say I quite   23   the result when I was committing the crime. All the others denied (否认). I stood there,   24   inside. The only words that came from my mouth were, “ Not me, dad. ” I couldn’t find the   25   to tell the truth. Lying was not   26   for me. But the look on dad's face scared me.

Without saying a word, dad   27   for only a few minutes and came back with paper and a pencil. He was so   28   to find the truth! “ I want each of you to write   29   what you see on the floor. ” I was not a   30   kid, though and when my turn came, I wrote the words   31  . So when my dad compared the handwriting, he still   32   tell the truth.

“ I will give you one more chance to confess (承认) ”, he said. Not   33  , no one spoke up.

Should I say something? I guess he’ll be   34  ! So again, I held my   35  . “ Well, if someone came forward, there would be   36   punishment.” he added. Oh, no! I’ve lost my last chance!

He took us into the house. “  37   none of you confessed, then you all get a spanking (打屁股).” 

“ I did it, ” someone said. I looked around to see my sister come   38  . My sister was going to get spanked. And I let it   39  .

I didn’t tell the truth until years later. When I think back to that day, I know I learned the   40 

of family, of a sister who would do anything for me. And I would do the same for her now.

21. A. special           B. funny            C. wrong           D. useless

22. A. handwriting            B. map              C. calculation        D. drawing

23. A. understood      B. remembered      C. accepted          D. expected

24. A. cheering        B. imagining        C. trembling         D. wondering

25. A. courage               B. time              C. way             D. chance

26. A. unusual        B. unfit               C. normal                  D. difficult

27. A. walked            B. disappeared       C. hid                     D. escaped

28. A. afraid            B. determined      C. surprised         D. proud

29. A. similarly       B. carefully        C. particularly       D. exactly

30. A. smart            B. stupid            C. naughty                 D. lovely

31. A. differently             B. strangely          C. quickly            D. quietly

32. A. would not       B. might not              C. could not                D. need not

33. A. excitingly       B. disappointingly          C. interestingly        D. surprisingly

34. A. mad            B. curious         C. delighted                D. amused

35. A. breath         B. face             C. hand            D. tongue

36. A. heavy         B. much            C. new                D. no

37. A. Since           B. Although         C. Unless           D. While

38. A. out             B. forward           C. in                      D. round

39. A. remain          B. exist             C. happen            D. do

40. A. knowledge     B. use               C. sense              D. value

The Best Holiday

 I was unbelievably proud of my nine-year-old daughter. Emily  21  to buy a mountain bike. she’d been saving her pocket money all year,  22  doing small jobs to earn extra money.

 By Thanksgiving, she had collected only $49. I said, “ You  23  have your pick from my bicycle  24 .” “Thanks, Daddy. But your bikes are so old.” She was right. All my girls’ bikes were 1950s models, not the kind a kid today would   25   choose.

  As Christmas  26  near, Emily and I went bike shopping. As we left one store, she  27  a Salvation Army volunteer standing next to a big pot. “Can we give something, Daddy ?” she asked.  “Sorry, Em , I’m out of  28  .”

  Throughout December, Emily continued to   29  hard. Then one day, she made a  30  announcement. “You know all the money I’ve been saving ?” she said hesitantly. “I’m going to give it to the poor people.” So one cold morning before Christmas, Emily handed her total savings of $ 58 to a volunteer who was really very  31 .

  32  by Emily’s selflessness, I decided to contribute  33  of my old bicycles to a car dealer who was collecting used bikes for poor children.     34   I selected a shiny model from my collection, however, it seemed as if a second bike took on a glow(发光). Should I  contribute two? No, one would be enough. But I couldn’t  35  the feeling that I should give a second bike. When I later  36  the bikes, the car dealer said, “You’re making two kids very  37  , sir. Here are your tickets. For each bicycle contributed, we’re   38   away one chance to win a girls’ mountain bike.”

Why wasn’t I surprised when that second ticket proved to be the  39   ? I like to think it was God’s way of  40  a little girl for a sacrifice beyond her years--- while giving her dad a lesson in the process.

Just ten years ago, I sat across the desk from a doctor with a serious look. “Yes,” he said, “there is a serious injury in the left lung…” I listened, too  21  to speak, as he continued, “You’ll have to  22  work at once and go to bed. Later on, we’ll see.” He gave no definite promise of recovery.

Feeling like a man who has suddenly been placed under  23  of death. In the next three days, I   24  my affairs; then I went home, got into bed, and set my watch to tick off not the minutes,   25  the months. Two and a half years and many crashed hopes later, I left my bed and began the long  26  back. It was another year before I made it.

I speak of this experience because these years that passed so  27  taught me what to believe and what to  28  . They said to me: Take time,   29  time takes you. I realize now that this world I’m living in is not my oyster（牡蛎）to be opened but my opportunity to be  30  . To me, each day is such a   31  gift. The sun comes up and presents me with 24 brand new, wonderful hours—not to pass, but to  32  .

I’ve learned to  33  those little but all-important things I never thought I had the time to notice before: the play of light on  34  water, the music of the wind in my favorite pine tree. I seem now to see and hear and feel with some of the recovered  35   of childhood. I recall the touch of the springy earth under my feet the day I first stepped upon it after the years in bed. It was like  36  one’s citizenship in a world one had nearly lost.   37  ,I sit back and say to myself, let me make a   38  of this moment I’m living right now. All this, I owe to that long time spent on the deadlines of life. Wiser people come to this awareness  39  having to acquire it the hard way. But I wasn’t wise enough. I’m   40  now, a little, and happier.

21．A．frightened B．embarrassed     C．shocked    D．confused

22．A．pick up     B．give up     C．take up     D．keep up

23．A．sentence   B．shadow     C．pressure    D．trial

24．A．figured out      B．looked after     C．cleared up D．concentrated on

25．A．or     B．and   C．nor    D．but

26．A．jump B．walk  C．rush  D．climb

27．A．quickly     B．slowly      C．quietly      D．easily

28．A．expect      B．desire       C．obtain       D．value

29．A．before      B．after  C．until  D．when

30．A．picked      B．accepted   C．grasped     D．quitted

31．A．precious   B．potential   C．pleasant    D．permanent

32．A．spend       B．fill    C．employ     D．kill

33．A．observe    B．appreciate C．ignore      D．respect

34．A．falling      B．rolling      C．running    D．pouring

35．A．ignorance B．absence     C．carelessness      D．freshness

36．A．regaining  B．requiring  C．rebuilding D．recovering

37．A．Regularly B．Immediately     C．Frequently       D．Continuously

38．A．copy B．note  C．study D．summary

39．A．beyond     B．by     C．without     D．through

40．A．better       B．stronger    C．wiser D．healthier

Last year I was put into a lower-level math class at school. The reason I was in this class had

  21   to do with my intelligence. I am blind. The school   22   that it would be better for me to learn at a lower level because it takes me a great deal longer to complete school tasks.

The only problem with being in this class was that I was   23   by "at-risk" students, who did not perform well in school and were   24   in trouble with the school and the law. On Monday mornings, the kids talked about what they had done during the past   25  . I tried not to listen, but it was almost   26   not to. I heard things in that classroom that shocked me.   27  

the teacher was in the room, that didn't stop my classmates from   28   their stories of drugs and violence.

­­­­      29   I was tired of their rude words. I even began to   30   the fact that I had to be there. One Tuesday morning, I went to a Christian Student Union meeting before school, where a guest speaker talked to us about praying for our   31   no matter how much we hated them. I thought a lot and began to pray for the kids in my class, asking God to   32   them for they weren't bad kids; they were just   33  .

  34   what I did was automatic. When I heard their voices in class, I would pray, "Dear God, please bless so-and-so . . ." But as I continued, something was growing   35   my heart for them. My classmates gradually became more than just annoying kids to me. They began to feel like family, and I was learning to love them in a way I   36   thought possible.

I now see that praying is such a   37   act. When I pray for those around me, it also   38  

my life, and it changes my understanding of others. I realized God's blessings enabled me to see the world through   39   eyes. The prayers I said for others   40   to help me the most.

It has been difficult to sit on the bench the majority of my high school basketball career. To watch my team from the sideline and   21   ­why I am not good enough to be on the floor.  22   

endless hours of work and devotion, pushing myself through drill after drill, the   23   thing I want is to be a cheerleader. The feeling of being   24   is sometimes too much and drives me to

  25   on the spot. I often feel as though my efforts are wasted and my time is eaten away, devoted to   26   .

It is heartbreaking to be a spectator(旁观者) for the game I love, knowing that no one has enough   27   to give me the chance to   28   on the floor. Tears well up, but I hold them back. I shouldn’t be so   29   over something so silly.

Away from the game, it’s easier to put my thoughts together,   30   letting my emotions drive my reasoning. I consider   31   I am where I am. I have played basketball my whole life. I have a passion for the   32   and always have. There is nothing like the excitement of   33  : the swish of the net, the sweat rolling off my cheeks, even the bruises(青肿) are battle wounds worn   34   after every game.

Even if I don’t play much, I participate in every   35  . I am part of a team of girls who

  36    together like a family. I am there for them,   37   they are for me.

Should I move on? Or should I stay with my team and pursue my passion just a little longer?
The decision isn’t difficult when I consider the   38    that being a part of a team brings me— and not just any team,   39   my team. I love basketball and my teammates. When I think about that, my view from the bench really isn’t so bad    40   .

21. A.consider                   B. wonder                  C. think                           D. hesitate

22. A. Since                           B. During                  C. After                           D. Before

23. A. other                B. next                           C. first                            D. last

24. A. worthless                B. hopeless                 C. helpless                         D. careless

25. A. fight                       B. quit                      C. transform                     D. retire

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

27. A. sympathy               B. encouragement       C. permission                     D. faith

28. A. respond               B. perform                       C. promote                              D. practice

29. A. scared                     B. nervous                  C. upset                          D. amazed

30. A. less than                  B. more than             C. other than                     D. rather than

31. A. why                      B. how                           C. whether                       D. what

32. A. bench                     B. sport                     C. drill                          D. battle

33. A. waiting                  B. watching               C. learning                              D. playing

34. A. proudly                  B. bravely                 C. unfortunately                D. painfully

35. A. decision                   B. plan                      C. game                           D. project

36. A. compete                 B. stick                     C. live                            D. represent

37. A. because                  B. if                       C. as                                D. though

38. A. joy                      B. patience               C. challenge                           D. position

39. A. so                             B. as                C. but                              D. like

40. A. above all           B. after all                 C. at all                            D. all in all

I wouldn’t ask for a dressing room. My mom always asked for me.

The evening before I had   21  risen from my seat and piled on excess （过量） noodles. Then I licked（舔）my bowl with the buttered garlic bread,   22  no evidence of the four servings I had eaten greedily. In the morning I would be forced to lie on my bed and suck in my   23   just to button my jeans. I feared school   24  . The sale rack, with its slender size markers, knew my number continued to grow.

I learned   25   to eat from my dad: fast and without thinking. In our house, the dinner table involved   26  ,with the children on defense. One   27   move and our dinner would be snatched off our plates without warning and eaten up by our father   28   than we could blink. We soon learned to keep a hand up while   29   our chicken, and if Mom decided to cook that night we needed to hurry and get   30   before it was gone.

Only one pair of jeans I tried on fit. I   31   and told my mother I could button every pair but only needed the jeans that lay   32   in my hands. We walked to the checkout.

I kept my head down as we passed a group of girls. They   33  . I glanced up only long enough to know my place. Their   34   cut at me, hands cupped over their mouths in secrecy.

The shop was about to close and I   35   two girls in my third grade class out.

“I like your pants. Where did you get them?” Marcy asked Alicia. I nodded in agreement,   36  they had removed their cupped hands and I could hear the   37  .

“Really? I like yours better,” Alicia replied.

“We should trade. What   38   are you?” Marcy asked.

“I don’t know …” Alicia said, finding the tag in the back of her pants. “Seven.”

“Me too,” Marcy said.

I   39   in line as I held the jeans, tag folded in so   40   could see the number on it was 12. I am not a size seven.

21．A．hurriedly  B．hungrily   C．repeatedly D．worriedly[

22．A．leaving     B．offering    C．collecting  D．examining

23．A．stomach    B．legs   C．waist D．hands

24．A．uniforms  B．meals       C．holiday     D．shopping

25．A．what B．how  C．why  D．when

26．A．battle       B．game C．strike D．debate

27．A．big    B．unusual     C．false  D．bold

28．A．harder      B．further      C．earlier      D．faster

29．A．swallowing      B．biting       C．tasting      D．cooking

30．A．excuses     B．seconds     C．opportunities    D．demands

31．A．ordered    B．lied   C．paid  D．promised

32．A．closed      B．guided      C．guarded    D．satisfied

33．A．laughed    B．murmured C．shouted     D．whispered

34．A．mouths     B．hands       C．eyes  D．ears

35．A．led    B．followed   C．invited      D．walked

36．A．thankful   B．afraid       C．anxious     D．excited

37．A．interview  B．conversation     C．question    D．report

38．A．number    B．size   C．color D．weight

39．A．jumped     B．waited      C．cried D．hid

40．A．everybody       B．anybody   C．nobody     D．somebody

I got lots of interesting experiences in a free school. At first I couldn’t believe it. There were no    41    in rows or loud-sounding bells, nor did anyone have to go to    42   . Although we lived “in”,    43   made us go to bed at a certain time; there was no “ lights out”.

The    44  thing was that practically all the students went to class, and very few people stayed up late at night. Only the new people stayed up or    45  class. The new ones always went wild    46   , but his wildness never lasted long. The freedom took some getting used to. Our teachers treated us like  _47  ; never did we have to   48_   “ stand up”, “ sit down”, “ speak out”. I don’t    49    one student who didn’t try his best.

The subjects were the same as those in the ___50_____ school, but what a difference in the method! For example, in botany (植物学) we had   51__  classes in the spring or fall, but instead we planted two gardens, a vegetable garden and a flower garden. Then in winter we each studied a few    52  things about what we had grown. In math the students built three different sizes of storerooms---small ones   53   , but usable. They did this instead of having lessons in the classroom. They really had a    54  time, too, designing everything, drawing the blueprints(蓝图;设计图), figuring out the angles and so on. I didn’t take    55__ . But I could do the basic things with numbers. That’s   56   .

  57_    I think I am a      58    person for having gone to the school. I can read and write as well as anyone else of my age, and I think better. That’s probably a real big      ___59     between the free school and the regular school--- the amount of    60   .

41.A.desks            B. lights         C. books            D. windows

42.A. home           B. bed           C. class             D. work

43.A. teachers         B. parents        C. nobody           D. somebody

44.A. sad             B. last           C. good             D. strange

45.A. attended         B. took          C. missed           D. studied

46.A. from then on     B. at first         C. once more        D. just then

47.A. workers         B. pupils         C. gardeners         D. grown- ups

48.A. play            B. say           C. study             D. understand

49.A. hear from        B. feel like       C. think about        D. know of

50.A. night            B. regular        C. small            D. real

51.A. all              B. short         C. no               D. indoor

52.A.wild             B. successful     C. interested         D. particular

53.A. as well          B. after a while   C. of course          D. as a result

54.A. funny           B. great         C. convenient        D. terrible

55.A. math           B. angle         C. botany            D. gardens

56.A. uninteresting     B. interesting     C. enough           D. dangerous

57.A.On the whole     B. Once again     C. Sooner or later     D. After a while

58.A. careful          B. better         C. busier            D. lovely

59.A. problem         B. chance        C. difference         D. change

60.A. reading          B. gardening     C. teaching          D. thinking