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My friend and I were at a restaurant in Berkeley for an evening fast food．All of a sudden we decided to do a small act of _______ —to use the smile card to．_______ someone’s day．
Being at a restaurant，we intended to pay for someone else anonymously(匿名)and see what _______．We got all excited with the _______ and set about doing that．
We looked around for which table we should pay for，and then _______ a table—it seemed like an immigrant family with a few children，_______ their meals at that time．I could sense a family _______ in them and that they were having a nice time together．We called on our waitress to _______ the idea to her．
As soon as we told her we wanted to pay for another table and showed her the _______，she got super thrilled! We told her about it and made sure she knew we wanted to be anonymous，which made us further _______．After a while．she came back and told us the waitress for that table was _______ to tears when hearing about our idea．
Soon after，we left，feeling delighted and grateful to get all opportunity to _______ smiles．It is hard to explain how it felt in the moment，but it _______ felt special，not because I was“helping”someone．but because I felt _______ to people I didn’t even know—the waitresses and the family．It also，in some form，melted me to see how people _______ to generosity，which has become so _______ in today’s commercial lifestyle．I felt something inside me _______．
I don’t know what happened next，how the family felt and _______ or how the waitresses _______ the situation，but I am sure it brought a few _______ to a few people including myself．
1.A. adventure B. kindness C. entertainment D. difficulty
2.A. spend B. manage C. spare D. make
3.A. occurred B. changed C. mattered D. disappeared
4.A. order B. idea C. request D. news
5.A. turned down B. put forward C. settled on D. took up
6.A. preparing B. expecting C. cooking D. enjoying
7.A. bond B. argument C. conflict D. pressure
8.A. prove B. explain C. announce D. report
9.A. card B. gift C. phone D. menu
10.A. desperate B. enthusiastic C. sympathetic D. embarrassed
11.A. confused B. scared C. depressed D. moved
12.A. wear B. copy C. spread D. force
13.A. slightly B. hardly C. frequently D. obviously
14.A. connected B. separated C. addicted D. accustomed
15.A. refer B. lead C. respond D. stick
16.A. curious B. regular C. awful D. rare
17.A. changed B. happened C. realized D. gained
18.A. refused B. reacted C. complained D. criticized
19.A. experienced B. avoided C. analyzed D. compared
20.A. suggestions B. promises C. smiles D. worries
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It was an afternoon in the winter, some friends and I were talking at a restaurant. We talked and talked and soon swimming became the __26___. Suddenly I hit upon an idea. “ Wouldn’t it be ___27_ if we went swimming? Others went swimming in winter, and __28__ couldn’t we? Besides, we could be ___29__ if we did. ” I told them about this and they all said it was a good idea indeed.
Early in the morning, three days _30____, we four were standing at the bus stop, with bags in our hands, ___31__ for a bus to take us to the __32__. The sky was clear, the sun was shining, but all the same, it was very cold, __33__ our heavy overcoats were not enough to keep us ___34__. We all felt that we should go back, but no one wanted to __35__.
We soon reached the sands. There was nobody there, but we were not to be discouraged. _36__ we were proud that we were the __37___ ones that dared to challenge the weather. Besides, the sun could keep us warm. So we __38__ ourselves quickly.
But things were not going to be so nice as we thought. The sea wind was blowing, we felt _39___ cold and we shook from head to feet. At last we decided to ___40__ the sea water. We put our feet in first, only to take them back___41___. The water was unbelievably cold. __42___ I suggested that we should all jump in at the same time. We all went back ten steps. I gave the order and we all rushed forward. We jumped. That feeling I had when I was in the water I shall never __43 . I was up and rushed again to the seaside. So _44___ my friends. We put on our clothes as quickly as possible and went home.
We four did not go to school the next three days, for we all _45_ a bad cold. We missed the lessons, but we had this unforgettable experience.
1.A. topic B. object C. center D. opinion
2.A. lucky B. interesting C. surprising D. happy
3.A. how B. what C. why D. that
4.A. ill B. worse C. better D. stronger
5.A. past B. later C. before D. since
6.A. meeting B. asking C. looking D. waiting
7.A. sands B. swimming pool C. river D. lake
8.A. though B. only C. since D. even
9.A. warm B. cold C. cool D. hot
10.A. talk about B. speak out C. think over D. shout at
11.A. Instead B. For C. Unless D. Sometimes
12.A. lucky B. only C. happy D. younger
13.A. enjoyed B. helped C. changed D. dressed
14.A. a little B. such C. a bit D. very
15.A. go into B. go down C. take off D. jump into
16.A. quickly B. carefully C. finally D. bravely
17.A. Next B. Last C. Then D. When
18.A. forget B. remember C. tell D. believe
19.A. do B. did C. had D. were
20.A. felt B. became C. caught D. turned
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Even then my only friends were made of paper and ink. At school I had learned to read and write long before the other children. Where my school friends saw notches of ink on incomprehensible pages, I saw light, streets and people. Words and the mystery of their hidden science fascinated me, and I saw in them a key with which I could unlock a boundless world, a haven from that home, those streets, and those troubled days in which even I could sense that only a limited fortune awaited me. My father didn’t like to see books in the house. There was something about them---apart from the letters he could not recognize---that offended him. He used to tell me that as soon as I was ten he would send me off to work and that I’d better get rid of all my scatterbrained ideas if I didn’t want to end up a loser, a nobody. I used to hide my books under the mattress and wait for him to go out or fall asleep so that I could read. Once he caught me reading at night and flew into a rage. He tore the book from my hands and flung it out of the window.
“If I catch you wasting electricity again, reading all this nonsense, you’ll be sorry.”
My father was not a miser and, despite the hardships we suffered, whenever he could he gave me a few coins so that I could buy myself some treats like the other children. He was convinced that I spent them on sunflower seeds, or sweets, but I would keep them in a coffee tin under the bed, and when I’d collected enough coins I’d secretly rush out to buy myself a book.
My favorite place in the whole city was the Sempere & Sons Bookshop on Calle Santa Ana. It smelled of old paper and dust and it was my refuge. The bookseller would let me sit on a chair in a corner and read any book I liked to my heart’s content. He hardly ever allowed me to pay for the books he placed in my hands, but when he wasn’t looking I’d leave the coins I’d managed to collect on the counter before I left. It was only small change---if I’d had to buy a book with that pittance (极少的报酬), I would probably have been able to afford only a booklet of cigarette papers. When it was time for me to leave, I would do so dragging my feet, a weight on my soul. If it had been up to me, I would have stayed there forever.
One Christmas Sempere gave me that best gift I had ever received. It was an old volume, read and experienced to the full.
“Great expectations, by Charles Dickens,” I read on the cover.
I was aware that Sempere knew a few authors who frequented his establishment and, judging by the care with which he handled the volume, I thought perhaps this Mr. Dickens was one of them.
“A friend of yours?”
“A lifelong friend. And from now on, he’s your friend too.”
That afternoon I took my new friend home, hidden under my clothes so that my father wouldn’t see it. It was a rainy winter, with days as gray as lead, and I read Great Expectations about nine times, partly because I had no other book at hand, partly because I did not think there could be a better one in the whole world and I was beginning to suspect that Mr. Dickens had written it just for me. Soon I was convinced that I didn’t want to do anything else in life but learn to do what Mr. Dickens had done.
1.The underlined word “haven” in Paragraph 1 probably means “______”.
A. favor B. mask C. consultant D. shelter
2.Paragraph 1 mainly talks about ______.
A. the people who played a part in the author’s story
B. the difficulties the author ran into in his childhood
C. the author’s affection for books as a child
D. the author’s dreams before he met Sempere
3.The word “friend” is used twice by Sempere to ______.
A. emphasize the emotional connection Sempere feels to reading
B. imply that Sempere had one close friend in his lifetime
C. underline the importance of the author’s connection to Sempere
D. stress how friendships helped the author deal with difficulties
4.Why does the author consider Great Expectations to be the best gift?
A. Because he wanted to make the acquaintance of the book’s author.
B. Because the gift meant that Sempere regarded him as a special friend.
C. Because reading the book convinced him that he wanted to be a writer.
D. Because he’d only ever been given sweets and snacks as gifts in the past.
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I was sitting in a fast food restaurant with my two children, who at the time were about 6 and 9. Inside there was also a group of teens in goth（粗野的）dress and appearance. Everyone kept away from them inside the restaurant.
Outside the restaurant, the same people jumped past the homeless man searching the garbage bin, who was looking for food or perhaps a cigarette. I too had rushed past him with my youngsters, refusing his request for money but thinking maybe, just maybe, I would bring him some food. It turns out I didn't have to.
One of the goth youths jumped up, went to the counter and ordered more food, which she then took outside to the homeless man and sat on the bench with him, chatting away as he ate. He didn’t say much — he was greedy — but I think I saw a bit of a smile and a glint in his eyes as he nodded to her questions.
Writing this now, several years later I still choke up. That girl was a model citizen living the values of goodness and kindness. These are values I have always held high and hoped to teach my kids. She made my job much easier. We stopped by on our way out and thanked her for setting such a positive example for us. I hope that hearing that made as much of a difference in her life as seeing what she did has made to ours.
1.Why did people keep away form the teens in the fast food restaurant?
A.Because they were dressed in goth dress and appearance.
B.Because they were too young to pay their meal.
C.Because they liked to quarreled with others.
D.Because they killed two children.
2.What did the man want the author to do?
A.Help him get money. B.Bring him some food.
C.Provide him for money. D.Refuse to take care of him.
3.What word can the underlined word “glint” mean in paragraph 3?
A.flash B.gloom
C.surprise D.happiness
4.What can we learn about the author from the passage?
A.The author is also a model citizen like the girl.
B.The author sets a good example for the girl.
C.The author is deeply moved by the girl.
D.The author has sympathy for the girl.
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I was sitting in a fast food restaurant with my two children, who at the time were about 6 and 9. Inside there was also a group of teens in Gothic(哥特式的) dress and appearance. Everyone kept away from them inside the restaurant.
Outside the restaurant, people jumped past the homeless man searching the garbage bin, who was looking for food or perhaps a cigarette. I too had rushed past him with my youngsters, refusing his request for money but thinking maybe, just maybe, I would bring him some food. It turned out that I didn't have to.
One girl in the Gothic youth jumped up, went to the counter and ordered more food, which she then took outside to the homeless man and sat on the bench with him, chatting away as he ate. He didn't say much—he was greedy—but I think I saw a bit of a smile and a flash in his eyes as he nodded to her questions.
Writing this now, several years later, I still choke up. That girl was a model citizen living the values of goodness and kindness. These are values I have always held high and hoped to teach my kids. She made my job much easier. We stopped by on our way out and thanked her for setting such a positive example for us. I hope that hearing that has made as much of a difference in her life as seeing what she did has made to ours.
1.Why did people keep away from the teens in the fast food restaurant?
A. Because they were dressed in Gothic dress.
B. Because they were too young to pay their meal.
C. Because they liked to quarrel with others.
D. Because they killed two children.
2.What did the homeless man want the author to do?
A. To help him get money. B. To bring him some food.
C. To provide him with money. D. To refuse to take care of him.
3.It can be inferred that the homeless man ________.
A. was very greedy in deed B. was very hungry at that time
C. didn't like talking with others much D. didn't answer the girl's questions
4.What can we learn about the author from the passage?
A. The author is also a model citizen like the girl.
B. The author sets a good example for the girl.
C. The author is deeply moved by the girl.
D. The author has sympathy for the girl.
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My husband and I were paying a visit 1. my parents in Tucson. We went to a fast-food restaurant for dinner together. My husband went to the counter 2. (order )dishes and I stood with my parents.
My dad is 90 3. (year) old. He can hardly see very well and walks with a stick. I was scanning the restaurant, 4. (wait) to sit at the first table that was more convenient than others. A woman who was 5. (sit) with her son made eye contact with me and asked me to come to her. With a puzzled look on my face, I pointed to ___6. (me) and said , “Me ?” She nodded and said , “ Yes, you.” I walked to the table and she said , “ Bring your family here. I can finish eating at the counter. My son is in 7. hurry to leave anyway.” My eyes 8. (fill)with tears as she wiped down the table and guided my dad to the seat.
I always believe that there are 9. (nature) kind people in this world. This woman has set a good example to her son, 10. is a really lucky guy.
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It was a winter afternoon. Some friends and I were eating at a restaurant and talking. We talked and talked and soon ________ became the topic. Suddenly I hit upon an idea. “Wouldn’t it be fun to go ________ ? Others go in winter, but why couldn’t we? ________, we could be healthier if we did. ” I told them about this, and they all said it was a good idea ________. Early the next morning, we four were standing at the bus stop, with bags in our hands, ________ for a bus to take us to the ________ . The sky was clear; the sun was shining. But it was very cold all the same. ________ our heavy overcoats were not enough to keep us warm. We all felt we should go back, but no one wanted to speak out.
We soon reached the sands. There was ________ there, but we were not discouraged. Instead we were ________ that we were the only ones that dared to challenge the weather. ________ we changed our clothes quickly. But things were not going so ________ . The freezing sea wind was blowing. We felt very cold and trembled all over. At ________ we made up our minds to go into the water. We put our feet in first ________ to take them back very quickly. The water was unbelievably cold. Then I suggested we all jump in ________ . We all went back ten steps. I gave the ________ , and we all rushed forward and jumped in. I shall never forget the moment I was in the water. I was up ________ and rushed again to the shore. ________ it was with my friends. We put on our clothes as quickly as possible.
On the way back home, we talked about this unforgettable ________ . The four of us did not ________ school for the following three days. We all suffered a lot ________ a very bad cold. But we thought it was all worth it.
1.A. film B. music C. sports D. play
2.A. swimming B. skating C. skiing D. camping
3.A. Specially B. Besides C. Really D. Clearly
4.A. indeed B. fully C. certainly D. truly
5.A. looking B. searching C. waiting D. asking
6.A. river B. lake C. pool D. sands
7.A. Even B. Yet C. But D. Just
8.A. somebody B. nobody C. everybody D. anybody
9.A. excited B. happy C. proud D. lonely
10.A. So B. But C. Still D. Yet
11.A. wrong B. right C. bad D. smooth
12.A. first B. all C. last D. once
13.A. just B. then C. only D. but
14.A. one by one B. one after another C. separately D. at the same time
15.A. message B. order C. mark D. information
16.A. slowly B. nervously C. late D. immediately
17.A. Nor B. And C. So D. Or
18.A. idea B. experiment C. chance D. experience
19.A. attend B. reach C. enter D. go
20.A. by B. with C. from D. of
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My wife and I were at a crowded grocery store not long ago. It was a weekday evening, cold and wet and tense. People were carelessly blocking aisles, complaining and cutting one another off with their carts. At one point, two women quarreled for several minutes after colliding in the freezer section.
Things got worse at the checkout line.The cashier scanned a man's discount card, but he misread the savings on her screen as an additional charge. He decided she was acting intentionally and began to argue.
Other customers looked away as the cashier tried to reason with him. She called a manager, who took him to customer service. Shaken , she moved to the next customer in line.
We’ve all witnessed uncomfortable scenes like this in public places. My reaction when I see them is both personal and professional. I am a data analyst and sociologist who studies how and why people interact with one another--or why they choose not to. To me, the grocery scene was another example of how our trust in others has faded. But it was also a teachable moment on how we can rebuild our faith — starting with just one person.
Therefore, my wife and I reached the disturbed cashier. I grabbed a bottle of water from a nearby cooler and handed it to her. We learned her name was Beth.
“We felt bad about how that man treated you and wanted to buy this for you.” I said.
Beth’s face lit up, and we talked as she scanned our items.She told us she had been working that evening through severe foot pain and would be having surgery later that week. We wished her well in her recovery, and she thanked us as we left.
That is the balancing act, the moment of countering social and emotional pain with healing, that will add up to restore trust across the United States. You can start that pattern in someone else's life , even in a place as ordinary as the neighborhood grocery store.
1.By describing the arguments, the author wants to show__________.
A.the job as a cashier is not easy. B.people in the U.S are unfriendly.
C.arguments in public are very common. D.confidence in each other has worn off.
2.How did Beth probably feel when the couple gave her a bottle of water?
A.Sad and regretful. B.Sorry and wronged.
C.Cheerful and rewarded. D.Grateful and relieved.
3.What's author's attitude towards Americans' regaining trust?
A.Doubtful. B.Optimistic.
C.Uncaring D.Cautious
4.Which of the following can be the best title for the text?
A.A Miserable Cashier. B.A Helping Hand.
C.Learning to Trust Again. D.Starting a new life.
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One day, my husband, David, and I were taking our dog Joey for his evening walk. We were on our way home, ________ toward a bridge, when I heard some loud noises ahead.
As we went near, I could see a(n) ________ sitting on the ground. It was a young man, crying and shouting, with his whole body shaking. I ________ and suddenly realized the ________ of the situation. High-speed trains ran over the bridge and it was a well-known spot for those who wanted to take their own ________.
David and I ________ glances. There was no one around. I knew I would never be able to ________ myself if his death was reported the next day and I’d done nothing. I moved ________ toward the man and asked him if I could sit down, and then ________ myself onto the ground opposite him. I tried a few ________ questions: “What’s your name? How old are you? What do you do?” His answers were ________. “Tommy. 23. Computers.”
“Are you OK?” I asked. “No, I’m not!” he ________ back. He lost control of his ________ —tears one moment; anger the next. I tried my best to make a ________. I even retold the story of Neil Laybourn, who had ________ a man down from Waterloo Bridge in London 10 years ago.
“They’re great friends now.” I said. “Who knows? That could be us.” I was saying anything to calm him down, to show him I was a person who cared, and his life still ________. Then I heard the sound of a train in the distance and knew this was it: the moment he could ________ himself out there.
Time slowed down. There was ________. I told him my name, Joey’s name, where I lived, how I was a mother of three. When the train passed, I let out a ________. By this time, Tommy’s cries were slowing down and he was stroking (抚摸) Joey. “He is a(n) ________ little thing, isn’t he?” he said.
1.A.running B.bending C.heading D.leading
2.A.object B.shadow C.body D.figure
3.A.froze B.yelled C.exploded D.hesitated
4.A.difficulty B.seriousness C.importance D.reality
5.A.life B.way C.time D.place
6.A.took B.shot C.stole D.exchanged
7.A.go with B.live with C.conflict with D.deal with
8.A.hopefully B.slowly C.casually D.quickly
9.A.applied B.landed C.dragged D.lowered
10.A.harsh B.tricky C.private D.gentle
11.A.single B.abundant C.simple D.honest
12.A.shouted B.whispered C.answered D.turned
13.A.emotions B.mind C.temper D.behaviours
14.A.contribution B.difference C.connection D.suggestion
15.A.brought B.reached C.forced D.talked
16.A.existed B.continued C.mattered D.suffered
17.A.throw B.push C.drop D.squeeze
18.A.everything B.nothing C.something D.anything
19.A.cry B.sound C.murmur D.sigh
20.A.brave B.sweet C.clumsy D.ugly
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It was sleeting (雨雪交加). My wife and I were going to dinner at a friend’s house. As we hurried toward the house, with its _______ light, I noticed a car pulling out from the curb. Just ahead, another car was waiting to_______ into the parking space. But before he could do so another car came up from behind, and sneaked into the_______.
“That’s a(n) _______ trick.” I thought. While my wife went ahead into our friend’s house, I stepped into the street to give the _______ driver a piece of my mind. A man in work clothes _______ the window.
“Hey,” I said, “this parking space belongs to that guy.” I _______ toward the man ahead, feeling pretty manly in my new coat.
“Must you get _______?” the driver yelled, “None of your business!”.
“No,” I said. “You don’t understand. That fellow was waiting for this space.” Things quickly became _______, until finally he leaped out of the car. The huge man ________ me and bent me back over the hood of his car. I was ________. I scrambled (跌跌撞撞) to my friend’s front door. Seeing that I was ________, my wife and friends asked me what had happened. All I could say was that I had had a(n) ________ about a parking space. They had the ________ to let it go at that.
Perhaps half an hour later, the doorbell rang. I was sure the guy had returned for me. My hostess got up to answer it, but I stopped her. I was morally ________ to answer it myself.
I walked down the halfway with________. Yet I knew I had to face up to my fear. I opened the door. There he stood, ________. “I came back to apologize,” he said in a low voice. “The Brooklyn Navy Yard is closing. I’ve worked there for years. And today I got ________. I hope you’ll accept my apology.”
I often remember that big man. I think of the ________ and courage it took for him to come back. He was man at his________.
1.A. inviting B. welcoming C. warning D. flashing
2.A. advance B. back C. slide D. break
3.A. garage B. courtyard C. destination D. spot
4.A. absurd B. logical C. dirty D. invisible
5.A. fierce B. guilty C. cruel D. dangerous
6.A. opened up B. wound up C. rolled down D. took down
7.A. gestured B. signed C. hurried D. moved
8.A. involved B. interrupted C. infected D. interacted
9.A. sharp B. stable C. tense D. acute
10.A. seized B. crushed C. scratched D. hugged
11.A. disappointed B. astonished C. depressed D. terrified
12.A. stricken B. fallen C. drunken D. shaken
13.A. negotiation B. bargain C. assessment D. argument
14.A. creativity B. sensitivity C. security D. sincerity
15.A. bound B. reluctant C. induced D. reminded
16.A. courage B. patience C. scare D. curiosity
17.A. trembling B. towering C. leaning D. wandering
18.A. laid off B. settled down C. entered for D. dealt with
19.A. honesty B. confidence C. effort D. energy
20.A. cost B. risk C. best D. leisure