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From my second year of primary school on, there was one event I was afraid of every year: the piano recital(独奏会). A recital meant I had to practice a ______ piece of music and perform in front of strangers who knew the ______ much better than I. Each year I would ask my father if I could skip the recital “just this once”. And he ______ say something about building self-confidence and working toward a goal.
So it was with great satisfaction______ I stood in church one recent Sunday, and watched my father ______ in his shirt and tie before rising to play the piano in his very first recital. My father had ______ to play music when he was small. But his mother couldn’t afford lessons. A ______ couple helped him, but he soon ______ after being teased by other boys. Three years ago, when he retired he asked his church music director, Charles Staples, to take him as a/an ______. One recent Sunday just before the recital, he told me my dad was playing “the best I’ve ever seen him. I keep waiting for him to reach his ______, but he hasn’t yet.”
For a moment ______ my father sat down at the keyboard to play, he simply stared ______ at his fingers, and I wondered whether he would even begin. He’s forgotten the notes, I worried, remembering those moments decades ago when my mind would go ______ and my fingers would ______________. But then Aram Khachaturian’s melody came, and I realized he has been doing what music teachers always tell their new students to do: focus on the music and ______ the rest of us aren’t there.
My dad ______ it through Melody and then through another one. What he lacked in skill, he more than ______ in feeling. He rose, turned to his audience and bowed, making us laugh ______ relief and affection (爱).
Also in the audience was my 11-year-old son Jeff.
“So what did you think about your granddad?” I asked Jeff later.
“He was great,” Jeff replied.
“I’m ______ of him for starting something new at his age,” I said.
“Yeah, and doing it so well,” Jeff added.
My father may not have reached his peak(highest level) ______, but as far as his grandson is concerned, he’s at 
the top of the mountain.
1.A. sweet B. bright C. boring D. sad
2.A. profession B. notes C. recital D. event
3.A. would B. should C. could D. might
4.A. that B. when C. how D. while
5.A. wearing B. sweating C. gathering D. switching
6.A. longed B. learned C. managed D. started
7.A. senior B. rough C. gifted D. kind
8.A. started B. stopped C. enjoyed D. progressed
9.A. student B. teacher C. player D. assistant
10.A. goal B. aim C. peak D. standard
11.A. after B. while C. since D. as
12.A. away B. down C. out D. through
13.A. mad B. wild C. empty D. cool
14.A. move B. apply C. slide D. freeze
15.A. ignore B. pretend C. guess D. announce
16.A. made B. got C. reached D. played
17.A. put hands on B. made up for C. take the place D. came to life
18.A. with B. at C. from D. by
19.A. thankful B. satisfied C. fond D. proud
20.A. purposely B. thoroughly C. musically D. originally
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From my second grade on, there was one event I feared every year: the piano recital（独奏演唱会）. A recital ______I had to practice a boring piece of music and perform before strangers. Each year I _____ask my father if I could skip the recital “just this once”. And each year he would shake his head, muttering（嘀咕） _______about build self-confidence and working toward a _______.
So it was with really great______that I stood in church one recent Sunday, video camera in hand, and ______my 68-year-old father sweating in his shirt ______rising to play the piano in his very first recital.
My father had longed to play music since childhood, but his family was poor and couldn’t _______lessons. He could have gone on regretting it, _______too many of us do. But though he was rooted in his past, he wasn’t _______there. When he retired three years ago, he ______ his church music director to take him as a student.
For a moment after my father sat down at the keyboard, he ______stared down at his fingers. Has he forgotten the ______? I worried, remembering those split seconds______ago when my mind would go blank and my fingers would _______. But then came the beautiful melody（旋律）, from the ______fingers that once baited（装饵于）my fishing lines. And I______he had been doing what music teachers always stress: _______the music and pretend the others aren’t there.
“I’m ________of him for starting something new at his age,” I said to my son Jeff.
“Yeah, and doing it so_______,” Jeff added.
With his first recital, my father taught me more about courage and determination than all the words he used those 30-plus years ago.
1.A. reflected B. explained C. meant D. proved
2.A. would B. could C. might D. should
3.A. nothing B. everything C. anything D. something
4.A. goal B. stage C. journey D. chance
5.A. trouble B. satisfaction C. strength D. disappointment
6.A. kept B. sent C. watched D. felt
7.A. through B. from C. against D. before
8.A. miss B. afford C. select D. understand
9.A. as B. once C. if D. while
10.A. educated B. protected C. stuck D. spoilt
11.A. allowed B. invited C. inspired D. persuaded
12.A. roughly B. simply C. merrily D. curiously
13.A. words B. videos C. notes D. lessons
14.A. decades B. weeks C. hours D. moments
15.A. play B. freeze C. click D. adjust
16.A. same B. warm C. different D. dirty
17.A. predicted B. realized C. imagined D. insisted
18.A. pass over B. turn up C. bring in D. concentrate on
19.A. ashamed B. aware C. tired D. proud
20.A. casually B. anxiously C. nicely D. frequently
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During the school year many parents take on the role of driver as they drive their children from one lesson to another .Understandably so. Many of us want our children to have a little taste of everything, from organized sports to music, dance and more. But we can overdo it, leaving our children feeling a little burnt out, and according to parent educator Diane Loisie ,it’s their school work which suffers the most. “After school, if they’re busy in a number of sporting events, besides they need to do their homework, then the time they’ll feel sleepy is in the classroom. Your child needs free time. So if you’re filling up that after school time, then it’s during the day that they’re going to be taking a break.”
Professor Claire McDermott agrees that there’s a lot to be gained from sometimes putting those scheduled lessons and activities away. “Relaxing time is important for children. It’s time just to do the things they want to do. A child can go up to their room, or they can play around. It doesn’t look like productive time; parents certainly wouldn’t be saying ‘Wow, are they ever learning things now?’ But this relaxing time gives both the body and the brain just a wonderful chance to relax after a day. It helps a child prepare for sleep, but it also helps to understand the learning that’s gone on that day.”
It’s hard to prevent signing our kids up for some activities and lessons. After all, many of us want our children to have a head start in life and the chance to join in great activities in the arts or sports is a part of that. However, Loisie feels that in the long run most children feel better with just a few key activities because it gives them an opportunity to master them. “When we get our children in too many activities because we want our children to experience everything, then what we’re doing is setting them up not to be good at one thing or gaining a skill.” So choose your children’s activities wisely. It may be one of the best things you’ve ever done for your kids… and for the family drivers!
1.What is the biggest disadvantage for children to attend too many lessons after school?
A.They can get bored easily about everything.
B.They might have no time to do the homework.
C.They might not pay much attention to learning.
D.They cannot easily focus on learning during the day.
2.What should we think of children’s playing around aimlessly?
A.It is productive. B.It is helpful. C.It is a bad habit. D.It is a waste of time.
3.Why should parents limit the activities our children attend?
A.Because children have no time.
B.Because children cannot learn many things.
C.Because children do not have enough sleep.
D.Because children cannot focus on too many activities.
4.What is the main idea of this passage?
A.Don’t be children’s drivers after school.
B.Choose activities for your children wisely.
C.Make your children learn as much as possible.
D.Let children learn something from various subjects.
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During the school year many parents take on the role of driver as they drive their children from one lesson to another. It can be understood that many of us want our children to have a little taste of everything, from organized sports to music, dance and more. But we overdo it, leaving our children feeling a little tired, and according to parent educator Diane Loisie, it’s their school work that suffers the most. “After school, if they’re busy in a number of sporting events, besides they need to do their homework, then the time they’ll feel sleepy is in the classroom. Your child needs free time. So if you’re filling up that after school time, then it’s during the day they’re going to be taking a break. ”
Professor Claire McDermott agrees that there’s a lot to be gained from sometimes putting those planned lessons and activities away. “Relaxing time is important for children. It’s time just to do the things they want to do. A child can go up to their room, or they can play around. It doesn’t look like useful time; parents certainly wouldn’t be saying ‘Wow, are they ever learning things now?’ But this relaxing time gives both the body and the brain just a wonderful chance to relax after a day. It helps a child prepare for sleep, but it also helps to understand the learning that’s gone on that day. ”
It’s hard to prevent signing our kids up for some activities and lessons. After all, many of us want our children to have a head start in life and the chance to join in great activities in the arts or sports is a part of that. However, Loisie feels that in the long run most children feel better with just a few key activities because it gives them an opportunity to master them. “When we get our children in too many activities because we want our children to experience everything, then what we’re doing is setting them up not to be good at one thing or gaining a skill. ” So choose your children’s activities wisely. It may be one of the best things you’ve ever done for your kids… and for the family driver!
1.What is the biggest disadvantage for children to attend too many lessons after school?
A. They can get bored easily about everything.
B. They might have no time to do the homework.
C. They might not pay much attention to learning.
D. They cannot easily focus on learning during the day.
2.What should we think of children’s playing around aimlessly?
A. It is simple.
B. It is helpful.
C. It is a bad habit.
D. It is a waste of time.
3. Why should parents limit the activities our children attend?
A. Because children have no time.
B. Because children cannot learn many things.
C. Because children do not have enough sleep.
D. Because children cannot focus on too many activities.
4.What is the main idea of this passage?
A. Don’t be children’s drivers after school.
B. Choose activities for your children wisely.
C. Make your children learn as much as possible.
D. Let children learn something from various subjects.
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From that day on, when eight-year-old Jack with gray eyes began riding my school bus, he was a troublemaker. His father passed away and he did not live with his mother. If a fight_________, it must have Jack. If a girl was crying, _____were that Jack had pulled her hair. I practiced every bit of ________, talking to him again and again, but no use. No matter how I spoke to him,________or strictly, he would stare at me with those big gray eyes________a word.
Towards the end of the year, I received many small gifts from kids on my bus. A little girl sent me a star key chain. She had written, “I love Polly and Polly loves me.” On the last day of school I was_________because of talking to the headmaster. When I got on the bus I___________that the star key chain was gone. “Jack was the first one to get on the bus. Check his__________,” insisted the girl who had given me the gift.
I asked him to come forward. I________my hand into one pocket. Then I felt it – the_________shape of the key chain. Jack stared at me for a long time. There was no__________in those big gray eyes, and no plea(请求)for _____. He seemed to be waiting for what would happen. I was about to_________the key chain out of Jack’s pocket when I __________myself.” Let him keep it,” a_________seemed to whisper. “It must have fallen off before I got here,” I said to the kids.
Many years later, I was in a department store________someone said, “Polly?” I turned to see the big gray eyes. To my____________ , he hugged me and pulled________from his pocket ---the key chain that_________, “I love Polly and Polly loves me.”
“You were the only one who kept________,” he explained. We hugged again…
1.A. build up B. gave up C. broke out D. picked out
2.A. challenges B. changes C. choices D. chances
3.A. interest B. respect C. patience D. hope
4.A. slowly B. gently C. coldly D. rudely
5.A. without B. through C. after D. upon
6.A. observed B. delayed C. complained D. punished
7.A. wondered B. doubted C. admitted D. realized
8.A. seat B. hands C. pockets D. schoolbag
9.A. expanded B. raised C. hid D. reached
10.A. charming B. original C. familiar D. normal
11.A. pride B. regret C. pleasure D. anger
12.A. encouragement B. admission C. mercy D. escape
13.A. pick B. slide C. rid D. pull
14.A. stopped B. enjoyed C. helped D. prepared
15.A. sound B. voice C. tone D. noise
16.A. until B. when C. before D. while
17.A. delight B. fear C. surprise D. amusement
18.A. something B. anything C. nothing D. everything
19.A. wrote B. repeated C. appeared D. said
20.A. asking B. persuading C. trying D. arguing
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One very cold wet night, there was a knock on my front door. A young man, wet from to foot, explained that he had run out of petrol and had left his wife and two children behind in his car.
After I had a can with petrol, I drove him back to his car. Once his car had started, I suggested he me. Back to the gas station, I turned on the heater so that it is nice and . While the young man was drying his wet clothes, the little ones played and ran around. I prepared bread for the children and hot coffee for the . Before they left, the young man asked me how much he owed me and I told him that the petrol pump (加油泵) had ＄15. He offered to pay “call-out fee”, but I wouldnt accept it.
About a month , I received a from a large bus company. turned out that the young man was its general manager, the most person in the company. In his letter, he thanked me again and me that, from then on, all their buses would be filled with petrol at my station. his case, a little kindness was rewarded with a huge benefit.
1.A. finger B. shoulder C. head D. hand
2.A. supplied B. poured C. equipped D. filled
3.A. following B. follow C. followed D. to follow
4.A. neat B. warm C. hot D. cool
5.A. drivers B. guests C. customers D. adults
6.A. shown B. appeared C. exhibited D. asked
7.A. late B. latter C. later D. lately
8.A. call B. e-mail C. check D. letter
9.A. It B. That C. What D. Which
10.A. generous B. successful C. powerful D. serious
11.A. advised B. praised C. suggested D. informed
12.A. In B. At C. On D. With
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A boy was walking home from school when he saw a large, tempting（诱人的）apple on one of the branches of an apple tree hanging out over a tall fence. The boy wasn’t much of a fruit-eater, a bar of chocolate if given the choice. , as the saying goes, the forbidden fruit can be tempting. Seeing the apple, the boy wanted it. The more he looked at it, the he felt and the more he wanted that apple.
as high as he could , but even as his tallest height he was _ to touch it. He began to up and down , as high as he could, at the top of each jump stretching his to get the apple . Still it remained out of .
Not giving up , he thought , if only he had something to on . His school bag wouldn’t give enough height and he didn’t want to the things inside , like his lunch box , pencil case , and Gameboy . Looking , he hoped he might find an old box , a rock , or , enough, a ladder , but it was a tidy neighborhood and there was nothing he could use .
He had tried everything he could think to do. seeing any other choices , he gave up and started to walk . At first he felt angry and disappointed thinking about how hungry he had become from his , and how he really wanted that apple . The more he like this , the more unhappy he became.
However, the boy of our story was a pretty smart guy, he couldn’t always get what get he wanted .He started to say to himself, “This isn’t , I don’t have the apple and I’m feeling miserable as well. There’s more I can do to get the apple--that is unchangeable-but we are supposed to be able to our feelings. If that’s the case, what can I do to feel better?”
1.A. preferring B. offering C. receiving D. allowing[
2.A. So B. Then C. However D. Or
3.A. sadder B. angrier C. hungrier D. tastier
4.A. hanging B. stretching C. standing D. pulling
5.A. unable B. unwilling C. careful D. glad
6.A. jump B. look C. walk D. glance
7.A. feet B. arms C. head D. legs
8.A hope B. hand C. sight D. reach
9.A. put B. stand C. get D. hold
10.A. break B. shake C. take D. strike
11.A. up B. forward C. down D. around
12.A. unluckily B. carefully C. luckily D. carelessly
13.A. After B. Through C .Without D. Upon
14.A. back B. away C. up D. down
15.A. wishes B. beliefs C. efforts D goals
16.A. thought B. imagined C. tried D. claimed
17.A. even if B. as if C. only if D. if only
18.A. skillful B. cheerful C. harmful D. helpful
19.A. something B. anything C. everything D. nothing
20.A. change B. express C. forget D. describe
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Every school has an ugly girl. In my primary school, it was me.
From first grade through fourth, I had to wear heavy orthopedic(整形外科的)shoes because of my weak ankles. I sounded like overweight elephant wearing bricks whenever I took a single step.
“Hey, Bigfoot!”
“Geez, you’re going to start an earthquake!”
Then in sixth grade I had to start wear glasses. Mom asked for the least expensive ones and that made me look like a fool.
“Four eyes!”
“Couldn’t you cover up more of your faces? Why stop at the eyes?”
In Seventh, I started competing on the city swim team, thinking that if I got a killer body, nobody would notice my face. Wrong again. I loved being fast and winning ribbons now and then, but now I had red, wet eyes from the chlorine(氯) in the pool. I also did not develop a killer body.
I changed my strategy at Eighth grade, the last year of middle school. I offered my help to anyone who needs. I worked for other girls, so they could hang out with their friends. My new program began to work. People who would never have acknowledged my existence before were suddenly seeking me out.
I’d been feeling pretty good until one day I went to Christine’s house to help her fill envelopes. Going into each envelope was invitation to Christine’s birthday party; it was a big event at a fancy hotel. Complete with dinner. She asked me to help her address these envelopes. There was no envelope for me.
My heart was broken. I tried to escape from all the eyes. High school had to be better, right？ Yes and no. Now that I’m here, I know there are still lots of shallow people judging you on what you’re wearing or how cool your hair is , but there are also kids who talk to you because they liked your answers or just as you’re kind, honest, and a good friend.
I still do kind things because I like the feeling I get when I am helping people. I, with my friends, went to Children’s hospital, playing games and reading to the sick kids.
I still had wet red and not a smart look, but you cannot tell me I am not beautiful. Every time I visit hospital, five-year-old Terry grasps my hand, “Morri, you are so nice. I want to grow up to be just like you.”
1.Why was Morri laughed at by her classmates when she was in primary school?
A. She had weak ankles and eyesight.
B. Her glasses couldn’t cover up her face.
C. She couldn’t get along well with them.
D. She looked like an overweight elephant.
2.Which of the following is the real reason for Morri competing on the city swim team?
A. To win more ribbons.
B. To shift others’ attention from her face.
C. To develop a killer body.
D. To have red wet eyes.
3.From what Morri experienced in the last year of middle school, we can learn that __________.
A. her classmates thought highly of her
B. she was popular among her classmates
C. she was often cheated by her classmates
D. her classmates just made use of her
4.The passage is intended to encourage people to __________.
A. address as many as invitation envelopes as possible
B. take more sport activities including swimming
C. take others’ comments into careful consideration
D. take positive attitude towards disadvantages in life
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A boy was walking home from school when he saw a large apple on one of the branches of an apple tree hanging out over a tall fence. In fact, the boy disliked , preferring a bar of chocolate if given the choice. However, as they say, the forbidden fruit can be . Seeing the apple, the boy wanted it. The more he looked at it, the he felt and the more he wanted that apple.
He stood on tiptoe, as high as he could, but even as his tallest he was unable to touch it. He began to .up and down, as high as he could, at the of each jump stretching his arms to get the apple. Still it remained out of .
Not giving up, he thought, if only he had something to 0n. His school bag wouldn't give enough height and he didn't want to the things inside, like his lunch box, pencil case, and books. Looking ,he hoped he might find an old box, a rock, or, with luck, even a ladder, it was a tidy neighborhood and there was nothing he could use.
He had tried everything he could think to do. seeing any other choices, he and started to walk away. At first he felt angry and disappointed thinking about how hungry he had become from his ,and how he really wanted that apple. The more he like this, the more unhappy he became.
However, the boy of our story was a pretty smart guy, even if he couldn't always get he wanted. He started to say himself, "This isn't helpful. I don't have the apple and I'm feeling unhappy as well. There's more I can do to get the apple-that is unchangeable-but we are supposed to be able to 0ur feelings. If that's the case what can I do to feel better?"
1.A. fruit B. trees C. vegetables D. sweet
2.A. difficult B. dangerous C. attractive D. healthy
3.A. sadder B. angrier C .hungrier D. cooler
4.A. hanging B. stretching C. beating D. pulling
5.A. strength B. length C. weight D. height
6.A. look. B .jump C. walk D. wave
7.A. edge B. stage C. top D. level
8.A. hope B. control C. sight D. reach
9.A. feed B. stand C. sit D. hold
10.A. break B. shake C. take D. share
11.A. through B. forward C. down D. around
12.A. so B. but C. and D. yet
13.A. After B. While C. Without D. Upon
14.A. kept off B. gave up C. got through D. turned over
15.A. lessons B. garden C. efforts D. school
16.A. thought B. stole C. ate D. learned
17.A. which B. what C. how D. where
18.A. with B. by C. in D. to
19.A. something B. anything C. everything D. nothing
20.A. change B. express C. forget D. describe
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When I came to my new school three years ago, I was surprised at how lonely I felt. Then one of my classmates invited me to her house for a dinner______ I was a little anxious, but finally I gladly______.
Not really knowing how______he bus ride should be, ______ when I saw the landmarks ______ on my fiend's hand dawn map. But when I got close enough to the ______. I found none of the streets were shown on the map. I was______on a busy road with cars driving past without a person in sight. I had no______when the next bus would come, ______ when a bus did come by, I ______ got on. I told the bus driver where I wanted' o go and he said that I had caught he ______bus, but he let me stay on. After he had finished his scheduled bus route, he______ to help me out. I grateful showed him my little hand--drawn map but______did not help much.
He finally ______ me off at a main road to catch a different bus and was______that he could not help me more. After a few minutes of walking, I noticed a bus pull up near me. It was the ______ bus driver. He explained that he didn't want to leave me there______. He sent out a call and someone radioed back, saying that the bus I needed to catch was about ten minutes away. At last I made it to the dinner party______. I was over an hour late, I am forever thankful for the ______ that this bus driver had for me. His act of kindness left a______ on my heart.
1.A. meal B. party C. meeting D. time
2.A. accepted B. refused C. got D. received
3.A. far B. difficult C. long D. bad
4.A. drove on B. walked away C. hurried by D. got off
5.A. show B. showing C. shown D. to show
6.A. street signs B. tall buildings C. traffic lights D. back yards
7.A. queuing B. siting C. standing D. waiting
8.A. meaning B. idea C. problem D. way
9.A. so B. yet C. but D. still
10.A. suddenly B. luckily C. finally D. quickly
11.A. right B. wrong C. best D. fastest
12.A. supplied B. refused C. offered D. wanted
13.A. it B. he C. she D. they
14.A. kept B. dropped C. drove D. turned
15.A. eager B. worried C. sorry D. disappointed
16.A. same B. next C. kind D. silly
17.A. helpless B. lonely C. unaccompanied D. alone
18.A. after B. although C. until D. when
19.A. respect B. concern C. help D. love
20.A. mark B. sign C. symbol D. line
the top of the mountain.