Two weeks before Christmas，Mother told me we were going to my grandmother's house for the holiday.Grandma and Uncle Henry lived on a farm some 15 miles out of town.They had no electricity or running water and__1__what I considered the “good things” in life.They__2__made no plans for Christmas.When Christmas Eve arrived，Mom told me in her “I-mean-it” voice to__3__all the decorations(装饰物)from our tree.She packed those up，__4__all the trimmings(配料)for a __5__turkey dinner.

Christmas morning__6__perfectly，with the sun shining brightly across a fresh blanket of snow.__7__I sulked(生气)silently in the backseat of the car as we made our__8__to grandma's.This was going to be the __9__Christmas ever!

Grandma was__10__to see us as we walked up to her door.“What on earth are you doing here？”she stammered.“We weren't expecting__11__.It's Christmas，and I don't even have a turkey to cook for you.”“I knew__12__.”Mom said as we set boxes of goodies on the kitchen table.“That's__13__we brought one with us.”“We__14__have a tree，”Mom insisted.“__15__，what will we do with all these decorations？”

Uncle Henry quickly caught Mom's spirit.He called me to join him，and we found a perfect Christmas tree in the woods.Soon the house __16__fresh and piney as we decorated the tree，and the day__17__a festive air.The turkey dinner was very good，too.I was actually beginning to enjoy this unusual Christmas day!

Dessert was forgotten__18__Mom came out with the final surprise—a flaming(燃烧的)pudding! “Merry Christmas，Mother，”Mom said.“Dear me！” Grandma gasped.“I haven't seen a flaming pudding since I left England before I was married.”Tears of__19__filled her eyes.

I could not keep the tears__20__my eyes，either.I knew then that Mom had also given me the best Christmas present ever—she had taught me what a beautiful thing it is to give.

1．A.prepared 　 B．lacked C．refused D．desired

2．A.also 　 B．still C．never 　 D．hardly

3．A.replace 　　 B．collect C．remove D．show

4．A.instead of B．by the side of C．along with 　 D．in spite of

5．A.normal 　　 B．complete C．fresh 　　 D．separate

6．A.dawned 　　 B．passed C．broke 　 D．happened

7．A.But 　 B．So C．And 　　 D．Then

8．A.decision 　　 B．way C．wish 　　 D．plan

9．A.last 　 B．busiest C．best 　　 D．worst

10．A.expected B．eager C．surprised 　　 D．ready

11．A.anyone 　　 B．others C．someone 　　 D．no one

12．A.you B．it C．that 　　　 D．this

13．A.how B．why C．where 　 D．when

14．A.may B．will C．can 　　　 D．must

15．A.Meanwhile 　　 B．ThereforeC．However 　　 D．Otherwise

16．A.improved B．smelled C．became D．changed

17．A.showed up 　　 B．carried on

18．A.until B．after C．because D．unless

19．A.sadness 　 B．joy C．regret 　 D．worry

20．A.inside 　　 B．back C．into 　　　 D．from

Read the following passage. Fill in the numbered by using the information from the passage.

Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.

Learning to improve your focus is difficult, because you are talking long hours a day. However, if you break down your day into manageable time sections, it would be much easier to learn to improve your focus.

Focus, or concentration, is a skill that can be taught, so there are some exercises you can do to improve your focus.

Start with easy exercises like staring a picture on the wall for a few minutes without moving or talking. Once you learn how to block out your surroundings, your focus will improve.

Other mind exercises are internalizing (内化). This is when you imagine yourself in a desired situation, and then you work around your imagination. Actors and singers do this to block all distractions.

If this sounds a little strange, you could try making lists? List the things you need to accomplish for the morning, for the afternoon, and finally for the evening. For instance, if you have a dinner that evening, don’t arrange everything in the afternoon, and give yourself some time to relax before the guests arrive.

Another way to improve your focus is to take breaks. During your breaks, you should allow yourselves a drink or 30 minutes on TV. If you are having coffee breaks in your office, use this time wisely. Don’t spend it with your co-worker talking about problems. Your breaks should be as quiet as possible.

The reason why you lose focus so easily is that you have too much on your minds. Of course, it could also be because you are bored with nothing to do all day. A good balance between a too relaxed brain and an overly active brain is a desirable situation. Improving your focus also mean knowing what you can do and being confident about doing it well.

1.   to improve your focus	●Staring at a picture	Staring at a wall picture for a few minutes    2.    to learn to block out surroundings
●Internalizing	Concentrating on imagining a potentially stressful work place to block    3.
●    4.	Dividing a day into    5.    , and arranging time for relaxation as well
●Taking breaks	Wisely using time to have a drink, watch TV instead of 　 　6.
7.    for losing focus	●   8.   on minds
­­­­●Doing nothing all day
Conclusion	●Being    9.    between extremely relaxed brain and too active brain ●Improving your focus means knowing    10.    and being confident about doing it well.

 

One day, a poor boy who was trying to pay his way through school by selling goods from door to door found that he only had one dime left. He was hungry so he decided to __1__ for a meal at the next house.

However, he lost his nerve __2__ a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked __3__ so she brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it __4__， and then asked, “How much do I owe you？”

“You don't owe me anything，” she __5__. “Mother has taught me never to accept pay for a __6__.” He said, “Then I thank you from the bottom of my heart.” As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger __7__， but it also increased his faith in God and human race. He was about to give up and quit before this point.

Years later the young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where specialists can be called __8__ to study her rare disease. Dr. Howard Kelly, now __9__， was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light __10__ his eyes. Immediately, he __11__ and went down through the hospital hall into her room.

 __12__ in his doctor's gown he went in to see her. He __13__ her at once. He went back to the consultation room and __14__ to do his best to save her life. From that day on, he gave __15__attention to her case.

After a long __16__ the battle was won. Dr. Kelly __17__ the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it and then wrote something on the side. The bill was sent to her room. She was afraid to open it because she was __18__ that it would take the rest of her life to pay it off. Finally she looked, and the note on the side of the bill caught her __19__. She read these_words...

“Paid in full with a glass of milk.”

(Signed) Dr. Howard Kelly

Tears of joy flooded her eyes as she __20__ silently. “Thank you, God. Your love has spread through human hearts and hands.”

1．A.call　　　　B．make　　　　C．beg　　　D．prepare

2．A.while      B．when        C．though   D．unless

3．A.thirsty      B．lazy        C．tired     D．hungry

4．A.slowly      B．unexpectedly  C．steadily  D．hurried

5．A.announced  B．shook       C．replied   D．doubtful

6．A.reward    B．kindness      C．hand    D．value

7．A.physically     B．mentally     C．normally    D．properly

8．A.up                       B．for                 C．on                 D．in

9．A.rich              B．famous          C．observant    D．vivid

10．A.fixed           B．consulted        C．filled            D．concentrated

11．A.rose            B．raised           C．got                       D．left

12．A.Worn          B．Having  C．putting           D．Dressed

13．A.recognized  B．knew            C．spared            D．regained

14．A.desired      B．declared     C．determined    D．declined

15．A.special    B．ordinary      C．normal       D．no

16．A.decision   B．preparation   C．struggle      D．debate

17．A.ordered   B．requested     C．confused      D．compressed

18．A.negative   B．uncertain     C．positive     D．obvious

19．A.presentation  B．preference  C．attention     D．arrangement

20．A.praised     B．pretended   C．pressed      D．prayed

It's a small gas station that has snacks, drinks, cigarettes, and candies. The young man behind the counter knows his __36__　 by name and what they normally want to buy. He treats children and adults with equal　 __37__. He reads science fiction behind the counter when business is　 __38__.

One day, three people rushed in and grabbed food off the shelves as fast as they could,　 __39__　 not intending to pay for it. He hit the “panic button” , then went over the counter and　 __40__　 the front door. It was obvious that they were homeless, and equally obvious that they weren't going　 __41__　 with their ill?gotten gains. They　 __42__　 the food and simply crowded together in panic—knowing the police were　 __43__　 the way.

Imagine what they must have felt like when they were told they didn't have to steal if they were that　 __44__. “We have food in the back, expired (到期)but still　 __45__　 to eat. If you need food, you　 __46__　 have some.”

They were told to　 __47__　 what they had dropped and put it back, and then asked to straighten out the mess. They were doing just that　 __48__　 the police arrived. The officers were told the situation was under control and the police were no longer　 __49__.

This wasn't what they had　 __50__. They were being treated as human beings who could right the wrong they'd done. Shocked, they quickly followed orders to take turns and use the restroom to clean up.

Soon three　 __51__　 people walked out with all the　 __52__　 their arms could hold. They were　 __53__　 that，if they needed to come back again, they were to ask and not just grab.

And then the young man went back to read until the next customer came in. He would be the　 __54__ person in the world to claim he was a hero. But he gave three people something they were in desperate need of—a　 __55__amount of self?respect and a little bit of hope.

36．A.friends　　 B．neighbors　C．customers 　 D．passengers

37．A.respect 　 B．pride 　C．wisdom　 　　 D．privilege

38．A.slow　 　 B．busy C．heavy 　 D．swift

39．A.bravely 　 B．reasonably C．hardly 　 D．obviously

40．A.opened 　 B．locked C．closed 　 D．broke

41．A.nowhere B．somewhere C．anywhere 　　 D．everywhere

42．A.hid B．lifted 　C．swallowed 　 D．dropped

43．A.in B．on C．off D．by

44．A.anxious B．cautious 　C．courageous 　 D．hungry

45．A.safe B．easy C．sweet 　 D．unique

46．A.must B．can 　C．should 　 D．need

47．A.hold up B．hand out 　C．pick up D．hand in

48．A.when　 　　 B．after 　C．before 　 D．since

49．A.popular 　 B．necessary C．reliable D．important

50．A.wanted　 B．desired C．expected 　　 D．admired

51．A.dirtier 　　 B．cleaner C．cleverer　 　　 D．quicker

52．A.money　　 　　　 B．cigarettes C．drinks 　 D．food

53．A.reminded B．warned C．ordered D．persuaded

54．A.first B．last 　C．best 　　 D．worst

55．A.large B．fair 　C．small 　　 D．full