A wise man used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach every morning.
One day, when he was walking along the shore（海岸）, he saw a young man moving like a
dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought that someone would dance on the beach. So he began to walk faster to catch up.
As he got closer, he saw that the young man wasn’t dancing, but instead he was reaching down to the shore, picking up something and very gently throwing it into the ocean.
He called out, “Good morning! What are you doing?” The young man stopped, looked up and replied, “Throwing starfish in the ocean.” “I guess I should have asked, why are you throwing starfish in the ocean?”
“The sun is up and the tide（潮汐）is going out. And if I don’t throw them in, they’ll die.”
“But, young man, don’t you realize that there are miles and miles of beach and starfish all along it. You can’t possibly make a difference!”
The young man listened politely. Then he bent down, picked another starfish, and threw it into the sea, and said, “It made a difference for that one.”
There is something very special in each and every one of us. We have all been gifted（赋予）
with the ability to make a difference.
We must each find our starfish. And if we throw starfish wisely and well, the world will be better.
【小题1】What was the wise man used to doing every morning?

When I was in my ninth grade, I was on a stage-design team for a play and Mrs. Reagan was my director. Almost immediately I loved her. She had an unpleasant voice and a direct way of speaking, __1__ she was encouraging and inspiring. For some reason, she was impressed with my work and me.
Mrs. Reagan would ask me for my __2__. She wanted to know how I thought we should deal with things. At first I had no idea how to answer because I knew __3__ about stage design! But I slowly tried to answer her __4__. It was cause and effect: She believed I had opinions, so I began to make them and I completed them perfectly. She believed in me, so I began to believe in myself.
Mrs. Reagan 's motto that year was, "Try it. We can achieve it __5__!" I began to take the chances. I had been so afraid of failing but suddenly there was no failing. I learned to create something __6__.
The shy, quiet freshman achieved success that year. I was __7__ in the program as "Student Art Assistant" because of the time and effort I'd put in. It was that year that I __8__ I wanted to spend the rest of my life doing stage design.
Being on that stage-design team with Mrs. Reagan changed me completely. Not only was I stronger and more experienced than I had thought, but I also __9_ a strong interest and a world I hadn't known. She taught me not to __10__ what people think I should do. She taught me to take chances and not be __11_. Mrs. Reagan was the person who gave me confidence when I was upset. Her trust in me has encouraged me to do things that I never imagined __12__.

Time is very important in our life. However, I had never realized it until I received a beautiful gold watch from my father one day when I was 19 years old. This __1__ always tells me the importance of time in my life.

It was a cold rainy day. My father asked me to go to the __2__ to pick up my uncle and take him home. I should have arrived there __3__ 4:30 p.m. We had a basketball match at school that afternoon __4__ the match was too exciting. When the match was nearly over, I suddenly remembered my uncle and __5__ to the airport. It was too late. He had left the airport and taken a taxi to our house.

I was very worried that my father would be __6__ with me. As soon as I entered the living room, I saw my uncle in the sofa looking very tired. I dared not ­­__7__ my uncle and father. I said hello to them in a very low voice. My father didn’t say __8__. Instead, he asked me to sit next to him. “Peter, did you have a good time today?” He __9__ very disappointed, but his voice was still calm. I felt so sorry and answered in an even __10__ voice. “Yes, Dad, but I’m really sorry about not __11__ my uncle. This will __12__ happen again. I promise.” My father handed me a box with a beautiful gold watch inside. It was a gift my uncle bought for him. He gave it to _13__ and said, “I hope you have learned something important today, and this watch will help you remember the importance of him.”

The watch has been with me for 12 years. I wear it not because of its price, but because of __14__ I learned from it. It tells me to respect __15__ and never be late to do what I have promised to.

1.                A．watch          B．clock           C．bell  D．time

2.                A．hotel          B．station          C．bus stop  D．airport

3.                A．before         B．from           C．after D．to

4.                A．though         B．because        C．and  D．so

5.                A．moved         B．turned         C．hurried   D．flew

6.                A．happy          B．angry          C．sorry D．lucky

7.                A．look up         B．look for         C．look at   D．look after

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

9.                A．is             B．was            C．does D．did

10.               A．funnier         B．louder         C．happier   D．lower

11.               A．waking up       B．giving up        C．picking up D．putting up

12.               A．always         B．never          C．often D．usually

13.               A．you           B．him            C．them D．me

14.               A．what           B．that           C．which D．who

15.               A．culture         B．friendship       C．time  D．family