Angels

My friend Heather mentioned that she had never seen an Angel. Then I remembered the  36   I had with my sister Sandra earlier this week.

This will be Sandra’s first Christmas without her husband. This summer he died in her arms. On Thursday, she was in the store 　37　 for an ideal card for her two sons and daughter. Time passed by quickly as she 　38   the many choices. She wanted a card that sent something special to each of them, 　39  she knew they would have a(n) 　40  place in their heart this holiday season.

Finally! She found the one that expressed the 　41  feeling. The words expressed the feelings that she wished to share. However, a sharp pain pierced(穿透) her heart when she realized that the card was 　42  “mom and dad.” She stood there, 　43  it close for a long time, unable to move from the 　44  . Tears began to run down her cheeks.

“Is there something I can do for you?” a 　45  voice asked. She 　46  to face a stranger, a woman, who was looking at her with 　47  and concern. “Uh…oh...OH!” Sandra responded, “I can’t give this card to my children because…because my husband died and this is the 　48  card.”

Hearing this, the stranger’s face softened with sympathy(同情) and love. She reached out and 　49  my sister into her arms, giving her unspoken permission to cry in the protection of her embrace(拥抱). She 　50  held my sister until her calmness 　51  . “Thank you for listening to me cry on,” was what my sister said when all was better. “You are welcome, and I am so sorry for your 　52  ,” the stranger answered and said goodbye to her.

During her telling of this event I was feeling 　53  that I hadn’t been there. My sister needed me and a stranger had to do my 　54  .  “You know,” she went on, “a friend suggested that it was like meeting with an Angel.” My 　55  disappeared in an instant. My sister required an Angel, and I think that is exactly what she got.

There was special interest in the Olympic Games that year.

Adolf Hitler was ruler of Germany. Hitler and his Nazi Party believed that white people—especially German people—were the best race of people on earth. They believed that other races of people—especially those with dark skin—were almost less than human. In the summer of 1936, Hitler wanted to prove his beliefs to the world. He wanted to show that German athletes could win every important competition.

Jesse Owens was black, too. Until 1936, very few black athletes had competed in the Olympic Games for the United States. Jesse was proud to be on the team. He was very sure of his ability.

Jesse spent one week competing in four different Olympic track and field events in Berlin. During that time, he did not think much about the color of his skin, or about Adolf Hitler. At last, Jesse Owens won the highest award—the gold medal—in all four of the Olympic, competitions he entered. In the hundred meter run, he equaled the fastest time ever run in that Olympic event. In the long jump and the 200-meter run, he set new Olympic records. And as part of a four-man team, he helped set a new world record for the 400-meter relay race.

　　  1. How many nations took part in the Olympic Games in 1936?

　　　　  A. 50　　　　   B. 55　　　　　　　　  C. 60    　　　　  D. 65

　　  2. What can be inferred from the passage?

　　　　  A. Hitler thought of Jesse Owens as a hero.

　　　　  B. Hitler believed that black people were worse than white people.

　　　　  C. Jesse Owens was black.

　　　　  D. Jesse Owens was not confident in himself when he took part in the Olympic Games.

　　  3. In which city was the Olympic Games held in 19367

　　　　  A. In New York.　　　　    B. In London.

　　　　  C. In Germany.　　　　　　 D. In Berlin.

　　  4. What does the passage mainly talk about?

　　　　  A. Hitler's belief that German people were better than any other race of people in the world.

　　　　  B. Black young man—Jesse Owens—became famous by winning four gold medals in the Olympic Games in 1936.

　　　　  C. Jesse succeeded in the Olympic Games because of his hard training.

　　　　  D Hider hated black people, especially Jesse Owens.

-What do you think of the book??　

-Oh, excellent. It is worth _____ second time.

　 A. to read a 　 B. to read the C. reading a 　 D. being read the

Here I must put in a few words about my experience here in China. If I have 36 with a Chinese host, he always presses 37 food onto my plate as soon as I have emptied it of the previous helping. That often makes me 38 very awkward. I have to eat the food even if I don’t 39 it, because it is considered 　40 manners in the West to 41 one’s food on the plate.

I have also 42 that when a Chinese sits at an American’s dinner party, he very often 43 the offer of food or drink though he is in fact still hungry or 44 . This might be good manners in China, but it is certainly 45 in the West.

In the United States, it is 46 to keep asking someone again and again or press something on him. Americans are very 47 . If they want something, they will ask for it. If not, they will say, “ 48 ” Here’s an example: When an American is offered 49 by the host, and he doesn’t like beer, he will probably say, “No, thanks. I just don’t feel like it. I’ll 50 some diet Pepsi-Cola if you have it. ” That is 51 an American will do.

52 are taught that “Honesty is the best policy. But in some countries, courtesy(谦虚)might be more important than 53 . So when I am here in China, I have to observe the 54 here. But when you go to 55 , you had better “do as the Romans do”.

36. A. trouble　　　　　　　 B. dinner　　　　　　　 C. words　　　　　　　 D. difficulty

37. A. more　　　　　　　　 B. a little　　　　　　　 C. few　　　　　　　　　　D. little

38. A. think　　　　　　　　　 B. taste　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. feel　　　　　　 D. smell

39. A. eat　　　　　　　　　　 B. like　　　　　　　　　　 C. drink　　　　　　　 D. help

40. A. important　　　　　　 B. bad　　　　　　　　 C. polite　　　　　　　　 D. rude

41. A. take　　　　　　　　　　 B. leave　　　　　　　　 C. forget　　　　　　　 D. pass

42. A. noticed　　　　　　　　 B. minded　　　　　　 C. heard　　　　　　　 D. informed

43. A. accepts　　　　　　　　B. refuses　　　　　　 C. nods　　　　　　　　 D. gives

44. A. thirsty　　　　　　　　 B. angry　　　　　　　 C. happy　　　　　　　 D. full

45. A. so　　　　　　　　　　 B. kind　　　　　　　　 C. not　　　　　　　　　　D. right

46. A. impolite　　　　　　 B. good　　　　　　　　C. kind　　　　　　　　　D. sad

47. A. friendly　　　　　　 B. direct　　　　　　　 C. short　　　　　　　　 D. kind

48. A. I’m sorry　　　　　B. Yes, I want　　　 C. No, thanks　　　　D. Yes, please

49. A. food　　　　　　　　 B. beer　　　　　　　　　 C. coffee　　　　　　　 D. tea

50. A. bring　　　　　　　　B. offer　　　　　　　　 C. like　　　　　　　　　 D. take

51. A. that　　　　　　　　 B. what　　　　　　　　 C. whether　　　　　　　　　 D. how

52. A. Englishmen　　　 B. Frenchmen　　　　C. Americans　　　　　　　 D. Australians

53. A. manners　　　　　 B. honesty　　　　　　 C. request　　　　　　　　　　D. order

54. A. customs　　　　　 B. habits　　　　　　　 C. action　　　　　　　　　　　D. ways

55. A. China　　　　　　　B. Rome　　　　　　　　C. the United States　　 D. the United Nations