A lesson in caring

It was a cold evening. My daughter and I were walking up Broadway. I didn’t notice a guy sitting inside a cardboard box. But Nora    36    . She wasn’t even four, but she   37    at my coat and said, “That man’s cold. Daddy, can we take him home?”

    I don’t remember my   38    . But I do remember a sudden   39    feeling inside me. I had always been delighted at how much my daughter noticed in her   40     , whether it was     41    flying or children playing. But now she was noticing   42    and beggary.

    A few days later, I saw an article in the newspaper about volunteers who picked up a food package from a nearby school on a Sunday morning and   43     it to an elderly person. It was quick and easy. I signed us up. Nora was   44    about it. She could understand the importance of food, so she could easily see how   45    our job was. When Sunday came, she was ready, but I had to    46    myself to leave the house to fetch the food package. On my way to the school, I fought an urge (强烈愿望) to turn    47    . The Sunday paper and coffee were waiting for me at home. Why do this?   48    , we phoned the elderly person we’d been appointed. She   49    us right over.

    The building was in a bad state. Facing us was a silver-haired woman in an old dress. She took the package and asked us to come in. Nora ran inside. I unwillingly followed.   50     inside, I saw that the department belonged to someone poor. Our hostess showed us some photos. Nora played and when it came time to say goodbye, we three hugged. I walked home    51    .

Professionals call such a(n)   52    “a volunteer opportunity”. They are opportunities and I’ve come to see. Where else but as volunteers do you have the opportunity to do something    53     that’s good for others as well as for yourself? Nora and I regularly serve meals to needy people and   54     clothes for the homeless. Yet, as I’ve    55     her grow over these past four years, I still wonder—which of us has benefited more?

A. did                     B. was                          C. has            D. had

A. pulled　　　　     B. replaced                   C. waved        D. aimed

A. debate                   B. reply                        C. explanation D. expression

A. general　　　　    B. funny                       C. heavy         D. magical

A. web　　　　　    B. dream　　　　　    C. castle         D. world

A. insects                   B. animals　　　　      C. plants　　　D. birds

A. coldness 　　　    B. illness 　　　       C. suffering　　D. appearance

A. sent  　　           B. returned　　　      C. devoted　　 D. posted

A. concerned              B. sorry　　　　         C. worried      　D. excited

A. creative　　　      B. valuable　　　      C. shocking　　D. simple

A. warn　　　　　    B. stop　　　　  　    C. allow 　　　D. push

A. back 　　　　      B. away　　　　          C. up　　　　 D. out

A. Therefore　　　    B. But     　　          C. Anyhow　　D. Also

A. requested 　　    B. promised　　　      C. invited 　　 D. helped

A. Although            B. Once　　　　　      C. Because 　　D. Though

A. in tears                  B. in surprise                C. in reality      D. in disappointment

A. stay                    B. visit 　　　　         C. reception　　D. challenge

A. fair                    B. famous　　　　       C. difficult　　 D. enjoyable

A. collect                   B. make　　　　　      C. order 　　　D. design

A. let                         B. made　　　　　      C. watched 　　D. affected

A lesson in caring

It was a cold evening. My daughter and I were walking up Broadway. I didn’t notice a guy sitting inside a cardboard box. But Nora    36    . She wasn’t even four, but she   37    at my coat and said, “That man’s cold. Daddy, can we take him home?”

    I don’t remember my   38    . But I do remember a sudden   39    feeling inside me. I had always been delighted at how much my daughter noticed in her   40     , whether it was     41    flying or children playing. But now she was noticing   42    and beggary.

    A few days later, I saw an article in the newspaper about volunteers who picked up a food package from a nearby school on a Sunday morning and   43     it to an elderly person. It was quick and easy. I signed us up. Nora was   44    about it. She could understand the importance of food, so she could easily see how   45    our job was. When Sunday came, she was ready, but I had to    46    myself to leave the house to fetch the food package. On my way to the school, I fought an urge (强烈愿望) to turn    47    . The Sunday paper and coffee were waiting for me at home. Why do this?   48    , we phoned the elderly person we’d been appointed. She   49    us right over.

    The building was in a bad state. Facing us was a silver-haired woman in an old dress. She took the package and asked us to come in. Nora ran inside. I unwillingly followed.   50     inside, I saw that the department belonged to someone poor. Our hostess showed us some photos. Nora played and when it came time to say goodbye, we three hugged. I walked home    51    .

Professionals call such a(n)   52    “a volunteer opportunity”. They are opportunities and I’ve come to see. Where else but as volunteers do you have the opportunity to do something    53     that’s good for others as well as for yourself? Nora and I regularly serve meals to needy people and   54     clothes for the homeless. Yet, as I’ve    55     her grow over these past four years, I still wonder—which of us has benefited more?

A. did             B. was                           C. has              D. had

A. pulled　   B. replaced                C. waved   D. aimed

A. debate        B. reply                         C. explanation D. expression

A. general　　B. funny                          C. heavy           D. magical

A. web　　　 B. dream　　　　　       C. castle           D. world

A. insects        B. animals　　　　 C. plants　　　D. birds

A. coldness   B. illness 　　　           C. suffering　　D. appearance

A. sent  　　   B. returned　　　       C. devoted　　D. posted

A. concerned  B. sorry　　　　            C. worried      　D. excited

A. creative　　B. valuable　　　         C. shocking　　D. simple

A. warn　　　 B. stop　　　　  　      C. allow 　　　D. push

A. back 　　　B. away　　　　            C. up　　　　　D. out

A. Therefore　 B. But       　　          C. Anyhow　　　D. Also

A. requested   B. promised　　　        C. invited 　　 D. helped

A. Although    B. Once　　　　　       C. Because 　　D. Though

A. in tears       B. in surprise                  C. in reality       D.in disappointment

A. stay            B. visit 　　　　           C. reception　　D. challenge

A. fair            B. famous　　　　        C. difficult　　 D. enjoyable

A. collect        B. make　　　　  　    C. order 　　　 D. design

A. let              B. made　　　　  　    C. watched 　　    D. affected

A lesson in caring

It was a cold evening. My daughter and I were walking up Broadway. I didn’t notice a guy sitting inside a cardboard box. But Nora    36    . She wasn’t even four, but she   37    at my coat and said, “That man’s cold. Daddy, can we take him home?”

    I don’t remember my   38    . But I do remember a sudden   39    feeling inside me. I had always been delighted at how much my daughter noticed in her   40     , whether it was     41    flying or children playing. But now she was noticing   42    and beggary.

    A few days later, I saw an article in the newspaper about volunteers who picked up a food package from a nearby school on a Sunday morning and   43     it to an elderly person. It was quick and easy. I signed us up. Nora was   44    about it. She could understand the importance of food, so she could easily see how   45    our job was. When Sunday came, she was ready, but I had to    46    myself to leave the house to fetch the food package. On my way to the school, I fought an urge (强烈愿望) to turn    47    . The Sunday paper and coffee were waiting for me at home. Why do this?   48    , we phoned the elderly person we’d been appointed. She   49    us right over.

    The building was in a bad state. Facing us was a silver-haired woman in an old dress. She took the package and asked us to come in. Nora ran inside. I unwillingly followed.   50     inside, I saw that the department belonged to someone poor. Our hostess showed us some photos. Nora played and when it came time to say goodbye, we three hugged. I walked home    51    .

Professionals call such a(n)   52    “a volunteer opportunity”. They are opportunities and I’ve come to see. Where else but as volunteers do you have the opportunity to do something    53     that’s good for others as well as for yourself? Nora and I regularly serve meals to needy people and   54     clothes for the homeless. Yet, as I’ve    55     her grow over these past four years, I still wonder—which of us has benefited more?

1.A. did            B. was                           C. has              D. had

2.A. pulled　   B. replaced               C. waved   D. aimed

3.A. debate        B. reply                         C. explanation D. expression

4.A. general　　B. funny                          C. heavy           D. magical

5.A. web　　　 B. dream　　　　　       C. castle           D. world

6.A. insects        B. animals　　　　 C. plants　　　D. birds

7.A. coldness   B. illness 　　　           C. suffering　　D. appearance

8.A. sent 　　   B. returned　　　       C. devoted　　D. posted

9.A. concerned  B. sorry　　　　            C. worried      　D. excited

10.A. creative　　B. valuable　　　       C. shocking　　D. simple

11.A. warn　　　 B. stop　　　　  　    C. allow 　　　D. push

12.A. back 　　　B. away　　　　          C. up　　　　　D. out

13.A. Therefore　 B. But     　　          C. Anyhow　　　D. Also

14.A. requested   B. promised　　　      C. invited 　　 D. helped

15.A. Although         B. Once　　　　　       C. Because 　　D. Though

16.A. in tears     B. in surprise                  C. in reality       D.in disappointment

17.A. stay                 B. visit 　　　　           C. reception　　D. challenge

18.A. fair                 B. famous　　　　        C. difficult　　 D. enjoyable

19.A. collect      B. make　　　　  　    C. order 　　　 D. design

20.A. let            B. made　　　　  　    C. watched 　　    D. affected

 

When I was young， my father used to grow carnations (康乃馨).His carnations were red， pink and white. Everyone who saw them admired them for their beauty.

 He took care of them with so much love and    　36　    . Every day he came home from work， he went   straight    to see them. He 　37　 watching them every day. We the kids did too. But he used to tell us， “No one should touch my flowers.”

One day my younger sister， who loved my dad very much， had wanted to help him and she    　38　     the carnations from their stems (枝干) one by one and arranged them   　39　      . She believed that he would be very    　40　    to see them that way.

When mom and I realized what my sister had done， we became completely hopeless. However， my sister had no idea why no one showed her any appreciation. When my dad arrived he went， 　41　， straight to see the flowers. When he saw his flowers    lying     on the floor like dead animals， he was 　42　 at first. He looked towards the street， to see if it was any of the   　43　    children who could have done it. Then he entered the living room and looked at mom in silence.

Finally mom， who always taught us to    　44　    no matter what， looked at dad and said： “We have no bad neighbors in our area”. Then with a nice tone she continued： “No outsider did this great job， only your lovely daughter Clémence.” My dad’s face   changed     into 　45　 and then he said： “Do I have a better    　46　     than my lovely daughter？” My younger sister smiled and   　47　    dad tightly.

A. devotion     B. spirits          C. gratitude       D. expectation

A. hated        B. approved       C. enjoyed        D. committed

A. divided      B. watered         C. cut            D. cleaned

A. by the window B. in the vase      C. on the desk      D. on the floor

A. surprised     B. pleased         C. disappointed     D. worried

A. as usual      B. at first          C. as well          D. at last

A. frightened    B. relieved         C. disappointed     D. shocked

A. enemies’     B. friends’         C. families’         D. neighbors’

A. say the truth  B. behave ourselves  C. follow the rules   D. keep secret

A. sadness     B. smiles          C. anger           D. depression

A. kid        B. flower          C. helper           D. gift

A. hugged     B. kissed          C. grasped         D. patted

Several times my daughter had telephoned to say, “Mother, you must come to see the daffodils (黄水仙) before they are over，” I wanted to go, but it was a two－hour drive from Laguna to Lake Arrowhead. “I will come next Tuesday，” I promised, a little reluctantly, on her third call.

Next Tuesday dawned cold and rainy. Still, I had promised, and so I drove there. When I finally walked into Carolyn's house and hugged and greeted my grandchildren. I said. “Forget the daffodils, Carolyn! The road is invisible in the clouds and fog, and there is nothing in the world except you and these children that I want to see！”

My daughter smiled calmly and said. “We drive in this all the time, mother. You will never forgive yourself if you miss this experience.”

After about twenty minutes, we turned onto a small gravel road and I saw a small church. On the far side of the church, I saw a hand－lettered sign that read: “Daffodil Garden.”

We got out of the car and each took a child's hand. And I followed Carolyn down the path. Then, as we turned a corner of the path. and I looked up and gasped.Before me lay the most glorious sight. There were five acres of flowers. “But who has done this？” I asked Carolyn. “It's just one woman，” Carolyn answered. “That's her home.” Carolyn pointed to a well－kept A－frame house that looked small and modest in the midst of all that glory. We walked up to the house. On the patio(露台), we saw a poster. “Answers to the Questions I Know You Are Asking” was the headline.

The first answer was a simple one. “50,000 bulbs(球茎)，” it read. The second answer was, “One at a time, by one woman.” The third answer was, “Began in 1958.”

I thought of this woman whom I had never met, who, more than forty years before, had begun—one bulb at a time—to bring the beauty and joy to the mountain top.

6. The author didn't go to see the daffodils at first because ________.

A. she was not interested in them

B. they were growing on a mountain top

C. the weather was not good enough

D. it was a long drive to her daughter's house

7. Which of the following BEST describes the author's feeling seeing the daffodils?

A. Amazed.   B. Disappointed.  　　C. Confused.      　　D. Moved.

8. What do we know about the woman living in the A－frame house?

A. She must be out of mind.

B. She acted as a gardener here.

C. It took her great determination to grow the daffodils.

D. She was poor and made her living by selling daffodils.

9. What would be the BEST title of the passage?

A. A Wonderful Daffodil Garden      　　

B. A Remarkable Woman

C. One Bulb at a Time              　　

D. I Love Daffodils

10. What could the author probably learn from this experience?

A. Nothing is too difficult if you put your heart into it.

B. We must put the interests of others above our own.

C. We can change the world through our own efforts.

D. It's never too late to learn.