I used to believe in the American Dream, which meant a job, a mortgage (按揭)，credit cards, success. I wanted it and worked toward it like everyone else, all of us   36   chasing the same thing.

One year, through a series of unhappy events, it all fell   37   . I found myself homeless and alone. I had my truck and $56. I   38   the countryside for some place I could rent for the   39   possible amount. I came upon a shabby house four miles up a winding mountain road   40   the Potomac River in West Virginia. It was   41   , full of broken glass and rubbish. I found the owner, rented it, and   42   a corner to camp in.

The locals knew nothing about me,   43   slowly, they started teaching me the   44   of being a neighbor. They dropped off blankets, candles, and tools, and began   45   around to chat. They started to teach me a belief in a   46   American Dream—not the one of individual achievement but of   47   .

What I had believed in, all those things I thought were   48   for a civilized life, were nonexistent in this place.   49   on the mountain, my most valuable possessions were my   50   with my neighbors.

Four years later, I moved back into   51   . I saw many people were having a really hard time,   52   their jobs and homes. I managed to rent a big enough house to   53   a handful of people. There are four of us now in the house, but over time I’ve had nine people come in and move on to other places. We’d all be in   54    if we hadn’t banded together.

The American Dream I believe in now is a shared one. It’s not so much about what I can get for myself; it’s about   55   we can all get by together.

36. A. separately         B. equally             C. violently           D. naturally

37. A. off                     B. apart                C. over                 D. out

38. A. crossed             B. left                   C. toured              D. searched

39. A. fullest                B. largest             C. fairest              D. cheapest

40. A. at                      B. through            C. over                 D. round

41. A. occupied           B. abandoned      C. emptied            D. robbed

42. A. turned               B. approached     C. cleared            D. cut

43. A. but                    B. although          C. otherwise         D. for

44. A. benefit               B. lesson              C. nature              D. art

45. A. sticking              B. looking             C. swinging           D. turning

46. A. wild                    B. real                  C. different           D. remote

47. A. neighborliness B. happiness        C. friendliness      D. kindness

48. A. unique               B. expensive        C. rare                  D. necessary

49. A. Up                     B. Down               C. Deep                D. Along

50. A. cooperation       B. relationships    C. satisfaction      D. appointments

51. A. reality                B. society             C. town                 D. life

52. A. creating             B. losing               C. quitting             D. offering

53. A. put in                 B. turn in              C. take in              D. get in

54. A. yards                 B. shelters            C. camps              D. cottages

55. A. when                 B. what                 C. whether            D. how

完形填空

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,  36  a bar of chocolate if given the choice,     37    , as they say, the forbidden fruit can be tempting. Seeing the apple, the boy wanted it. The more he looked at it, the    38    he felt and the more he wanted that apple.

39   as high as he could , but even as his tallest  40  he was unable to touch It. He began to  41  up and down , as high as he could, at the  42  of each jump stretching his arms to get the apple . Still it remained out of  43  .

  Not giving up , he though , if only he had something to  44  on . His school bag wouldn’t give enough height and he didn’t want to  45   the things inside , like his lunch box , pencil case , and  Gameboy . Looking   46  , he hoped he might find an old box , a rock , or ,   47  luck , even a ladder , but it was a tidy neighborhood and there was nothing he could use .

  He had tried everything he could think to do .   48   seeing any other choices , he gave up and started to walk   49  . At first he felt angry and disappointed thinking about how hungry he had become from his  50  , and how he really wanted that apple . The more he  51  like this , the more unhappy he became.

52   ,the boy of our story was a pretty smart guy, even if he couldn’t always get what get he wanted .He started to say to himself .,This isn’t    53     ,I   don’t have the apple and I’m feeling miserable as well. There’s  54   more I can do to get the apple  that is unchangeable-but we are supposed to be able to  55  our feelings. If that’s the case, what can I do to feel better?

36.A. preferring    B. offering   C. receiving     D. allowing

37.A. so          B. then      C. but           D or

38.A.sadder    B. angrier      C. hungrier        D. tastier

39.A. expanding    B. stretching    C. swinging   D. pulling

40.A.  strength    B. length       C.  range      D. height

41.A.jump     B. look        C. walk       D. glance

42.A.  tip       B. stage      C. top      D.  level

43.A hope       B. hand        C.  sight      D.  reach

44.A. put         B. stand         C. get   D.  hold

45.A. break     B.  shake         C. take  D.  strike

46.A.  up       B.  forward       C. down D.  around

47.A.for           B. with           C. on  D. of

48.A. After      B. Through     C .Without  D. Upon

49.A. back      B.  away      C. up      D. down

50.A. wishes      B.  beliefs     C. efforts   D. goals

51.A. thought     B.  imagined     C. tried   D. claimed

52.A.Therefore     B. However     C. Moreover  D. Otherwise

53.A. skilful    B. cheerful      C. harmful   D.  helpful

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

55.A．change   B. express   C. forget   D. describe

    

Known as the Animal Lady in this area which I lived in, I was always asked to lend a hand in animal 36 . One afternoon three little neighbor girls ran up  37  my door, saying a baby squirrel was on the sidewalk. I quickly  38   the kids and they led me to a tiny squirrel still with milk teeth. I   39  and held the little creature up gently in my arms to check it for   40  . It seemed fine. I figured the mother must have been killed, leaving it an orphan( 孤儿 ).Now, the baby was pretty hungry for  41  and then left its nest to search the neighborhood for help.

I was about to carry it into my   42   when I found several other babies   43   to run down the tree from where their nest was. With the first squirrel hid into my   44   , I stood at the base of the tree and was   45   when three more babies ran right down into my hands. Those dear little creatures were so happy to feel safe and   46 , and they all held each other close in my shirt. I took them home and   47   them bread and milk to eat. The poor starving things went   48   as they swallowed the meal.

I phoned a lady in the next town who  49   a small squirrel shelter. She had a big back yard with large  50  surrounded by a tall wooden fence. She assured me she was well   51   to care for the babies and provide a natural home for them when they were grown.

I love that those little girls cared enough about the squirrels to seek out the   52  of the Animal Lady! And I really  53  getting to help the baby creatures. And then the   54   of caring continued  55 the lady with the squirrel shelter took them in. How wonderful to be part of a chain of kindness.

36. A. hunt B. love C. cure D. rescue

37. A. to B. through C. for D. from

38. A. followed B. glanced C. comforted D. persuaded

39. A. came down B. bent down C. put down D. broke down

40. A. fur B. legs C. teeth D. injuries

41. A. milk B. vegetable C. nuts D. leaves

42. A. room B. car C. house D. cage

43. A. pretending B. waiting C. swinging D. starting

44. A. shoe B. pocket C. shirt D. drawer

45. A. puzzled B. interested C. astonished D. satisfied

46. A. nervous B. cold C. warm D. tired

47. A. handed B. showed C. gave D. lent

48. A. hungry B. wild C. sad D. afraid

49. A. owned B. needed C. sought D. shut

50. A. ladders B. flowers C. bamboos D. trees

51. A. organized B. equipped C. built D. known

52. A. shelter B. information C. advice D. help

53. A. minded B. regretted C. enjoyed D. appreciated

54. A. chain B. feeling C. sense D. connection

55. A. when B. if C. before D. until

I am my mother's third child. When I was born, nurses took me from the room before she could see me. Her doctor gently explained that my left arm was　 41　 , below the elbow (肘部). Then he gave her some　 42 　 : "You'd better not treat her any　 43 　 from the other girls. Demand more." And she　 44 　 !

Even before my father left us, my mother had to go back to work to　 45　 our family. There were five of us girls in our family and we all had to　 46 　 . Once when I was about seven, I came out of the　 47 　 , whining(发牢骚), "Mom, I can't peel potatoes. I only have one hand."

Mom never looked up from sewing. "You get yourself into that kitchen and peel those potatoes," she told me. " And don't ever use that as a(n)　 48　 for anything again!"

Of course I could peel potatoes-with my good hand, while holding them down with my　 49 　 arm. There was always a　　50　 , and Mom knew it. She'd say, "If you try hard　　51 　 , you can do anything."

In the second grade, our teacher lined up my class on the playground and had each of us race across the monkey bars, swinging from one high steel rod (杆) to the next. When it was my turn, I　 52 　 my head. Some kids behind me　 53 　 . I went home crying.

When she got off work the next afternoon, she　　54 　 me back to school. On the deserted playground, Mom looked carefully at the bars.

"Now,　 55　 up with your right arm," she advised. She stood by　 56 　 I struggled to lift myself with my right hand until I could hook (钩住) the bar with my other elbow. Day after day we practiced, and she　 57 　 me for every rung (梯级) I reached.

I'll never forget the next time my class lined up at the monkey bars. Crossing the rungs, I looked down at the kids who'd　　58　 me. Now they were standing with their mouth open.

It was that way with everything:　　59 　 doing things for me, or excusing me, my mother insisted I find a way to do them myself. Sometimes, when I　 60 　 I can't handle things, I see her smile again. She had the heart to face anything. And she taught me I could, too.

41. A. missing B. broken C. diseased D. short

42. A. warning B. medicine C. help D. advice

43. A. badly B. differently C. better D. worse

44. A. did B. refused C. cried D. was

45. A. care B. helped C. support D. feed

46. A. pay attention B. work out C. carry out D. help out

47. A. kitchen B. bedroom C. house D. school

48. A. excuse B. change C. idea D. tool

49. A. lost B. other C. next D. longer

50. A. chance B. way C. time D. success

51. A. enough B. too C. again D. more

52. A. put B. covered C. shook D. turned

53. A. cheered B. whispered C. joked D. laughed

54. A. drove B. took C. sent D. carried

55. A. pull B. jump C. stand D. rise

56. A. before B. as C. after D. until

57. A. helped B. reminded C. praised D. protected

58. A. encouraged B. practiced

C. played tricks on D. made fun of

59. A. instead of B. ordered C. taught D. forced

60. A. wondered B. feared C. found D. knew

Since sometimes we can’t change the result that we are longing for , why can’t we change the attitude towards it by adjusting our thoughts and our moods to make us much happier?

One day 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 ,___36___ a bar of chocolate if given the choice,__37__ ,as they say, the forbidden fruit can be tempting. Seeing the apple, the boy wanted it. The more he looked at it , the __38__he felt and the more he wanted that apple.

He stood on tiptoe(脚尖),__39__ as high as he could, but even at his tallest __40__ he was unable to touch it . He began to __41__up and down ,as high as he could, at the __42__of each jump stretching his arms to get the apple .Still it remained out of __43__.

Not giving up , he thought , if only he had something to __44__on. His school bag wouldn’t give enough height and he didn’t want to __45__the things inside, like his lunch box ,pencil case ,and Gameboy. Looking __46__, he hoped he might find an old box, a rock, or , __47__luck ,even a ladder, but it was a tidy neighbourhood and there was nothing he could see.

He had tried everything he could think to do.___48___seeing any other choices, he gave up and started to walk __49__.At first he felt angry and disappointed thinking about how hungry he had become from his __50__, and how he really wanted that apple. The more he __51__ like this ,the more unhappy he became.

  __52__, the boy of our story was a pretty smart boy, even if he couldn’t always get what he wanted. He started to say to himself , “This isn’t __53__. I don’t have the apple and I’m feeling miserable as well. There’s ___54___more I can do to get the apple ---that is unchangeable ---but we are supposed to be able to __55__ our feelings . If that’s the case, what can I do to feel better ?”

36．A. offering              B. receiving           C. preferring D. permitting

37.  A. then            B. so                     C. or                    D. but

38. A. sadder          B. angrier              C. tastier               D. hungrier

39. A. expanding      B. stretching          C. swinging          D. pulling

40.A. strength          B. length                C. range                D. height

41. A. jump         B. look                 C. walk                 D. glance

42. A. tip                B. stage                C. top                   D. level

43. A. hope             B. hand                 C. sight                 D. reach

44. A. put                      B. stand                C. get                   D. hold

45. A. break             B. shake                      C. take                 D. strike

46.A. up                 B. forward            C. down                      D. around

47. A. for                      B. with                 C. on                    D. of

48. A. After             B. Though            C. Without             D. Upon

49. A. back             B. away               C. up                    D. down

50. A. wishes          B. beliefs               C. efforts              D. goals

51. A. thought        B. imagined           C. tried                 D. claimed

52. A. Therefore      B. However           C. Moreover         D. Otherwise

53. A. skilful          B. cheerful            C. harmful            D. helpful

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

55. A. change          B. express             C. forget               D. describe