Being the head of a high school for many years, I grew tired of budget meetings, fundingcuts, and many other administrative chores and started to dream of retirement.Sitting in trafficon a weekday morning, I would find my mind wandering.I would imagine spending time withmy grandchildren, quiet evenings with my wife, traveling, or rediscovering some great books.Itold myself that I wouldn't sign myself up for any committees, any classes, or anythingrequiring a schedule.
My first day of retirement came at last! I cooked a great breakfast for my wife and me,leisurely read the paper, cleaned a bit of the house, and wrote a few letters to friends.On thesecond day, I cooked breakfast, read the paper …On the third day, ...This is retirement? Itried to tell myself that it was just the transition, that those golden moments were right roundthe corner, and that I would enjoy them soon enough.But something was missing.
A former colleague asked a favor.A group of students was going to Jamaica to work withchildren in the poorest neighbourhood.Would I interrupt my newfound "happiness" and returnto the students, just this once? One trip.That's all.My bags were packed and by the door.
The trip was very inspiring.I was moved not only by the poverty I saw but also by thesense of responsibility of the young people on the trip.When I returned home, I offered to workone day a week with a local youth organization.The experience was so positive that I was soonvolunteering nearly full-time, working with students across North America to assist them intheir voluntary work.
Now,it seems, the tables have turned .Some days I am the teacher, other days I am thestudent.These young people have reawakened my commitment to social justice issues bychallenging me to learn more about the situation in the world today, where people are still poorand suffer because of greed, corruption and war.Most importantly, they have given me theopportunity to continue to participate in helping to find solutions.In return, I help them do theircharitable projects overseas.I've gone from running one school to helping oversee theconstruction of schools in twenty-one countries!
小題1:What did the writer expect to do after he retired?
A.To stay away from busy schedules.B.To write some great books.
C.To do some voluntary work.D.To plan for his future.
小題2:Why did the writer decide to go to Jamaica?
A.He missed his students in that country.
B.He couldn't reflise his colleague's favor.
C.He was concerned about the people there.
D.He was not satisfied with his retired life.
小題3:The underlined part "the tables have turned" (Paragraph 5 ) means that thewriter  
A.improved the situation in his schoolB.felt happy to work with students again
C.became a learner rather than a teacherD.changed his attitude toward his retired life
小題4:What does the writer think of his retired life now?
A.Disappointing.B.Troublesome.
C.Promising.D.Meaningful.
小題1:A小題1:D小題1:C小題1:D
練習冊系列答案
相關(guān)習題

科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:完形填空

完形填空(共20小題;每小題1分,滿分20分)
閱讀下面短文,掌握其大意,然后從下列各題所給的四個選項(A、B、C和D)中選出最佳選項,并在答題卡上將該項涂黑。
It was a cold winter’s night when I stopped for gas on my way home from work. I was tired and had a slight   36 .
I worked in a   37  doctor’s office and this was one of those days when the unexpected happened, making the schedule run   38  than usual. It seemed I was going to be late   39  home and my husband, being the   40  person, would be ready to pronounce me late once again. Maybe   41  I hurried, I could still make it home.
I was heading inside to   42  for my gas when I noticed an older couple at the counter. I heard them asking for   43  to the local hospital. It was the same hospital that I had just   44  a few minutes ago.
The young man at the counter was trying to be   45  in explaining how to get there, with two other people making   46 . One of them was   47  trying to give them a whole different route back. It was then that I walked over to the couple and said, “Would you like to follow me to the   48 ?”
A look of   49  crossed the woman’s face.
“I’m going right by there,” I said, which wasn’t a(an)   50  since I had just made up my mind to do   51  that.
I got in my car and began the journey back. I was trying to watch to be sure they were right   52  me. It took only fifteen minutes to get there as rush hour traffic was beginning to   53 . I felt better than I had all day and my headache was nearly gone.
Later, as I arrived home, my husband   54 , “So you aren’t ever late any more.”
I said, “Sometimes it’s   55  to be late.”
小題1:
A.breakB.feverC.coldD.headache
小題2:
A.foreignB.commonC.busyD.noisy
小題3:
A.earlierB.laterC.easierD.simpler
小題4:
A.gettingB.cookingC.callingD.working
小題5:
A.toughB.punctualC.generousD.careful
小題6:
A.a(chǎn)sB.sinceC.whileD.if
小題7:
A.payB.changeC.waitD.search
小題8:
A.opinionsB.troubleC.directionsD.money
小題9:
A.reachedB.visitedC.calledD.left
小題10:
A.skilledB.helpfulC.experiencedD.a(chǎn)ctive
小題11:
A.commentsB.promisesC.jokesD.offers
小題12:
A.onlyB.stillC.evenD.ever
小題13:
A.stationB.officeC.hospitalD.hotel
小題14:
A.panicB.reliefC.sadnessD.peace
小題15:
A.dutyB.factC.reasonD.lie
小題16:
A.partlyB.properlyC.exactlyD.perfectly
小題17:
A.a(chǎn)crossB.beforeC.besideD.behind
小題18:
A.go upB.die downC.speed upD.turn down
小題19:
A.teasedB.shoutedC.burstD.laughed
小題20:
A.possibleB.specialC.goodD.safe

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Several times my daughter had telephoned to say, “Mum, you must come and see the daffodils (水仙花)before they are over.” I wanted to go, but it was a two-hour drive from Lake Arrowhead. “I will go next Tuesday,” I promised, a little unwillingly, on her third call.
The 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 (看不見的)in the cloud 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 weather all the time, Mum. You will never forgive yourself if you miss this experience.”
After about twenty minutes, we turned onto a small 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, we turned a corner of the path, and I looked up and gasped. Before me lay the most beautiful 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 (庭院), 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 (鱗莖),” 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 fifty years before, had begun -- one bulb at a time -- to bring the beauty and joy to the mountain top.
小題1:The author didn’t go to see the daffodils at first because _________.
A.she was not interested in them
B.they were growing on the mountain top
C.the weather was not good enough
D.it was not easy for her to drive there
小題2: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 there.
C.It took her great determination to grow the daffodils.
D.She was poor and made her living by selling daffodils.
小題3: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 by growing flowers.
D.It’s never too late to learn.
小題4: What would be the best title for the passage?
A.An Unforgettable Experience.B.Beautiful Daffodils.
C.One Bulb at a Time.D.I Love Daffodils.

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

I heard many parents complaining that their teenage children are rebelling. I wish it were so. At your age you ought to be growing away from your parents. You should be learning to stand on your own two feet. But take a good look at the present rebellion. It seems that teenagers are taking the same way of showing that they disagree with their parents. Instead of striking out boldly on their own, most of them are clutching (緊握) at one another’s hands for reassurance.
They claim they want to dress as they please. But they all wear the same clothes. They set off in new directions in music. But somehow they all end up huddled (聚在一起) round listening to the same record. Their reason for thinking or acting in thus-and-such a way is that the crowd is doing it. They have come out of their cocoon (蠶繭) into a larger cocoon.
It has become harder and harder for a teenager to stand up against the popularity wave and to go his or her own way. Industry has firmly carved out a teenage market. These days every teenager can learn from the advertisements what a teenager should have and be. And many of today’s parents have come to award high marks for the popularity of their children. All this adds up to a great barrier for the teenager who wants to find his or her own path.
But the barrier is worth climbing over. The path is worth following. You may want to listen to classical music instead of going to a party. You may want to collect rocks when everyone else is collecting records. You may have some thoughts that you don’t care to share at once with your classmates. Well, go to it. Find yourself. Be yourself. Popularity will come — with the people who respect you for who you are. That is the only kind of popularity that really counts.
小題1: In this passage, the author wants to tell _______.
A.readers to try to be popular with people around
B.teenagers to try to pursue their real selves
C.parents to try to control and guide their children
D.people to try to understand and respect each other
小題2:The author disapproves of rebelling teenagers _______.
A.growing away from their parentsB.turning to their friends for help
C.walking a new way on their ownD.following the popularity trend
小題3:The phrase “a larger cocoon” at the end of the second paragraph refers to _______.
A.the distractive and variable societyB.the popularity wave in the society
C.the parental care and loveD.the dazzling music world
小題4:What does the author think of advertisements?
A.Convincing.B.Instructive.C.Influential.D.Authoritative.
小題5:According to the author, what might happen when a teenager stands up against the popularity wave and follows his/her own path?
A.He/She gains valuable popularity.B.He/She loses good friends.
C.He/She faces all kinds of criticism.D.He/She falls behind the time.

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

I promised Michael I wouldn’t mention this until the season was over.Now l think it's time.
Early last season, I wrote a column about an art of kindness I had seen Jordan do to a disabled child outside the stadium.After it ran,I got a call from a marl in the western suburbs.He said,“I read what you wrote about Jordan.but I thought I should tell you another thing I saw.”
Here it comes, I thought. It always does. Write something nice about a person, and people call you up to say that the person is not so nice.
A few weeks later Jordan and I were talking about something else before a game, and I brought up what the man had said. Was the man right? Had Jordan really been talking to those two boys in that poor and dirty .neighborhood?
"Not two boys," Jordan said. "But four."
And he named them. He said four names. And what did they talk about?
"Everything,” Jordan said. " Anything. I’ve asked to see their grades so that I can check to see if they're paying attention to their study. If it turns out that one or two of them may need teaching, I make sure they get it."
It's just one more part of Michael Jordan's life one more thing that no one knows about, and one more thing Jordan does fight for. The NBA season is over now, and those boys have their memories. So do J! When the expert reviewers begin to tuna against Jordan as they surely will, I'll think about those boys under the streetlight, waiting for the man they know to come. For someone they can depend on.
小題1:The writer wrote this story about Jordan and his young friends because _______
A.he thought highly of Jordan's deeds
B.he hated to see Jordan do something bad
C.he believed it was time to help the disabled
D.he felt sure he needn't keep the promise then
小題2: A man in the western suburbs made a call to_______
A.know why Jordan stopped in a bad area
B.get a chance to become famous himself
C.let the writer know Jordan was not that nice
D.offer an example to show how Jordan helped others
小題3: Jordan talked with the boys because he _______.                     
A.needed their support
B.had promised to do so
C.liked to teach them to play basketball
D.wanted to make sure they all studied well
小題4: The text implies that Jordan is _______.
A.a(chǎn)n excellent basketball player
B.good at dealing with problems of life
C.a(chǎn)lways ready to make friends with young people
D.willing to do whatever he can for the good of society

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

The small unframed painting called “Fisherman” was signed by a little-known Italian artist, Maveleone (1669-1740). When it was sold recently in New York for $27,000, the seller, Mr. Oliver Pitt, was asked to explain how the picture had come into his possession.
Pitt said, “I didn’t know it was so valuable. I’m not an art expert. Photography is my hobby. I bought ‘Fisherman’ in Italy in 1970 for $140. The picture was dirty, and I couldn’t see the artist’s signature. But anyway it wasn’t the picture that I liked. I bought it because of the frame. ”
“It’s a most unusual frame, made of tiny, silvery sea-shells. They are set in such a way that they reflect perfect light onto the surface of a picture. I now have a photograph of my wife in that frame, and I’ll never part with it.”
“When I returned to New York I showed the painting in its frame to a customs officer. I told him that I had paid $140 for it but admitted I didn’t know its actual worth. The customs man valued it at $140, and I was asked to pay duty on that value. I did so, there and then. ” 
“Later, I took off the frame, and that uncovered Maveleone’s signature. My wife suggested in fun that the painting might be a valuable one, so I cleaned it and put it up for sale.”
As a result of this explanation, Oliver Pitt had to appear in court. He was accused of knowingly making a false statement of the value of a picture so as to cheat the Customs Department.
Pitt was not happy. “I told the truth as I knew it then,” he said, “What else could I say?”
And then the judge agreed with him. “The Customs Department is to be responsible,” he said, “for making a true valuation of goods brought into the country, so that the correct amount of duty may be charged. Mr. Pitt did not cause or try to cause the mistake that was made. He paid the duty that was demanded. If, now, the Customs Department finds that its valuation was not correct, it cannot be allowed to have another try. Pitt is not guilty”.
小題1:When Oliver Pitt bought the picture, ________.
A.it was unframedB.Maveleone signed the deal
C.he suggested that it was valuableD.it was the frame that attracted him
小題2: From the passage we can infer that if Maveleone had been a well-known artist,        _.
A.the painting would have cost much more than $ 140
B.he wouldn’t have sold his painting
C.the customs officer wouldn’t have been cheated
D.Pitt wouldn’t have had the intention to buy any of his paintings
小題3: Pitt took off the frame probably in order to        _.
A.clean the painting to put it up for sale
B.look for the artist’s signature
C.use it for his wife’s photograph
D.find the painting’s true value
小題4:Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the story?  
A.In the end Pitt was asked to pay the correct amount of duty.
B.In the end Pitt sold the frame of the painting at an even higher price.
C.In the end the Customs Department had no right to revalue the painting.
D.In the end Pitt’s wife was regarded as an expert because of her wise suggestion.

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Many years ago, when I was fresh out of school and working in Denver, I was driving to my parents’ home in Missouri for Christmas. I stopped at a gas station(加油站) about 50 miles from Oklahoma City, where I was planning to stop and visit a friend. While I was standing in line at the cash register(收款臺), I said hello to an older couple who were also paying for gas.
I took off, but had gone only a few miles when black smoke poured from the back of my car. I stopped and wondered what I should do. A car pulled up behind me. It was the couple I had spoken to at the gas station. They said they would take me to my friend’s. We chatted on the way into the city, and when I got out of the car, the husband gave me his business card.
I wrote him and his wife a thank-you note for helping me. Soon afterward, I  received a Christmas present from them. Their note that came with it said that helping me had made their holidays meaningful.
Years later, I drove to a meeting in a nearby town in the morning. In late afternoon I returned to my car and found that I’d left the lights on all day, and the battery(電池) was dead. Then I noticed that the Friendly Ford dealership—a shop selling cars—was right next door. I walked over and found two salesmen in the showroom.
“Just how friendly is Friendly Ford?”I asked and explained my trouble. They quickly drove a pickup truck to my car and started it. They would accept no payment, so when I got home, I wrote them a note to say thanks. I received a letter back from one of the salesmen. No one had ever taken the time to write him and say thank you, and it meant a lot, he said.
小題1:The underlined words“took off”in Paragraph  2 mean         .
A.turned offB.moved offC.put upD.set up
小題2:What happened when the author found smoke coming out of his car?
A.He had it pulled back to the gas station.
B.The couple sent him a business card.
C.The couple offered to help him.
D.He called his friend for help.
小題3:The battery of the author’s car was dead because         .
A.something went wrong with the lights
B.his meeting lasted a whole day
C.he forgot to turn off the lights
D.he drove too long a distance
小題4:By telling his own experiences, the author tries to show         .
A.how to write a thank-you letter
B.how to deal with car problems
C.the kind-heartedness of older people
D.the importance of expressing thanks

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Last summer I went through a training program and became a literacy volunteer (掃盲志愿者). The training I received, though excellent, didn't tell me how it was to work with a real student, however. When I began to discover what other people’s lives were like because they could not read, I realized the true importance of reading.
My first student Marie was a 44-year-old single mother of three children. In the first lesson, I found out she walked two miles to the nearest supermarket twice a week because she didn't know which bus to take. When I told her I would get her a bus schedule, she told me it would not help because she couldn't read it. She said she also had difficulty once she got to the supermarket because she couldn't always remember what she needed. Also, she could only recognize items by sight, so if the product had a different label, she would not recognize it as the product she wanted.
As we worked together, learning how to read built Marie’s self-confidence. She began to make rapid progress and was even able to take the bus to the supermarket. After this successful trip, she reported how self-confident she felt. At the end of the program, she began helping her youngest son, Tony, a shy first grader, with his reading. I found that helping Marie to build her self-confidence was more rewarding than anything I had ever done before.
As a literacy volunteer, I learned a great deal about teaching and helping others. In fact, I may have learned more from the experience than Marie did.
小題1:What did the writer do last summer?
A.She worked in the supermarket.
B.She helped someone to learn to read.
C.She helped some single mothers.
D.She was trained by a literacy volunteer.
小題2: Why didn't Marie go to the supermarket by bus at first?
A.Because she liked to walk to the supermarket.
B.Because she didn't have a bus schedule.
C.Because she couldn't afford the bus ticket.
D.Because she couldn't find the right bus.
小題3:How did Marie use to find the goods she wanted in the supermarket?
A.She knew where the goods were in the supermarket.
B.She asked others to take her to the right place.
C.She managed to find the goods by their looks.
D.She remembered the names of the goods.
小題4:Which of the statements is TRUE about Marie?
A.She could do many things she had not been able to before.
B.She was able to read stories with the help of her son.
C.She decided to continue her studies in school.
D.She helped to build up my self-confidence.

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Tight-lipped elders used to say, "It's not what you want in this world, but what you get."
Psychology teaches that you do get what you want if you know what you want and want the right things.
You can make a mental blueprint of a desire as you would make a blueprint of a house, and each of us is continually making these blueprints in the general routine of everyday living.If we intend to have friends to dinner, we plan the menu, make a shopping list, decide which food to cook first, and such planning is an essential for any type of meal to be served.
Similarly, If you want to find a job, take a sheet of paper, and write a brief account of yourself.In making a blueprint for a job, begin with yourself, for when you know exactly what you have to offer, you can intelligently plan where to sell your services.
This account of yourself is actually a general description of your working life and should include education, experience and references.Such an account is valuable.It can be referred to in filling out standard application blanks and is extremely helpful in personal interviews.While talking to you, your could-be employer is deciding whether your education, your experience, and other qualifications will pay him to employ you and your abilities must be displayed in an orderly and reasonably connected manner.
When you have carefully prepared a blueprint of your abilities and desires, you have something tangible to sell.Then you are ready to look for a job.Get all the possible information about your could-be job.Make inquiries about the details concerning the job and the firm.Keep your eyes and ears open, and use your own judgment.Spend a certain amount of time each day seeking the position you wish for, and keep in mind: Obtaining a job is your job now.
小題1:What do the elders mean when they say, “It’s not what you want in this world, but what you get.”?
A.You’ll certainly get what you want.
B.It’s no use dreaming.
C.You should be dissatisfied with what you have.
D.It’s essential to set a goal for yourself.
小題2:A blueprint made before inviting a friend to dinner is used in this passage as ________.
A.a(chǎn)n illustration of how to write an application for a job
B.a(chǎn)n indication of how to obtain a good job
C.a(chǎn) guideline for job description
D.a(chǎn) principle for job evaluation
小題3:According to the passage, one must write an account of himself before starting to find a job because ________.
A.that is the first step to please the employer
B.that is the requirement of the employer
C.it enables him to know when to sell his services
D.it makes him become clearly aware of himself
小題4:When you have carefully prepared a blueprint of your abilities and desires, you have something______.
A.specific to offerB.imaginary to provide
C.precious to supplyD.desirable to present

查看答案和解析>>

同步練習冊答案