Start Today

  "What can you do when you have done nothing but mess up your whole  life  long?" These were the words I heard when I   36   the TV the other day. They were coming  from one of  the  talk shows   37 are so popular on TV  these days.  I started  to  turn the channel but  the words  I had   38   made me stop  for a moment.  I   39    the speaker of  them. He couldn't have been more  than 18 years old, but already he was writing off （認為……已失�。� his life as a useless waste.

  I wanted to shout at him:" You're not   40    yet!"

  It is   41   sad that so many people cannot get beyond (擺脫) their pasts and live   42   the present. There are so many people like that talk show guest. There are people still  in  their  teen years   43    that their lives are over. There are people in their twenties who already think they have   44   the boat to success and happiness. There are people in their thirties and forties who sit around complaining that life has passed them by.  I want  to shout  to  them all:" Wake up! You're still  45  ! What have you done today?" If you want a happy  life, you can't dwell on(細想、糾纏于)your past   46  . If you want joy and love  in your  life, you have  to choose  them  today. God gives us a new chance at  life every  time we wake up in the morning. It is up to us to seize it.

  Today  47 be  the beginning of a new  life for each of us. We can choose  joy right now. We can share love today. We can  live  in delight starting at this moment. It doesn't matter how hard our past has been. Our present can be full of joy and our future can be full of 48   .  It doesn't matter  if we are eight 49   eighty--we can still make our  lives   50   . Life isn't over until your last heartbeat. Start today, then, to make your heart beat with joy, love, and light.

36. A. turned down B. turned off     C. turned on D. turned up

37. A. when    B. that    C. one      D. what

38. A. heard   B. found   C. seen     D. listened to

39. A. looked up   B. looked after     C. looked for D. looked at

40. A. death    B. dead    C. die D. died

41. A. so     B. so a    C. such D. such a

42. A. at     B. with    C. in D. to

43. A. think     B. thinking   C. thinks   D. to think

44. A. taken    B. caught    C. missed    D. lost

45. A. alive     B. living     C. lively     D. lovely

46. A. mistake   B. mistakes  C. wrong   D. ideas

47. A. must     B. mustn't     C. can't     D. can

48. A. pain  B. happiness      C. sadness D. challenge

49. A. and     B. to    C. or    D. between

50. A. wonder B. wondering     C. wondered D. wonderful

We got up late as usual．My husband decided to water the flowers in the garden    41    

leaving, and when he discovered that he couldn’t manage（處理）by   42   , he asked me for help at the last moment．   43   now we had an hour to get to the airport．   44   , there were not many cars or buses on the road and we were able to get there just in time．We checked in and went to a big hall to   45   our flight to be called．We waited and waited but no announcement was made．In the end there was an announcement   46   us that passengers could get a free meal．The plane hadn’t left Spain for technical problems．We waited again for a long time until late evening   47   we were asked to spend the night in a nearby hotel．

The next morning after a   48   night because of all the planes taking off and landing, we returned to the   49  ．Guess what had happened while we were asleep! Our plane had arrived and taken off again．All the other passengers had been   50   in the night to catch the plane, but for some reason or other we had been forgotten． You can imagine how we felt．

1．A． after                       B． until               C． before                  D． since  

2．A． herself                    B． himself           C． itself                    D． themselves

3．A． So                          B． Unless            C． Although              D． Because 

4．A． Friendly                  B． Luckily           C． Terribly                D． Possibly

5．A． look after                B． wait in            C． look at                 D． wait for

6．A． agreeing                  B． telling             C． asking                  D． shocking

7．A． where                     B． which             C． when                   D． what

8．A． bad                         B． good              C． dangerous            D． interesting

9．A． home                      B． hotel               C． station                 D． airport

10．A． woken up              B． paid for          C． given up               D． agreed with

I like all kinds of chocolate, especially bitter chocolate. So when Mother had bought one, I couldn’t help thinking about   36  .

I was helping Father in the yard when suddenly I got an idea. I could cut a piece   37  that chocolate without anyone knowing it.

I waited   38   Mother went outside feeding the chickens. Then I told Father I wanted to go for a drink of water. I went into the room and got the  39       down. Just when I had the knife ready to cut, I heard Mother coming. So I had to put the chocolate   40   into my shirt, went to my mom and   41   the chocolate there. And then I went back to   42   Father.

All the rest of the afternoon, I didn’t dare（敢） to look at Father. Every time he spoke, it made me jump. My hands began shaking and my heart started beating(跳動)  43  . I didn’t want the chocolate any more. I   44   wanted to get a chance to put it back.

Have you ever had a similar   45  ?

(   ) 36. A. him          B. her            C. it             D. this

(   ) 37. A. off           B. into           C. on            D. along

(   ) 38. A. while         B. after           C. since          D. until

(   ) 39. A. water         B. chocolate       C. chicken        D. shirt

(   ) 40. A. silently       B. easily          C. slowly         D. quickly

(   ) 41. A. hid          B. ate            C. held           D. returned

(   ) 42. A. tell           B. help           C. find           D. call

(   ) 43. A. quick         B. slow           C. fast         D. slowly

(   ) 44. A. still          B. hardly         C. just           D. never

(   ) 45. A. experience    B. excuse         C. mistake        D. moment

I didn’t cry when I learned I was the parent of a disabled child. I just sat still and didn’t say anything.    

When Jenny was old enough, I sent her to a kindergarten（幼兒園）. On the first morning, Jenny spent hours playing by herself. It seemed that she felt very(41).    

However, to my joy, Jenny’s classmates always (42) her, “You got all your spelling words right today!” In fact, her spelling list was the (43). Later, she faced a very painful (44) —— at the end of the term, there was a game which had (45) to do with physical education. But Jenny was (46) in it.    

My husband and I were anxious about the day. I wanted to let my child stay home! But my heart wouldn’t let me off that easily. So I (47) a pale, unwilling Jenny onto the school bus.    

At the kindergarten, I was quite worried because of her (48) action, Jenny would probably hold up her team. The game went well until it was time for the sack（麻袋）race. Surely Jenny would find it (49). Now each child had to climb into a sack, jump to the finishing line, return and climb out of the sack. I noticed Jenny standing near the end of her line of players.    

But as it was her turn to join, a change took place in her (50). The tallest boy behind Jenny placed his hands on her waist（腰）. Two other boys (51) in front of her. The moment the player before Jenny stepped out from the sack, the two boys (52) the sack suddenly and kept it open while the tall boy lifted Jenny and (53) her into it. A girl nearby took her hand and supported her (54) Jenny got her balance. Then she jumped forward, smiling and proud. In the cheers of the teachers, schoolmates and parents, I silently thanked the warm, understanding people in life who made it  (55) for my disabled daughter to be like her fellow human beings. Then I finally cried.

    41. A. excited      B. lonely       C. happy            D. weak

    42. A. greeted      B. expected         C. encouraged       D. followed

    43. A. easiest      B. longest      C. smallest    D. tidiest

    44. A. choice       B. problem      C. result           D. exam

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

    46. A. forward      B. fast             C. behind           D. up

    47. A. threw            B. pushed       C. knocked      D. fixed

    48. A. slow         B. quiet            C. quick            D. secret

    49. A. stupid       B. simple       C. relaxing    D. difficult

    50. A. school       B. family       C. team         D. heart

    51. A. ran          B. lay          C. walked       D. stood

    52. A. picked up        B. gave up      C. cut up           D. made up

    53. A. drove            B. hid          C. put          D. hit

    54. A. when         B. until            C. after            D. unless

    55. A. popular      B. special      C. necessary        D. possible

 I　didn’t　cry　when　I　learned　I　was　the　parent　of　a　disabled　child.　I　just　sat　still　and　didn’t　say　anything.

    When　Jenny　was　old　enough,　I　sent　her　to　a　kindergarten（幼兒園）.　On　the　first　morning,　Jenny　spent　hours　playing　by　herself.　It　seemed　that　she　felt　very(41).

    However,　to　my　joy,　Jenny’s　classmates　always　(42)　her,　“You　got　al　your　speling　words　right　today!”In　fact,　her　speling　list　was　the　(43).　Later,　she　faced　a　very　painful　(44)　—— at　the　end　of　the　term,　there　was　a　game　which　had　(45)　to　do　with　physical　education.　But　Jenny　was　(46)　in　it.

    My　husband　and　I　were　anxious　about　the　day.　I　wanted　to　let　my　child　stay　home!　But　my　heart　wouldn’t　let　me　off　that　easily.　So　I　(47)　a　pale,　unwiling　Jenny　onto　the　school　bus.

    At　the　kindergarten,　I　was　quite　worried　because　of　her　(48)　action,　Jenny　would　probably　hold　up　her　team.　The　game　went　wel　until　it　was　time　for　the　sack（麻袋）race.　Surely　Jenny　would　find　it　(49).　Now　each　child　had　to　climb　into　a　sack,　jump　to　the　finishing　line,　return　and　climb　out　of　the　sack.　I　noticed　Jenny　standing　near　the　end　of　her　line　of　players.

    But　as　it　was　her　turn　to　join,　a　change　took　place　in　her　(50).　The　talest　boy　behind　Jenny　placed　his　hands　on　her　waist（腰）.　Two　other　boys　(51)　in　front　of　her.　The　moment　the　player　before　Jenny　stepped　out　from　the　sack,　the　two　boys　(52)　the　sack　suddenly　and　kept　it　open　while　the　tal　boy　lifted　Jenny　and　(53)　her　into　it.　A　girl　nearby　took　her　hand　and　supported　her　(54)　Jenny　got　her　balance.　Then　she　jumped　forward,　smiling　and　proud.　In　the　cheers　of　the　teachers,　schoolmates　and　parents,　I　silently　 thanked　 the　 warm,　understanding　people　in　life　who　made　it　 (55)　for　my　disabled　daughter　to　be　like　her　felow　human　beings.　Then　　I　finaly　cried.

  1.　A.　excited　　　　B.　lonely　C.　happy　　　　D.weak

  2.　A.　greeted　　　　B.　expected　C.　encouraged　　　　D.　folowed

    3.　A.　easiest　　　　B.　longest　C.　smalest　　　　D.　tidiest

4.A.　choice　　　　B.　problem　C.　result　　　　D.　exam

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

    6.　A.　forward　　　　B.　fast　C.　behind　　　　D.　up

    7.　A.　threw　　　　B.　pushed　C.　knocked　　　　D.　fixed

   8.　A.　slow　　　　B.　quiet　　　　C.　quick　　　　D.　secret

    9.　A.　stupid　　　　B.　simple　relaxing　　　　D.　difficult

    10.　A.　school　　　　B.　family　C.　team　　　　D.　heart

    11.　A.　ran　　　　B.　lay　　　　C.　walked　　　　D.　stood

    12.　A.　picked　up　　　　B.　gave　up　　　　C.　cut　up　　　    D.　made　up

  13.　A.　drove　　　　B.　hid　　　　C.　put　　　　　D.　hit

    14.　A.　when　　　　B.　until　　　　C.　after　　　　D.　unless

    15.　A.　popular　　　　B.　special　C.　necessary　　　　D.　possible