I stood outside New York's Madison Square Garden and just stared, almost speechless. I was a farm boy from County Kilkenny, a child who some thought would never walk, let alone go as far as I had in the world.
From the day I was born, there was a problem. The doctors at the Dublin hospital told my parents I had phocomelia, a deformity that affected both legs below the knee, which were outward and shorter than normal and each foot had just three toes.
Life was tough. I couldn't stand, much less walk. I rarely, left the farmhouse---and then only in someone's arms. Mam bundled me up whenever she took me to town, no matter the season.
“The world will see him when he can walk,” she told Dad. “And he will walk.”
Mam devoted herself to helping me. She tried everything to get me on my feet. When I was three, she and Dad took me to a clinic in Dublin.
A few weeks later we returned to Dublin with my artificial limbs (肢). Back home I practiced walking with my new limbs.
“There's nothing anyone can do but you can't,” Mam said. “You and I are going to walk through town.”
The next day Mam dressed me in my finest clothes. She wore a summer dress and fixed her hair and makeup. Dad drove us to the church. We stepped out of the car. Mam took my hand. “Hold your head up high, now, Ronan,” she said.
We walked 300 meters to the post office. It was the farthest I'd walked, and I was sweating from the effort. Then we left the post office and continued down the street, Mam's eyes shining with a mother's pride.
That night, back on our farm, I lay exhausted on my bed. It meant nothing, though, compared to what I'd done on my walk.
Then I began to pursue my dream of singing. And at every step Mam's words came back to me—Ronan, you can do anything anyone else can do—and the faith she had in God, who would help me do it.
I've sung from the grandest stages in Europe, to music played by the world's finest musicians. That night, I stood at the Madison Square Garden, with Mam's words chiming in my ears. Then I began singing. I couldn't feel the pulse of the music in my feet, but I felt it deep in my heart, the same place where Mam's promise lived.
1.What was the problem with the author as a baby?
A. He was expected unable to walk.
B. He was born outward in character.
C. He had a problem with listening.
D. He was shorter than a normal baby.
2.The underlined word “deformity” in the second paragraph most probably means _______.
A. shortcoming B. disadvantage C. disability D. delay
3.Why did Mam dress him and herself in finest clothes?
A. To hide their depressed feeling.
B. To indicate it an unusual day.
C. To show off their clothes.
D. To celebrate his successful operation.
4.From the story we may conclude that his mother was _______.
A. determined B. stubborn C. generous D. distinguished
5.According to the writer, what mattered most in his success?
A. His consistent effort. B. His talent for music.
C. His countless failures. D. His mother's promise.
If women are mercilessly exploited(剥削) year after year, they have only themselves to blame. Because they tremble at the thought of being seen in public in clothes that are out of fashion, they are always taken advantage of by the designers and the big stores. Clothes which have been worn only a few times have to be put aside because of the change of fashion.
Changing fashions are nothing more than the intentional creation of waste. Many women spend large sums of money each year to replace clothes that have hardly been worn. Women who cannot afford to throw away clothing in this way, waste hours of their time changing their old-fashioned dresses. Skirts are lengthened or shortened; neck-lines are lowered or raised, and so on.
No one can claim that the fashion industry contributes anything really important to society. Fashion designers are rarely concerned with necessary things like warmth, comfort and durability (耐用). They are only interested in outward appearance and they take advantage of the fact that women will put up with any amount of discomfort, as long as they look right. There can hardly be a man who hasn't at some time in his life smiled at the sight of a woman shaking in a thin dress on a winter day, or picking her way through deep snow in high heeled shoes.
When comparing men and women in the matter of fashion, the conclusions to be drawn are obvious. Do the constantly changing fashions of women's clothes, one wonders, reflect basic qualities of inconstancy and instability? Men are too clever to let themselves be cheated by fashion designers. Do their unchanging styles of dress reflect basic qualities of stability and reliability(稳定耐用)? That is for you to decide.
1.Designers and big stores always make money _______.
A. by mercilessly exploiting women workers in the clothing industry
B. because they are capable of predicting new fashions
C. by constantly changing the fashions in women's clothing
D. because they attach great importance to quality in women's clothing
2.To the writer, the fact that women change their old-fashioned dresses is seen as _______.
A. a waste of money B. a waste of time
C. an expression of taste D. an expression of creativity
3.New fashions in clothing are created for _______.
A. the commercial exploitation of women
B. the women's strength of character
C. basic qualities of inconstancy and instability
D. an important contribution to society
The English, as a race, are very different in many ways from all other nationalities, including their closest neighbors, the French, the Belgians and the Dutch. It is claimed that living on an island separated from the rest of Europe has much to do with it. Whatever the reasons are, it may be fairly stated that the Englishman has developed many attitudes and habits which distinguish him from other nationalities.
Broadly speaking, the Englishman is a quiet, shy, reserved person who is fully relaxed only among people he knows well. In the presence of strangers or foreigners he often seems restrained, even embarrassed. You have only to witness a city train any morning or evening to see the truth of this. Serious-looking businessmen and women sit reading their newspapers or having a light sleep in a corner, and no one speaks. In fact, to do so would seem most unusual. An Englishman, pretending to be giving advice to overseas visitors, once suggested, “On entering a railway carriage, shake hands with all the passengers.” Needless to say, he was not being serious. There is an unwritten but clearly understood code of behavior which, if broken, makes the person immediately suspected.
In many parts of the world it is quite normal to show openly extremes of enthusiasm, emotion, excitement, etc, often accompanied by appropriate gesture. The Englishman is somewhat different. Of course, an Englishman feels no less deeply than anyone of a different nationality, but he tends to display his feelings far less. This is reflected in his use of language. Imagine a man commenting on the great beauty of a young girl. A more emotional man might describe her state “Oh, she is a goddess”, whereas an Englishman might just say “Oh, she’s all right.” An Englishman who has seen a highly successful and enjoyable film recommends it to a friend by commenting, “It’s not bad you know”, or on seeing some very unusual scenery he might convey (表达) his pleasure by saying, “Nice, yes, very nice.” The overseas visitor must not be disappointed by this apparent lack of interest and involvement. Instead, he must realize that “all right,” “not bad,” and “nice,” very often have the sense of “first-class,” “excellent,” “beautiful”. This unique style of language use is particularly common in England, and is known as restrained statement.
1.According to the passage, the English are different from other nationalities in _______.
A. habits B. attitudes C. character D. all of the above
2.The underlined word “restrained” in the second paragraph probably means “_______”.
A. calm and controlled B. polite and friendly
C. nervous and quiet D. silent and kind
3.In Britain, if you don’t want other people to think you are strange, you’d better _______.
A. talk with others as much as possible
B. behave just like the English do
C. say nothing about yourself
D. shake hands with everyone you meet
4.If an Englishman says “all right”, it may mean “_______”.
A. not bad B. correct C. quite right D. wonderful
5.From the passage, we can infer that an Englishman _______.
A. doesn’t like to show his feelings so much
B. has less emotion than people of other nationalities
C. finds it easy to express his emotion
D. likes to have a joke with strangers
Dash of Hope
"Dash" is a symbol which represents every day we've spent alive on earth. Therefore, how you spend your "dash" is important.
Recently I 36 about a little girl named Hope. After learning more about her life, I couldn't help but feel it was not by 37 , nor happenstance（意外事件）, that she had been named "Hope". The strong feeling of sympathy and generosity 38 in her young heart made a lasting impression on me and countless others. 39 I never had the opportunity to meet her, I wish I had. It seems as though she was wise beyond her tender years and very, very special.
Hope was a twelve-year-old girl who was 40 a "wish" in early December 2010 by the "Make-A-Wish" Foundation after being 41 that she had a rare type of bone cancer. However, when she found out that more than 150 42 in her area were waiting for their wishes to be achieved , she unselfishly used her wish to 43 that those children have their wishes granted. She also asked that it be done 44 January 16, 2011. Unfortunately, however, the organization informed her that her 45 request could not be granted as the funds were simply 46 . They calculated that they would need to raise more than one 47 dollars in thirty days in order to grant her wish. 48 , but not discouraged, she turned her disappointment into an enthusiasm that inspired caring 49 to take up helping grant the wishes of the other children, and eventually 50 as well. Newspaper columnists and reporters for radio and TV stations 51 the story of this caring young girl who had 52 the hearts of so many and as word spread, the community was challenged. Committees were fanned and schools, corporations and various organizations assisted in 53 money to help make Hope's dream come true.
Her efforts were not in vain as they continue to help others, not only 54 , but spiritually and emotionally as well. At the gathering to celebrate her life, "A Celebration of Hope" on January 16, 2011 , the 55 was made that they had indeed received donations totaling more than one million dollars. Her wish had been granted!
1.A. heard B. thought C. cared D. talked
2.A. coincidence B. independence C. convenience D. intelligence
3.A. lost B. carried C. expected D. housed
4.A. Until B. Unless C. Though D. If
5.A. expressed B. offered C. made D. sent
6.A. recognized B. informed C. reminded D. understood
7.A. children B. citizens C. villagers D. relatives
8.A. suggest B. ask C. arrange D. order
9.A. for B. to C. on D. by
10.A. final B. formal C. simple D. noble
11.A. unbearable B. unbelievable C. unavailable D. uncomfortable
12.A. thousand B. hundred C. million D. billion
13.A. Disappointed B. Surprised C. Worried D. Embarrassed
14.A. committees B. individuals C. corporations D. organizations
15.A. theirs B. ours C. hers D. yours
16.A. wrote B. read C. broadcast D. shared
17.A. touched B. examined C. won D. opened
18.A. finding B. spending C. raising D. borrowing
19.A. perfectly B. physically C. healthily D. thankfully
20.A. proposal B. decision C. conclusion D. announcement
Sometimes I’m dying ______ him about it.
A. tell B. to tell C. telling D. of telling
Wherever such an area is located, it will be immediately ______ by the enemy if armed forces are lacking.
A. taken B. caught C. occupied D. kept
