John, a famous musician, took his priceless antique violin and played it in the crowded subway station. The music from the violin was delicately streaming throughout the whole station. However, during the one-hour play, only six or seven people were truly appreciating the charming music. A three-year-old kid was so fascinated by the music that he forgot everything around. John only got 52 dollars for his work that day.
However, in normal days, when John is about to hold a concert, one ticket can be sold at more than 100 dollars and it is extremely hard to buy a ticket even at such a high price. Therefore, later, many passers-by in the station that day felt deeply regretful for not recognizing the famous musician and missing such a valuable but cheap music feast.
I have a very busy friend who had totally changed after knowing that his wife came down with incurable illness. He cooked by himself for the family and took a walk with his wife every day. Nonetheless, his wife still did not manage to conquer the illness and passed away after three months. After that, he often sighed miserably that due to his past busy life, he had missed a lot of beautiful time with his wife. But now, it is impossible to make up for it.
It is no use crying over spilt milk. We have missed a lot of precious things in our life without knowing to cherish them.
Actually, I also missed something precious before. The reason why we would have missed those precious things is less than simple: we had thought that we could still own them tomorrow.
Nevertheless, tomorrow is actually by no means reliable. There was a famous Buddhist monk saying that in many people’s lives, they have only done two things: waiting and regretting. The result is that they were always too late to cherish what they had before they lost it. We would often claim to do something when we grow up, or when we have money or when we become old, etc. However, when we reach the condition we have expected, we could no longer realize our wish, because we have lost it by then.
1.The reason why people often regret may be that _______.
A. they are too busy to notice the beautiful things
B. they are too careless to cherish precious things
C. they are lazy to observe the surroundings
D. they think that it’s none of their business
2.The idea the author would like to get across to us seems that _______.
A. actions speak louder than words
B. a bad beginning makes a bad ending
C. the lost will never come back
D. each day brings its own bread
3.What method does the author employ to support his opinion？
A. By listing data. B. By comparing the details .
C. By explaining the procedures . D. By taking examples.
4.How do we understand the underlined parts “waiting and regretting”?
A. Many people will not cherish what they have until they lost them.
B. Many people cannot do well until they get older.
C. Many people know what they are doing.
D. Many people regret for what they don’t possess.
“I don’t think I can do this any more.” “Yes, you can. You only have five more radiation treatments to go. ” I held my wife Becky close.
Ever since the breast cancer diagnosis (诊断), she had tried hard to be strong for the kids and for me. When her diagnosis came, my first thought was there was no way I could lose my wife. The doctors assured us the cancer was discovered early so we were feeling positive.
Becky had received an operation and was recovering from it. After six weeks of radiation therapy(治疗), she was facing her final five treatments. She was weak and tired, in low spirits. Seeing her suffering, I felt so helpless and powerless.
As soon as I was outside, long-held frustration and anger erupted in me like a volcano. I took a hammer and suddenly was swinging as hard as I could, beating heavily on the front porch(门廊). While doing so, I imagined I was beating my wife’s cancer. With all my strength, I destroyed the porch.
During the treatment, my wife had been very brave. She said she had it easy, but I don’t think it was easy for her.
Seeing the porch gone, Becky shook her head at the window. I came into the room, not knowing how she would react to what I had done.
“Becky, are you mad at me?” She looked at me in surprise. “For what?” I pointed at the gate. “For tearing down the porch.” She laughed. “Look how sunny this room is now. I love that it’s bright in here.”
“You comforted me in my darker hour, Vince. You’ve found a way to deal with your own frustration. By destroying the porch, you let the sunshine in.”
As I looked around the brightened room, I realized the light that filled the space was the light of hope that shone so bright after the darkness. We never did re-build the porch.
1.When the diagnosis came out, _______.
A. the author had little hope that his wife would survive
B. the author was determined to save his wife’s life
C. the author’s wife refused to receive radiation treatments
D. the author felt lucky that his wife’s disease was not serious
2.The author went outside to destroy the porch because _______.
A. he wanted to release his frustration
B. he was disappointed with his wife
C. he intended to let sunshine in
D. his wife didn’t like it at all
3.How did the author’s wife feel about him seeing the porch gone?
A. Sympathetic B. Angry
C. Understanding D. Happy
4.What lesson can we learn from the passage?
A. Tragedy cannot separate loving couple
B. A day without sunshine is like night
C. True love is based on understanding
D. Nothing is impossible for a willing heart
Comedian Groucho Mark said, “Those are my principles. If you don’t like them, I have others.”
You and I have principles and we also have 31 . I have opinions about what I think is right or wrong or good or bad. But they’re only opinions — I could be 32 ! I won’t try to build my life around my opinions, 33 I’ll try to keep to my principles.
A 15-year-old boy learned a valuable 34 about life principles. One day, he found a wallet that 35 $127 as well as a woman’s 36 . He jumped onto his 37 and went to her house. He told her he found her wallet and she gave him a big 38 . She also gave him twenty dollars.
That evening the boy told his parents about the 39 and his father said, “I don’t think you should have 40 $20 for doing what you should have done. A person shouldn’t be rewarded for being 41 .”
He considered his father’s statement and 42 that he would return the money. He 43 biked to the lady’s home and gave her back the money. She didn’t want to 44 it, but he told her she had to — that his father 45 something to him that he had 46 realized before.
When ideals such as honesty and a personal standard of always doing the right thing guide our every action and decision, we 47 develop a good character. These great principles 48 our lives and make us into a person of 49 . They teach confidence. That boy is 50 to be raised by a wise father who had the wisdom to say, “Those are my principles.”
1.A. lives B. opinions C. conditions D. purposes
2.A. happy B. different C. wrong D. clever
3.A. so B. and C. or D. but
4.A. lesson B. skill C. secret D. course
5.A. cost B. contained C. got D. covered
6.A. name B. script C. identification D. house
7.A. bicycle B. car C. horse D. taxi
8.A. hand B. surprise C. chance D. hug
9.A. performance B. event C. principle D. trade
10.A. accepted B. paid C. earned D. saved
11.A. generous B. honest C. selfless D. confident
12.A. imagined B. expected C. predicted D. decided
13.A. once B. even C. again D. still
14.A. fetch B. take C. return D. spare
15.A. pointed out B. gave out C. picked up D. added up
16.A. always B. often C. never D. ever
17.A. suddenly B. actually C. immediately D. personally
18.A. shape B. protect C. encourage D. understand
19.A. attitude B. sense C. direction D. character
20.A. sure B. free C. fortunate D. tough
For most Chinese young people in recent years, a house is within sight but _______ for lack of money.
A. beyond reach B. beyond recognition
C. beyond description D. beyond repair
Keeping healthy, with easy access to affordable medical care, is still a dream for many people, with medicine price rising ________.
A. firmly B. narrowly C. sharply D. neatly
With help from all parts of the country, the people in the flooded area managed to _______ that harsh winter.
A. get through B. look through C. come up D. get out
