Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family. The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the guest room. Instead the angels were given a space in the cold basement. As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it. When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied: Things aren’t always what they seem.
The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very hospitable(好客的)farmer and his wife. After sharing what little food they had，the couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night’s rest. When the sun came up the next morning，the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had been their only income, lay dead in the field.
The younger angel was very angry and asked the older angel, “How could this happen?” “Why did you not watch out for the cow? The first man had everything, yet you watched over his house,” she accused. “The second family had little but was willing to share everything, and you did not help.”
“Things aren’t always what they seem,” the older angel replied. “When we stayed in the basement，I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall. Since the owner was so greedy and unwilling to share his good fortune，I asked God if I could seal(封口) the wall so he wouldn’t find it. Then last night as we slept in the farmer’s bed，the angel of death(死神) came for his wife. I asked God if the angel could take the cow instead. Things aren’t always what they seem.”
1.The underlined part “the pair” in the second paragraph two refers to .
A. the poor couple B. the rich couple C. the angels D. the guests
2.The younger angel was very angry because .
A. the older angel killed the farmer’s cow
B. the older angel treated the two families unfairly
C. the wealthy man gave them a bad place to live
D. the angel of death took the cow away
3.Why did the older angel let the farmer’s cow die?
A. Because God wanted the older angel to take the cow.
B. Because she wanted to teach the younger angel a lesson.
C. Because she was sympathetic to the rich.
D. Because she wanted to save the farmer’s wife.
4.The story tries to tell the reader that .
A. sometimes things are not what they seem
B. angels are always ready to help the poor
C. angels are always ready to help the rich
D. the young should always learn from the old
Joy in the journey
If you have ever been discouraged because of failure, please read on. For often, achieving what you set out to do is not the important thing. Let me explain.
Two brothers decided to dig a deep hole behind their house. As they were working, a couple of older boys stopped by to . “What are you doing?” asked one of the visitors. “We plan to dig a hole all the way through the !” one of the brothers volunteered .
The older boys began to , telling the younger ones that digging a hole all the way through the earth was . After a long silence, one of the picked up a jar full of spiders, worms and many other kinds of insects. He the lid and showed the wonderful to the scoffing（嘲笑的）visitors. Then he said quietly and , “Even if we don’t dig all the way through the earth, look at what we have found the way!”
Their goal was far too ambitious, but it did cause them to dig. And that is a goal is for — to cause us to move in the we have chosen, in other words, to keep us ! But not every goal will be fully . Not every job will end . Not every hope will come to pass. Not every love will last. Not every dream will be . But when you fall of your aim, perhaps you can say, “Yes, but look at what I found along the way! Look at the wonderful things my life because I tried to do something!” It is in the digging life is lived. And I believe it is the joy in the journey, in the end, that truly .
1.A. rest B. work C. watch D. laugh
2.A. house B. earth C. wall D. road
3.A. calmly B. patiently C. excitedly D. impatiently
4.A. laugh B. think C. stare D. smile
5.A. important B. difficult C. impossible D. interesting
6.A. passers-by B. watchers C. visitors D. diggers
7.A. moved B. removed C. broke D. pushed
8.A. contents B. scenes C. pictures D. jars
9.A. properly B. confidently C. carefully D. happily
10.A. in B. along C. to D. out
11.A. what B. how C. where D. which
12.A. way B. direction C. life D. sight
13.A. thinking B. moving C. digging D. living
14.A. made B. prepared C. kicked D. achieved
15.A. hopelessly B. pleasantly C. surprisingly D. successfully
16.A. come true B. realized C. made D. treasured
17.A. short B. lost C. out D. behind
18.A. breaking into B. turning to C. coming into D. holding to
19.A. when B. where C. which D. that
20.A. matters B. happens C. appears D. exists
Mr. Li, who _____ his whole life to education, is retiring next month.
A. devoted B. is devoting C. has devoted D. had devoted
________ your dog with me should be a good choice. Trust me and I’ll look after it well.
A. When you left B. Leaving C. If you leave D. Leave
Although the medicine can cure you ______ your illness, it has a bad effect ______ you.
A. for ; in B. for ; on C. of ; on D. of ; at
People often think they are energetic and healthy and don’t need exercise. _______ , I have to warn that it is completely wrong.
A. However B. Therefore C. Otherwise D. Meanwhile
