When I was young, I had an old neighbor named Dr. Gibbs. He didn’t look like any doctor I’d ever known. He never shouted at us for playing in his yard. I remembered him as a neighbor who was nicer than anyone else in the neighborhood.
When Dr. Gibbs was happy, he was planting trees. And his life’s goal was to make it a forest.
Dr. Gibbs had some interesting theories about planting. He talked about trees that weren’t watered would grow deep roots in search of water. So he never watered his trees. He planted an oak (橡树) and, instead of watering it every morning, he beat it with the rolled-up newspaper. I asked him why he did that, and he said it was to get the tree’s attention.
Dr. Gibbs died a couple of years. Every now and again, I walk by his house and look at the trees that he planted twenty-five years ago. They’re very strong now.
I planted a couple of trees a few years later. I watered them regularly and took good care of them. Whenever a cold wind blows, they shake their leaves and branches.
The funny thing about those trees of Dr. Gibbs was that difficulty seemed to help them in ways comfort and ease never could.
1.What was Dr. Gibbs’ life goal?
A. To build a forest. B. To save more lives.
C. To make a lot of money. D. To study plants.
2.One of Dr. Gibbs’ theories about planting was that ______.
A. he often talked to the trees
B. he kicked the trees heavily
C. he never watered the trees
D. he buried the leaves around the roots
3.What does the writer mainly want to tell us?
A. Trees are not as weak as we think.
B. We should listen to others’ advice.
C. Planting trees is good for the environment.
D. Difficulty is necessary for growth.
I used to be a very self-centered person, but in the past two years I have really changed. I have started to think about other people I think about myself. I am happy that I am becoming a person.
I think my started when I was at Palomar College. At first, I just wanted to get my and be left alone. I thought I was smarter than everyone else, so I hardly ever to anyone in my classes. By the end of my first semester, I was really . It seemed as if everyone but me had made friends and was having fun. So tried a(n) . I started asking people around me how they were doing, and if they were having trouble I to help. That was really a big for me. By the end of the year, I had several new friends, and two of are still my best friends today.
A bigger cause of my new , however, came when I took a part-time job at a Vista Nursing Home. One old lady there who had Alzheimer’s disease became my . Every time I came into her room, she was so because she thought I was her daughter. Her real daughter never her, so I took her place. She let me that making others feel good make me feel good, too, when she died, I was , but I was very grateful to her.
I think I am a much person today than I used to be, and I hope I will not these experiences. They have me to care about other people more than about myself. I who I am today, and I could not say that a few years ago.
1.A. sinceB. or C. before D. unless
2.A. famousB. simpleC. different D. skilled
3.A. education B. changeC. tourD. career
4.A. balanceB. homeworkC. degreeD. interest
5.A. reportedB. wrote C. lied D. talked
6.A. carefulB. lonelyC. curiousD. guilty
7.A. experiment B. game C. argument D. defence
8.A. dared B. offered C. hesitated D. happened
9.A. dream B. problemC. duty D. step
10.A. usB. them C. whichD. whom
11.A. hopeB. hobbyC. attitudeD. luck
12.A. friendB. partner C. guide D. guest
13.A. politeB. happy C. strange D. confident
14.A. bothered B. answered C. visited D. trusted
15.A. explainB. seeC. declareD. guess
16.A. homelessB. hopelessC. bad-tempered D. heartbroken
17.A. quieterB. busier C. better D. richer
18.A. improveB. faceC. forget D. analyze
19.A. forced B. preferred C. ordered D. taught
20.A. likeB. miss C. wonder D. expect
—Oh no! We’re too late. The train ______.
—______. That’s OK. We’ll catch the next train to London.
A. was leaving B. had left C. has left D. has been leaving
Would you like to _______with us to the film tonight?
A. come a long B. come off C. come across D. come through
The shop assistant was dismissed as she was_______of cheating customers’.
A. accused B. charged C. scolded D. cursed
No sooner______ themselves in their seats in the hall than the speaker began his speech.
A. they settled B. had they settled
C. did they settle D. they had settled