A group of graduates got together to visit their old university professor.
The conversation soon turned into complaints about 26 in work and life. To offer his guests coffee, the 27 went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and a variety of 28 — porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some 29 , some expensive, some delicate — telling them to help themselves to the 30 .
When all the students 31 a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said, "If you have 32 , all the nice-looking expensive cups have been taken up, 33 the plain and cheap ones. While it is 34 for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the 35 of your problems and stress. "
"Be assured that the cup itself adds no 36 to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even 37 what we drink. "
"What all of you really want is coffee, 38 the cup, but you 39 went for the best cups … And then you began 40 each other's cups. "
"Now consider 41 : Life is the coffee; the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain 42 , and the type of cup we have does not determine, nor 43 the quality of life we live. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we 44 to enjoy the coffee. Fully appreciate the coffee, not the cups! Don't let the cups 45 you ... enjoy the coffee instead. "
1.A. stress B. progress C. condition D. pride
2.A. advisor B. professor C. monitor D. graduate
3.A. glasses B. bowls C. trays D. cups
4.A. plain-looking B. beautiful C. modern D. nice-looking
5.A. pot B. sugar C. milk D. coffee
6.A. made B. had C. cooked D. served
7.A. talked B. discussed C. noticed D. decided
8.A. leaving behind B. falling about
C. leaving about D. falling behind
9.A. strange B. wonderful C. normal D. important
10.A. source B. purpose C. doubt D. result
11.A. price B. quality C. sweet D. color
12.A. proves B. tastes C. hides D. steals
13.A. more than B. less than C. other than D. rather than
14.A. consciously B. wisely C. shyly D. carelessly
15.A. showing B. eyeing C. exchanging D. praising
16.A. it B. that C. this D. one
17.A. jobs B. money C. position D. life
18.A. change B. increase C. discover D. lower
19.A. try B. manage C. fail D. plan
20.A. envy B. drive C. support D. assess
— What do you think of color of my handbag?
— Perfect! It is __ good match for your dress.
A. a; the B. the; a C. a; a D. the; the
To learn the piece of music quickly, you'd better hear it ___ as many times as possible.
A. play B. playing C. played D. to play
It matters much most of your group members support you.
A. if B. whether C. what D. that
__ we have no disagreement on the plan, let's bring the discussion to an end.
A. Unless B. Until C. Although D. Now that
With the rapid development of the city, he can hardly find the place __ he used to play with his childhood friends.
A. where B. when C. there D. which
