Born in America,I spoke English,not Chinese,the language of my ancestors.When I was three,my parents flashed cards with Chinese ____ at my face,but I pushed them ____.My mom believed I would learn ___ I was ready.But the ____ never came.
On a Chinese New Year's Eve,my uncle spoke to me in Chinese,but all I could do was ____ at him,confused,scratching my head.“ Still can't speak Chinese?”He____ me,“You can't even buy a fish in Chinatown.”
“Hey,this is America,not China.I'll get some ____ with or without Chinese.”I replied and turned to my mom for ____.
“Remember to ask for fresh fish,Xin Xian Yu,”she said,handing over a $20 bill.I ____ the words,running downstairs into the streets of Chinatown.
I found the fish ____ surrounded in a sea of customers.“I'd like to buy some fresh fish,”I shouted to the fishman.But he ____ my English words and turned to serve the next customer.The laugh of the people behind increased ____ their impatience.With every ____,the breath of the dragons(龙)on my back grew stronger—my blood boiling—____ me to cry out,“Xian Sheng Yu,please.”“Very Xian Sheng,”I repeated.The crowd erupted into laughter.My face turned ____ and I ran back home ____,except for the $20 bill I held tightly in my pocket.
Should I laugh or cry?They're Chinese.I'm Chinese. I should feel right at ____.Instead,I was the joke,a disgrace(丢脸)to the language.
Sometimes,I laugh at my fish ____,but,in the end.the joke is on ____.Every laugh is a culture ____;every laugh is my heritage(传统)fading away.
1.A.custom B.games C.characters D.language
2.A.ahead B.around C.along D.aside
3.A.when B.before C.unless D.until
4.A.success B.study C.time D.attempt
5.A.aim B.joke C.nod D.stare
6.A.cared about B.laughed at
C.argued with D.asked after
7.A.right now B.from now
C.at times D.in time
8.A.decision B.permission
C.information D.preparation
9.A.repeated B.reviewed C.spelled D.kept
10.A.farm B.stand C.pond D.market
11.A.guessed B.forgot C.doubted D.ignored
12.A.by B.as C.with D.from
13.A.second B.effort C.desire D.movement
14.A.forcing B.allowing
C.persuading D.leading
15.A.bright B.blank C.pale D.red
16.A.thrown B.lost C.divided D.reflected
17.A.service B.home C.risk D.root
18.A.trade B.deed C.challenge D.incident
19.A.it B.us C.me D.them
20.A.openmouthed B.tonguetied
C.emptyhanded D.brokenhearted
I went to a group activity,“Sensitivity Sunday”,which was to make us more ____the problems faced by disabled people.We were asked to “____ a disability”for several hours one Sunday.Some members,___,chose to use wheelchairs.Others wore sound-blocking earplugs(耳塞) or blindfolds(眼罩).
Just sitting in the wheelchair was a____experience.I had never considered before how___it would be to use one.As soon as I sat down,my ____made the chair begin to roll.Its wheels were not____.Then I wondered where to put my____.It took me quite a while to get the metal footrest into____.I took my first uneasy look at what was to be my only means of____for several hours.For disabled people,“adopting a wheelchair” is not a temporary(临时的)____.
I tried to find a____position and thought it might be restful,____kind of nice,to be___around for a while.Looking around,I____I would have to handle the thing myself!My hands started to ache as I____the heavy metal wheels.I came to know that controlling the____of the wheelchair was not going to be a(n)____task.
My wheelchair experiment was soon____.It made a deep impression on me.A few hours of “disability” gave me only a taste of the____,both physical and mental,that disabled people must overcome.
1.A.curious about B.interested in
C.aware of D.careful with
2.A.cure B.prevent C.adopt D.analyze
3.A.instead B.strangely C.as usual D.like me
4.A.learning B.working C.satisfying D.relaxing
5.A.convenient B.awkward C.boring D.exciting
6.A.height B.force C.skill D.weight
7.A.locked B.repaired C.powered D.grasped
8.A.hands B.feet C.keys D.handles
9.A.place B.action C.play D.effect
10.A.operation B.communication
C.transportation D.production
11.A.exploration B.education
C.experiment D.entertainment
12.A.flexible B.safe C.starting D.comfortable
13.A.yet B.just C.still D.even
14.A.shown B.pushed C.driven D.guided
15.A.realized B.suggested C.agreed D.admitted
16.A.lifted B.turned C.pressed D.seized
17.A.path B.position C.direction D.way
18.A.easy B.heavy C.major D.extra
19.A.forgotten B.repeated C.conducted D.finished
20.A.weaknesses B.challenges
C.anxieties D.illnesses
The history of English Coins
English coins have developed and changed over time. In the early 1600s' coins were made using the hammer struck method. Hammered coins or cast coins where the primary way coins were made and thus limited the number of coins that may be placed into circulation (流通). Hammered coins were made as far back as the first millennium BC with continued in use until the 1500s to the 1700s. English coins underwent a change in about 1663.
Hammered English coins were made using a blank quantity of metal that was the required weight and placing it between two dies. A die is a mold (模子) that allows the metal to get cut to a certain size and shape.The metal die contained an image that when hammered without delay would mold the image on each side of the coin. The unit was customarily place on a log or other firm surface which was known as a pile. One person held the die while a second person struck it.
There were several issues with this kind of coin making. For one thing, it was extremely slow and work in depth. Comparatively few coins might be made and placed into circulation. A second problem was that hammered coins had many irregularities. When several coins were placed together in a container and shaken about they were damaged as well. That is why older English coins might have chips(缺口) and rough edges.
During the 17th century hammered coins were replaced with milled (轧有花边的) coins. While France was the first country to start producing coins that were made entirely by machine, Britain wasn't far behind. Britain, in fact, began to manufacture coins on a trial basis in the mid1500s, but it wasn't until the end of 1662 that English coins were made completely by machine.
The screw press (螺旋压力机) was the first machine to produce coins as an alternative to hammered coins. Leonardo da Vinci was the person who invented the screw press in the 15th century. It was powered by a water mill. Early on efforts were made to protect the coins by edging. You'll see that Englishmade coins have milled edges.
Milled English coins were much more standard in size and shape as well. The speed at which milled coins could be created allowed the coin circulation to grow and a greater number of coin types to be developed.
English coins were used in this country during the royally period. Hammered coins were produced and used up through the end of the 18th century and were given out across the colonies. English coins went through quite a lot of changes as can be seen in old coins that have been started in the US over time.
__1.__of English coins Time & Major Events
Hammered
coins ◆The hammer struck method used to make coins has a history dating back to the first millennium BC.
◆At least two people are needed to carry out the work, with one _2.__the die and the other striking it.
◆__3._:
◆The number of coins made and placed into circulation this way was _4.__.
◆Older English coins were quite __5._,with many having chips and rough edges.
◆Such coins were placed into circulation across the colonies and __6._ in use through the end of the 18th century.
Milled coins During
the 15th
century ◆Leonardo da Vinci _7.__the screw press, the 1st machine to produce coins.
In the
mid1500s Britain __8._manufacturing coins.
In the
17th
century ◆France became the first country to start producing coins made entirely by machine,_9.__ by Britain, whose machinemade coins were featured by milled edges, but were more regular in size and shape.
◆The coin circulation began to grow.
◆Milled coins appeared as a(n) __10._ to hammered coins.
Check Engine Light
As I turned from the parking lot,heading for home,I noticed a yellow light on my dashboard(仪表板)had come on.The symbol indicated that I was to ____ the engine.I noted the water temperature and the oil light ___ to see if there were problems that would ____ an overheated engine.Noting these two gauges(仪表)were okay,I ____ I could ignore the little yellow light that caused such great ___ for at least the moment.
After I retrieved my owner manual(用户手册),I ____ the check engine light comes on to indicate that there is a problem and that ____ is required.Malfunctions will often be indicated by the ____ before any problem is apparent,which may ___ more serious damage to the vehicle.This system is ___ to assist you and your technician in ____ diagnosing any malfunction.
Reading the manual made me think of how we need ____in our lives to be our “check engine light”.We need to know when a(n) ____ occurs and when service is required in our lives.We need to correct our problems before serious damage surfaces.We need a light to ____ in our minds to help us avoid conflict,pain,or disaster.We need a(n) ____ to come on to tell us not to yield to temptation.We need to be ____ that we shouldn't ignore good and work to make life better for all of us.
God makes a magnificent “check engine light”.He gives you an awareness to keep your pathway ____.He shows you the beauty of the earth to ____ you to him.He gives people who care about you,to help ____ your living.He has provided his word to point the ____.Lean on God to lead your pathway from the problems that could damage your living.He can repair malfunctions before they destroy your being.
1.A.replace B.heat C.repair D.check
2.A.quickly B.gradually
C.luckily D.approximately
3.A.cool B.cause C.protect D.hide
4.A.wondered B.reasoned
C.imagined D.appreciated
5.A.strength B.difference C.anxiety D.risk
6.A.found B.sensed C.required D.believed
7.A.balance B.patience
C.service D.performance
8.A.sight B.situation C.system D.event
9.A.generate B.prevent
C.accumulate D.increase
10.A.charged B.arranged C.achieved D.designed
11.A.truly B.simply C.correctly D.slowly
12.A.anyone B.someone C.everyone D.no one
13.A.problem B.question C.argument D.accident
14.A.run away B.work out
C.come on D.turn up
15.A.cube B.alarm C.flash D.light
16.A.reminded B.applied C.recognized D.assured
17.A.similar B.straight C.tough D.changeable
18.A.adapt B.apply C.rush D.lead
19.A.guide B.finish C.make D.affect
20.A.use B.time C.way D.sign
—Is that Dec.21,2012 is the end of the world true?
—Definitely not,but ________ must be paid to global climate change.
A.contact B.care
C.attention D.influence
—These days,he has stayed up late into night in order to get good marks in the following monthly test.
—It's no ________ that he seems tired and asleep in class every day.
A.wonder B.problem
C.doubt D.question