It is really a happy thing to look back on the days I spent with Jennie. We met in night school. After Jennie and I had completed the required courses, we started teaching in the same school. For a time we were just casual friends, but one day, when I was telling Jennie about my problem son, we discovered we were kindred (同类的) spirits. "He’s a difficult little character," I explained. Jennie looked though
tful. "Maybe you’re only seeing him with your eyes." She was silent for a moment and then added softly, "It is only with the heart that one sees rightly." I stared at her. "You’re
quoting (引用) that! It’s from The Little Prince, Saint-Exupery’s book for children, one of my favorites. You know it, too?" Jennie nodded. "I love it. I’ve read it so often. I’ve practically memorized it."
Now, when I think of Jennie, I recall that book because Jennie —more than anyone I know —possessed the gift of seeing with the heart.
From that moment of a treasured book shared, our friendship grew steadily. It wasn’t that I didn’t have an excellent relationship with my husband and son, but my mother had died shortly after my marriage, and I had neither sisters nor daughters. I realize, now, how I needed someone to share those little, seemingly unimportant things that add so much to life —things that must be shared to be fully appreciated.
And it was Jennie who helped me with my fourth-grade problem child. One day I was at my wit’s end. "What he needs is a good beating!" I exploded.
"He’s probably had plenty of those," Jennie said. "Maybe he just needs sincere praise for anything he does right, and a hug or two each day." I followed this suggestion, and eventually, because of Jennie, I discovered a lovable little boy.
Looking back, I have to admit that she taught me so much. The days I spent with her has become one of my happiest memories.
1.What does the underlined part mean in the fourth paragraph?
A. I was unsure of how to treat my son.
B. I decided to give up my job.
C. I faced financial difficulties.
D. I was very disappointed with myself.
2.How did the author and Jennie’s friendship grow?
A. They both were interested in children’s education.
B. They both liked a novel, The Little Prince.
C. They often chatted together about their families.
D. They both worked in the same school.
3.We learn from the text that __________.
A. the author has the gift of seeing with the heart
B. the author had no friends before meeting Jennie
C. the author had lost her mother before her marriage
D. the author seldom praised her son in the past
4.How does the author feel about her family?
A. No one listened to her seemingly unimportant things.
B. She didn’t get along well with her husband and son.
C. She once seldom spoke to her mother.
D. She felt quite lonely in her family.
5.The text is mainly about _________.
A. how to educate children properly
B. the fact that we should see nature differently
C. the influence of friendship in life
D. how friendship begins and develops
I knew I could sing but I had to prove it. I don’t care what life gives me; I’ll it. It was my ninth time in front of a music executive to try to get a record deal. The first eight interviews had cold refusals.
When I found out the was at 6 a.m., I went a little crazy, for I had to
get up very early in order to get to the audition (试唱) room on time. This audition was at the office of Sony Music’s president, John Grady. to sing songs for a man behind a desk, I was . It’s very hard to let someone whether you’re worthy of a commercial career in 10 minutes. But, in this business, it was something I had to do.
I grew up in a rural area. farming, there wasn’t much of a local economy. If one wanted new horizons, he had to learn a(n) that could take him out of there. That’s how I my singing. I took up singing at an early age. When I was 15, I made money from singing. That was a huge for me.
It was in the middle of my singing that John Grady didn’t appear at all. About halfway through, I saw him write something down. From where I stood, I could see him write the letter 'n’, by the letter 'o’. I guessed he didn’t me.
As we said good-bye, Grady gave me a . Though my hands were , I found the to read the note. It didn’t say, "No." It said, "Now." Just then, I knew that my of becoming a professional musician was starting to come true.
1.A. handleB. operateC. encounter D. recall
2.A. recognizingB. accessingC. appearingD. Approaching
3.A. resulted from B. ended with C. turned down D. made up
4.A. appointment B. information C. reply D. competition
5.A. particular B. simple C. regretful D. amusing
6.A. PermittingB. FailingC. Welcoming D. Waiting
7.A. excitedB. nervousC. hopefulD. helpless
8.A. finish B. judgeC. solve D. persuade
9.A. Apart fromB. Free fromC. Absent fromD. Far from
10.A. experienceB. profession C. skill D. trick
11.A. viewed B. questioned C. required D. practiced
12.A. progressB. processC. stop D. step
13.A. interestedB. embarrassedC. amazed D. puzzled
14.A. angrily B. clearly C. straightlyD. hardly
15.A. proved B. supportedC. hidden D. followed
16.A. appreciateB. understand C. trust D. refuse
17.A. record B. note C. chance D. promise
18.A. waving B. removingC. shakingD. Moving
19.A. courage B. patienceC. imagination D. determination
20.A. planB. dream C. preference D. tendency
—You were brave enough to argue with Mr. Smith.
—Well, now I regret _______ that.
A. to doB. to be doing C. to have doneD. having done
Too much pressure from study leads to sleeplessness, which _______ increases the risk of forgetfulness.
A. in turnB. in return C. by chance D. by choice
The gym is a public place, so you should be ________ and leave all the machines clean after using them.
A. considerate B. cautious C. subtle D. modest
The ability to _____ one another for past wrongs is one of the greatest attributes that anyone should possess or exercise.
A. explainB. forgiveC. excuseD. apologize
