I was in a rush as always, but this time it was for an important date I just couldn’t be late for! I found myself at a checkout counter behind an elderly woman seemingly in no hurry as she paid for her groceries. A PhD student with not a lot of money, I had hurried into the store to pick up some flowers. I was in a huge rush, thinking of my upcoming evening. I did not want to be late for this date.
We were in Boston, a place not always known for small conversation between strangers. The woman stopped unloading her basket and looked up at me. She smiled. It was a nice smile –warm and reassuring –and I returned her gift by smiling back.
“Must be a special lady, whoever it is that will be getting those beautiful flowers,” she said.
“Yes, she’s special,” I said, and then to my embarrassment, the words kept coming out.
“It’s only our second date, but somehow I am just having the feeling she’s ‘the one’.” Jokingly, I added, “The only problem is that I can’t figure out why she’d want to date a guy like me.”
“Well, I think she’s very lucky to have a boyfriend who brings her such lovely flowers and who is obviously in love with her,” the woman said.” “My husband used to bring me flowers every week –even when times were tough and we didn’t have much money. Those were incredible days; he was very romantic and – of course – I miss him since he’s passed away.”
I paid for my flowers as she was gathering up her groceries. There was no doubt in my mind as I walked up to her. I touched her on the shoulder and said, “You were right, you know. These flowers are indeed for a very special lady.” I handed her the flowers and thanked her for such a nice conversation.
It took her a moment to realize that I was giving her the flowers I had just purchased. “You have a wonderful evening,” I said. I left her with a big smile and my heart warmed as I saw her smelling the beautiful flowers.
I remember being slightly late for my date that night and telling my girlfriend the above story. A couple of years later, when I finally worked up the courage to ask her to marry me, she told me that this story had helped to seal it for her –that was the night that I won her heart.
1.Why was the writer in a hurry that day?
A．He had to pick up some groceries.
B．He had to go back to school soon.
C．He was delayed by an elderly lady.
D．He was to meet his girlfriend.
2.What does the underlined se “her gift”(Paragraph 2) refer to?
A．Her smile. B．Her words.
C．Her flowers. D．her politeness.
3.Why did the writer give his flowers to the elderly lady?
A．She told him a nice story.
B．She gave him encouragement.
C．She allowed him to pay first.
D．She liked flowers very much.
4.What is the message conveyed in the story?
A．Flowers are important for a date.
B．Love and kindness are rewarding.
C．Small talk is helpful.
D．Elderly people deserve respecting.
完形填空（共20小题；每小题1分，满分20分）
I will never forget the year I was about twelve years old. My mother told us that we would not be Christmas gifts because there was not enough money. I felt sad and thought, “What would I say when the other kids asked what I’d ?” Just when I started to that there would not be a Christmas that year, three women at our house with gifts for all of us. For me they brought a doll. I felt such a sense of that I would no longer have to be embarrassed when I returned to school. I wasn’t . Somebody had thought of me to bring me a gift.
Years later, when I stood in the kitchen of my new house, thinking how I wanted to make my Christmas there special and memorable, I remembered the women’s visit. I decided that I wanted to create that same feeling of for as many children as I could possibly reach.
So I a plan and gathered forty people from my company to help. We gathered about 125 orphans (孤儿) at the Christmas party. For every child, we wrapped colorful packages filled with toys, clothes, and school supplies, with a child’s name. We wanted all of them to know they were . Before I called out their names and handed them their gifts, I them that they couldn’t open their presents every child had come forward. Finally the they had been waiting for came as I called out, “One, two, three. Open your presents!” As the children opened their packages, their faces beamed(绽放笑容) and their bright smiles up the room. The in the room was obvious, and wasn’t just about toys. It was a feeling –the feeling I knew that Christmas so long ago when the women came to visit. I wasn’t forgotten. Somebody thought of me. I matter.
1.A. receiving B. sending C. making D. exchanging
2.A. found B. expected C. prepared D. got
3.A. doubt B. accept C. suggest D. hope
4.A. turned up B. settled down C. broke in D. showed off
5.A. loss B. relief C. sadness D. duty
6.A. laughed B. forgotten C. loved D. affected
7.A. highly B. little C. enough D. poorly
8.A. present B. last C. recent D. first
9.A. hardly B. regularly C. immediately D. frequently
10.A. importance B. independence C. strength D. safety
11.A. kept up with B. caught up with C. put up with D. came up with
12.A. none B. each C. some D. few
13.A. special B. fine C. helpful D. normal
14.A. guided B. reminded C. educated D. promised
15.A. after B. when C. until D. since
16.A. chance B. moment C. gift D. reward
17.A. burned B. took C. lit D. cheered
18.A. terror B. joy C. calmness D. value
19.A. something B. such C. it D. everybody
20.A. from B. till C. for D. by
--- Do you want another drink?
--- __________.
A.I don’t think so. B. No way
C. Not at all D. I wouldn’t say no
Claire had her luggage ________ an hour before her plane left.
A. check B. checking
C. to check D. checked
I’m going to visit the factory ________ your brother worked a few years ago.
A. that B. in where
C. in which D. what
Rather than _________ at home, he always prefers ________ out to play.
A. stay; go B. staying; go
C. stay; to go D. to stay; going
