Even at school there had been an unhealthy competition between George and Richard.
“I’ll be the first millionaire in Coleford!” Richard used to boast.
“And you’ll be sorry you knew me,” George would reply “because I’ll be the best lawyer in town!”
George never did become a lawyer and Richard never made any money. Instead both men opened bookshops on opposite sides of Coleford High Street. It was hard to make money from books, which made the competition between them worse.
Then Richard married a mysterious girl. The couple spent their honeymoon on the coast—but Richard never came back. The police found his wallet on a deserted beach but the body was never found. He must have drowned.
Now with only one bookshop in town, business was better for George. But from time to time, he sat in his narrow, old kitchen and gazed out of the dirty window, thinking about his former rival(竞争对手). Perhaps he missed him?
George was very interested in old dictionaries. He’d recently found a collector in Australia who was selling a rare first edition. When the parcel arrived, the book was in perfect condition and George was delighted. But while he was having lunch, George glanced at the photo in the newspaper that the book had been wrapped in. He was astonished—the smiling face was older than he remembered but unmistakable! Trembling, George started reading.
“Bookends have bought ten bookstores from their rivals Dylans. The company, owned by multi-millionaire Richard Pike, is now the largest bookseller in Australia.”
1.George and Richard were ________ at school.
A. competitors B. good friends
C. roommates D. booksellers
2.How did George feel about Richard after his disappearance?
A. He envied Richard’s marriage.
B. He felt lucky with no rival in town.
C. He was guilty of Richard’s death.
D. He thought of Richard from time to time.
3.George got information about Richard from ________.
A. a dictionary collector in Australia
B. the latter’s rivals Dylans
C. the wrapping paper of a book
D. a rare first edition of a dictionary
4.What happened to George and Richard in the end?
A. Both George and Richard became millionaires.
B. Both of them realized their original dreams.
C. Richard became very rich while George had no great success.
D. George established a successful business while Richard was missing.
It was a winter morning, just a couple of weeks before Christmas 2005. While most people were warming up their cars, Trevor, my husband, had to get up early to ride his bike four kilometers away from home to work. On arrival, he parked his bike outside the back door as he usually does. After putting in 10 hours of labor, he returned to find his bike gone.
The bike, a black Kona 18 speed, was our only transport. Trevor used it to get to work, putting in 60-hour weeks to support his young family. And the bike was also used to get groceries(食品杂货),saving us from having to walk long distances from where we live.
I was so sad that someone would steal our bike that I wrote to the newspaper and told them our story. Shortly after that, several people in our area offered to help. One wonderful stranger even bought a bike, then called my husband to pick it up. Once again my husband had a way to get to and from his job. It really is an honor that a complete stranger would go out of their way for someone they have never met before.
People say that a smile can be passed from one person to another, but acts of kindness from strangers are even more so. This experience has had a spreading effect in our lives because it strengthened our faith in humanity(人性)as a whole. And it has influenced us to be more mindful of ways we, too, can share with others. No matter how big or how small, an act of kindness shows that someone cares. And the results can be everlasting.
1.Why was the bike so important to the couple?
A. The man’s job was bike racing.
B. It was their only possession.
C. It was a nice Kona 18 speed.
D. They used it for work and daily life.
2.We can infer from the text that ____________.
A. the couple worked 60 hours a week.
B. people were busy before Christmas
C. the stranger brought over the bike
D. life was hard for the young family.
3.How did people get to know the couple’s problem?
A. From radio broadcasts. B. From a newspaper.
C. From TV news. D. From a stranger.
4.What do the couple learn from their experience?
A. Strangers are usually of little help.
B. One should take care of their bike.
C. News reports make people famous.
D. An act of kindness can mean a lot.
When I entered the classroom, our teacher announced we were going to have a math test. I took a look at the full of what looked like hieroglyphs(象形文字) to me and began to . I did the best that I could, and then left my to put my paper in a pile(摞) on the front desk with a(n) .
I returned to my seat and then an idea came to my mind. I where the teacher was before I made my . She was walking in the of the room with her back turned. I left my seat and went back to the pile of test papers already handed and when I picked up my paper I also the paper right below it before returning to my seat. When I looked at the paper I had taken, I discovered it was the work of the girl in our class. I copied her answers to my paper.
The next day the teacher handed back our papers turning them facedown on everyone’s desks. When I my paper over, I was to see an “F” on it. After class I went to the girl whose answers I had and said to her, “That math test was difficult. I it. I guess we need to study more.” Her was, “Not me, I got every question and got an A.”
The teacher knew. She never blamed me in front of the class and me to keep my dignity(尊严). I made a to myself never ever to cheat again. I would remember to always be in the things I do. I never forgot that teacher who failed me when, really, I had failed myself.
1.A. blackboard B. paper C. book D. picture
2.A. think B. cry C. worry D. sleep
3.A. seat B. classroom C. partner D. teacher
4.A. joy B. sigh C. idea D. problem
5.A. believed B. found C. ignored D. checked
6.A. research B. mind C. move D. comment
7.A. front B. middle C. back D. outside
8.A. out B. in C. over D. on
9.A. saw B. left C. remembered D. included
10.A. extra B. new C. clean D. difficult
11.A. tallest B. oldest C. prettiest D. smartest
12.A. got B. turned C. put D. took
13.A. shocked B. angry C. happy D. excited
14.A. copied B. read C. marked D. examined
15.A. knew B. made C. failed D. lost
16.A. reply B. attitude C. opinion D. purpose
17.A. ready B. right C. done D. good
18.A. told B. reminded C. allowed D. advised
19.A. speech B. joke C. wish D. promise
20.A. honest B. friendly C. careful D. Hopeful
His words puzzled me so much that I had a hard time trying to ______ what he really meant.
A. make the most of B. make sense of
C. make for D. make up
The fact has worried many scientists_______ the earth is becoming warmer and warmer these days.
A. what B. which C. when D. That
Seeing the happy ______ of students playing basketball there, I can’t help thinking of my school years.
A. view B. sign C. sense D. Scene