Once upon a time, there was a lovely vegetable field, on which grew a very thick tree. Both the vegetables and the tree gave the place a wonderful appearance, which was the joy of the garden’s owner. What no one knew was that the vegetables in the field and the tree couldn’t stand each other. The vegetables hated the tree’s shadow, because it left them only just enough light to survive. The tree, on the other hand, hated the vegetables because they drank nearly all the water before it could get to him, leaving him with just enough to survive.
The situation became so extreme that the vegetables got totally fed up and decided to use up all the water in the ground so that the tree would dry up. The tree answered back by refusing to give the vegetables shadow from the hot midday sun, so they both began to dry up. Before long, the vegetables were really thin and the tree’s branches were drying up.
Neither of them thought that the gardener, on seeing his vegetable field becoming worse, would stop watering it. When he did that, both the tree and the vegetables really learned what thirst was. There seemed to be no solution, but one of the vegetables, a small courgette（小胡瓜）, understood what was going on, and decided to deal with it. Despite the little water and the unbearable heat, the little courgette did all he could to grow, grow...He managed to grow so big that the gardener started watering the field again. The gardener wanted to enter that beautiful big courgette in some gardening contest.
And so the vegetables and the tree realized that it was better to help each other than to fight. They should really learn how to live in harmony with those around them, doing the best they could. So they decided to work together, using both the shadow and the water in the best combination to grow good vegetables. Seeing how well they were doing, the gardener now gave the best of care to his vegetable field, watering it better than any other field for miles around.
1.What is the problem between the tree and the vegetables?
A. They looked down upon each other.
B. They didn’t leave water to each other.
C. They couldn’t stand each other.
D. They didn’t know how to protect themselves.
2.What is the result of the fight between the tree and the vegetables?
A. They grew taller and stronger.
B. They were both drying up.
C. The tree defeated the vegetables.
D. The vegetables defeated the tree.
3.The courgette thought of ways to solve the conflict by .
A. making peace with the tree B. working together with other vegetables
C. entering the gardening contests D. growing big enough
4.What can we learn from this passage?
A. We ought to live in harmony with others.
B. We ought to save as much water as possible.
C. We ought to learn from each other in some ways.
D. We ought to learn to respect each other.
I was at the post office early that morning, hoping to be in and out in a short while. Yet, I myself standing in a queue that went all the way into the hallway. I had never seen so many people there on a weekday. It seemed someone might have made an announcement, customers to carry as many packages as they could. I also needed to have my own package . The queue moved very slowly. My patience and I got annoyed. The longer it took, the angrier I became. When I got to the counter finally, I finished my quickly and briefly, and then walked past the queue that was now extending past the front door.
“Excuse me,” I said, trying not to be too pushy. Several people had to move to make room for me to get to the .
I stepped out, about the service conditions. Thinking I was going to be late for my dentist appointment, I into the parking lot.
A woman was coming across the lot in my . She was walking with determination, and each step sounded very . I noticed that she looked as if she could breathe fire. It stopped me in my tracks. Had I looked like that? Her body language said that she was having a day. My anger melted away. I wished I could wrap her in a but I was a stranger. So I did what I could in a minute she hurried past me－I smiled. In a second everything changed. She was astonished, then somewhat . Then her face softened and her shoulders . I saw her take a deep breath. Her pace slowed and she smiled back at me as we passed each other.
I continued to smile all the way to my car. Wow, it’s amazing a simple smile can do.
From then on, I became aware of people’s and my own, the way we show our feelings. Now I use that every day to let it me that when facing the world, I can try a smile.
1.A. foundB. dislikedC. keptD. avoided
2.A. hoping B. welcoming C. requiring D. ordering
3.A. paid B. received C. weighed D. bought
4.A. died out B. faded out C. burst out D. ran out
5.A. business B. duty C. turn D. part
6.A. on B. about C. in D. aside
7.A. counter B. office C. exit D. car
8.A. talking B. complainingC. worrying D. hearing
9.A. headed B. looked C. pulled D. turned
10.A. way B. time C. direction D. course
11.A. slow B. stable C. light D. heavy
12.A. rough B. dull C. smooth D. bright
13.A. smile B. hug C. bag D. touch
14.A. until B. though C. before D. since
15.A. excited B. frightened C. cheered D. confused
16.A. trembled B. raised C. relaxed D. tightened
17.A. what B. that C. how D. when
18.A. appearances B. reactions C. behaviors D. expressions
19.A. treatment B. awareness C. conclusion D. achievement
20.A. remind B. warn C. convince D. tell
—Hi, Mike! We’re going biking along the beach this weekend.
—_______. I love being bathed in the sunshine.
A. Count me inB. By all meansC. Go aheadD. My pleasure
Just in front of our house _______ with a history of 1,000 years.
A. does a tall tree standB. stands a tall tree
C. is standing a tall treeD. a tall tree stands
Why _______ you be so stubborn? You should think over my advice on this matter.
A. mayB. shallC. dareD. must
Tom’s little sister is a girl of great _______. She takes an interest in everything.
A. ambitionB. cautionC. curiosityD. strength
