Linda Evans was my best friend. When I was 13, my family moved away. We kept in touch through 1. (letter) and saw each other on special time — like my wedding and Linda’s. Soon we were busy with children and 2.(move) to new homes, and we wrote less often. One day a card that I sent 3.(come) back, stamped—Address Unknown. We lost touch with each other.
Over the years, I missed Linda very much. I was eager4.(share) happiness and sadness. There was 5. empty place in my heart that only a friend like Linda could fill.
One day, I 6. (read) a newspaper when I noticed a photo of a young woman who looked very much like Linda and whose last name was Wagman—Linda’s 7.(marry) name. There must be thousands of Wagmans, I thought, 8. I still wrote to her.
She called as soon as she got my letter. Mrs, Tobin, she said 9.(excite), —Linda Evans Wagman is my mother.
Minutes later, I heard a voice that I knew very much, even 10. 40 years. Now the empty place in my heart is filled. And there’s one thing that Linda and I know for sure: we won’t lose each other again!
Love Is Blind: The Magic of Tabby
In October, 2003 I started my work at my local animal shelter’s Adoption Department. Over the years, more than 50,000 animals have ______ the doors of the shelter. Most of them, I do not remember. But occasionally there are ______ animals, who touch me so deeply that I could never possibly ______ them. Tabby was one such animal. Tabby was an ancient Cocker Spaniel, probably 14 years old. What’s more, she was blind and deaf. Tabby’s chances at adoption seemed ______ at best. After all, we didn’t have many adopters coming in ______, “Can you show me all of your really old dogs who are also ______ ?” We had all thought that Tabby would live out the rest of her life at the ______.
One day a woman named Loretta came to the shelter. Her son, Gary, had ______ Tabby’s picture and stories on the shelter’s website at home. They were interested in meeting her! It was the only ______ we ever received about Tabby. What could a young child possibly see in a 14-year-old dog who was both blind and deaf? Most boys would want a dog who could grow with them and ______ through grassy fields on summer days. Tabby would ______ be able to do that. But after meeting her, Loretta and Gary decided that she was the right dog for their family. They adopted Tabby! If Tabby’s story had simply ended with her ______ adoption, it would still have been something very special indeed. ______, it was what happened after her adoption that people might regard as “magic”. Gary _____ from seizures(癫痫). Since Gary and Tabby met they became ______. They did everything together. They became so “in tune” with one another that Tabby began to telegraph Gary’s seizures ______ they occurred, giving his family ______ that one was about to strike. What’s more, Gary seemed to be having fewer and fewer seizures since Tabby’s ______.
How could it be? Nobody could explain _____ Tabby did it. But those of us who were fortunate enough to know her and her family had ______ the magic, the kind that has its roots in love.
1.A. broken B. passed C. painted D. locked
2.A. strange B. active C. wild D. special
3.A. recall B. leave C. forget D. abandon
4.A. remote B. great C. fair D. potential
5.A. wondering B. stating C. seeking D. asking
6.A. stubborn B. active C. disabled D. patient
7.A. hospital B. shelter C. farm D. roadside
8.A. posted B. taken C. seen D. drawn
9.A. letter B. donation C. call D. enquiry
10.A. get B. run C. look D. break
11.A. often B. possibly C. never D. generally
12.A. successful B. normal C. temporary D. early
13.A. However B. Moreover C. Therefore D. Otherwise
14.A. learnt B. suffered C. heard D. differed
15.A. indifferent B. uncomfortable C. unfortunate D. inseparable
16.A. since B. unless C. before D. though
17.A. explanation B. notice C. suggestion D. warning
18.A. arrival B. birth . C. return D. recovery
19.A. where B. how C. when D. whether
20.A. witnessed B. created C. achieved D. performed
The worst time to look for a job is when you must have a new one immediately. 1.If you are not in need of an immediate career change, here are ways you can improve your long-term career prospects （前景）today:
2.You do not have to be qualified for these positions today, nor do they have to exist in your company. However, these roles should be related to your current skill set. They are career options that look interesting. Once you have a couple of targets, think about why and what interests you. Pay close attention to what appeals to you, and write it down.
Subscribe to a career specific magazine. All businesses must stay relevant to their customers in order to win the competitions and increase revenue（收益）.3. This information allows you to see which companies and professionals are leading the peck.
Be professionally curious. Talk to people about their careers. Learn more about how success is measured in other roles, departments and companies. 4.You never know what connections may be relevant when you start your next job search, so develop a habit of making good connections no matter where you go.
As in all things in life, getting in front of a difficult task early is always less stressful than reacting to a career surprise. 5.No matter how secure you feel today, the time will come when either you or your employer decide it is time to change.
A.Challenge yourself to expand your business knowledge through interactions with people at regular time.
B.Follow examples in your own workplace.
C.Changing jobs is to be expected.
D.Identify at least two different roles.
E.Reading about industry trends, advancements and success stories keeps you in touch with market conditions.
F.Choose jobs according to your strong points.
G.Job Searching under pressure often results in nervous interviewing and decision-making from relatively few options.
Mark felt that it was time for him to take part in his community, so he went to the neighborhood meeting after work. The area city council (委员会) woman was leading a discussion about how the quality of life was decreasing. The neighborhood faced many problems. Mark looked at the charts taped to the walls. There were charts for parking problems, crime, and for problems in vacant buildings. Mark read from the charts, “Police patrols(巡逻) cut back, illegal parking up 20%”. People were supposed to suggest solutions to the councilwoman. It was too much for Mark. "The problems are too big," he thought. He turned to the man next to him and said, "I think this is a waste of my time. Nothing I could do would make a difference here."
As he neared the bus stop on his way home, Mark saw a woman carrying a grocery bag and a baby. As Mark got closer, her other child, a little boy, suddenly dashed into the street. The woman tried to reach for him, but as she moved, her bag shifted (滑落), and groceries started to fall out. Mark ran to take the boy's arm and led him back to his mother. Then he picked up the groceries while the woman smiled in relief. "Thanks!" she said. "You've got great timing!" "Just being neighborly," Mark said. As he rode home, he glanced at the walls of the bus. On one of them was “Small acts of kindness add up.”, Mark smiled and thought, "Maybe that's a good place to start."
1.Why did Mark go to the neighborhood meeting?
A. To join in the neighborhood patrols.
B. To do something for his community.
C. To voice his complaints to the city council.
D. To collect suggestions for the community problems.
2.What was being discussed when Mark arrived at the neighborhood meeting?
A. The worsening in the quality of life.
B. The increase of police patrols at night.
C. The rebuilding of vacant buildings.
D. The violation(违反) of community regulations.
3.What did Mark think of the community’s problems?
A. They may take a long time to be solved.
B. They need to be solved with the assistance from the city.
C. They have to be dealt with one by one.
D. They are too big for single efforts.
4.Why did Mark smile on his ride home?
A. He had got some groceries at a big discount.
B. He had read a funny poster near his seat.
C. He had done a small deed of kindness.
D. He had caught the bus just in time.
What Does the Length of Your Fingers Say About You? Are you the peace-loving type or the ambitious go-getter?
Your finger length might be a clue. Take a look at your fingers. Would you believe me if I told you that the length of your fingers in relation to one another can predict your personality? I know that it sounds like one of those silly tests you see on Facebook, but I have to admit that it is exactly correct for me. Here’s how it works.
Look at your three middle fingers of your hand. Is your index finger longer than your ring finger? Is your ring finger longer than your index finger? Or are the two of the same length? Find the situation that best matches your hand and see if what follows is an accurate description of your personality.
Longer ring finger: The Sweet Talker
If your ring finger is longer than your index finger, research shows that you’re likely a charming type, and you can probably talk yourself out of any situation. Others often find this personality type irresistible and will go to great lengths to help you. You’re more likely to take risks, and you’re good at problem-solving. People in this category make great engineers, soldiers and crossword-puzzle solvers.
Longer index finger: The (Over) Confident One
If your index finger is longer than your ring finger, chances are you are full of confidence—possibly even to the point of being over-confident and proud. You are not necessarily introverted (内向的), but you do enjoy time to yourself, especially when you’re trying to complete a project. You are a dream pursuer who can make things happen, but you may be shy when it comes to taking the first step in a relationship. You are also probably happy with what you have, but you’re always wishing for more.
Index and ring finger are of the same length: The Peacemaker
If your index finger and ring finger are roughly of the same length, you are likely to avoid conflict at all costs and seek to keep the peace in your relationships. You are well-organized, faithful and sympathetic. But deep down under all of that caring and peace-loving, you also have a hot-tempered side that can appear unexpectedly when you’re pushed too far. You will try your hardest to avoid a fight.
How well do these descriptions match your personality? I was surprised at the accuracy in my case, but I’m not going to tell you which one it was!
1.Which of the following hand could be an engineer’s hand?
A. 
B. 
C. 
D. 
2.We can learn from the passage that the author ______.
A. is very charming and helpful
B. always tries hard to avoid a fight
C. often takes silly tests on Facebook
D. thinks the descriptions suit him well
3.What does the passage intend to tell us?
A. How accurate the description of the test is.
B. The length of fingers can reveal personality.
C. Why your fingers are not of the same length.
D. Personality is determined by your finger length.
4.Where can you probably find the text?
A. A popular magazine.
B. An official report.
C. A public advertisement.
D. A biology textbook.
When I walked into the house after school, I found my dad at home.
"What are you doing home already?" I asked casually.
"Andrew, I was laid off today," he answered quietly.
I was sure he was joking. "No, you weren't. Why are you really home?"
Then I noticed his expression and realized he was telling the truth. My father has always been a hard worker and prided himself on his career. My father's unemployment created many changes in our lives. He was home all day, which meant my bed had to be made, my room cleaned up, and my homework done right after school. I would come home every day to find him at the computer searching for jobs. I began to notice how down he seemed, and how losing his job had affected his self-esteem, though he tried to be optimistic. He asked my brother and me to spend less money. I gave up my allowance, which even though it wasn't much, felt like the right thing to do. I also found a part-time job.
After several difficult months of searching, my dad decided to go in a totally different direction. He explained that he never wanted to be laid off again, so he was going to start his own business. Day by day, I watched him build it, and I admired how much time and energy he devoted to it.
One evening I asked if he needed help. "Only if it doesn't interfere（打扰，妨碍） with school," he said, which sounded like a yes.
I showed up at his office the next afternoon, and most afternoons after that for two months. I always knew he was a hard worker, but watching him in action really influenced me. Although this was one of the worst experiences for our family, it taught me a lot about dealing with adversity. Now I know that through creative problem-solving, I can always find Plans, ask for help, and take risks.
1.When the father was laid off, he ________.
A. was angry with his boss
B. didn't care about it at all
C. couldn't accept the fact easily
D. was as happy as usual
2.We can know from the passage that ________.
A. it was not easy for the father to find a new job
B. the father asked his sons to give up their allowance
C. the father found a good job when he changed his direction
D. Andrew and his brother helped his father set up his business
3.The underlined word "adversity" in the last paragraph probably means .
A. poor feelings
B. bad situations
C. low spirits
D. old ideas
4.What has Andrew learned from his father?
A. The spirit of creative problem-solving.
B. The skills of surfing the Internet.
C. The experience of saving money.
D. The rich business skills.
