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My Dad’s Best Flower

When I was young, my father used to grow carnations (康乃馨).His carnations were red, pink and white, everyone who saw them 1 them for their beauty.

He took care of them with so much love and 2 . Every day, he came home from work he went 3 to see them.He enjoyed watching them every day. We the kids did too. 4 he used to tell us, “No one should touch my flowers.”

One day my elder sister, who 5 my dad very much, had wanted to help him and she 6 the carnations from their stems (枝干) one by one and arranged them 7 . She believed that he would be very 8 to see them that way.

When mom and I realized 9 my sister had done, we became completely 10 . However, my sister had no idea why no one showed her any 11 . When my dad arrived he went 12 , straight to see the flowers. When he saw his flowers 13 on the floor like dead animals, he was 14 at first. He looked towards the street, to see if it was any of the 15 children who could have done it.Then he entered the living room and looked at mom in silence.

Finally mom, who always taught us to 16 no matter what, looked at dad and said:“We have no bad neighbors in our area”. Then with a nice tone she continued: “No 17 did this greatjob, only your lovely daughter Clémence.”My dad’s face 18 into a smile and then he said: “Do I have a better 19 than my lovely daughter?” My elder sister smiled and 20 dad tightly.

1. A. cheered B. admired C. cared D. shared

2. A. devotion B. spirits C. gratitude D. expectation

3. A. straight B. soon C. nonstop D. immediately

4. A. While B. So C. Then D. But

5. A. disliked B. understood C. loved D. misunderstood

6. A. cut B. watered C. separated D. cleaned

7. A. by the window B. in the vase

C. on the desk D. on the floor

8. A. surprised B. pleased C. disappointed D. worried

9. A. when B. why C. what D. how

10. A. hopeless B. speechless C. joyful D. grateful

11. A. reward B. affection C. appreciation D. feeling

12. A. as usual B. at once C. as well D. at last

13. A. destroyed B. standing C. presented D. lying

14. A. interested B. excited C. shocked D. struck

15. A. enemies’ B. friends’ C. families’ D. neighbors’

16. A. say the truth B. behave ourselve

C. follow the rules D. keep secret

17. A. kids B. elders C. outsider D. insider

18. A. grew B. changed C. pulled D. made

19. A. kid B. flower C. helper D. gift

20. A. hugged B. kissed C. grasped D. patted



4

There was a man who played the piano in a small bar. There were not too many 1 , but because he was a good piano player, some people 2 came in every night just to hear him play. But one night, a patron (老主顾) told him he didn’t want to hear him play but to sing a song.

The man said, “I have never 3 that before in public. I think I’m 4 at playing the piano.”

But the customer 5 . He told the waiter, “I’m 6 listening to the piano day after day. I want to hear something new and I want that guy to sing.”

The waiter 7 across the room, “Hey, buddy! If you want to get 8 , sing a song. The patrons are asking you to sing!”

9 in order to bring some money home that night, the piano player who had never sung in public did so for the very first time. And 10 had ever heard the song Mona Lisa sung before 11 that night by Nat King Cole, and it surprised all, including the 12 himself!

He had talent he was 13 on! He may have lived the rest of his life as a no-name piano player in a no-name bar, but because he had to sing, he 14 to become one of the best-known entertainers in America.

You, too, have skills and 15 . You may not feel as if your “talent” is particularly 16 , but it may be better than you think! And with persistence (坚持), most skills can be 17 . Besides, you may as well have no ability at all if you sit on whatever talent you 18 ! The 19 is not “What ability do I have that is useful?” It is 20 “How will I use whatever ability I have?”.

Just think a minute…

1. A. waiters B. players C. singers D. customer

2. A. never B. still C. ever D. only

3. A. practiced B. shown C. done D. dreamed

4. A. better B. richer C. easier D. sooner

5. A. agreed B. confused C. insisted D. charged

6. A. familiar with B. fond of

C. used to D. tired of

7. A. served B. shouted C. explained D. complained

8. A. changed B. broadcast C. paid D. drunk

9. A. But B. And C. Because D. So

10. A. nobody B. anybody C. somebody D. everybody

11. A. since B. after C. until D. when

12. A. waiter B. singer C. patron D. owner

13. A. sitting B. waiting C. depending D. playing

14. A. went up B. went on

C. went off D. went away

15. A. advantages B. character

C. abilities D. principle

16. A. unique B. surprising C. famous D. great

17. A. improved B. wasted C. recognized D. impressed

18. A. imagine B. possess C. expect D. develop

19. A. decision B. answer C. question D. solution

20. A. even B. rather C. pretty D. fairly

(答案见B12版)