As a young girl growing up in the 1930s, I always wanted to fly a plane, but back then it was
almost unheard of for a woman to do that. I got a taste of that dream in 2001,when my husband
arranged for me to ride in a hot air balloon for my birthday. But the experience turned out to be
very dull. Around that time,I told my husband that I wanted to skydive. So when our retirement
community(社区)announced that they were having an essay competition and the topic was an
experience of a lifetime that you wanted to have, I decided to write about my dream.
In the essay, I wrote about my desire to skydive, stating George Bush Sr. did it at age 80.
Why not me? I was just 84 and in pretty good health. A year went by and I heard nothing. But
then at a community party in late April 2009, they announced that I was one of the winners. I just
couldn"t believe it.Inspired by this,I decided to realize my dream,even though some of my family
members and my doctor were against it.
On June 11, 2009, nearly 40 of my family and friends gathered in the area close to where I
would land while I headed up in the airplane. My instructor, Jay, guided me through the experience.
The plane was the noisiest one I had ever been in, but I wasn"t frightened-I was really just looking
forward to the experience. When we reached 13,000 feet, Jay instructed me to throw myself out
of the plane. When we first hit the air, the wind was so strong that I could hardly breathe. For a
second I thought, "What have I gotten myself into?" But then everything got calmer. We were in a
free fall for about a minute before Jay opened the parachute(降落伞), then we just floated downward
for about five minutes. Being up in the clouds and looking at the view below was unlike anything I
have ever felt-much better than the hot air balloon. I was just enjoying it.
Skydiving was really one of the greatest experiences of my life. I hope other people will look at
me and realize that you don"t stop living just because you are 84 years old. If there"s something you want to experience, look into it. If it"s something that is possible, make it happen.
B. She entered a competition.
C. She went on a hot air balloon ride.
D. She moved into a retirement community.
B. show her admiration for him
C. compare their health condition
D. make her argument persuasive
A. Excited.
B. Scared.
C. Nervous.
D. Regretful.
B. The wonderful view.
C. The company of Jay.
D. The oneminute free fall.
messed up(弄糟) their hurried day. I got lost in the sound and sight of the heavens__3__away the dirt
and dust of the world.
"Mom, let"s run through the rain," a girl"s voice__4__ my attention. "No, honey . We"ll wait until it
__5__down a bit," Mom replied.
The young girl waited about another minute and__6__. "Mom, let"s run through the rain. "
"We"ll get wet if we do," Mom said.
"No, we won"t, Mom. That"s not what you said this morning," the young girl said as she __7__her
mom"s arm.
"This morning__8__did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?"
"Don"t you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said: "If God can get us through this, he can get us through __9__. ""
The entire crowd turned __10__. Mom paused and thought for a moment about __11__she would
say. Now some would laugh it off and scold the girl for being __12__. But then we heard, "Honey, you
are __13__. Let"s run through the rain. If we get wet, maybe we just need washing," Mom said. Then
__14__they ran.
We all stood __15__, smiling and laughing as they ran past the cars. Yes, they got wet. But they were __16__by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the __17__to their cars. Circumstances or
people can take away your material possessions, and they can even take away __18__. But no one can
ever take away your precious __19__. So, don"t forget to make time and take the __20__to make
memories every day! I hope you still take the time to run through the rain.
( )2. A. as if
( )3. A. taking
( )4. A. caught
( )5. A. slows
( )6. A. asked
( )7. A. pulled
( )8. A. Why
( )9. A. the rain
( )10. A. still
( )11. A. if
( )12. A. dishonest
( )13. A. stupid
( )14. A. off
( )15. A. sighing
( )16. A. followed
( )17. A. time
( )18. A. house
( )19. A. children
( )20. A. possibilities
B. even if
B. putting
B. annoyed
B. comes
B. repeated
B. touched
B. How
B. the disease
B. silent
B. how
B. silly
B. wrong
B. along
B. joking
B. guided
B. way
B. money
B. memories
B. opportunities
C. because
C. driving
C.impressed
C. pushes
C. required
C. waved
C. When
C. anything
C. serious
C. whether
C. careless
C. right
C. on
C. discussing
C. respected
C. same
C. health
C. courage
C. risk
D. when
D. washing
D. called
D. stops
D. added
D. felt
D. Where
D. something
D. angry
D. what
D. forgetful
D. clever
D. over
D. watching
D. praised
D. best
D. time
D. experience
D. challenge
seat was__2__for her.
Then a pretty girl rushed towards me, saying, "Hi, where are you going?" I was so struck by the
stranger that I had a hard time trying to __3__ her. Clearly she had taken me __4__ somebody else. I
returned her greeting with politeness, __5__ to give explanation to my girlfriend later.
Noticing my dialogue with somebody else, my girlfriend__6__ her eyes and found she was pretty. She asked jealously, "Who"s she?" The pretty girl, quite__7__of the situation, spoke out first, "Hi, let me__8__myself. I" m Nancy, used to be __9__. Very glad to meet you." She behaved very __10__.
But I was __11__ to search in my memory for someone called Nancy among my neighbors. I was
worrying how to explain this to my girlfriend __12__ the pretty girl again turned to me, "Will you give me
your cell phone number so that we __13__ keep contacts(联系) later?"I had to submit to her __14__.
Then the girl got off the bus at the next stop.
A minute later I got a short __15__ on my phone-from a stranger. My girlfriend __16__ my phone
and read the note. It was from the girl, who said, "Just now, two thieves tried to __17__ your pocket. I
had to act as an acquaintance to draw your attention. I should have left at the __18__ stop but gave up as I noticed these two thieves also __19__ to leave at the same stop. Because of the __20__ I delayed my
departure. Now you" ll understand all I have done to you. Wish you luck."
( )2. A.ready
( )3. A.identify
( )4. A.on
( )5. A.preferring
( )6. A.fixed
( )7. A.proud
( )8. A.explain
( )9. A.partners
( )10. A.naturally
( )11. A.in a hurry
( )12. A.while
( )13. A.would
( )14. A.request
( )15. A.suggestion
( )16. A.removed
( )17. A.steal
( )18. A.terminal
( )19. A.pretending
( )20. A.incident
B. available
B. realize
B. by
B. planning
B. opened
B. careful
B. enjoy
B. neighbors
B. generously
B. at a loss
B. before
B. can
B. question
B. warning
B. seized
B. reach
B. former
B. intending
B. matter
C. special
C. remind
C. with
C. managing
C. raised
C. afraid
C. introduce
C. friends
C. cautiously
C. at ease
C. when
C. should
C. command
C. notice
C. found
C. get
C. previous
C. demanding
C. accident
D. suitable
D. judge
D. for
D. promising
D. focused
D. aware
D. help
D. colleagues
D. normally
D. in time
D. until
D. must
D. opinion
D. message
D. caught
D. pick
D. latter
D. announcing
D. affair
among the golden bamboo my dad had planted, and when there was a slight wind, the bamboos sounded
really musical."
A fisheries biologist, Heinricher, 47, planned to work in the salmon industry in Seattle, where she lived with her husband, Guy Thornburgh, but she found it too competitive. Then her garden gave her the idea for a business: she"d plant 20 bamboo forests on their sevenacre farm.
Heinricher started BooShoot Gardens in 1998. She realized early on what is just now beginning to be
known to the rest of the world. It can be used to make fishing poles, skateboards, buildings, furniture,
floors, and even clothing. An added bonus: Bamboo absorbs four times as much carbon dioxide as a
group of hardwood trees and releases 35 percent more oxygen.
First she had to find a way to massproduce the plants-a tough task, since bamboo flowers create seed only once every 50 to 100 years. And dividing a bamboo plant frequently kills it.
Heinricher appealed to Randy Burr, a tissue culture expert, to help her. "People kept telling us we"d
never figure it out," says Heinricher. "Others had worked on it for 27 years! I believed in what we were
doing, though, so I just kept going."
She was right to feel a sense of urgency. Bamboo forests are being rapidly used up, and a United
Nations report showed that even though bamboo is highly renewable,as many as half of the world"s species are threatened with dying out. Heinricher knew that bamboo could make a significant impact on carbon
emissions (排放) and world economies, but only if huge numbers could be produced. And that"s just what she and Burr figured out after nine years of experiments-a way to grow millions of plants. By placing
cuttings in test tubes with salts, vitamins, plant hormones, and seaweed gel, they got the plants to grow and then raised them in soil in greenhouses.
Not long after it, Burr"s lab hit financial difficulties. Heinricher had no experience running a tissue culture operation, but she wasn"t prepared to quit. So she bought the lab.
Today Heinricher heads up a profitable multimilliondollar company, working on species from all over
the world and selling them to wholesalers. "If you want to farm bamboo, it"s hard to do without the young
plants, and that"s what we have," she says proudly.
B. They were short of money and experience.
C. They didn"t have a big enough farm to do it.
D. They were not understood by other people.
B. Productive and flexible.
C. Useful and earthfriendly.
D. Strong and profitable.
B. able to be raised difficultly
C. able to be shaped easily
D. able to be recycled conveniently
B. Heinricher"s determination helped her to succeed in her work.
C. Heinricher struggled to prevent bamboo from disappearing.
D. Heinricher finally succeeded in realizing her childhood dream.
not to miss it, she slipped on some ice and fell__1__the rear wheels of the bus.She__2__the
accident, but was paralyzed from the waist__3__.I went to see her, in my 13yearold mind thinking
she wouldn"t live__4__from then on.
Over the years, I moved and didn"t think__5__about Helen after that.Three years ago, in Florida,
my oldest son was__6__by a car while riding his bike,__7__a terrible brain injury.__8__I was
looking after him, a lady who said she was the hospital"s social worker called.It was a particularly__9__
day.I burst into tears for no__10__and hung up.
A short time later, a beautiful woman, in a__11__, rolled into my son"s room with a box of tissues.
After 16 years, I still recognized Helen.I told her__12__I was, and after we both__13__the shock of
that, she began to tell me about her life.She had married, had children and gotten her degree so that she
could__14__ the path for those less __15__than her.She told me that if there was anything she could
give me, it would be__16__.
Looking at this wonderful, giving person, I felt__17__.But I also felt the first hope I had felt since
then.From this person that I thought would have no__18__of life; I learned that where there is life, there
is hope.My son miraculously__19__and we moved back north, but I owe Helen a__20__that I can
never repay.
( )2.A.escaped
( )3.A.down
( )4.A.normally
( )5.A.many
( )6.A.collapsed
( )7.A.making
( )8.A.Before
( )9.A.forgettable
( )10.A.reason
( )11.A.coat
( )12.A.how
( )13.A.got across
( )14.A.build
( )15.A.fortunate
( )16.A.hope
( )17.A.confident
( )18.A.quantity
( )19.A.worsened
( )20.A.life
B.resisted
B.up
B.comfortably
B.much
B.driven
B.causing
B.While
B.tiring
B.excuse
B.suit
B.where
B.got off
B.smooth
B.money
B.dream
B.selfish
B.way
B.recovered
B.bill
C.sacrificed
C.in
C.seriously
C.less
C.drawn
C.resulting
C.After
C.trying
C.matter
C.wheelchair
C.what
C.got out
C.take
C.powerful
C.fancy
C.small
C.quality
C.disappeared
C.success
D.survived
D.out
D.optimistically
D.little
D.hit
D.leading
D.Since
D.unconscious
D.account
D.hurry
D.who
D.got through
D.follow
D.wealthy
D.ideal
D.depressed
D.standard
D.overcame
D.debt
There was a gardener who looked after his garden with great care.To water his flowers,he used
two buckets.One was a shiny and new bucket.The other was a very old and dilapidated one,which
had seen many years of service,but was now past its best.
Every morning,the gardener would fill up the two buckets.Then he would carry them along the
path,one on each side,to the flowerbeds.The new bucket was very proud of itself.It could carry a
full bucket of water without a single drop spilled (溢出).The old bucket felt very ashamed because
of its holes:before it reached the flowerbeds,much water had leaked along the path.
Sometimes the new bucket would say,"See how capable I am!How good it is that the gardener
has me to water the flowers every day!I don"t know why he still bothers with you.What a waste of
space you are!"
And all that the old bucket could say was,"I know I"m not very useful,but I can only do my best.
I"m happy that the gardener still finds a little bit of use in me,at least."
One day,the gardener heard that kind of conversation.After watering the flowers as usual,he said,
"You both have done your work very well.Now I am going to carry you back.I want you to look
carefully along the path."
Then the two buckets did so.All along the path,they noticed,on the side where the new bucket
was carried,there was just bare(光秃秃的) earth;on the other side where the old bucket was
carried,there was a joyous row of wild flowers,leading all the way to the garden.
B. Dark.
C.Wornout.
D.Plainlooking.
B.His aging.
C. His manner.
D.His leaking.
B. take pity on the old one
C. show off its beautiful looks
D. praise the gardener"s kindness
B. Because it stayed in its best condition.
C. Because it was taken as a treasure.
D. Because it had its own function.
- 1如图所示,一质量为m、电量为q的带电粒子,以速度v沿平行于板面的方向射入电场中.极板间的电压为U,板长为L,板间距离为d
- 2已知函数f(x)=ex﹣bx(1)当b=1时,求函数f(x)的单调区间;(2)若函数f(x)有且只有一个零点,求实数b的
- 3哲学的基本问题是 [ ]A.世界观和方法论的关系问题 B.物质与运动的关系问题 C.具体科学和哲学的关系问题D.
- 4下列人物属于古代蒙古族的杰出统治者的是①完颜阿骨打 ②元昊 ③铁木真 ④耶律阿保机 ⑤忽必烈A.①②③B.③④⑤C.③⑤
- 5始祖鸟的化石可以判断下列哪两类生物具有较近的亲缘关系( )A.鸟类和爬行类B.鸟类和哺乳类C.鸟类和两栖类D.鸟类和鱼
- 6阅读下面的古诗文,完成问题。春夜洛城闻笛李白谁家玉笛暗飞声,散入春风满洛城。此夜曲中闻折柳,何人不起故园情。 1.诗中的
- 7Young man, if you hurry up ,I think_________ is quite_______
- 8下列实验对应的图象正确的是 A.将等质量的镁和铝分别与足量的盐酸反应B.向pH=2的盐酸中滴加过量的氢氧化钠溶液C.向盐
- 92008年,我国外交贯彻“和平发展”、“和谐世界”、“互利共赢”三大理念,取得了巨大成就。这三大理念的提出 [
- 10The girl stopped________ but she________ nothing.A.to listen
- 1有关少数民族风俗习惯的叙述,正确的是[ ]A.壮族- 泼水节B.傣族- 那达慕大会C.藏族- 雪顿节D.蒙古族-
- 2心脏是血液循环的__________器官,心脏搏动推动着血液在由心脏和血管组成的管道系统中________。
- 3被称为“地球之肺”的森林正以每年15000000公顷的速度从地球上消失,每年森林的消失量用科学记数法表示为( )
- 4下列化学用语错误的是A.NaCl的电子式B.甲烷的结构式C.氨分子的结构式D.羟基电子式
- 5已知碳酸氢钠与氢氧化钠固体在加热条件下,发生如下反应:NaHCO3+NaOH Na2CO3+H2O现将4.2gNaHC
- 6下列命题中是假命题的是 [ ]A.α,β∈R,使cos(α+β)=cosα+sinβB.>0,有ln2x+
- 7图为四个国家的人口出生率和死亡率图,完成1-2题。小题1:人口自然增长率最高的是A.①B.②C.③D.④小题2:下列四国
- 8美国历史学家杰里·本特利指出:当1945年同盟国击败轴心国,摧毁德意志帝国和日本帝国时,随着另一场战争的开始,世界不得不
- 9下列物质属于纯净物的是( )A.冰水混合物B.食盐水C.澄清石灰水D.钢
- 10在△ABC中,∠A:∠B:∠C=1:2:3,AB=6cm,则BC= cm