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1、【1-A】 A Good Heart to Lean On ore than I realized, Dad has helped me keep my balance. Augustus J. Bullock 1 When I was growing up, I was embarrassed to be seen with my father. He was severely crippled and very short, and when we would walk together, his hand on my arm for balance, people would stare
2、. I would be ashamed of the unwanted attention. If he ever noticed or was bothered, he never let on. 2 It was difficult to coordinate our stepshis halting, mine impatientand because of that, we didnt say much as we went along. But as we started out, he always said, “You set the pace. I will try to a
3、djust to you. ” 3 Our usual walk was to or from the subway, which was how he got to work. He went to work sick, and despite nasty weather. He almost never missed a day, and would make it to the office even if others could not. It was a matter of pride for him. 4 When snow or ice was on the ground, i
4、t was impossible for him to walk, even with help. At such times my sisters or I would pull him through the streets of Brooklyn , N.Y. , on a childs sleigh to the subway entrance. Once there, he would cling to the handrail until he reached the lower steps that the warmer tunnel air kept ice-free. In
5、Manhattan the subway station was the basement of his office building, and he would not have to go outside again until we met him in Brooklyn on his way home. 5 When I think of it now, I marvel at how much courage it must have taken for a grown man to subject himself to such indignity and stress. And
6、 I marvel at how he did itwithout bitterness or complaint. 6 He never talked about himself as an object of pity, nor did he show any envy of the more fortunate or able. What he looked for in others was a “good heart”, and if he found one, the owner was good enough for him. 7 Now that I am older, I b
7、elieve that is a proper standard by which to judge people, even though I still dont know precisely what a “good heart” is. But I know the times I dont have one myself. 8 Unable to engage in many activities, my father still tried to participate in some way. When a local baseball team found itself wit
8、hout a manager, he kept it going. He was a knowledgeable baseball fan and often took me to Ebbets Field to see the Brooklyn Dodgers play. He liked to go to dances and parties, where he could have a good time just sitting and watching. 9 On one memorable occasion a fight broke out at a beach party, w
9、ith everyone punching and shoving. He wasnt content to sit and watch, but he couldnt stand unaided on the soft sand. In frustration he began to shout, “Ill fight anyone who will sit down with me! Ill fight anyone who will sit down with me! ” 10 Nobody did. But the next day people kidded him by sayin
10、g it was the first time any fighter was urged to take a dive even before the bout began. 11 I now know he participated in some things vicariously through me, his only son. When I played ball (poorly), he “played” too. When I joined the Navy, he “joined” too. And when I came home on leave, he saw to
11、it that I visited his office. Introducing me, he was really saying, “This is my son, but it is also me, and I could have done this, too, if things had been different. ” Those words were never said aloud. 12 He has been gone many years now, but I think of him often. I wonder if he sensed my reluctanc
12、e to be seen with him during our walks. If he did, I am sorry I never told him how sorry I was, how unworthy I was, how I regretted it. I think of him when I complain about trifles, when I am envious of anothers good fortune, when I dont have a “good heart”. 13 At such times I put my hand on his arm
13、 to regain my balance, and say, “You set the pace. I will try to adjust to you.” ( 703 words) 【1-B-a】 A Kiss for Kate Phyllis Volkens 1 Every afternoon when I came on duty as the evening nurse, I would walk the halls of the nursing home, pausing at each door to chat and observe. Often, Kate and Chri
14、s, their big scrapbooks in their laps, would be reminiscing over the photos. Proudly, Kate showed me pictures of bygone years: Chris tall, blond, handsome; Kate pretty, dark-haired, laughing. Two young lovers smiling through the passing seasons. How lovely they looked now, sitting there, the light s
15、hining on their white heads, their time-wrinkled faces smiling at the memories of the years, caught and held forever in the scrapbooks.2 How little the young know of loving, Id think. How foolish to think they have a monopoly on such a precious commodity. The old know what loving truly means; the yo
16、ung can only guess.3 Kate and Chris were always togetherin the dining room, the lounge, strolling around the big porches and lawns, always holding hands. As we staff members ate our evening meal, sometimes Kate and Chris would walk slowly by the dining-room doors. Then conversation would turn to a d
17、iscussion of the couples love and devotion, and what would happen when one of them died. We knew Chris was the strong one, and Kate was dependent upon him.4 How would Kate function if Chris were to die first? We often wondered.5 Bedtime followed a ritual. When I brought the evening medication, Kate
18、would be sitting in her chair, in nightgown and slippers, awaiting my arrival. Under the watchful eyes of Chris and myself, Kate would take her pill, then carefully Chris would help her from the chair to the bed and tuck the covers in around her frail body.6 Observing this act of love, I would think
19、 for the thousandth time, good heavens, why dont nursing homes have double beds for married couples? All their lives they have slept together, but in a nursing home, theyre expected to sleep in single beds. Overnight theyre deprived of a comfort of a lifetime.7 How very foolish such policies are, I
20、would think as I watched Chris reach up and turn off the light above Kates bed. Then tenderly he would bend, and they would kiss gently. Chris would pat her cheek, and both would smile. He would pull up the side rail on her bed, and only then would he turn and accept his own medication. As I walked
21、into the hall, I could hear Chris say, “Good night, Kate,” and her returning voice, “Good night, Chris,” while the space of an entire room separated their two beds.8 I had been off duty two days and when I returned, the first news I heard was, “Chris died yesterday morning.”9 “How?”10 “A heart attac
22、k. It happened quickly.”11 “Hows Kate?”12 “Bad.”13 I went into Kates room. She sat in her chair, motionless, hands in her lap, staring. Taking her hands in mine, I said, “Kate, its Phyllis.”14 Her eyes never shifted; she only stared. I placed my hand under her chin and slowly turned her head so she
23、had to look at me.15 “Kate, I just found out about Chris. Im so sorry.”16 At the word “Chris”, her eyes came back to life. She looked at me, puzzled, as though wondering how I had suddenly appeared. “ Kate, its me, Phyllis. Im so sorry about Chris.”17 Recognition and sadness flooded her face. Tears
24、welled up and slid down her cheeks. “Chris is gone,” she whispered.18 “I know,” I said. “I know.”19 We pampered Kate for a while, letting her eat in her room, surrounding her with special attention. Then gradually the staff worked her back into the old schedule. Often, as I went past her room, I wou
25、ld observe Kate sitting in her chair, scrapbooks on her lap, gazing sadly at pictures of Chris.20 Bedtime was the worst part of the day for Kate. Although she was allowed to move from her bed to Chriss bed, and although the staff chatted and laughed with her as they tucked her in for the night, stil
26、l Kate remained silent and sadly withdrawn. Passing her room an hour after she had been tucked in, Id find her wide awake, staring at the ceiling.21 The weeks passed, and bedtime wasnt any better. She seemed so restless, so insecure. Why? I wondered. Why this time of day more than the other hours?22
27、 Then one night as I walked into her room, only to find the same wide-awake Kate, I said impulsively, “Kate, could it be you miss your good-night kiss?” Bending down, I kissed her wrinkled cheek.23 It was as though I had opened the floodgates. Tears ran down her face; her hands gripped mine. “Chris
28、always kissed me good-night,” she cried.24 “I know,” I whispered.25 “ I miss him so, all those years he kissed me good-night.” She paused while I wiped the tears. “ I just cant seem to go to sleep without his kiss.”26 She looked up at me, her eyes full of tears. “Oh, thank you for giving me a kiss.”
29、27 A small smile turned up the corners of her mouth. “You know,” she said confidentially, “Chris used to sing me a song.”28 “He did?”29 “Yes,”her white head nodded“and I lie here at night and think about it.”30 “How did it go?”31 Kate smiled, held my hand and cleared her throat. Then her voice, smal
30、l with age but still melodious, lifted softly in song: So kiss me, my sweet, and so let us part. And when I grow too old to dream, That kiss will live in my heart. ( 921 words) 【1-B-b】 Benefits from Pets Maxine Huffman 1 Recently, a number of U.S. newspapers carried a very small article entitled “Th
31、ings You Can Learn from Your Dog”. The article listed seven things done regularly by pet dogs which could be helpful to pet owners if they themselves did them. These things are: 1) When your loved one comes home, run to greet him. 2) Eat with pleasure. 3) When its hot, drink lots of water. 4) Take n
32、aps. 5) Dont bite, just growl. 6) When you want something badly, dig for it. 7) Give unconditional love.2 There are many people who would like to insist that only human beings are capable of feeling the emotion of love. However, there are many more people, usually pet owners, who feel that they not
33、only love their pets, but that their pets love them in return. This is only one, but a very important, benefit of owning a pet. All of us want to enjoy good health. Thousands of articles are written in newspapers and magazines giving advice of all types as to what people should be doing if they wish
34、 to improve their chances of having good health. Most often this advice includes suggestions that we should eat right, exercise, take vitamins and get a pet. Why get a pet? Because more and more studies are showing that people who have pets are healthier, both physically and mentally, than those who
35、 dont. Right now more than half of the households in the United States have a companion animal. That includes 51 million dogs, 56 million cats, 45 million birds, and other small animals.3 Besides the obvious things, like being cute, interesting to watch N, and a lot of fun, pets do more for us than
36、we often realize. If you now have or have ever had a pet, you know how wonderful it is to have someone there for you N, no matter how you look, how you are dressed, or what you are doing. Pets love you unconditionally and dont require brilliant conversation. A simple “good boy” and a pat on the head
37、 or scratch under the chin is enough for them N. They will find ways to let you know their appreciation of your praise, whether it is by wagging their tails, rubbing against you, purring, or simply looking at you with adoring eyes.4 People who own pets often remark on what good company they are and
38、what fun they have together N. Pet experts and researchers identify many other additional benefits that come with pet ownership or interaction. In addition to those mentioned thus far N, pets ease stress and anxiety, aid relaxation, provide a sense of security, and are a great diversion from trouble
39、s. One medical study showed that peoples blood pressure would fall when they stroked their pets.5 Pets are increasingly being used in therapy for the elderly and those who have Alzheimers disease or physical disabilities. One lady in Tucson N, Arizona N, shares her lovely little dog with many elderl
40、y nursing home residents. She takes her dog there at least once or twice a week and allows the elderly people to hold and pat her little dog. They eagerly await its arrival and always ask when she and her dog will be back. She is just one of hundreds of people who share their pets with the old and l
41、onely. And then, of course, there are countless stories of dogs trained to aid blind, deaf, or wheel-chair bound individuals, often allowing them to live independently when otherwise this would not be possible. The love between these people and their four-footed friends is touching. Even brushing or
42、 patting a dog is great physical therapy, and we all know the benefits of walking, which is something a dog needs too.6 James Herriot, a country veterinarian in England , has been a very popular writer in the English-speaking world. He has written a number of books and stories about pet owners and t
43、heir pets. Many of his stories tell of the love between them as well as the benefits that owners and pets derive from each other. Part of his great popularity as a writer comes from the fact that people who love pets like to read about and identify with other pet lovers. ( 706 words)【2-A】 Speaking D
44、ifferent Languages John Gray1 When Martians and Venusians first got together, they encountered many of the problems with relationships we have today. Because they recognized that they were different, they were able to solve these problems. One of the secrets of their success was good communication.
45、2 Ironically, they communicated well because they spoke different languages. When they had problems, they would just go to a translator for assistance. Everyone knew that people from Mars and people from Venus spoke different languages, so when there was a conflict they didnt start judging or fighti
46、ng but instead pulled out their phrase dictionaries to understand each other more fully. If that didnt work they went to a translator for help. 3 You see, the Martian and Venusian languages had the same words but different meanings depending on the way they were used. Their expressions were similar,
47、 but they had different connotations or emotional emphasis. Misinterpreting each other was very easy. So when communication problems emerged, they assumed it was just one of those expected misunderstandings and that with a little assistance they would surely understand each other. They experienced a
48、 trust and acceptance that we rarely experience today. 4 Even today we still need translators. Men and women seldom mean the same things even when they use the same words. For example, when a woman says, “I feel like you never listen,” she does not expect the word “never” to be taken literally. Using the word “never” is just a way of expressing the frustration she is feeling at the moment. It is not to be taken as if it were factual information. 5 To fully express their feelings, women would tend to exaggerate the facts a little bit for effect and use various superlative