An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer of his plans to __1__ the house－building business to live a more __2__ life with his wife and __3__ his extended family. He would miss the paycheck(工資) each week, but he wanted to retire. They could __4__. 

The employer was __5__ to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favour. The carpenter said yes, __6__ over time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He used bad workmanship and __7__ materials. It was an unfortunate way to __8__ a dedicated(獻身的)career.

When the carpenter finished  his work, his employer came to __9__ the house. Then he handed the front－door __10__ to the carpenter and said, “This is your house... my __11__ to you.”

The carpenter was shocked!

What a __12__！ If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently.

__13__  it is with us. We build our lives, a day at a time, often putting __14__ than our best into the building. Then, with a shock, we __15__ we have to live in the house we have built. If we could do it over, we would do it much differently.

But, you cannot __16__. You are the carpenter, and every day you hammer a nail, place a board, or build a wall. Someone __17__ said, “Life is a do－it－yourself project.” Your __18__，  and the choices you __19__ today, help build the “house” you will live in tomorrow. Therefore, build __20__！

1. A. continue　　　  B. start　　　C. leave　　　D. find

2. A. leisurely       B. lonely     C. orderly    D. friendly                 

3. A support        B. share      C. enjoy     D. care                  

4. A. go off             B. get by

C. pass on            D. work away

5. A. polite         B. nervous   C. proud     D. sorry                   

6. A. but           B. while     C. which       D. before         

7. A. perfect        B. inferior   C. superior    D. tough                  

8. A. satisfy      B. improve     C. meet      D. end                      

9. A. buy        B. repair       C. inspect    D. sell                  

10. A. roof      B. window      C. key      D. design                   

11. A. gift       B. promise      C. salary    D. words

12. A. disappointment      B. shame         

C. pleasure             D. success        

13. A. So       B. Yet          C. As       D. Such                    

14. A. worse     B. more        C. rather     D. less                     

15. A. realize    B. explain       C. think      D. admit                   

16. A. step forward         B. go back

C. come out            D. look around

17. A. never     B. again        C. once     D. nearly            

18. A. attitude   B. experience    C. skill      D. advantage       

19. A. learn       B. take       C. see        D. make                   

20. A. badly  B. wisely      C. early         D. confidently             

完形(15%)

 Albert Einstein said, “In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.” Once __41 __, such opportunities are like valuable diamonds hidden in the sand.

Several years ago, I spoke at a school about how we were surrounded by “___42___  ” if we could only recognize them. A man stopped by to see me, and I remembered him as somebody who had suffered through a(n) ___43___ divorce (離婚) and was examining what was most important to him. He took a small ___44___ out of his pocket. Here is what he said to me that day.

“I ___45___ on this stone when I was leaving church last Sunday. You had spoken about  ___46___ opportunities—diamonds. I put the stone in my ___47___ to remind me to look for those “diamonds” that I need. I have been trying to sell my business . On Monday morning, a man who seemed interested in ___48___ some of my stock (股票) stopped by. I thought, ‘Here’s my diamond—don’t let it ___49___!’ I sold the entire stock to him by noon. Now my next diamond is to find a new ___50___  !”

Not long afterward, he did find a new and better job. From then on, he decided to keep his stone with him all the time as a ___51___ to look for “diamonds” as he dug through the ___52___ of life.

Richard DeVos is right when he points out. “This is an exciting world. It is filled with opportunities. Great moments wait around every corner.” Those moments are diamonds that,   ___53___ left unrecognized, will be forever lost.

Are you looking for “diamonds” every day? If not, you may ___54___ pass them by! Perhaps there is a diamond of opportunity hidden in the difficulty you’re ___55___ now.

1.A.given           B.discovered            C.sent          D.made

2.A.opportunities       B.dangers           C.diamonds      D.chances

3.A.painful         B.stupid                C.normal            D.original

4.A.ball                B.stone             C.paper         D.flower

5.A.stepped         B.depended          C.fought            D.based

6.A.stealing            B.accepting         C.recognizing       D.realizing

7.A.purse           B.pocket                C.bag           D.house

8.A.selling         B.buying                C.hunting           D.casting

9.A.go off          B.give in               C.stay up       D.watch out

10.A.buyer          B.job              C.stock             D.rock

11.A.scene          B.prize             C.reminder      D.power

12.A.difficulties       B.hopes             C.characters        D.cases

13.A.unless         B.though                C.for           D.if

14.A.happily            B.easily                C.luckily           D.dangerously

15.A.expressing     B.satisfying            C.breaking      D.experiencing