“Are you too stupid to do anything right？”These words—said by a woman to a little boy who was obviously her son—were spoken 　1 he had walked away from her. They boy returned, his eyes down-cast.

Not a 　2　 moment, perhaps, 　3　 small moments sometimes last a very long time. And a few words—though they mean 　4　 at the time to the people who say them—can have great 　5　 .

I recently heard a story from a man named Malcolm Dalkoff. For the last 24 years he has been a professional 　6　 . Here is what he told me:

As a boy in Rock Island, Dalkoff was terribly 　7　 . He had few 　8　 and no self-confidence. One day, his English teacher, Ruth Brach, gave the class an assignment（作业）. The students had been reading To Kill a Mockingbird. Now they were to write their own chapter that would 　9　 the last chapter of the novel.

Dalkoff wrote his chapter and turned it 　10　 . Today he can not recall anything 　11 about the chapter he wrote, or what 12　 Mrs. Branch gave him. What he does remember is the four words Mrs. Brach wrote in margin（空白处）of the paper：“This is 　13　 writing.”

　　 Four words. They 　14　 his life.

　　 “ 　15　 I read those words, I had no idea of who I was or 　16　 I was going to be.”he said.“After reading her note, I went home and wrote a short story, something I had always been 　17　 of doing but never believed I could do.”

　 Over the rest of that year in school, he wrote many short stories and always brought them to school for Mrs. Brach to evaluate. She was 　18　 , tough and honest.“She was just what I 19 ,”Dalkoff said.

　 His confidence 　20 　 . Dalkoff believes that none of this would have happened if that woman had not written those four words in the margin of his paper.

1．A．where　　　　 B．why　　　　 C．because　　　 D．when

2．A．wonderful　　 B．difficult　　　 C．funny　　 D．big

3．A．yet　　　　　 B．although　　 C．for　　　 D．therefore

4．A．much　　　　 B．little　　　　 C．more　　　 D．most

5．A．meaning　　　 B．power　　　 C．force　　　 D．sense

6．A．writer　　　　 B．player　　　 C．poet　　　 D．singer

7．A．sorry　　　　　 B．proud　　　 C．sick　　　 D．shy

8．A．books　　　　 B．ideas　　　　 C．friends　　 D．chances

9．A．follow　　　　 B．match　　　 C．decide　　 D．improve

10．A．on　　　　　　 B．in　　　　　 C．out　　　　 D．down

11．A．more　　　　 B．again　　　　 C．special　　　 D．different

12．A．honors　　　　 B．remarks　　 C．prizes　　　 D．grade

13．A．poor　　　　　 B．serious　　　 C．good　　　　 D．silly

14．A．changed　　　 B．damaged　　 C．affected　　 D．improved

15．A．Unless　　　　 B．Until　　　 C．When　　　 D．While

16．A．what　　　　　 B．how　　　　 C．where　　　 D．which

17．A．tired　　　　　 B．fond　　　　 C．proud　　　 D．dreaming

18．A．strict　　　　　 B．kind　　　　 C．encouraging　 D．praising

19. A．feared　　　　 B．needed　　　 C．expected　　 D．loved

20．A．grew　　　 　B．lifted　　　　 C．appeared　　 D．returned

“Are you too stupid to do anything right?”These words－said by a woman to a little boy who was obviously her son－ were spoken   36   he had walked away from her. The boy returned, his eyes down-cast.

 Not a   37   moment, perhaps,   38   small moments sometimes last a very long time. And a few words－though they mean   39   at the time to the people who say them－can have great   40   .

I recently heard a story from a man named Malcom Dalkoff. For the last 24 years he has been a professional   41   . Here is what he told me:

  As a boy in Rock Island, Dalkoff was terribly   42   . He had few   43   and no self-confidence. One day, his English teacher, Ruth Brach, gave the class an assignment. The students had been reading To Kill a Mockingbird. Now they were to write their own chapter that would   44   the last chapter of the novel.

 Dalkoff wrote his chapter and turned it   45   . Today he can’t recall anything   46   about the chapter he wrote then, or what   47   Mrs. Brach gave him. What he does remember is the four words Mrs. Brach wrote in the margin of the paper: “This is   48   writing.” Four words. They   49   his life.

“   50   I read those words, I had no idea of who I was or what I was going to be,” he said. “After reading her   51   , I went home and wrote a short story, something I had always been   52   of doing but never believed I could do.”

Over the rest of that year in school, he wrote many short stories and always brought them to school for Mrs. Brach to evaluate. She was   53   , tough and honest. “She was just what I    54   ,” Dalkoff said.

His confidence   55   . Dalkoff believes that none of this would have happened if that woman had not written those four words in the margin of his paper.

36. A. where               B. why                       C. because                  D. when

37. A. wonderful      B. difficult              C. funny                 D. big

38. A. yet                 B. although               C. for                    D. therefore

39. A. much                 B. little                 C. more                 D. most

40. A. meaning            B. power                    C. force                 D. sense

41. A. writer                B. player                    C. poet                   D. singer

42. A. sorry              B. proud                     C. sick                 D. shy

43. A. books                B. ideas                 C. friends                    D. chances

44. A. follow               B. match                C. decide                       D. improve

45. A. on                   B. in                        C. out                            D. down

46. A. more              B. again                   C. special                  D. different

47. A. honor                B. remark                    C. prize                      D. grade

48. A. poor               B. serious                    C. good                      D. silly

49. A. changed            B. damaged                C. affected                  D. improved

50. A. Unless                     B. Until               C. When                    D. While

51. A. note                  B. novel                C. chapter                  D. assignment

52. A. tired                 B. fond               C. proud                         D. dreaming

53. A. strict                 B. kind                 C. encouraging          D. praising

54. A. feared                B. needed              C. expected                   D. dreamed

55. A. grew                B. lifted                C. appeared               D. returned

Everybody has had at least one experience from which he knows the meaning of life. This time, which took place several years ago, but seems as if it just happened.
On an afternoon several years ago, my brother-in-law opened the bottom drawer of my sister’s dress and picked out a beautiful skirt. “ Jan bought this the first time we went to New York, at least 8 or 9 years ago. She never wore it. She was saving it for a special occasion.” he said．I guess this was the occasion: it was the funeral of my sister, after her unexpected death.
He took the shirt and put it on bed, with the other clothes we were taking to the funeral. Then he closed the drawer and turned to me, “Don’t ever save anything for a special occasion. Every day you’re alive is a special occasion.”
I’m thinking about his words, and they’ve changed the way I live my life. I’m spending more time with my family and friends and less time in committee meetings. Whenever possible, life should be a kind of experience to enjoy, not to suffer. “Someday ”and “one of these days ”are losing their importance  on my vocabulary. If it’s worth seeing or hearing or doing, I want to see and hear and do it now.
Ever since that day, I have been trying very hard not to put off, hold back or save anything that would add laughter and color to our lives. Every morning when I open my eyes, I tell myself that every day, every minute, every breath, truly is a gift. So cherish every day and find the true meaning of your life.
【小题1】Why did Jan buy the beautiful skirt but didn’t wear it?

Everybody has had at least one experience from which he knows the meaning of life. This time, which took place several years ago, but seems as if it just happened.

On an afternoon several years ago, my brother-in-law opened the bottom drawer of my sister’s dress and picked out a beautiful skirt. “ Jan bought this the first time we went to New York, at least 8 or 9 years ago. She never wore it. She was saving it for a special occasion.” he said．I guess this was the occasion: it was the funeral of my sister, after her unexpected death.

He took the shirt and put it on bed, with the other clothes we were taking to the funeral. Then he closed the drawer and turned to me, “Don’t ever save anything for a special occasion. Every day you’re alive is a special occasion.”

I’m thinking about his words, and they’ve changed the way I live my life. I’m spending more time with my family and friends and less time in committee meetings. Whenever possible, life should be a kind of experience to enjoy, not to suffer. “Someday ”and “one of these days ”are losing their importance  on my vocabulary. If it’s worth seeing or hearing or doing, I want to see and hear and do it now.

Ever since that day, I have been trying very hard not to put off, hold back or save anything that would add laughter and color to our lives. Every morning when I open my eyes, I tell myself that every day, every minute, every breath, truly is a gift. So cherish every day and find the true meaning of your life.

1.Why did Jan buy the beautiful skirt but didn’t wear it?

2.What does the underlined word “cherish” mean?

3.From his experience, the author learns that_______.

4.What’s the best title for this passage?