My husband Jeff and I moved into our new home in Scottsbluff last year just before Christmas. I did not have the1or energy to carry out my traditional Christmas decorating and baking activities. What was the point, anyway? It was going to be a 2istmas after all.

   3, the neighborly nature of west Nebraska residents started to trickle (陆续来临) in.

    There was a4on the door one evening. It was Jeff's new colleague, John Smith, and his wife, Phyllis. The Smiths had stopped by to5us to town with a loaf of homemade bread. They pointed out a6on the porch (门廊). Apparently the doorbell wasn't working in the cold snowy weather and we had7a visit from the Browns, our across-the-street neighbors, who brought us a Christmas card and more Christmas cookies.

  The8feelings brought by these thoughtful gestures lasted longer than the food.

  As Jeff and I were clearing pre-Christmas9from our driveway, Ernie Guzman came over from next door to 10us to dig out.

  Then, we received an invitation to11 a Christmas Eve meal with our neighbors, Ernie and Nancy Sommer, and their12 —a 90-year-old lady, who also had no family in the immediate area with whom to spend the holiday.

  Our Christmas Eve was quite merry, thanks to our13. Our Christmas morning14 was special, thanks to the Smiths' gift of bread. I was so15for these gestures of welcome, especially during the holidays.

  This year, we were again unable to be with our families for Christmas. The 16and work schedules just made things too difficult.17  that sense of Christmas isolation (孤立) all too well, we decided to try to round up some other folks who were18in the holidays.

  Lonely people are all around us, but most of us 19notice them. Just take a look around you. Sometimes, the smallest20gesture can make a world of difference.

    Once upon a time a teacher and his student 1down under a big tree near the big grass area．Then suddenly the student asked the teacher，"Teacher，I'm puzzled．How do we 2 our soul mate(知己)?Could you please help me?"

    Silent for a few seconds，the teacher then answered，"Well，it's a pretty hard and easy question．" The teacher 3 ,"Look that way．There is a lot of grass．Why don't you walk there? But please don't walk 4 ． On your way，try to find a blade(叶片)of beautiful grass and 5 it and then give it to me．But just one．"

    The student said OK and then he walked straight ahead to the grassy field．A few minutes later，the student came back empty-handed．When the teacher asked the 6 ,the student said，"On my journey，I found quite a few beautiful blades of grass，but I 7     that I would find a better one，so I didn't pick it．But I didn't realize that I was at the 8 of the field，and I hadn't picked any because you told me not to go back，so I didn't go back." Hearing this, the teacher said，"That's what will happen in real life．"

    What is the 9 of this story? In the story，grass is the people around you；the beautiful blade grass is the people that 10 you and the grassy field is time．In looking for your soul mate，please don't always 11and hope that there will be a better one．By doing that，you'll 12your lifetime．Remember "Time Never Goes Back．"

阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从1--20题中所给的四个选项A、B、C、D中选出能填入相应空白处的最佳选项。

    On a cold winter day, I waited in line to see my hero, Jack Canfield, the author of The Success Principles. During his talk, Jack1 his wallet, pulled out a hundred-dollar bill, and said, “Who wants this?”2 shot up in the audience. People leaned forward to see whom Jack would3. But I jumped up, ran to the4, and caught the bill. As I turned and5 the audience, thoughts raced through my mind—was I about to be humiliated (羞辱) in front of 800 people? Would they6 security guards and take me away from the stage? 7 my desire for the money was louder than any8 voice. When I got the bill from his hand, he said, “That's it! We can't wait for the 9to come to us. We must take action to10 what we want!”

    After his talk, 1 managed to formally meet Jack and bravely asked for his11 email address. Over the next months, I sent him emails 12 my dreams to him. He kindly emailed back lots of encouragement. But I was13with other things. I stopped e-mailing Jack.

    A year later, my dreams were broken. I thought Jack would14 me to take action, like a huge arrow that would show me the way.

    I emailed him, and then again—but got no15. As I sat down at my computer to check my emails, I 16 woke up. What was I doing? I was waiting! Now I remembered the crowd17 the money, but they just sat on their chairs18.

    Usually we all have a “Jack” for whom we wait—whether it's a person, a place or a thing. We19 believe the gifts of life are just around the corner, and that everything will come in a(n) 20way. So we don't try. We give up. But as Jack said: “You'll always miss 100% of the opportunities you don't take!” So I stopped waiting and started my writing career. Now what are you waiting for?

    “The way we choose to respond to others can cause them to feel ashamed 1can allow them to remember our kindness and2our stories with the future generations.” when I read this3 I thought of Doris, a very 4person. All around her room were dolls she had made: they were the most interesting dolls I'd ever seen.

    One day 5I was in her room, she took one of her dolls out of the case to6me, saying it was the7doll she had ever made. The doll was very unusual with fine artistic work. I was amazed that anyone could crate something so 8.

    Doris held the dolls very carefully. Then she slowly9the doll in such a way that I could see a10crack(裂缝)on the skirt. Doris said that on the way to class she bumped(撞击)the side of the skirt. She expressed how she was 11.When it was her turn to show the doll to the teacher, she pointed out the crack. Doris felt12that the doll would be13. Much to her surprise, the teacher told her she was just going to ignore the crack and 14the doll on the other good 15it had. Doris said this remark and16changed her life. She knew17the teacher hadn't overlooked the crack, she18had made the rest of the dolls.

    The teacher could have made Doris feel ashamed about the crack. But because of her19to ignore the crack, Doris was sharing her20to the next generation.

    Each year her husband sent her valentine roses, tied with pretty bows, and a card. The card would 1say, "I love you even more than last year on this day."

    The year he2, the roses were delivered to her door as usual. The card said, "Be my valentine. My love for you will always3with every passing year." She thought this was the4 time that the roses would appear. She5he ordered roses6without knowing that he would7.He always liked to do things ahead. Then, if he got busy, everything would work out 8.She put 9 in a very special vase, and then placed the vase beside the portrait of his smiling face. She would sit for hours, staring at his picture and the roses.

    A year went by, 10it was tough to live without him. Then, on Valentine's Day, the doorbell rang, and she saw roses sitting 11 her door. She brought the roses in, and then looked at them in surprise. Later she 12 the flower­ shop and asked them to explain 13 valentine roses were sent to her.

    The owner replied,"I know your husband passed away a year ago. The flowers you14today were paid for two years ago. Your husband always planned ahead. Here is 15 of many years. You'll get them every year till... and he also wrote a special little16for you...he did this years ago. He said, 'If you find out that I'm no longer here, the card should be sent to my wife the following year.'"

    She thanked him and hung up the phone, her tears 17 her face. She found a card among the roses and read it slowly, "Hello, my love. I know it's been a year since I was gone. I hope it's not too hard for you to overcome. I know you must be 18 and the pain is real. The 19 we shared made everything so beautiful in life. I loved you more than20can say. Please try not to be too sad. That is why the roses will be sent to you for years."

    Tara and Lara were twins. Even their parents found it too hard to find the 1between them so the girls were2in different schools.

    Although they look the same, both the girls differ in3else. They don't have any common favorites. Lara is a night﹣bird and study all the night until she finishes.4, Tara is a morning bird; she used to5early in the morning. In addition, Lara wears light darker colors and modem outfits, while Tara likes light colors and6dresses.

    This wasn't the7with these twin girls. However, they8each other that the opposite one was wrong.

    While both sides have the advantages and disadvantages, the9continues. They fight mainly about10things all﹣day and during the study time. Their parents decided to11to their arguments.

    Lara and Tara blindfolded their12with a black ribbon. Their13brought them to the dining room. In the dining room, a big14was placed in the middle. Lara stood on one side of the board and Tara stood on the other side of the board. Both the ribbons were15. The girls were surprised to see a huge board in between them.

    Now, their father asked Lara, what is the color of the board？ She replied, "It is black!" Their mother asked Tara the same question. She replied, "It is white!"

    They began to argue. While Lara16strongly it was black, Tara was17it was white.

    Now, they were asked to18their places. They both were surprised and shocked. The board with Lara's side was painted black and Tara's was white, which was 19by them. They20that they were right on their own perspective only.