We find the owl at the very edge of our woods the morning after the storm. Wings flight-frozen and round eyes glassy. I touch its feathers lightly with my fingertip and I’m surprised because they still feel real even though the owl has slipped away somewhere else and Dad is already digging a hole for it in the rain-soaked earth.
I lift its body and it’s huge in my hands but the hollow bones do most of the work for me and I almost think the owl might shake the stiffness from its feathers and fly away. I really don’t think this one should go into a hole in the ground. I say that to Dad and he says that it’s the circle of life and that now the owl will become part of nature again. Feeding the soil with its flesh and growing the roots of plants from its feathers.
Dad shifts the last of the dirt with his spade and sits down at the base of a tree with a huff of air that smokes around him. I put the bird in the hole and mark it with a smooth pebble so I’ll always know.
After we’ve buried the owl, we walk all around the woods and clear the worst of the damage from the winds and the rain. The damage isn’t as bad as it’s been before and it feels like the storm has cleaned everything back to being new and fresh. I use my hawk eyes and search the ground in flicks and sweeps and I find treasures in the rain-raked earth just like always. Pieces of pottery and something that could be a Roman coin. I slip them into my pocket and they bump against each other to tell their stories to me, but I’ll listen later.
I help Dad load the best of the fallen branches on to the trailer so we can cut them for fire wood or maybe a bonfire, and then we drive over the muddy paths and back to our house.
【小题1】What do we know about the owl when the author finds it?| A．It is already dead. | B．It is hidden in a hole. |
| C．It is too stiff to fly away. | D．It is trying to flee the woods. |
| A．To facilitate future visits. | B．To show sympathy for the owl. |
| C．To keep the site clear of plants. | D．To draw the attention of passers-by. |
| A．Storms make trees take deeper roots. | B．In nature’s embrace, time stands still. |
| C．The darkest hour has only sixty minutes. | D．With every leaf’s fall, a new life emerges. |
| A．Money-driven. | B．Wonder-seeking. | C．Artistically talented. | D．Emotionally mature. |
We all enjoy planning out our lives. We had great expectations and dreams to touch the sky.
So, what happens when the life you have isn’t the life you planned? You can go exploring. You go exploring without expectation because your plans could be the very thing that keeps you from the life that’s waiting for you.
So, don’t be afraid to make mistakes but learn from them quickly.
| A．However, life isn’t a bed of roses. |
| B．Don’t regret for the past mistakes. |
| C．Unfortunately, reality doesn’t always quite match up. |
| D．Let go of blame, self-pity, excuses, bitterness and resentment. |
| E．There will still be times when you struggle with letting go of the past. |
| F．But when things don’t work out, they’re unwilling to take responsibility. |
| G．This shouldn’t mean you give in to frustration for not living up to your potential. |
A month before my first marathon, one of my ankles was injured and this meant not running for two weeks, leaving me only two weeks to train. Yet, I was determined to go ahead.
I remember back to my 7th year in school. In my first P. E. class, the teacher required us to run laps and hit a softball. I didn't do either well. He later informed me that I was "not athletic".
The idea that I was "not athletic" stuck with me for years. When I started running in my 30s, I realized running was a battle against myself, not about competition or whether or not I was athletic. It was all about the battle against my own body and mind. A test of wills!
The night before my marathon, I dreamt that I couldn't even find the finish line. I woke up sweating and nervous, but ready to prove something to myself.
Shortly after crossing the start line, my shoe laces became untied. So I stopped to readjust. Not the start I wanted!
At mile 3, I passed a sign: "GO FOR IT, RUNNERS!"
By mile 17, I became out of breath and the once injured ankle hurt severely. Despite the pain, I stayed the course walking a bit and then running again.
By mile 21, I was starving!
As I approached mile 23, I could see my wife waving a sign. She is my biggest fan. She never minded the alarm clock sounding at 4 a.m. or questioned my expenses on running.
I was one of the final runners to finish. But I finished! And I got a medal. Actually, I got the same medal as the one that the guy who came in first place had.
Determined to be myself, move forward, free of shame and worldly labels(世俗标签), I can now call myself a "marathon winner".
【小题1】After the author’s ankle was injured, what was he determined to do?| A．quit | B．go ahead |
| C．have a rest | D．keep calm and walk |
| A．treasure his precious old days | B．prove his inability in sports then |
| C．defend himself from prejudice | D．convey his gratitude to the teacher |
| A．He succeeded for a strong will. | B．He quit running halfway. |
| C．He was awarded the first prize. | D．He walked to the end. |
| A．He passed a sign: "GO FOR IT, RUNNERS!" |
| B．He became out of breath and the once injured ankle hurt severely |
| C．He was starving! |
| D．He was encouraged by his wife. |
| A．One is never too old to learn. |
| B．Failure is the mother of success. |
| C．Family support is the fountain of success. |
| D．Success can be acquired with a great effort of will. |
I drove to a local supermarket one day. My shopping list was long and my wallet was light. Still, I needed to get a week’s worth of groceries for my family. I parked my car, looked down at my list, and hoped I could afford it all.
As I approached the door, I saw an old man with kind eyes and a gentle smile. He said he was collecting for a local food bank. He handed me a second shopping list and asked if I could help them. I smiled back, took the list and walked into the store. I really wanted to help but wasn’t sure whether I could this time.
I walked through the store, getting what I needed. When I looked down at my full cart I wondered again if I even had enough to pay for it all. Then as I put my own list back into my pocket I remembered the food bank list under it. I smiled. I went over and picked up two of the biggest boxes of rice for the food bank. It took another six dollars out of my wallet, but my heart felt six times larger when I did it. And when everything was totaled, I had just enough to pay.
It takes so little to make our world a better place. A few dollars can help to fill a child’s hungry belly. A smile and hug can help to heal a hurting heart. An encouraging word can inspire someone else to live and to love. A random (偶然的) act of kindness can change another’s day and life. It is up to you, though. You can think only of yourself and those close to you while saving a few bucks on rice.
【小题1】We can learn from the first two paragraphs that_______.| A．the author drove to the local supermarket every day |
| B．the old man was actually begging for food for himself |
| C．the author didn’t take much money with him that day |
| D．the author had no interest in the old man |
| A．thought highly of the old man’s behavior |
| B．refused to take the shopping list to the store |
| C．wasn’t sure if he could help him |
| D．decided to give him a hand at once |
| A．Nothing but smiles can help heal a hurting heart. |
| B．It actually takes so little for us to make a difference to others. |
| C．Our world would be poor without kindness and help. |
| D．It is important for us to think of those who are in great need of rice. |
A．A Pleas ant Shopping Experience |
| B．An Old Beggar |
| C．A Long Shopping List |
| D．A Small Act of Kindness |
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