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My father was a lf-taught mandolin player. He was one of the best string instrument players in our town. He could not ___1___ music, but if he heard a tune a few times, he could play it.
Occasionally, Dad would get out his mandolin and play for the family. We three children: Trisha, Monte and I, George Jr., would often sing ___2___ the tunes. He emed to ___3___ when he was playing. He was always there, ___4___ his time and efforts to e that his family had enough in their life. I had to mature into a man and have children of my own ___5___ I realized how much he had sacrificed.
When Dad was younger, he once worked for Todd Steel in Point of Rocks, Maryland. One day, while working at Todd Steel, he was ___6___ in an accident. He got the third index finger of his left hand mashed between two pieces of steel and ___7___ having the tip of the finger amputated. He didn't lo enough of the finger where it would stop him picking up anything, but it did ___8___ his ability to play the mandolin.
After the accident, Dad was ___9___ to play the mandolin. He felt that he could not play as well as he had before the accident. Whenever I asked him to play he would make ___10___. Eventually, we would wear him ___11___ and he would say “Okay, but remember, I can't hold down on the strings the way I ud to.” When he played the old mandolin it would ___12___ us to a cheerful, happier time in our lives.
In August of 1993 my father was diagnod with inoperable lung cancer. About a week before his death, we asked Dad if he would play the mandolin for us. He made excus as usual but said “okay”. He tuned up the old mandolin and played a few notes. We listened quietly, tears blurring our ___13___. We felt at the time that he wouldn't have enough ___14___ to play, and that made the memory of that day even stronger. Dad was doing something he had done all his life—___15___. Sick though he was, he was still pleasing others. Dad sure could play that Mandolin!
1. A. hear B. compo C. read D. appreciate
2. A. along B. to C. with D. against
3. A. glare B. explode C. shine D. flame
4. A. sacrificing B. engaging C. contributing D. investing
5. A. before B. until C. once D. unless
6. A. stuck B. involved C. absorbed D. lost
花费英语7. A. took up B. picked up C. stepped up D. ended up
8. A. destroy B. remove C. improve D. impact
9. A. relieved B. reluctant C. regretful D. responsible
10. A. adjustments B. denials C. excus D. refusals
梁山好汉宋江传11. A. down B. away C. off D. out
12. A. transform B. transport C. transfer D. transmit
13. A. vision B. mood C. version D. consciousness
14. A. focus B. motivation C. courage D. strength
柏子仁丸15. A. taking B. playing C. giving D. concentrating
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My knees started shaking. It felt as though my soul 伤感女生网名 1 my body. Anxiously, I looked through the list posted on the wall of the locker room. I saw all my friends' names except mine. I 2 . I just couldn't accept that I was not on the team.
I 3 out of the room as fast as I could. My mind was blank for the rest of the school day. After school, as I walked to the parking lot to get 4 , I saw all my friends gathered there, celebrating and joking around. I walked around the side of the school to 5 them. I saw my father's familiar red Mazda pull up near the school lot and got in. He noticed my 6 face and asked me what was wrong.
“Nothing. It's just that all my friends made the school team except me.”
呼吁造句“Well, are you just going to sit there?” he asked.
哀思What my dad said 7 to me. Nobody was going to give me a（n） 8 on that team. I would have to earn it. Having made this mental 9 , I decided to work toward my goal of making the team. 10 , there was a gym near my school, so as soon as the bell rang for school to end, I biked to the gym and trained for two hours. I ran and shot until I 11 on the hardwood floor every single day.
There were moments when I didn't think I could keep on going, but I powered 12 it. After all, hard work 13 talent when talent doesn't work hard.
After a year of training, I 14 for my venth-grade team. Seeing my name printed in large letters felt as though all my dreams had come true. The greater the effort, the sweeter the reward, and by making the team, I had officially made a 15 .
1. A. shifted B. departed C. reformed D. dismisd
2. A. froze B. stood C. shouted D. regreed
布鲁克克3. A. walked B. inched C. moved D. stormed
4. A. picked up B. brought up C. taken up D. caught up
5. A. join B. honour C. avoid D. congratulate
6. A. anxious B. expressive C. puzzled D. depresd
7. A. made n B. paid attention C. gave ri D. made allowance
8. A. award B. tting C. spot D. name
9. A. connection B. development C. construction D. breakthrough
