Another person’s enthusiasm was what set me moving toward the success I have achieved. That person was my stepmother.

I was nine years old when she entered our home in rural Virginia. My father  36  me to her with these words: “I would like you to meet the fellow who is  37  for being the worst boy in this county and will probably start throwing rocks at you no  38  than tomorrow morning.”

My stepmother walked over to me,  39  my head slightly upward, and looked me right in the eye. Then she looked at my father and replied, “ You are  40  . This is not the worst boy at all,    41  the smartest one who hasn’t yet found an outlet for his enthusiasm.”

That statement began a (n)  42  between us. No one had ever called me smart. My family and neighbors had built me up in my  43  as a bad boy. My stepmother changed all that.

She changed many things. She  44  my father to go to a dental school, from which he graduated with honors. She moved our family into the country seat, where my father’s career could be more  45  and my brothers and I could be better  46  .

When I turned fourteen, she bought me a secondhand  47  and told me that she believed that I could become a writer. I knew her enthusiasm, I  48  it, and I saw how it had already improved our lives. I accepted her  49  and began to write for local newspapers. I was doing the same kind of  50  that great day I went to interview Andrew Carnegie and received the task which became my life’s work later. I wasn’t the  51  beneficiary(受益者). My father became the  52  man in town. My brothers and stepbrothers became a physician, a dentist, a lawyer, and a college president.

What power  53  has! When that power is released to support the certainty of one’s purpose and is  54  strengthened by faith, it becomes an irresistible force which poverty and temporary defeat can never  55  .

You can communicate that power to anyone who needs it. This is probably the greatest work you can do with your enthusiasm.

1.A. rushed                 B. introduced             C. sent                      D. carried

2.A. mistaken            B. favored           C. distinguished    D. rewarded

3.A. later             B. sooner           C. longer             D. earlier

4.A. dragged            B. raised            C. shook               D. bent

5.A. perfect            B. right                C. impolite           D. wrong

6.A. so                    B. but                           C. or                  D. and

7.A. agreement    B. gap                  C. friendship       D. relationship

8.A. opinion           B. image             C. mind                       D. expectation

9.A. persuaded       B. begged                C. ordered                      D. invited

10.A. meaningful   B. successful          C. helpful                             D. useful

11.A. treated                   B. entertained       C. respected              D. educated

12.A. camera         B. radio                C. typewriter             D. bicycle

13.A. considered      B. appreciated     C. ignored                            D. suspected

14.A. criticism       B. belief             C. request           D. description

15.A. writing               B. teaching                           C. studying                           D. reading

16.A. only                            B. next                          C. same                                 D. real

17.A. cleverest          B. strongest                          C. healthiest                         D. wealthiest

18.A. fortune        B. sympathy         C. enthusiasm             D. confidence

19.A. deliberately    B. constantly               C. traditionally            D. happily

20.A. win                     B. reach                         C. match            D. doubt

My childhood and adolescence were a joyous outpouring of energy, an endless pursuit for expression, skill, and experience.        was only a background to the great delight of lessons in music, dance, and dramatics.

Then one night at a high school dance, a remark, not intended for my       , injured my youthful happiness: “That girl, what a pity she is blind.” Blind! A(n)        word that implied everything dark, blank and helpless.       I turned and called out, “Please don’t feel sorry for me, I’m having lots of fun.”       the fun was not to last.

In college years, I began to struggle with the problem of earning a living. Part-time teaching of piano and occasional giving concerts proved only        sources of economic support. In terms of time and effort involved, the financial return was       . Self-doubt and dark moods sparked within me.        to my misery was the repeated experience of knowing my sisters and friends dating excitedly. How        I was to my piano,        I could dissolve my frustration, accompanied by Chopin, Brahms, and Beethoven.

Then one day, I met a girl, an army nurse, whose faith was to change my life. As our acquaintance        into friendship, she sensed my       . She said, “Stop knocking on closed doors. I know your opportunity will come. You’re trying too hard. Why don’t you relax? And have you ever tried       ?” The idea was strange to me. I had always believed that if you wanted        , you had to go and get it for yourself. Yet, my sincerity and hard work had yielded poor returns, so I was       to try anything else. Self-consciously, I performed the daily practice of prayer. I said, “God, show me the        for which You sent me to this world.

In the years to follow, the answers began to arrive, satisfying        my most optimistic expectation. One of the answers was Enchanted Hills, where my        friend and I had the privilege of seeing blind children come alive in God’s out-of-doors.        are the sources of pleasure and comfort I have found in friendship, and most important of all, I        closer to God and, through Him, to immortality (永生).

1.A. School                           B. Society         C. Family                        D. College

2.A. mind                    B. direction                        C. eyes                                  D. ears

3.A. rude                         B. ugly                                    C. dirty                                  D. strange

4.A. quickly                     B. slowly                                 C. gently                               D. quietly

5.A. Thus                         B. And                                    C. But                                    D. Though

6.A. adequate                B. partial                                C. full                                     D. rich

7.A. discouraging                B. uninspiring                      C. encouraging           D. convincing

8.A. Referring               B. Contributing                 C. Adapting                    D. Adding

9.A. grateful                         B. excited                    C. proud                               D. sensitive

10.A. who                   B. which                                C. what                                  D. where

11.A. jumped                       B. ran                                    C. grew                                 D. became

12.A. joy                               B. depression                      C. pleasure                           D. pity

13.A. practicing                   B. nursing                    C. praying             D. volunteering

14.A. anything            B. everything                       C. nothing             D. something

15.A. able                            B. willing                     C. eager                               D. devoted

16.A. destination                B. purpose                           C. meaning                           D. answer

17.A. with                   B. off                                     C. beyond                   D. from

18.A. doctor                        B. teacher                            C. nurse                                D. prayer

19.A. Other                          B. Others                              C. Another                           D. Either

20.A. draw                           B. arrive                                C. drag                                  D. pull

Once there was a very brilliant, creative and learned man. He gained much ____36_____while traveling throughout the world. Unfortunately he lost his legs and left arm in a traffic accident, leaving only a finger and thumb on his right hand. He became so ____37_____ that he was afraid he would spend his life _____38_____ and would no longer be able to use his life in a(n) ____39_____way.
One day, he remembered how he had always loved getting ____40_____. He realized that he still had partial ____41_____ of his right hand and could write with  ____42_____. Then, he had an idea. “Why not write to other people who need encouragement?”
He ___43___ where he could find those who could be encouraged if they read his letters. He thought of people in ____44___. Many of them had hope of regaining their ____45___ . Others would keep feeling depressed and remain put away for the rest of their lives. He decided that he must try to __46____ them. So he wrote to a prison ministry about sending letters to the prisoners. The prison minister replied that writing to the prisoners would be  ____47____. However, it would be against prison rules for the prisoners to write back.
____48_____with the intention, the man began sending   49   messages of God’s love, hope, strength, and encouragement. He wrote twice a week, testing his strength and ability to the ___50____. He poured his heart and soul into his words,  ___51_____ his experience, sense of humor, optimism, and faith.
It was difficult to write those letters, especially without hope of any ___52___. Frequently, he felt discouraged, wondering if anyone  ___53____read his letters. However, this was his ___54____chance，so he determined to continue.
At last, he received a letter from the prison officer, which said, “Please write on the best paper you can afford. Your letters are passed from cell (牢房) to cell until they almost fall to ____55___!”
We all have unique experiences, abilities and talents. We can discover ways to reach others in need of encouragement and strength.

Once there was a very brilliant, creative and educated man. He gained much __36__ while traveling throughout the world. Unfortunately he lost his legs and left arm in a tragic accident, leaving only a finger and thumb on his right hand. He became so __37__ that he was afraid he would spend his life __38__ and would no longer be able to use his life in a(n) __39__ way.

One day, he remembered how he had always loved getting __40__. He realized that he still had partial __41__ of his right hand and could write with __42__. Then, he had an idea. “Why not write to other people who need encouragement?”

He __43__ where he could find those who could be encouraged if they read his letters. He thought of people in __44__. Many of them had hope of regaining their __45__. Others would keep feeling depressed and remain put away for the rest of their lives. He decided that he must try to __46__ them. So he wrote to a prison ministry about sending letters to the prisoners. The prison minister replied that writing to the prisoners would be __47__. However, it would be against prison rules for the prisoners to write back.

__48__ with the intention, the man began sending __49__ messages of God’s love, hope, strength, and encouragement. He wrote twice a week, __50__ his strength and ability to the limit. He poured his heart and soul into his words, __51__ his experience, sense of humor, optimism, and faith.

It was difficult to write those letters, especially without hope of any__52__. Frequently, he felt discouraged, wondering if anyone __53__ read his letters. However, this was his __54__  chance，so he determined to continue.

At last, he received a letter from the prison officer, which said, “Please write on the best paper you can afford. Your letters are passed from cell (牢房) to cell until they almost fall to __55__!”

We all have unique experiences, abilities and talents. We can discover ways to reach others in need of encouragement and strength.