四、完形填空
A carpenter (木匠) who was proud of his skills moved to a new town. But his business didn't go as well as he expected. The carpenter was in deep
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and went out for a walk. An old man noticed him and asked what troubled him. The carpenter told him everything. The old man invited him to his backyard and shared a story.
“Eight years ago, I planted the fern (蕨类植物) and the agave (龙舌兰) at the same time. I hoped both plants would grow well, so I took good care of them.
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the fern, which grew fast in months, the agave seemed inactive at first. I
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their growth every day, wondering whether I had done something wrong. The fern spread quickly, while the agave
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low under the ground. After one year, the fern kept spreading, but the agave hardly showed new leaves. Still, I didn't
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. I kept watering it with
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.
“I wondered when the flower would come. It turned out that it waited
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it had enough energy to bloom (开花). Five years passed, and a thick flower shoot appeared from its centre. This was
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what I had expected all these years.”
The carpenter could not reply. The old man explained, “The agave spent years developing strong roots (根) and storing nutrients (营养). It never
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its growth. Just like you: grow your roots and sharpen your skills. Only with full preparation can you hold your place when challenges appear. Success will not arrive unless you are fully ready.”
The carpenter never forgot the
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story the stranger shared with him. Growth often requires quiet waiting. The key is to carry on and never lose hope.
(
A
) 1. A. sadness B. shame C. danger D. joy
(
B
) 2. A. Besides B. Unlike C. Against D. Through
(
A
) 3. A. compared B. controlled C. judged D. prevented
(
B
) 4. A. rested B. remained C. avoided D. suffered
(
C
) 5. A. take away B. carry on C. give up D. show up
(
D
) 6. A. courage B. pride C. silence D. patience
(
B
) 7. A. after B. until C. since D. though
(
C
) 8. A. truly B. probably C. exactly D. hardly
(
A
) 9. A. rushes B. voices C. manages D. wins
(
C
)10. A. relaxing B. boring C. inspiring D. strange
