Every year on my birthday, a white gardenia(栀子花)was 1 to my house．But no card or note came with it．Calls to the flower shop were always 2 －it was a cash purchase．After a while I stopped trying to 3 the sender's identity and just 4 in the beauty and heady perfume of that one magical, perfect white flower lying in 5 pink paper．
But I never stopped 6 who the giver might be．My mother 7 to these imaginations．She asked me if there was someone for whom I had done a special 8 who might be showing appreciation．I had more fun imagining that it might be a boy I fell in love with or one who had 9 me even though I didn't know him．
One month 10 my high-school graduation．my father died．My feelings 11 from sorrow to fear and 12 ：my dad was missing some of the most important events in my life．I became completely 13 in my coming graduation, the senior-class play and the ball．But my mother would not hear of my 14 any of those things．Mother and I had gone shopping and found an impressive dress, but it was the 15 size．When my father died, I forgot about the dress．
The day before my ball, I found that dress——in the right size——over the living room sofa．It was 16 to me so lovingly．I didn't 17 if I had a new dress or not．But my mother did．She wanted her children to feel 18 , filled with a sense that there was a beauty even in the face of 19 ．In truth, my mother wanted her children to see themselves much like the gardenia——lovely, strong and perfect——with an aura of magic and perhaps a bit of mystery．
My mother died ten days after l was married．The following year the gardenia stopped 20 ．
Two weeks before Christmas, Mother told me we were going to my grandmother’s house for the holiday．Grandma and Uncle Henry lived on a farm some 15 miles out of town．They had no electricity or running water and 1 what I considered the “good things” in life．They 2 made no plans for Christmas．When Christmas Eve arrived, Mom told me in her best “I-mean-it” voice to 3 all the decorations from our tree．She picked those up, along with all the trimmings(装饰物)for a complete turkey 4 ．
Christmas morning 5 perfectly, with the sun shining brightly across a fresh blanket of snow． 6 I sulked(生气)silently in the backseat of the car as we made our 7 to grandma’s．This was going to be the 8 Christmas ever!Grandma was 9 to see us as we walked up to her door．“What on earth are you doing here?” She stammered．“We weren’t expecting 10 ．It’s Christmas, and I don’t even have a turkey to 11 for you．” “I knew that,” Mom said as we set boxes of goodies on the kitchen table．“That’s 12 we brought one with us．” “We must have a 13 ,” Mom insisted．“ 14 , what will we do with all these decorations?” Uncle Henry quickly caught Mom’s spirit．He called me to join him, and we 15 a perfect Christmas tree in the woods．Soon the 16 smelled fresh and piney as we decorated the tree, and the day 17 a festival air．The turkey dinner was very good, too．I was actually beginning to enjoy this unusual Christmas Day!
Dessert was forgotten 18 Mom came out with the final surprise－a flaming pudding!“Merry Christmas, Mother,” Mom said, “Dear me!” Grandma gasped．“I haven’t seen a flaming pudding since I left England before I was married．” Tears of 19 filled her eyes．
I could not keep the tears rolling 20 my eyes, either．I knew then that Mom had also given me the best Christmas present ever－she had taught me what a beautiful thing it is to give．
(1)
[ ]
A．
prepared
B．
lacked
C．
refused
D．
desired
(2)
[ ]
A．
also
B．
still
C．
never
D．
hardly
(3)
[ ]
A．
replace
B．
collect
C．
remove
D．
show
(4)
[ ]
A．
lunch
B．
dinner
C．
evening
D．
supper
(5)
[ ]
A．
dawned
B．
passed
C．
broke
D．
happened
(6)
[ ]
A．
But
B．
So
C．
And
D．
Then
(7)
[ ]
A．
decision
B．
way
C．
wish
D．
plan
(8)
[ ]
A．
last
B．
busiest
C．
best
D．
worst
(9)
[ ]
A．
expected
B．
eager
C．
surprised
D．
ready
(10)
[ ]
A．
anyone
B．
others
C．
someone
D．
no one
(11)
[ ]
A．
give
B．
care
C．
cook
D．
wait
(12)
[ ]
A．
how
B．
why
C．
where
D．
what
(13)
[ ]
A．
pudding
B．
box
C．
turkey
D．
tree
(14)
[ ]
A．
Meanwhile
B．
Therefore
C．
However
D．
Otherwise
(15)
[ ]
A．
found
B．
accepted
C．
received
D．
searched
(16)
[ ]
A．
flower
B．
house
C．
family
D．
day
(17)
[ ]
A．
showed up
B．
carried on
C．
took on
D．
lighted up
(18)
[ ]
A．
until
B．
after
C．
because
D．
unless
(19)
[ ]
A．
sadness
B．
joy
C．
regret
D．
worry
(20)
[ ]
A．
inside
B．
back
C．
into
D．
from
完型填空
The whole family objected(反对)strongly when I said I was going to Europe over the Christmas holidays with a college friend of mine．Mother said that 1 there was going to be a family reunion(团聚), I really ought to 2 ．Although I always 3 these occasions(场合), nobody could persuade me to 4 my mind．
A week before Christmas, my friend and I 5 to Madrid and then travelled by train through Spain, France and Germany．On Christmas Eve we arrived 6 a small town in southern Germany and were greatly 7 to find so much activity in the town．The streets were crowded with people, and the shops were full of all kinds of 8 things．We walked around for hours and just before the midnight we went to listen to Christmas 9 sung by children around the 10 lighted tree in the main square．We returned to our 11 late that night, looking forward to the next day when we planned to have Christmas 12 at the best 13 in the town．
However, in the morning 14 people were to be seen in the street．To make the matter 15 , every shop was 16 up tight(紧紧地), even the restaurants．We searched 17 for hours and 18 had to return to our hotel feeling unhappy and 19 ．Our Christmas meal was a bag of fruit that my friend had happened to buy the day before．Our thought sadly turned to home．At that moment, our families must have been 20 us a“Merry Christmas”!
(1)
[ ]
A．
once
B．
since
C．
while
D．
unless
(2)
[ ]
A．
work hard
B．
have a rest
C．
leave home
D．
stay at home
(3)
[ ]
A．
enjoyed
B．
disliked
C．
took
D．
joined
(4)
[ ]
A．
accept
B．
advise
C．
change
D．
make
(5)
[ ]
A．
walked
B．
ran
C．
flew
D．
swam
(6)
[ ]
A．
in
B．
at
C．
to
D．
for
(7)
[ ]
A．
moved
B．
surprised
C．
encouraged
D．
interested
(8)
[ ]
A．
important
B．
necessary
C．
useful
D．
interesting
(9)
[ ]
A．
records
B．
songs
C．
dances
D．
radios
(10)
[ ]
A．
brightly
B．
heavily
C．
sadly
D．
happily
(11)
[ ]
A．
street
B．
home
C．
hotel
D．
house
(12)
[ ]
A．
dinner
B．
presents
C．
fruit
D．
cards
(13)
[ ]
A．
house
B．
shop
C．
office
D．
restaurant
(14)
[ ]
A．
many
B．
no
C．
some
D．
other
(15)
[ ]
A．
better
B．
worse
C．
bigger
D．
easier
(16)
[ ]
A．
filled
B．
opened
C．
closed
D．
made
(17)
[ ]
A．
uselessly
B．
carelessly
C．
friendly
D．
hardly
(18)
[ ]
A．
in fact
B．
really
C．
soon
D．
finally
(19)
[ ]
A．
lonely
B．
funny
C．
friendly
D．
worried
(20)
[ ]
A．
telling
B．
wishing
C．
shouting
D．
Crying
完型填空
Carmen's mother Maria had just survived a serious heart attack．But without a heart transplant(移植)her life was in constant 1 ．Both the mother and daughter knew that the chances were very small：finding a donor heart that 2 Maria's blood type could take years．However, Carmen was determined to save her mother．She kept 3 hospitals all over the country．
Days stretched out．By Christmas, Maria had trouble 4 from one end of the room to the other．Carmen lost all hope．She fell into a 5 of the hospital, crying．
“Are you okay?” a man asked．
Carmen told the stranger her story．This middle-aged man was named Frank, whose wife, Cheryl, a tender and devoted mother of four lovely children, had been in hospital with a brain disease and wouldn't 6 it through the night．Suddenly, an idea came to Frank's mind．He knew Cheryl had always wanted to 7 something from herself．Could her 8 go to Carmen's mother?
After reviewing the data, doctors 9 Frank that his wife's heart was by some miracle a perfect fit for Carmen's mother．They were able to 10 the transplant．
That cold night, when Cheryl was 11 dead, Frank came to knock at Maria's door．She was 12 for Frank's family as she had been doing every day recently．Though Maria had never met Frank before, they both felt a strange bond as they hugged and cried．
On New Year's Eve, Carmen attended Cheryl's 13 with Frank's family, who were singing their favorite song “My heart will go on．” One day later, on New Year's Day, Maria 14 with Cheryl's heart．Yes, Cheryl's loving heart would go on, for it was 15 in another loving mother's chest．
(1)
[ ]
A．
change
B．
danger
C．
disorder
D．
pain
(2)
[ ]
A．
matched
B．
replaced
C．
controlled
D．
cooperated
(3)
[ ]
A．
finding
B．
phoning
C．
touring
D．
interrupting
(4)
[ ]
A．
rolling
B．
running
C．
walking
D．
jumping
(5)
[ ]
A．
corner
B．
bed
C．
man
D．
nurse
(6)
[ ]
A．
put
B．
support
C．
pass
D．
make
(7)
[ ]
A．
save
B．
recycle
C．
donate
D．
separate
(8)
[ ]
A．
heart
B．
brain
C．
husband
D．
spirit
(9)
[ ]
A．
informed
B．
warned
C．
congratulated
D．
reminded
(10)
[ ]
A．
give up
B．
carry out
C．
search after
D．
put off
(11)
[ ]
A．
noticed
B．
predicted
C．
found
D．
declared
(12)
[ ]
A．
praying
B．
begging
C．
decorating
D．
singing
(13)
[ ]
A．
funeral
B．
operation
C．
performance
D．
anniversary
(14)
[ ]
A．
passed away
B．
woke up
C．
left behind
D．
dressed up
(15)
[ ]
A．
active
B．
alive
C．
necessary
D．
changeable
完型填空
One day in September we were doing repair work on my parents' old house to get it ready for my youngest daughter's wedding．We had to 1 a great climbing plant that had grown across a roof beam(房梁), so that we could repair the roof and 2 the walls．
When my husband was taking the plant away, he found a 3 of a blackbird．He then 4 something 5 among that mass of earth and straw of the nest．He broke the earth 6 it into pieces with his finger tips and, to his 7 , saw glittering gold．It was a child's bracelet(手镯)．He ran into the house to 8 me．
“You won't believe that the 9 blackbirds not only steal the best fruit we plant to feed on,” he said, “but they also want their children to 10 in a cradle(摇篮)of gold!”
When my daughter 11 on the eve of the 12 , we told her about this 13 occurrence(事件)．
“Don't you remember, Mother?” she said with a loud 14 ．“When I was eight, you gave me a bracelet that I 15 a few days later while out playing in the yard?It was this one!”
As the bracelet no longer 16 its owner and was dirty, I decided to take it into my safekeeping．
In December of the following year, the young couple's baby son was baptized(受洗礼)．Among the 17 the newborn baby received, I placed his mother's bracelet, now shining like 18 ．I hope that if my grandson 19 loses it, one of the 20 that live in my backyard is somewhere nearby．
(1)
[ ]
A．
remove
B．
cover
C．
grow
D．
water
(2)
[ ]
A．
build
B．
paint
C．
rescue
D．
print
(3)
[ ]
A．
nest
B．
baby
C．
body
D．
egg
(4)
[ ]
A．
moved
B．
got
C．
picked
D．
noticed
(5)
[ ]
A．
nice
B．
colorful
C．
shiny
D．
special
(6)
[ ]
A．
over
B．
through
C．
above
D．
around
(7)
[ ]
A．
horror
B．
surprise
C．
delight
D．
disappointment
(8)
[ ]
A．
ask
B．
shock
C．
show
D．
give
(9)
[ ]
A．
working
B．
cheating
C．
dreaming
D．
thieving
(10)
[ ]
A．
lie
B．
sing
C．
listen
D．
wait
(11)
[ ]
A．
came up
B．
came over
C．
came across
D．
came by
(12)
[ ]
A．
party
B．
Christmas
C．
birthday
D．
wedding
(13)
[ ]
A．
important
B．
strange
C．
terrible
D．
frightening
(14)
[ ]
A．
cry
B．
sigh
C．
laugh
D．
sound
(15)
[ ]
A．
hid
B．
threw
C．
lost
D．
broke
(16)
[ ]
A．
fitted
B．
satisfied
C．
matched
D．
interested
(17)
[ ]
A．
jewels
B．
toys
C．
clothes
D．
presents
(18)
[ ]
A．
attractive
B．
new
C．
modern
D．
golden
(19)
[ ]
A．
almost
B．
just
C．
even
D．
ever
(20)
[ ]
A．
blackbirds
B．
grandchildren
C．
neighbors
D．
mice
完型填空
Two weeks before Christmas, Mother told me we were going to my grandmother’s house for the holiday．Grandma and Uncle Henry lived on a farm some 15 miles out of town．They had no electricity or running water and 1 what I considered the “good things” in life．They 2 made no plans for Christmas．When Christmas Eve arrived, Mom told me in her best “I-mean-it” voice to 3 all the decorations(装饰物)from our tree．She packed those up 4 all the trimmings(材料)for a 5 turkey dinner．
Christmas morning 6 perfectly with the sun shining brightly across a fresh blanket of snow． 7 I sulked(生气)silently in the backseat of the car as we made our 8 to grandma’s．This was going to be the 9 Christmas ever! Grandma was 10 to see us as we walked up to her door．“What on earth are you doing here?” she stammered．” We weren’t expecting 11 ．It’s Christmas, and I don’t even have a turkey to cook for you．” “I knew 12 ．” Mom said as we set boxes of goodies on the kitchen table．“That’s 13 we brought all with us．” “We 14 have a tree,” Mom insisted．“ 15 , what will we do with all these decorations?” Uncle Henry quickly caught Mom’s spirit．He called me to join him, and we found a perfect Christmas tree in the woods．Soon the house 16 fresh and piney as we decorated the tree, and the day 17 a festive air．The turkey dinner was very good, too．I was actually beginning to enjoy this unusual Christmas day!
Dessert(甜点)was forgotten 18 Mom came out with the final surprise－a flaming pudding! “Merry Christmas, mother,” Mom said．“Dear me!” Grandma gasped．“I haven’t seen a flaming pudding since I left England before I was married．” Tears of 19 filled her eyes．I could not keep the tears 20 my eyes, either．I knew then that Mom had also given me the best Christmas present ever-she had taught me what a beautiful thing it is to give．
