My husband Jeff and I moved into our new home in Scottsbluff last year just before Christmas. I did not have the 1 or energy to carry out my traditional Christmas decorating and baking activities. What was the point, anyway? It was going to be a 2 Christmas after all.

__3__, the neighborly nature of west Nebraska residents started to trickle (陆续来临) in.

There was a 4 on the door one evening. It was Jeff’s new colleague, John Smith, and his wife, Phyllis. The Smiths had stopped by to 5 us to town with a loaf of homemade bread. They pointed out a 6 on the porch (门廊). Apparently the doorbell wasn’t working in the cold snowy weather and we had 7 a visit from the Browns, our across-the-street neighbors, who brought us a Christmas card and more Christmas cookies.

The 8 feelings brought by these thoughtful gestures lasted longer than the food.

As Jeff and I were clearing pre-Christmas 9 from our driveway, Ernie Guzman came over from next door to 10 us to dig out.

Then, we received an invitation to 11 a Christmas Eve meal with our neighbors, Ernie and Nancy Sommer, and their 12 — a 90-year-old lady, who also had no family in the immediate area with whom to spend the holiday.

Our Christmas Eve was quite merry, thanks to our 13 . Our Christmas morning 14 was special, thanks to the Smiths’ gift of bread. I was so 15 for these gestures of welcome, especially during the holidays.

This year, we were again unable to be with our families for Christmas. The 16 and work schedules just made things too difficult. 17 that sense of Christmas isolation (孤立) all too well, we decided to try to round up some other folks who were 18 in the holidays.

Lonely people are all around us, but most of us 19 notice them. Just take a look around you. Sometimes, the smallest 20 gesture can make a world of difference.

1. A. chance       B. time       C. anxiety     D. ability

2. A. merry       B. free       C. lonely      D. usual

3. A. Therefore      B. Meanwhile    C. Somehow    D. However

4. A. card        B. sign       C. knock      D. note

5. A. welcome      B. invite       C. drive      D. send

6. A. tree        B. package      C. mail       D. flower

7. A. forgot       B. arranged      C. received     D. missed

8. A. deep       B. true        C. warm      D. mixed

9. A. snow       B. rubbish      C. dust      D. leaves

10. A. teach       B. help        C. urge      D. forbid

11. A. share       B. prepare      C. taste      D. exchange

12. A. aunt       B. guest       C. maid      D. partner

13. A. folks       B. relatives      C. colleagues   D. neighbors

14. A. call       B. greeting      C. breakfast    D. meeting

15. A. sorry       B. eager       C. ready      D. grateful

16. A. distance     B. expense      C. season      D. situation

17. A. Studying     B. Showing     C. Knowing     D. Discovering

18. A. alone      B. busy       C. happy      D. active

19. A. always      B. seldom       C. finally      D. usually

20. A. careful      B. patient       C. vague      D. kind

John Smith was a writer, who wrote detective stories for magazines(杂志), though he never dealt with criminals(罪犯). One evening he could not finish an end for a story. He sat in his study(书房), but he had no ideas. So he decided to go to the cinema.
When he came back, he found that he had had a visitor. Someone had broken into his house. The visitor had had a drink, smoked several of his cigarettes and had read his story. The visitor left him a note. “I have read your story and I don’t think it is very good. Please read my suggestions and you can finish it. By the way, I am a thief. I’m not going to steal anything tonight. But if you become a successful writer, I will return.”
John read the thief’s suggestions. Then he sat down and wrote the rest of the story. He is still not a successful writer, and he is waiting for his “visitor” to return. Before he goes out in the evening, he always leaves a half-finished story in his study.
【小题1】Detective stories are stories about_____.

A.scienceB.children
C.the futureD.the police
【小题2】John went to the cinema because_____.
A.he was too tired
B.he wanted to look for a thief
C.he could not finish his story and hoped to get some ideas
D.he wanted to enjoy himself in the cinema
【小题3】The visitor came to John’s house in order to_____.
A.steal somethingB.read the story
C.have a drinkD.visit the writer
【小题4】The visitor_____.
A.stayed in John’s house for a night
B.took some of John’s things away
C.left John some advice
D.was a good friend of John’s
【小题5】John would like to_____.
A.have a talk with his visitor
B.get more ideas from the visitor
C.make friends with the visitor
D.catch the visitor and take him to the police

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