Question

Night after night, my mother came to my bed, even long after my childhood years. She would 　36 down and push my long hair out of the way, and then kiss my forehead.

I don’t remember when it first started 　37 me—her hands pushing my hair that way, for they felt work-worn and rough 　38 my young skin. Finally, one night, I shouted out at her, “Don’t do that any more-your hands are too rough!” she made no 　39 and left quietly. But never again did my mother do it with that familiar expression of her 　40 .

With the passing years, my 　41 returned to that night time after time. By then I 　42 my mother’s hands and her goodnight kiss. Sometimes the incident seemed very 　43 , sometimes far away, but always it was 　44 in the back of my mind.

The years have passed, and I’m not a little girl any more. Mom is in her seventies, and those hands I once 　45 to be so rough are still doing things for me and my family.

Now, Mom no longer has Dad and live 　46 . One night on Thanksgiving Eve, I found myself 　47 to her house to spend the night with her. As I slept in the bedroom of my youth, a familiar hand hesitantly ran across my face to 　48 the hair from my forehead. Then a 　49 , ever so gently, touched my forehead. I burst into tears.

In my memory, thousands of times, I 　50 the night my young voice complained. Catching Mom’s hand in hand, I told her how 　51 I was for that night. I thought she’d remember 　52 I did. But Mom didn’t know what I was talking about. She had already forgotten and 　53 long ago.

That night, I fell asleep with a new 　54 for my gentle mother and her caring hands. And the guilt that I had carried around for so long was 　55 to be found.

36. A. lie　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. look　　　　　　　　　　 C. bend　　　　　　　　　 D. fall

37. A. astonishing　　　　 B. annoying　　　　　　 C. delighting　　　　　 D. disappointing

38. A. along　　　　　　　　　 B. above　　　　　　　　 C. aside　　　　　　　　　 D. against

39. A. promise　　　　　　　 B. reply　　　　　　　　　 C. request　　　　　　　 D. agreement

40. A. love　　　　　　　　　　 B. sadness　　　　　　 C. apology　　　　　　　 D. pity

41. A. feelings　　　　　　　 B. opinions　　　　　　 C. thoughts　　　　　　 D. spirits

42. A. shook　　　　　　　　　 B. forgot　　　　　　　　 C. held　　　　　　　　　 D. missed

43. A. close　　　　　　　　　 B. strange　　　　　　　 C. serious　　　　　　　 D. common

44. A. stressed　　　　　　　 B. hidden　　　　　　　　 C. existed　　　　　　　 D. exposed

45. A. thought　　　　　　　 B. expected　　　　　　 C. reminded　　　　　 D. complained

46. A. alone　　　　　　　　　 B. away　　　　　　　　　 C. yet　　　　　　　　　　 D. long

47. A. moved　　　　　　　　 B. carried　　　　　　　 C. drawn　　　　　　　　 D. stayed

48. A. push　　　　　　　　　　 B. wash　　　　　　　　　 C. cut　　　　　　　　　　 D. take

49. A. tear　　　　　　　　　　 B. hand　　　　　　　　　 C. press　　　　　　　　 D. kiss

50. A. returned　　　　　　　 B. recalled　　　　　　　 C. realized　　　　　　　 D. remembered

51. A. happy　　　　　　　　　 B. sorry　　　　　　　　　 C. angry　　　　　　　　 D. nervous

52. A. when　　　　　　　　　 B. how　　　　　　　　　　 C. as　　　　　　　　　　　 D. why

53. A. disappeared　　　　 B. apologized　　　　 C. forgiven　　　　　　 D. abandoned

54. A. appreciation　　　　 B. inspiration　　　　　 C. decoration　　　　 D. imagination

55. A. still　　　　　　　　　　　 B. soon　　　　　　　　　 C. anyhow　　　　　　　 D. nowhere

Answer 1

36-40 CBDBA                41-45 CDABA    46-50 ACADB    51-55 BCCAD