It was a cold winter's night when I stopped for gas(汽油) on my way home from work. I was tired and had a little　 41.

　　 I worked in a　 42 doctor's office, and during those days many unexpected things happened. It seemed that I was going to be late getting home today. My husband who is a punctual(守时的~) person would be ready to　 43　 .again. Maybe　 44　 I hurried, I could still arrive home earlier.

　　 I was going inside to　 45　 for my gas when I noticed an older couple at the counter(柜台). I heard them asking for　 46　 to the local hospital. It was the same hospital that I had just　 47 a few minutes ago.

　　 At the counter, a young man was quite 48　 . He was trying to 49 how to get there,with two other people. One of them was　 50 .trying to give them a whole different route back. It was then that I walked over to the couple and said, "Would you like to follow me to the　 51 　?"

　　 A look of　 52　 appeared on the woman's face.

　　 "I'm going right by there," I said, and it was a(n) 　53　 since I had just decided to do exactly that.

　　 I got into my car and began the journey back. I was trying to make them be sure they were right　 54 me. It took only fifteen minutes to get there. I felt　 55　 than I had all day and my headache was nearly gone.

　　 Later, as I arrived home, my husband teased(嘲笑), "So you aren't ever late any more." I said,"Sometimes it's good to be late."

41. A. headache　　　 B. fever　　　　　　 C. cold　　　　　　 D. break

42. A. foreign　　　　 B. busy　　　　　　 C. crucial　　　　　 D. noisy

43. A. relax　　　　　 B. offend　　　　　　 C. complain　　　　 D. appear

44. A. while　　　　 B. since　　　　　　 C. as　　　　　　　 D. if

45. A. wait　　　　　 B. look　　　　　　 C. care　　　　　　 D. search

46. A. money　　　　 B. trouble　　　　　 C. directions　　　　 D. opinions

47. A. risked　　　　 B. provided　　 　　　C. called　　　　　 D. left

48. A. helpful　　　　 B. skilled　　　　　 C. confused　　　　 D. active

49. A. imagine　　　 B. expect　　　　　 C. explain　　　　　 D. urge

50. A. only　　　　　 B. even　　　　　　 C. still　　　　　　　 D. ever

51. A. station　　　　 B. office　　　　　　 C. hospital　　　　　 D. hotel

52. A. panic　　　　 B. pleasure　　　　　 C. sadness　　　　　 D. peace .

53. A. dream　　　　 B. fact　　　　　　 C. reason　　　　　 D. example

54. A. behind　　　　 B. before　　　　　　 C. below　　　　　　 D. beside

55. A. duller　　　　 B. quieter　　　　　 C. worse　　　　　　 D. better

完形填空：

　Most people in the United States speak English. There are over 2,000 languages（语言）spoken throughout the world. You know that every language has 　1　 own words. 　2 　you want to learn a foreign language（外国语）, you must learn its words. You must know 　3 　the words mean（意思）, and you must say them in the 　4 　. Words are 　5 　up of（由…组成）sounds（语音）, and different language have different sounds. There are thousands of language sounds. When you 　6 　English, you are using only about fifty of them.

　Some languages are spoken faster than 　7 　. English is spoken 　8 　slowly than French. Women speak 　9 　than men. In America, women speak about 175 words every minute, 　10 　men speak about only 150. How many words every minute do you speak?