阅读下面短文，掌握其大意。然后从36~55各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

About three months ago, my father was in hospital recovering from a major lung operation. My mother had recently passed away, and my father had 　36 the loss of his partner of 58 years very hard and had lost 37 　in life. It was quite difficult to try to 38 him to eat each day as he didn’t want anything. The only thing, 39 , that he would ask us to bring him was ice cream.

One evening, to our 　40 , he refused to eat the ice cream, so I placed it in a staffroom 　41 . A little while later, my son said he wanted it, so I 　42 it for him. As I passed another ward (病房), a woman asked, “Are there more 　43 that came from?” When I explained, she seemed very 　44 . She then said that she had cancer and could eat very little 　45 than the occasional ice cream.

The next evening, I decided to buy two ice creams. On the way to dad’s room, I came into the 　46 woman’s room, and 　47 her the ice cream I’d bought for her. She was 48 　astonished that I had thought of her, and accepted the gift with tears in her eyes. I spoke with her for a few minutes, 　49 what was happening in my family and listened to her 　50 story of pain and 　51 . It was obvious that she did not have many visitors, and the ice cream and our short chat meant a great deal to her.

I 　52 the gesture a few days later, and this time I received a warm 　53 . I never even 　54 to ask her name and never saw her again, but it made me realize that a simple act of kindness can 　55 joy to a person’s unfortunate life.

36. A. ignored　 　　　 B. threw　　 　　　　　　 　　　 C. taken　　　 　 　　　 D. gained

37. A. interest　 　　　　 B. happiness　 　 　　　 C. patience　　 　　　　　 D. sympathy

38. A. get　　 　　　　　 B. promise　　 　　　　　 C. make　　　 　　　　　 D. let

39. A. otherwise　 　　 B. however　　 　 　　　 C. therefore　 　　　　　　 D. meanwhile

40. A. delight　　 　　　　　　 B. disappointment 　　 C. surprise 　　　　 　　　 D. relief

41. A. shelf　　　 　　 B. container　　 　　　 C. table　 　　　　　　　　　 D. fridge

42. A. gathered　　 　　 B. found　　 　　　　　 C. bought　　　 　　　 　　　 D. fetched

43. A. which　　 　　 B. where　　 　　　　　 C. what　　　 　　　　　 D. how

44. A. disappointed 　 B. curious　 　　　 　　　 C. pleased　 　　　　　　 D. regretful

45. A. rather　　 　　　 B. better　　　 　　　　　 C. other　　 　　　　　　 D. less

46. A. tough　　 　　　 B. healthy　　 　　　　　 C. bright　　 　　　　　　 D. sick

47. A. supplied　 　　　 B. offered　　 　　　　　 C. sold　 　　　　　　　　　 D. returned

48. A. properly　 　　　 B. totally　 　　　　 　　　 C. hardly　 　　　 　　　 D. exactly

49. A. explaining　 　　 B. complaining 　 　　　 C. imagining 　　　　　　 D. lying

50. A. different　　 　　 B. strange　 　　　　　　 C. similar　 　　　 　　　 D. secret

51. A. amusement　　　　 B. adventure　 　　　　　 C. mercy　 　　　 　　　 D. suffering

52. A. gave　 　　 　　　 B. signed　　 　　 　　C. repeated　 　　　　　　 D. saw

53. A. hug　　　 　　 B. call　　　 　　　　　 C. word　　 　　　　　　 D. help

54. A. considered　 　 B. tried　 　　　　　 　　　 C. refused　 　　　 　　　 D. stuck

55. A. show　　　 　　 B. bring　　　 　　　　　 C. owe　　 　　　　　　 　　　 D. present