One day, Raul was miles away from the small ranch（牧场）house in a large valley. 36 seemed to be all right, yet he felt strange and somewhat uneasy. The wind had picked up, and angry, dark clouds 37 across the sky. He could smell the rain coming. And it did. 38 , the lightning flashed through the clouds, nearly 39 Raul. The thunder（雷声）was so loud that he buried his 40 in his hands and rubbed his eyes. Then he heard it. Hoofbeats（蹄声）. He 41 . There before him stood a tall, white 42 . An old man stared down at him from its back.

“Wh-wh-who are y-y-you?” asked Raul. “My name is Gray Cloud,” the old man answered 43 . “Come with me.”

Raul followed on his horse. A 44 feeling came over him. All 45 them the rain was pouring down, 46 not a drop fell on them. They seemed to be 47 back toward Raul’s home. Raul lost track of time. Then all at once he found 48 at the ranch gate. The old man turned his horse, 49 his hand, and smiled. Lightning flashed again. The old man and his horse were 50 .

Raul’s father ran out across the yard to 51 him. “We have been 52 about you. Are you okay? Hurry. Let’s get in out of the 53 .”

“Wait”, said Raul. “Have you ever heard of an old man called Gray Cloud?”

“Can’t say I…wait. I 54 my great-grandfather used to tell stories about a man called Gray Cloud. He died a long time ago. They say he was 55 by lightning during a terrible thunderstorm. Why do you ask?”

36．A．Something　　　 B．Everything　　　　 C．Anything　　　　 D．Nothing

37．A．dropped　　　　 B．fell　　　　　　　 C．rolled　　　　　 D．covered

38．A． Suddenly　　　 B．Strongly　　　　　 C．Quickly　　　　 D．Hardly

39．A．beating　　　　 B．blinding　 　　 C．burning　　　　 D．touching

40．A．nose　　　　　 B．hair　　　　　　 　 C．neck　　　　　 D．head

41．A．looked up　　　 B．woke up　　　　 　 C．lay down　　　　 D．sat down

42．A．tiger　　　　　 B．horse　　　　　 　 C．lion　　　　　　 D．elephant

43．A．lazily　 　　　 B．angrily　　　　　 　 C．coldly　　　　　 D．slowly

44．A．natural　　　　 B．common　　　　 　 C．strange　　　　 D．bad

45．A．around　　　　 B．beside　　　　 　　　 C．through　　　　 D．above

46．A．yet　　　　　　 B．for　　　　　　 　 C．so　　　　　　 D．or

47．A．walking　　　　 B．leading　　　　 　　 C．heading　　　　 D．returning

48．A．them　　　　　 B．themselves　　　 　　 C．him　　　　　　 D．himself

49．A．shook　　　　 B．waved　　　　　 　 C．held　　　　　　 D．took

50．A．gone　　　　　 B．left　　　　　　 　　 C．followed　　　　 D．lost

51．A．see　　　　　 B．meet　　　　　 　　 C．beat　　　　　　 D．ask

52．A．waited　　　　 B．thought　　　　 　　 C．worried　　　　　 D．excited

53．A．yard　　　　　 B．wind　　　　　 　　 C．grass　　　　　　 D．rain

54．A．believe　　　　 B．consider　　　 　　 C．doubt　　　　　 D．forget

55．A．defeated　　　 B．caught　　　　　　 C．damaged　　　　 D．struck

Although the man who sat with me in the old wooden stairs thirty-five years ago was not a tall man. But to me, a five-year-old child, he was a giant. We would sit side by side, watching the sun go down behind the station across the busy street behind which I was never　 1　 to cross 　　2　 accompanied by an adult.

　 One day we sat 　 3　 the traffic ,counting cars and trying to guess the color of the next one to turn the corner to kill time.

Suddenly Grandpa asked “　 4　 ?"

　 " Yes," was my reply." How would you like to run over to the gas station there and get 　 5　 a bottle of Coke?"

　 I couldn't believe my 　 6　 . Was he talking to me? On my family's modest income, Coke was not a part of our diet. Without resisting the temptation I replied 　 7　 ," Okay," wondering how I would get across the street. I thought Grandpa was going to go with me.　 8　 ,after he gave me a dime, he said to me, " Okay, help me down the stairs and to the curb. I'm going to stay 　 9　　 and keep an ear out for the babies, who are still asleep. I'll tell you when it's safe to cross. You go over to the Coke machine get your Coke and walk back and then 　 10　 me to tell you when it's safe to cross back."

　 I was very nervous when Grandpa 　 11　 my hand tightly. Together we looked up the street and 　 12　 , and back up again. He told me it was safe to cross. He 　 13　 my hand and I ran. I ran as fast as possible The street seemed 　 14　 . I wondered if I would 　 15　 it to the other side. Reaching the other side, I　 16　 to find Grandpa. still standing exactly where I had left him,　 17　 proudly. I waved.

Coke in hand, I proudly marched back out into the early evening dusk, seeing Grandpa was waiting 　 18　 .

　 " Stop right there," he yelled 　 19　 one car was speeding by me, after which Grandpa said" Come on, now," At last I crossed the street safely. He smiled on me, saying “You’ll do that alone from now on”. On hearing this, I 　 20　 felt so proud before.

1．A．forbidden　　 B．allowed　 C．promoted　　 D．expected

2．A．if　　　　　　 　　　　　　　 B．when　　　 　 C．unless　　　 　 D．whether

3．A．observing　　 　　　　　　　 B．noticing　 C．watching　　　 D．finding

4．A．Happy　　　　 　　　　　　　 B．Funny　　　 　 C．Hungry　　　 　 D．Thirsty

5．A．yourself　　　 　　　　　　　 B．ourselves　　 C．me　　　　　 D．you

6．A．eyes　　　　 B．ears　　　　 　　　　　　　 C．brain　　　　 D．words

7．A．shyly　　　　 B．proudly　　 　　　　　　　 C．happily　　　 　 D．hopefully

8．A．Though　　 　 B．However　 C．Because　　　 D．Therefore　　

9．A．home　　　 　 B．there　　　 C．in　　　　　 D．here

10．A．ask for　　　 　　　　　　　 B．search for　　 　　　　　 C．wait for　　 D．look for

11．A．held　　　 B．shook　　　　 　　　　　　　 C．took　　　 D．put

12．A．up　　　　 B．back　　　 C．down　　　 　 D．upwards

13．A．took hold of　 　　　　　　 B．let go of　　 　　　　　 C．lost hold of　 　 D．controlled over

14．A．narrow　　 B．smooth　　 C．long　　　　　 　　　　　 D．wide

15．take　　　　 　 B．see　　　　 C．grant　　　　　 　　　　　 D．make

16．had　　　　　 B． turned　　 　　　　　　　　 C．began　　　　 　 D．came

17．A．smiling　　　 　　　　　　　 B．yelling　　 C．crying　　　 　 D．calling

18．angrily　　　　　 　　　　　　 B．impatiently　 　　　　　 C．carefully　　 D．patiently

19．A．after　　　 B．once　　　　 C．before　　 D．though

20．A．never　　　　 B．still　　　　 　　　　　　　 C．ever　　　　 　 D．also

“It’s my own fault．” Carl Fenter pulled his jacket closer against the abnormal bite of cold morning wind．“The rest of the family is home, where it’s   1  ．”

       Just another on of his   2   ideas – a big tamale（玉米粉蒸肉）feast after tonight’s Christmas Eve service at church – and look where it landed him: waiting in a line 50 people deep．

       Who would have guessed that every tamale shop in the city would be sold out the day before Christmas? But they   3  , as Carl knew．He had been driving all over El Paso that morning．

  4  to bring home the tamales, Carl tried one last shop, an old favorite out in Canutillo．

       When he arrived, a fresh batch（一炉）was   5   off the steamer in 45 minutes．  6   at the end of the snaking line of tamale seekers, he watched the woman in front of him   7   her jacket to cover her shivering youngster．It wasn’t long before she, too,   8   in the biting wind．After only a moment’s   9  , Carl took off his own jacket and offered it to the   10   mother．

       Together, they   11   when the line slowly moved forward at last, and smiling people exited the shop carrying steamy bags．  12  , Carl got inside the door and  13   closer to the counter, the woman now first in line．“   14  !” Carl groaned（抱怨）with everyone else   15   behind him．

    “   16  ,” stressed the man at the counter, “we’ll have a final batch ready   17  , oh, about two hours．”

       Defeated, Carl backed away, but the young mother grabbed his arm．

    ‘You’re leaving?”

       “I   18  , ” Carl glanced at his watch．“I promised to put up luminarias（传统圣诞灯）at my church．”

       “I’ll get your order of tamales and bring them to your house．”

       Carl’s brow furrowed（皱眉） “I couldn’t ask you to do that．”

       “But it’s  19   I can do．You lent me your coat．” Her smile overrode（推翻）his objections．“Just give me your address．” She and her little girl settled in for the long wait．

       And at   20   noon on Christmas Eve, they delivered four dozen fragrant tamales – along with Carl’s brown jacket – to his home．

1．A．harmonious           B．warm                  C．happy                 D．pleasant

2．A．brilliant                 B．bad                     C．stupid                 D．common

3．A．were                     B．did                      C．could                  D．had

4．A．Decided                B．Determined          C．Wanted               D．Expected

5．A．ready                    B．prepared              C．soon                   D．due

6．A．Finding his way     B．Taking his road    C．Taking his place   D．Finding his place

7．A．move                    B．reject                  C．abandon              D．remove

8．A．waved                  B．froze                   C．shook                 D．shocked

9．A．assumption            B．appreciation         C．hesitation             D．attention

10．A．grateful               B．respectful            C．hopeless              D．shameful

11．A．cheered               B．congratulated       C．shouted               D．screamed

12．A．Immediately         B．Hopefully             C．Lastly                 D．Finally

13．A．shouldered his way                              B．forced his way

C．felt his way                                         D．inched his way

14．A．No problem         B．No way               C．No doubt             D．No wonder

15．A．lined up               B．held up                C．looked up            D．waited up

16．A．So                     B．But                     C．Then                   D．Besides

17．A．before                 B．for                      C．in                       D．after

18．A．plan to                B．intend to              C．have to                D．ought to

19．A．the least              B．the most              C．the last                D．the best

20．A．just                     B．exactly                C．accurately           D．right

In kindergarten your idea of a good friend was the person who let you have the red crayon(蜡笔) when all that was left was the ugly black one.

In primary school your ___1___ of a good friend was the person who went to the bathroom with you; ___2___ your hand as you walked through the scary(可怕的) halls; ___3___ their lunch with you when you left ___4___ on the bus; saved a ___5___ on the back of the bus for you; knew ___6___ you had a crush on(迷恋) and never understood why. In ___7___ school your idea of a good friend was the person who let you ___8___ their social studies homework; went to that “cool” party with you  ___9___ you wouldn’t wind up(结束) being the only fresher there; did not let you lunch ___10___.

In pre-university your idea of a good friend was the person who gave you___11___ in their new car;  comforted you when you broke up with Nick or Susan: found you a(n) ___12___ to the prom(舞会) or went to the prom with you(both without dates); helped you pick a university and assured you that you would get into that ___13___; helped you deal with your parents who were having a ___14___ time letting you go.

On the threshold(开始) of ___15___  your idea of a good friend was the person who was there ___16___ you just couldn’t deal with your parents; assured you that now you and Nick or you and Susan were ___17___ together, you could make it through anything; just silently hugged you as you ___18___ through blurry(模糊的) eyes at 18 years of memories; and reassured you that you would ___19___ it in university as well as you had these past 18 years; and most importantly ___20___ you off to university knowing you were loved.

1. A. idea       B. thought      C. mind   D. sight

2. A. placed    B. shook  C. held    D. waved

3. A. cooked   B. seized C. shared D. bought

4. A. ours       B. hers    C. his      D. yours

5. A. ticket     B. seat     C. chair   D. stand

6. A. what      B. that     C. who    D. why

7. A. primary  B. secondary   C. college       D. pre-university

8. A. do   B. see      C. check  D. copy

9. A. and B. so       C. as       D. but

10. A. together       B. far      C. lonely D. alone

11. A. seat      B. time    C. money       D. rides

12. A. car       B. excuse C. friend D. date

13. A. school  B. prom  C. club    D. university

14. A. good    B. wonderful  C. hard    D. modern

15. A. boy      B. baby   C. child   D. adulthood

16. A. where   B. when  C. how    D. why

17. A. back     B. happy C. up      D. over

18. A. looked  B. went   C. came   D. passed

19. A. have     B. get      C. make  D. take

20. A. put       B. got     C. took    D. sent