阅读理解

　　T-shirts out; uniforms in School uniforms are becoming more and more popular across the U．S．A．．That's no surprise, because they offer many benefits．

　　They immediately end the powerful social sorting and labeling(标记)that come from clothing．If all students are dressed in the same way, they will not pay too much attention to their clothing, and some of them will not be laughed at for wearing the“wrong”clothes．

　　Some people are against the strict rule of school uniforms, but they do not realize that students already accept a kind of rule－wanting to look just like their friends．The difference is that the clothing students choose for themselves creates social barriers; school uniforms tear those barriers down．

　　As in other places, uniforms remind the wearers of their purposes and duties．For example, when a man or woman puts on a police uniform, he or she becomes, for a time, the symbol(象征)of law and order．The uniform means to the wearer his or her special duties and sends the same message to everyone the wearer meets．People with different jobs wear uniforms of one kind or another．For students, the school uniform reminds them that their task for the six or seven hours they are in school is to get an education．

　　Some parents are unhappy about uniforms, saying that school uniforms will affect their children's“creativity”．First, as noted above, the clothes students choose to wear do not necessarily express their individuality(个性)．They just copy their classmates．Second, students have the rest of the day to be as creative as they like．While they're in school, their job is to master reading, writing, and maths; this would take up all the creativity they have．Mastery of those skills will be good for the students to build up their creativity in every way．

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　　Every year at this time I remember a Christmas when I was 8 years old．It is the one memory of Christmas that has 　　1　　 with me all my life．My children always loved listening to it．I 　　2　　 in a small community in Newfoundland, with the sea right at our door．My 　　3　　 was a sea captain and was away from home 　　4　　 of the year, but he was always home for Christmas．I remember how 　　5　　 I was．It would soon be Christmas and Dad would be home for 　　6　　 three months．Everything would be OK．Our home would be 　　7　　 and our time together would be 　　8　　．My parents did what they could to give me and my four sisters what we needed, but not 　　9　　 what we needed．

　T　hat particular Christmas when my dad 　　10　　 me what I wanted for Christmas, I told him that I wanted a new pair of shoes and a beautiful hat．He knew that I needed new rubber boots because the old ones had 　　11　　 in them and I had to walk to school 　　12　　 them on rainy days．My Dad told me that I would have to choose, but I couldn’t have 　　13　　．So I had to choose the rubber boots which weren’t expensive．All I could 　　14　　 during the weeks before Christmas was that I would have to 　　15　　 rubber boots with my new dress my mother was 　　16　　 for me．

　　Christmas morning came, and hidden in the toe of my stocking was a note that 　　7　　“Look behind the kitchen door”．I did, and found another 　　18　　：“Look behind the radio”．I did and found a box with a new pair of black leather 　　19　　 I had dreamed of．They were very dear and the most beautiful shoes I had ever seen．I knew my father 　　20　　 money long to buy them for me．I was so happy and grateful．

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　　Once I went to a railway station near New York．I 　　1　　t o take the night train there．　　2　　 of people were pushing into the 　　3　　 train．I found a railway official and asked him if I could get a place in a sleeping car, 　　4　　 he said sharply, “No, you can't．The train is full．Don't 　　5　　 me any more．”

　　I was 　　6　　 indeed．I said to the friend who was with me, “He talked to me like this 　　7　　 he doesn't know that I am a famous writer．If he knew…”But before I could 　　8　　 my sentence my friend said,“ Don't be 　　9　　．How could that help you? Whoever you are, there are no 　　10　　 seats on the train．” I was 　　11　　 he was wrong, so I went up to the same official again and told him that I was Mark Twain．But he only replied, “I told you not to trouble me any more．”

　　Just then I 　　12　　 a young porter in a sleeping car looking at me．He whispered(低语)something to the train conductor, and that conductor came over to me and said very 　　13　　, “Do you need help, sir?” “I 　　14　　 do” I answered．

　　The porter took our boxes and we got on to the train．When the porter saw we were comfortably 　　15　　 in our places, he said, “Now, Is there anything you want, sir? Because you can have whatever you 　　16　　．”

　　After the porter had 　　17　　, my friend looked ashamed(羞愧的)．He said, “I am 　　18　　 I said those things to you just now…” Just then the porter came again and said, “Oh, sir, I 　　19　　 you immediately．” “Really?” I said happily．“Of course,” he said, “I recognized you the 　　20　　 I saw you and told the conductor that you are Mr．Smith, the mayor(市长)of New York City．”