One day I was shopping in a small town in southern California. It was my 　 21　 to be approached by a clerk whose personality clashed(冲突) with mine. He seemed most 　 22　 and not at all concerned about my intended purchase. I bought　 23　 , and marched angrily out of the store. My 　 24　 toward that clerk and the entire establishment increased with each step.

On the outside, standing by the parking lot, was a dark-skinned young man in his early twenties. His 　 25　 brown eyes met and held mine, and in the next instant a beautiful, broad smile 　 26　 his face. My attention was immediately arrested. The 　 27　 power of that smile removed all 　 28　 within me, and I found the muscles in my own face 　 29 responding. "Beautiful day, isn't it?" I remarked, in passing. Then, obeying an impulse(冲动), I 　 30　 . "I really owe you a debt of gratitude," I said softly.

His smile deepened, 　 31　 he made no attempt to answer. A Mexican woman and two men were standing nearby. The woman 　 32　 and eyed me inquiringly. "Carlos, he does no speak English," she 　 33　 . "You want I should tell him something?"

In that moment I felt 　 34　 . Carlo’s smile had made a big person of me. My friendliness and good 　 35　 toward all mankind stood ten feet tall.

"Yes," my reply was enthusiastic and sincere, "Tell him what I said, 'Thank you!'"

　　　 "Thank you?" The woman seemed slightly 　 36　 .

I gave her arm a friendly pat 　 37　 I turned to leave. "Just tell him that," I insisted. "He'll understand. I am sure!"

Oh, what a smile can 　 38　 ! Although I have never seen that young man again, I shall never forget the lesson he taught me that morning. 　 39　 , I became smile-conscious, and I practice the 　 40　 diligently, anywhere and everywhere, with everybody.

21. A. misfortune B. luck C. opportunity　　　　　　　 D. burden

22. A. helpful B. hardworking C. uncertain D. unfriendly

23. A. something B. nothing C. everything D. anything　　

24. A. attitude B. walk C. approach　　　　　 　　　 D. anger

25. A. blank B. painful C. expressive　　　　 　　　 D. critical

26. A. covered B. twisted C. spread D. wiped

27. A. magic B. shocking C. evil D. dragging

28. A. happiness B. excitement C. bitterness D. sorrow

29. A. unwillingly B. happily C. merely D. slightly

30. A. turned back B. looked ahead C. cut in D. went away

31. A. and B. for C. but D. so

32. A. showed off B. stepped forward C. marched on D. passed by

33. A. hesitated B. volunteered C. responded D. begged

34. A. ignored B. involved C. transformed D. absorbed

35. A. power B. mind C. fortune D. will

36. A. frightened B. frustrated C. discouraged D. confused　

37. A. while B. as C. since D. after

38. A. operate B. run C. do D. attract

39. A. From that day on B. Since then C. Every now and then D. Up till now

40. A. kindness B. art C. work　　　　　　　 　　　 D. expression

　　　 Sometimes I really doubt whether there is love between my parents. Every day they are very busy trying to earn money in order to pay the 　21 tuition (学费) for my brother and me. They don’t 　22 in the romantic ways that I read in books or I see on TV. My father has a bad temper; it’s easy for him to lose his temper.

One day, my mother was sewing a quilt (缝被子). I 23 sat down beside her and looked at her.

“Is there any love between you and Dad?” I asked her in a very 　24 voice.

My mother stopped her work and raised her head with 　25 in her eyes. She didn’t answer immediately. Then she bowed her head and continued to sew the quilt. 　26 at last I heard my mother say the following words:

“Susan,” she said 27 . “Look at this thread. Sometimes it appears, but most of time it disappears in the quilt. The thread really makes the quilt strong and durable (耐用的). If life is a quilt, then love should be a 　28 . It can 　29 be seen anywhere or anytime, but it’s really there. Love is 　30 .”

I listened carefully but I couldn’t understand her until the next 　31 . At that time, my father suddenly got sick seriously. My mother had to stay with him in the hospital for a month. After they were 　32 , every day in the morning and dusk, my mother helped my father walk 　33 on the country road. My father had never been so 　34 . Along the country road, there were many beautiful flowers, green grass and trees. The sun softly shone through the leaves. All of these 　35 the most beautiful picture in the world. The doctor had said my father would 　36 in two months. But after two months he still couldn’t walk alone. We were all worried.

“Dad, how are you feeling now?” I asked him one day.

“Susan,” he said kindly. “To tell you the truth, I just like 　37 with your mom. I like this kind of life.” 　38 his eyes, I knew he loved my mother deeply.

Once I thought love meant flowers, gifts and sweet kisses. But from this 　39 , I understand that love is just a 　40 in the quilt of our life. Love is inside, making life strong and warm..

21．A. expensive　　　　 B. low　　　　　　　　　 C. cheap　　　　　　　 D. high

22．A. play　　　　　　　　 B. talk　　　　　　　　　 C. act　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. perform

23．A. silently　　　　　　 B. carefully　　 C. certainly　　　　　 D. happily

24．A. anxious　　　　　　 B. low　　　　　　　　　 C. eager　　　　　　　 D. curious

25．A. surprise　　　　　　 B. pride　　　　 C. disappointment　 D. satisfaction

26．A. So　　 　　　　　　 B. But　　　　　　　　　 C. And　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. For

27．A. sadly　　　　　　　　 B. excitedly　　 C. regretfully　　　　 D. thoughtfully

28．A. trouble　　　　　　 B. pleasure　　　　　　 C. thread　　　　　　　 D. cloth

29．A. hardly　　　　　　　 B. often　　　　 C. always　　　　　　　　　　 D. ever

30．A. valuable　　　　　　 B. inside　　　　 C. true　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. priceless

31．A. winter　　　　　　　 B. autumn　　　　　　 C. summer　　　　　 　 D. spring

32．A. free　　　　　　　　 B. back　　　　 C. fine　　　　　　　　　 　 D. ready

33．A. continuously　　 B. worriedly　 C. constantly 　 D. slowly

34．A. gentle　　　　　　　 B. perfect　　　　　　 C. pleased　　　　　　 　 D. thankful

35．A. put up　　　　　　　 B. took up　　　　　　 C. made up　　 　 D. set up

36．A. run　　　　　　　　　 B. recover　　　　　　 C. stand　　　　　　　 D. work

37．A. walking　　　　　　 B. living　　　　 C. sitting　　　　　　　 D. chatting

38．A. Examining 　　　 B. Seeing　　　 C. Noticing　　　　　 D. Reading

39．A. practice　　　　　　 B. observation C. experience　　　　 D. activity

40．A. thread　　　　　　　 B. treasure　　　　　　 C. jewel　　　　　　　　 D. light