My heart ______ after hearing his words.

Today I am known for my voice. Perhaps the greatest honor came when I was asked to read The New Testament（《新约全书》）on tape .

         But it  21  a long time to believe such good things could happen to me. When I was a child, I stuttered（结巴）so badly that I was completely  22  to speak in public.

          23  when I was 14, Professor Donald Crouch came to my school. He was a retired college professor. English was his favorite subject and  24  was his deepest love. He held a book of poems as if it were a crystal,  25  pages as if uncovering treasures. When he heard that our school was teaching Shakespeare and other classics, he felt  26  for not being a part of our school sooner.

         When he  27  that I not only loved poetry but was  28  it, we became closer. There was, however, one  29 -- Professor Crouch could not stand the  30  that I refused to read my poems to the class.

    “Jim, poetry is  31  to be read aloud,” he said. “You should be able to speak those beautiful words.” I shook my head and  32  .

         One day he   33  me .

         After handing in a poem, I waited for his  34  . It didn’t come. Instead one day as the students had gathered together, he  35  me , “Jim, I don’t think you wrote this poem.”

         I stared at him in disbelief. “Why,” I started,  36  flooding me. “of course I did !” “Well, then,” he said, “you’ve got to prove it by getting up and reciting it from  37  .”

         By then the other students had settled at their desks. With knees shaking, I walked up to the front. For a moment I stood there  38  Then I began, and kept going. I recited my poem all the way   39  !

         Afterwards, Professor Crouch encouraged me to read other writers’ poetry before the public. I discovered I did have a(n)  40  and found my classmates actually looked forward to hearing me recite.

1.A．lasted       B．took    C．spent  D．wasted

2.A．impatient B．disabled      C．unable         D．impossible

3.A．But  B．Then   C．Besides        D．However

4.A．archaeology     B．art       C．architecture        D．poetry

5.A．drawing   B．turning        C．writing         D．finding

6.A．regretful  B．thankful       C．relieved      D．annoyed

7.A．decided   B．recognized C．learned       D．proved

8.A．reading    B．reciting        C．publishing   D．writing

9.A．problem  B．promise       C．agreement  D．difference

10.A．matter   B．fact     C．idea    D．belief

11.A．said        B．found C．prepared    D．meant

12.A．turned away  B．sat down     C．talked back D．gave in

13.A．greeted B．scolded       C．tricked         D．comforted

14.A．help       B．idea    C．reward       D．comment

15.A．challenged     B．attracted     C．noticed        D．talked

16.A．pride      B．anger  C．excitement D．joy

17.A．heart      B．beginning    C．mind   D．memory

18.A．panic      B．disappointed       C．breathless   D．aimless

19.A．down     B．up       C．around        D．through

20.A．voice      B．sound C．appearance         D．interest

Today I am known for my voice. Perhaps the greatest honor came when I was asked to read The New Testament《新约全书》 on　 tape.

But it 36 a long time to believe such good things could happen to me. When I was a child, I stuttered（结巴）so badly that I was completely 37 to speak in public.

38 , when I was 14, Professor Donald Crouch came to my school. He was a retired college professor. English was his favorite subject and 39 was his deepest love. He held a book of poems as if it were a crystal(水晶), 40 pages as if uncovering treasures . When he heard that our school was teaching Shakespeare and other classics, he felt 41 for not being a part of our school sooner.

When he 42 that I not only loved poetry but was 43 it, we became closer. There was, however, one 44 between us—Professor Crouch could not stand the 45 that I refused to read my poems to the class.

“Jim, poetry is 46 to be read aloud,” he said. “You should be able to speak those beautiful words.” I shook my head and 47 .

One day he 48 me.

After handing in a poem, I waited for his 49 . It didn’t come. Instead, one day as the students had gathered together, he 50 me, “Jim, I don’t think you wrote this poem.”

I stared at him in disbelief. “Why,” I started to cry, 51 flooding me, “of course I did!” Well, then,” he said, “you’ve got to prove it by getting up and reciting it from 52 .“

By then the other students had settled at their desks. With knees shaking, I walked up to the front. For a moment I stood there, 53 . Then I began, and kept going. I recited my poem all the way 54 !

Afterwards, Professor Crouch encouraged me to read other writers’ poetry before the public. I discovered I did have a( n) 55　　　 and found my classmates actually looked forward to hearing me recite.

　　 36. A. lasted　　　　　　　　　　　 B . took　　　　　　　　　 C . cost　　　　　　　　　　 D . wasted

　　 37. A. impatient　　　　　　　　　 B. unlikely　　　　　　　　 C . unable D . impossible

　　 38. A. But　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. Then　　　　　　　　　 C . Besides D . However

　　 39. A. archaeology　　　　　　　 B. art　　　　　　　　　　　 C . architecture　　　　　 D . poetry

　　 40. A. drawing　　　　　　　　　　 B. turning　　　　　　　　 C . writing　　　　　　　　 D . finding

　　 41 . A. regretful　　　　　　　　　 B. thankful　　　　　　　 C. relieved D . annoyed

　　 42. A. decided　　　　　　　　　　 B. recognized　　　　　 C .learned　　　　　　　　　 D . proved

　　 43. A. reading　　　　　　　　　　 B. reciting　　　　　　　　 C . publishing　　　　　　 D . writing

　　 44. A. difficulty　　　　　　　　　 B. promise　　　　　　　 C . agreement D . difference

　　 45 . A. matter　　　　　　　　　　 B. fact　　　　　　　　　　 C . idea　　　　　　　　　　　 D . belief

　　 46. A. said　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. found　　　　　　　　　 C . prepared　　　　　　　 D . meant

　　 47. A. turned away　　　　　　　 B. sat down　　　　　　　 C . talked back　　　　　 D . gave in

　　 48. A . greeted　　　　　　　　　　 B. scolded　　　　　　　　 C . tricked D . comforted

　　 49. A. help　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. idea　　　　　　　　　　 C . reward D. comment

　　 50. A . challenged　　　　　　　 B. attacked　　　　　　　 C . noticed　　　　　　　　 D . told

　　 51 . A . pride　　　　　　　　　　　 B. anger　　　　　　　　　 C . excitement　　　　　　 D . joy

　　 52. A. heart　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. beginning　　　　　　 C. mind　　　　　　　　　　 D. memory

　　 53. A . puzzled　　　　　　　　　　 B. disappointed　　　　 C . breathless D . aimless

　　 54. A . down　　　　　　　　　　　 B. up　　　　　　　　　　　 C . around　　　　　　　　 D . through

　　 55. A . voice　　　　　　　　　　　 B. sound　　　　　　　　　 C . gift　　　　　　　　　　　 D . interest

   Today I am known for my voice. Perhaps the greatest honor came when I was asked to read The New Testament（《新约全书》）on tape .

       But it  21  a long time to believe such good things could happen to me. When I was a child, I stuttered（结巴）so badly that I was completely  22  to speak in public.

        23  when I was 14, Professor Donald Crouch came to my school. He was a retired college professor. English was his favorite subject and  24  was his deepest love. He held a book of poems as if it were a crystal,  25  pages as if uncovering treasures. When he heard that our school was teaching Shakespeare and other classics, he felt  26  for not being a part of our school sooner.

       When he  27  that I not only loved poetry but was  28  it, we became closer. There was, however, one  29 -- Professor Crouch could not stand the  30  that I refused to read my poems to the class.

    “Jim, poetry is  31  to be read aloud,” he said. “You should be able to speak those beautiful words.” I shook my head and  32  .

       One day he   33  me .

       After handing in a poem, I waited for his  34  . It didn’t come. Instead one day as the students had gathered together, he  35  me , “Jim, I don’t think you wrote this poem.”

       I stared at him in disbelief. “Why,” I started,  36  flooding me. “of course I did !” “Well, then,” he said, “you’ve got to prove it by getting up and reciting it from  37  .”

       By then the other students had settled at their desks. With knees shaking, I walked up to the front. For a moment I stood there  38  Then I began, and kept going. I recited my poem all the way   39  !

       Afterwards, Professor Crouch encouraged me to read other writers’ poetry before the public. I discovered I did have a(n)  40  and found my classmates actually looked forward to hearing me recite.

21．A．lasted                  B．took                    C．spent                  D．wasted

22．A．impatient             B．disabled               C．unable                 D．impossible

23．A．But                     B．Then                   C．Besides               D．However

24．A．archaeology         B．art                      C．architecture         D．poetry

25．A．drawing              B．turning                C．writing                D．finding

26．A．regretful              B．thankful               C．relieved               D．annoyed

27．A．decided               B．recognized           C．learned                D．proved

28．A．reading                B．reciting                C．publishing            D．writing

29．A．problem              B．promise               C．agreement           D．difference

30．A．matter                 B．fact                     C．idea                    D．belief

31．A．said                    B．found                  C．prepared              D．meant

32．A．turned away        B．sat down             C．talked back          D．gave in

33．A．greeted                B．scolded               C．tricked                D．comforted

34．A．help                    B．idea                     C．reward               D．comment

35．A．challenged           B．attracted              C．noticed                D．talked

36．A．pride                   B．anger                  C．excitement           D．joy

37．A．heart                   B．beginning             C．mind                   D．memory

38．A．panic                  B．disappointed         C．breathless            D．aimless

39．A．down                  B．up                       C．around                D．through

40．A．voice                  B．sound                  C．appearance          D．interest

Without any hesitation, he said, “I’d be better off dead.” Hearing those words come out of my best friend’s mouth tore my heart apart. He has repeated that phrase more than once, and my mind continually plays it over like a voice recording.
I met him about three years ago. After knowing me for six months, he told me about his struggles with depression. Sadness was not the only emotion that came over me; I was shocked. He seemed so outgoing and happy all the time. I soon learned that he was physically and emotionally abused as a young child, causing him to have suicidal thoughts.
He refuses to talk to others about his depression because he now distrusts adults, especially those in his family. Nevertheless, he feels as if I understand him and that I know the right words to speak. Therefore, when it comes to helping him, convenience is not in my vocabulary. It does not matter where I am or what I am doing, for he always comes first.
Many students at his school laugh at him when they notice scars on his arms from cutting. As he sees it, other kids have every right to make fun of him. But no one holds such a right, so I encourage him to ignore the heartless kids who treat him badly. When he feels the weight of judging eyes or hateful voices, I always remind him that I care about him unconditionally. Just hearing me say I will always be his best friend seems to give him the security he needs to keep on going.
My best friend once told me that if he had not had me, he would not be alive. He said that my encouraging words convinced him not to take his life. Our friendship has taught me that a single kind word can influence someone’s life. With the fragility of life as it is, I believe in the necessity of encouragement.
【小题1】According to the first paragraph, what the author’s friend said made the author feel ______.