We had moved from Cairo to Mt. Vernon, Illinois, away from my grandmother when I was eight years old. I missed her  36 . I was told I was her favorite grandchild; she was my favorite granny. Mother must have sensed my  37 , for she would take my little brother and me back to visit my Granny on occasions.
She didn’t live in a big house or have expensive things, but I never  38  it; I just knew she loved me and I loved her back.
We had lived, for a time, next door to her  39  my father was away during World War II.
Granny had never had very much in the way of  40  or material things. But it was the little things she gave me that had always  41 . Things like letting me dip my fingers in the sugar bowl or the coffee she let me drink from her  42_. She allowed me to sit on top of her kitchen table to enjoy those privileges.
She also had a vinegar bottle that sat high on a shelf that was  43 , in my eyes; I asked if I could have it someday. It was given to me in a box after her  44 . She remembered in her last days; love is like that.
She didn’t have much;  45  did we. But she did something for my brother and me. I will always remember she  46  her pennies in a glass jar. I am sure Granny could have used those pennies herself  47  she saved them to give us when we came to  48  her.
I don’t remember how much we  49  on our visits, nor was the  50  important. It was the idea that she remembered us, and cared about us, when we were away from her.
Those  51 , of when I was a child, still give me  52  feelings now. I often wonder, after all those years, when I am lucky enough to find a  53  lying on the ground  54 , if it could possibly be Granny tossing me pennies from  55 .

阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从16~35各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。

My friends and I had just finished lunch at a hotel when it started to pour heavily. When it became lighter. I decided to  16  the rain to get my car. which was parked at my office three streets away.

My friends  17  that I shouldn't go,  18  I was seven months pregnant (怀孕的) then. I told them that I'd be very  19 . One of them wanted to come with me but I  20  that she should stay with another friend who needed  21  with her baby.

I walked out of the hotel and started making my  22  to the car. At the traffic junction (交叉路口), a car  23  and the passenger got off with an umbrella.  24  I knew what was happening, he walked right beside me and told me he'd accompany me to my  25 . I was very embarrassed and  26 , but he was very persistent (坚持的).

During our walk, he kept telling me to walk  27 , as the ground was wet. When we got to the car park. I thanked him and we  28 . I did not get his name and may not even  29  him now. Did he purposely stop for me? I'll never know.

So how did I pay it  30 ? I was at home when I  31  two Indian construction workers walking in the heavy rain. They were probably on their way to the construction site near my home, which was a long walk. I went out and  32  them an umbrella. The two men were wet through. They were  33   by my gesture, and I told them they should take the umbrella and keep it. They were very  34  and like me, probably wondered why a stranger was  35  such kindness.

A. carry B. keep     C. brave       D. collect

A. guessed                B. argued     C. complained    D. promised

A. because   B. though C. unless     D. if

A. cheerful   B. hopeful      C. careful          D. regretful

A. learned   B. insisted      C. begged          D. worried

A. help   B. advice  C. food            D. shelter

A. call     B. change C. way             D. choice

A. disappeared B. left  C. started          D. stopped

A. Before     B. Since    C. When     D. For

A. home     B. station C. hotel            D. destination

A. agreed    B. declined     C. smiled           D. cried

A. slowly   B. quickly C. heavily          D. gracefully

A. waited   B. ran C. parted           D. rested

A. like B. spot     C. thank     D. recognize

A. up    B. off  C. forward        D. out

A. noticed B. imagined    C. invited          D. heard

A. made     B. passed C. bought          D. sold

A. disturbed    B. impressed  C. encouraged     D. surprised

A. scared    B. grateful      C. sad              D. anxious

A. appreciating     B. repaying    C. accepting     D. offering

As soon as I saw the cat in our yard, I knew he was a stray (流浪儿). He looked  36 —a wounded warrior with a badly scarred body.
I started putting out food for him each day, but he wouldn’t come near me if other people were  37 . Winter came, and he still wouldn’t  38  us. Then, one day, a car hit him so we took him to the vet’s.
After a week, we were eager to bring him home to  39  our family. But when we went to take the cat home, the vet told us we should put him to  40  immediately because the cat was so fierce and mean that he would  41  become tame , let alone a pet.
But I have always had  42  in love’s power to  43  even the wildest beasts. I told the vet, “I want to take him home.” We  44  him Paws.
Three days went by, and we only knew Paws was  45  the bed because when we walked past it we heard deep growling.
I wanted to somehow let him know he was  46  and loved. So I put on a hard hat and a pair of welding gloves. I  47  under the bed toward Paws, with my face to the  48  and only the top of my head facing him. I  49  out to stroke (抚摩) him gently over and over again.
He growled and tried to  50  and bite me. It was scary—but I knew he couldn’t  51  me, so I just kept going. Slowly, he began to  52 . Then I slid out from under the bed and left the room.
Several hours later, I noticed a cat on the bed. It was Paws—all  53  on the pillows! I couldn’t believe it.
That dear cat became the  54  of our household. Although Paws finally died of cancer, his legacy(遗赠)—my  55  and firm belief in the power of love — lives on.

For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.
My friend had mentioned that her father had a lot of children’s toys that he was looking to give away. She knew I had a three-year-old daughter so she thought of me first. I told her I would 36   it if I could get some nice things for my daughter, which I wouldn’t otherwise have been able
to  37 .
When I met her father, he began to explain that he was 38  once too and that he would hate to  39  things that could be very 40 . At first, he thought of taking everything to the Salvation Army but then he  41 to see if anyone he knew could use them first.
When he was  42 me around, I saw a bed, a slide(滑板)，a kitchen set and many other things that made me surprised. As my eyes were wide and beginning to tear up a bit, he told me not to feel guilty. He said I was  43 him by getting rid of them.
As I was looking around, I did feel guilty, but I tried to remain more grateful than guilty because he told me to. Every time I tried to  44 him for giving my daughter all these  45 things, he would thank me right back and was grateful that these toys would be put to good use.
So, sometimes when we are helped by others, the others that helped us are helped as a side –effect. In the  46 of charity , it makes sense to feel grateful, but guilt is just as normal, I know we could have lived without a slide, which is why I do feel guilty, but I am grateful all the same because my daughter  47 enjoys all these nice things!