I was sitting in the surgical waiting area at the hospital waiting for word of my wife's operation. The small room was filled with other families and friends, who were ___36___ waiting to hear how their loved ones were doing.

There was a young boy sitting quietly in the ___37___ . He held a small box of ___38___ in one hand and a tablet(写字板) in the other. Every so often he'd place the tablet on his lap and draw something. As the hours passed I began to see the room almost ___39___ . And there was a strange silence.

"Daddy, when is Mommy going home?" the young boy asked, breaking the ___40___.

"Tomorrow." his father replied. The boy picked up his crayons and ___41___ something on the tablet.

I ___42___ him as he moved his feet back and forth, looking up at the ceiling and then toward the sunshine-filled window. "When's ___43___, Daddy?" he asked. His father ___44___ him over to sit by him. "Come, ___45___ here next to me," he said with a gentle tone in his voice.

___46___ his things, the little boy walked slowly to his father's side from the corner.The man ___47___ out and held his son by his shoulder.

"There are three days in life. Yesterday, today and tomorrow. One is over and done, one we live in, the other we ___48___ . We can't live in yesterday, but if we are happy enough today, we will be even happier tomorrow," he said in an attempt to ___49___ the boy.

The little boy looked at him for a moment and said, "If Mommy is going home tomorrow, I'll be ___50___. So, I want it to be tomorrow already, Daddy."

Now hanging on every word of this ___51___ , I leaned forward to hear his response. It was ___52___.

"Son, the one great thing about today is once it ___53___, it is already almost tomorrow."

I thought about how ___54___ it was. Even in my adult life, I still live waiting for what tomorrow may ___55___. Now I know that it is already "almost tomorrow".

1.                A．eagerly         B．patiently        C．happily   D．curiously

2.                A．chair           B．corner         C．distance  D．shadow

3.                A．gifts           B．toys            C．chalks    D．crayons

4.                A．dark           B．full            C．empty    D．clean

5.                A．promise        B．rule            C．record   D．silence

6.                A．wrote          B．drew           C．printed   D．carved

7.                A．followed        B．found          C．watched  D．caught

8.                A．today          B．yesterday       C．future    D．tomorrow

9.                A．knocked        B．ordered        C．called    D．pulled

10.               A．stand          B．sit             C．lie   D．sleep

11.               A．gathering       B．forgetting       C．saving D．choosing

12.               A．got            B．took           C．set   D．reached

13.               A．spend          B．waste          C．kill   D．expect

14.               A．frighten        B．satisfy          C．persuade  D．warn

15.               A．happier        B．calmer         C．smarter   D．sadder

16.               A．story          B．argument       C．conversation   D．discussion

17.               A．humorous      B．silly            C．positive   D．perfect

18.               A．ends           B．starts          C．passes D．lasts

19.               A．meaningful      B．important       C．interesting D．fantastic

20.               A．happen        B．come          C．bring D．need

It was a half-mile walk from our small house to the beach road, where the      16     would be waiting for us. But that morning Janet was much worse. She couldn’t make     17      walk. And I couldn’t carry her. The path to the beach was steep and narrow and     18     at the water’s edge.

I was a stranger far from home. I didn’t know     19     to turn for help. But I needed it badly. I hurried down to the beach and I found help. Four fishermen were about to go out for their morning  20  . I told them about my sick little sister. Could they help me get her down the     21    ? I hardly got the words out of my mouth     22     they dragged their boat back onto the sand. They climbed the hill with me. One looked at Janet and they    23     their heads. They talked softly to one another. “  24       sick to sit in a chair,” one said.

“Better carry her      25    in bed,” said another.

An iron cot（儿童床）    26     along the cliff ! I was frightened. How could they do it?    27     the men told me not to worry. “Truly easy, truly     28    ,” they said.

They tied a rope to each leg of the cot. Each of them threw a rope     29     his shoulder and held the end in one hand. I understood what they meant to do.     30     they carried the cot down the path, they would use the ropes to keep the cot     31    . But what if one of the men slipped and lost his balance? What would happen to him ― to the others ― to     32    ? The men just smiled at my alarm. “That     33     will make us even more careful,” they said.

The men went down the path. Every    34     was a careful one. Always the cot was level, with never a bump. When they reached the beach road, they quietly lifted Janet into the taxi.     35    , they stretched her out on the back seat.

We made the morning train for Tokyo. And there an ambulance was waiting to take Janet to the hospital. The doctor told me that I had got my little girl there just in time. Janet would be all right soon.

完形填空

　　Janet was ill. I would have to get her to the hospital in Tokyo.

　　It was a half-mile walk 1 our small house to the beach road, where the 2 would be waiting for us. But that morning Janet was much 3 . She couldn't make 4 walk. And I couldn't carry her. The path to the beach was steep (陡峭的) and narrow and 5 at the water's edge. I was a stranger far from home. I didn't know where to 6 help. But I needed it badly. I hurried down to the beach and I found help. Four fishermen 7 to go out for their morning catch. I told them about my sick little girl. Could they help me get her down the 8 ? I hardly got the words out of my mouth 9 they dragged their boats back onto the sand. They climbed the hill with me. One looked at Janet and they 10 their heads. They talked softly to one another.

　　“Too sick to sit in a chair,” one said.

　　“Better carry her lying in bed,” said another.

　　An iron cot (儿童床) was carried 11 the cliff (悬崖)! I was frightened. How could they do it? 12 the men told me not to worry. “Truly easy, truly safe,” they said.

　　They tied a rope to 13 leg of the cot. Then each man threw a rope over his shoulder and held the end in one hand. I understood 14 they meant to do. 15 they carried the cot down the path, they would use the 16 to keep the cot 17 . But what if one of the men slipped and 18 his balance? What would happen to him, to the others, to 19 ? The men just smiled at my alarm. “That 21 will make us even more careful,” they said.

　　The men went down the path. Every 21 was a careful one. Always the cot was level, with never a bump (碰，撞). When they reached the beach road, they 22 lifted Janet into the taxi. Carefully, they stretched (伸展，伸张) 23 out on the back seat.

　　We made the 24 train from Senai to Tokyo. And there an ambulance (救护车) was waiting to take Janet to the hospital. The doctors told me that I had got my little girl there just in time. Janet 25 all right.

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