完形填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）

Some people who find themselves unable to solve a problem react by just giving up. But it is not good to  36  problems by giving up or make excuses for  37 . You may be sure that all young people  38  the same difficult process that you are going through: meeting new situations, developing new skills, and testing their abilities.

If you are unhappy about something, face it. Try to  39  the problem in a few words, so that you will know exactly what you are  40 . Then see if you can “put you finger” on the  41    of your unhappiness.

In many cases, we only “think” there is no  42  to a particular problem. But often we can  43  the problem and achieve the goal by making a direct  44 .

For example, a boy wanted to be a debater(辩论家). When he tried for the debating team as a  45  , the coach thought he was  46 . He was shy; he had a high-pitched voice and his posture(姿态) was poor. Although he was given little hope of success, he took  47  of every   48  to debate. He studied from successful speakers and  49  his own weakness and assets. Then he  50  many hours learning all the facts on the topics for the debate, and worked at developing good posture and at speaking clearly. In his junior year, he made the school  51    team, and in his senior year, he was on the winning team in his state. He  52  his goal because he had made a direct attack on his problem.

 53  direct attack is often the best way to face problems, we have to be  54  in judging situations and sometimes it is necessary to  55  the goal. So it is important to study the situation and make a wise decision about what to do.

A. escape             B. notice           C. clear up         D. dismiss

A. success             B. failure          C. change           D. himself

A. go through         B. experienced      C. escape from      D. give up

A. say                    B. state                C. find             D. solve

A. dealt with         B. up to                C. escaping         D. up against

A. cause             B. purpose          C. point                D. statement

A. way                B. solution         C. method           D. hope

A. give up                B. think of         C. consider         D. overcome

A. attack             B. method           C. change           D. catch

A. director               B. instructor           C. adviser         D. freshman (新人)

A. hopeful             B. great                C. hopeless         D. grateful

A. use                    B. advantage            C. value                D. effect

A. minute             B. opportunity      C. effort               D. other

A. sized up               B. thought up       C. made up          D. gave in

A. cost               B. found            C. spent                D. wasted

A. speaking           B. successful       C. debating         D. member

A. gave up             B. escaped          C. caught           D. achieved

A. Although           B. Since                C. Because          D. However

A. false              B. realistic            C. hopeful          D. valuable

A. give up     B. change           C. attack           D. strike

I began working in journalism（新闻工作）when I was eight. It was my mother’s idea. She wanted me to “make something” of myself, and decided I had better start young if I was to have any chance of keeping up with the competition.

With my load of magazines I headed toward Belleville Avenue. The crowds were there. There were two gas stations on the corner of Belleville and Union. For several hours I made myself highly visible, making sure everyone could see me and the heavy black letters on the bag that said THE SATURDAY EVENING POST. When it was suppertime, I walked back home.

“ How many did you sell, my boy?” my mother asked.

“ None.”

“ Where did you go?”

“ The corner of Belleville and Union Avenues.”

“ What did you do?”

“ Stood on the corner waiting for somebody to buy a Saturday Evening Post.”

“ You just stood there?”

“ Didn’t sell a single one.”

“ My God, Russell!”

Uncle Allen put in, “ Well, I’ve decided to take the Post.” I handed him a copy and he paid me a nickle（五分镍币）. It was the first nickle I earned.

Afterwards my mother taught me how to be a salesman. I would have to ring doorbells, address adults with self-confidence（自信）, and persuade them by saying that no one, no matter how poor, could afford to be without the Saturday Evening Post in the home.

One day, I told my mother I’d changed my mind. I didn’t want to make a success in the magazine business.

“ If you think you can change your mind like this,” she replied, “ you’ll become a good-for-nothing.” She insisted that, as soon as school was over, I should start ringing doorbells, selling magazines. Whenever I said no, she would scold me.

My mother and I had fought this battle almost as long as I could remember. My mother, dissatisfied with my father’s plain workman’s life, determined that I would not grow up like him and his people. But never did she expect that, forty years later, such a successful journalist as me would go back to her husband’s people for true life and love.

1.Why did the boy start his job young?

A．He wanted to be famous in the future.

B．The job was quite easy for him.

C．His mother had high hopes for him.

D．The competiton for the job was fierce.

2.From the dialogue between the boy and his mother, we learn that the mother was _______.

A．excited           B．interested         C．ashamed          D．disappointed(失望的)

3.What did the mother do when the boy wanted to give up?

A．She forced him to continue.               B．She punished him.

C．She gave him some money.                D．She changed her plan.

4.What does the underlined phrase “this battle”（last paragraph） refer to?

A．The war between the boy’s parents.　

B．The arguing between the boy and his mother.

C．The quarrel between the boy and his customers.　

D．The fight between the boy and his father.

5.What is the text mainly about?

A．The early life of a journalist.

B．The early success of a journalist.

C．The happy childhood of the writer.

D．The important role of the writer in his family.

For years my husband, John, and I had dreamed of taking our three kids to Disney World．We'd planned our trip down to the last detail and dollar．But in Georgia, halfway there, our car broke down．

At a garage, the mechanic promised our Mercury Sable would be repaired by the next week．Meanwhile, John tried to find us a rental car．After many phone calls, John finally found a car．Luckily, our auto club would pick up the tab．We ended up arriving there three hours behind schedule．We tried every ride and met Mickey．

At the end of the long weekend we called the garage to check on our car．It turned out that the mechanic hadn't even looked at it yet! John got on the phone again．He found it would cost more than $ l, 100 to rent a car to drive home．That plus a plane ticket for him to go pick up our own car and we'd be out over $2,000!

I wailed（痛哭） and asked John, "What are we going to do?"  He said, "It'll work out．" John encouraged me not to lose heart and he insisted on trying to find a way out．Amazingly, John found a car transport company that had a car we could drive home, paying only for gas! But all the way home I couldn't stop thinking about the money we'd still need for John's trip back to the garage and another long driving home．

When we got home, the high school student who had fed our cats asked how our trip was．I gave him the rundown, "Things worked out okay except that our car's still stuck in Georgia．" "No problem," he said．"I'm heading to Florida for a spring break with my parents．We'll be glad to stop in Georgia on the way back and pick up your car．"

We ended up spending only $50 more than we'd budgeted．The next week, our car was back, and I had a new understanding of dealing with trouble．Whatever happens, if you never give up, a good solution will come out at last．

1.From the passage we can learn that                 ．

2.The underlined phrase "pick up the tab" probably means “___________”．

3.Why was the author unhappy at the end of the weekend?

4.We can infer from the passage that _______________________．

Dear Seth,

  You are only three years old, and at this point in your life you are not able to understand this letter. But some day when you___36___, I hope you will find something __37__in what I am going to share with you.

  Life can be __38__ . There will be people in your life who won’t be very nice. They’ll __39___ you because you are different,  40  for no good reason . You will also face heartbreak and might be __41__ by those you love. I hope you don’t have to face these too much , but such things __42__.

  Be open to life anyway. You’ll find cruelty(残忍) and  43  in your journey through life , but don’t let that__44__   you from finding new things . Don’t retreat （退却）from life , and don’t __45__ or wall yourself off . Be open to new things , new experiences ,and new people . You will __46__ many times ,but if you allow that to stop you from trying , you will __47_ many chances . Do remember failure is a stepping stone to __48__.

  You will meet many people who will try to do __49__ than you , in school, in college, and at work. They’ll try to have nicer cars, bigger houses, nicer clothes, and so on. . To __50_ , life is a competition .However, I believe life is a __51_. If you always try your best to __52__ others, you are wasting your life . Learn to enjoy your life__53_ and you will make it a journey of __54__ ,of learning and of love.

  Finally , know that I love you and always will. You are _55__ a really wonderful journey , and I will always be there for you.

                                                                Love

                                                                Dad

A. grow up       B. show up          C.  cheer up       D. give up

A. familiar       B. valuable          C. normal          D. interesting

A. unkind        B. peaceful          C. equal           D. simple

A. look at        B. run after          C. laugh at         D. look after

A. if            B. but              C. so              D. or

A. hurt          B. found            C. accepted         D. impressed

A. matter        B. work             C. disappear        D. happen

A. luck          B. pain             C. difference        D. hope

A. protect        B. encourage        C. stop             D. choose

A. forgive       B. struggle          C. compete         D. hide

A. leave         B. prepare          C. escape          D. fail

A. enjoy         B. try             C. miss             D. meet

A. success       B. life             C. action            D. sorrow

A. earlier        B. better           C. less              D. faster

A. you          B. me             C. him              D. them

A. challenge     B. drama           C. journey           D. dream

A. change       B. pardon          C. follow            D. beat

A. somewhere    B. instead          C. afterwards        D. though

A. cruelty       B. danger           C. happiness        D. quietness

A. starting       B. destroying        C. finishing        D. replacing