One young academically excellent person went to apply for a managerial position in a big company. He   36    the first interview; the director did the last interview.

   The director asked, “Did you obtain any scholarships in school?” The young man answered, “    37   .”

   “Who paid the school fees for you?”

   “My father passed away   38    I was born, so my mother paid them all.”

   “What did your mother do?”

   “A laundry woman.”

   The director   39    the youth to show his hands. They were smooth and perfect. The director asked, “Have you ever   40    your mother wash the clothes?” The youth answered, “    41   . My mother always wanted me to study and read more books.    42    , she can wash clothes faster than me.”

   The director said, “Please go and clean your mother’s hands, and then see me tomorrow.”

   The youth felt his   43    of getting the job high. When he went back, he happily asked his mother to let him clean her hands. His mother felt   44   but happy with mixed feelings.

The youth cleaned his mother’s hands   45    . He cried as he did that. It was the first time he had    46   his mother’s wrinkled hands with so many bruises (伤痕) on them. Some bruises were so painful that his mother    47   when they were cleaned. Only by then did he realize it was this pair of hands that assisted him   48    his academic years.

   After finishing cleaning his mother’s    49    hands, the youth quietly washed all the   50    clothes for his mother. That night, they talked for a very long time.

   The next morning, the director noticed the youth’s swollen    51   and asked, “Can you tell me what you have done and    52   in your house?”

   The youth answered, “I cleaned my mother’s hands and also finished washing all the remaining clothes. I know now what    53    is. Without mother, there would not have been my success today.”

   The director said, “This is what I am looking for  54   a manager. I want to hire a person who can value the help of others and who knows the    55   of others. You are hired.”

My mother used to ask me what was the most important part of the body. Through the years I would   21   what I thought was the correct answer. When I was younger, I thought   22   was very important to us as humans, so I said, “My ears, Mommy”. She said, “No. Many people are   23  . But you keep thinking about it and I will ask you again soon.”

Several years passed   24   she asked me again. Since making my first   25  , I had often thought of the correct answer. So this time I told her， “Mommy, sight is very important to everybody, so it must be our eyes.” She looked at me and told me, “You are   26   fast, but the answer is not correct because there are many people who are blind.”

   27   the years, Mother asked me a couple more   28   and always her answer was, “No, but you are getting   29   every year, my child.” Then last year, my Grandpa died. Everybody was crying when it was our   30   to say our final good-bye to Grandpa. Mom asked me, “Do you know the most important body part yet, my dear?”

I was   31   when she asked me this now. I always thought this was a   32   between her and me. She saw the   33   on my face and told me, “This question is very important. It shows that you have really   34   your life.” I saw her eyes well up with tears. She said, “My dear, the most important body part is your   35  .” I asked, “Is it because it holds up your head?” She replied, “No, it is   36   on them a crying friend or loved one can rest their head. I only hope that you have enough   37   and friends that you will have a shoulder to cry   38   when you need it.” Then and there I knew the most important body part is not a   39   one. It is sympathetic to the pain of   40  .

1.A. notice             B. believe         C. doubt            D. wonder

2.A. love               B. health          C. sound            D. sight

3.A. blind              B. deaf            C. lame          D. foolish

4.A. while              B. once             C. after            D. before

5.A. discovery          B. decision        C. attempt          D. suggestion

6. A. learning          B. thinking        C. growing          D. changing

7.A. Before             B. Till            C. Beyond      D. Over

8.A. ways           B. things          C. questions        D. times

9.A. stronger           B. taller          C. smarter          D. nicer

10.A. duty              B. turn            C. pity             D. chance

11.A. shocked           B. satisfied            C. interested       D. excited

12.A. game          B. test            C. match         D. job

13.A. worry        B. puzzlement      C. regret           D. pain

14.A. enjoyed           B. found           C. disliked         D. lived

15.A. shoulders         B. feet            C. hands            D. hair

16.A. how           B. because         C. why          D. whether

17.A. respect           B. favor           C. love             D. fun

18.A. by           B. on              C. above            D. for

19.A. valuable          B. useful          C. selfish          D. precious

20.A. others            B. the deaf        C. Grandpa     D. the blind

Angels

My friend Heather mentioned that she had never seen an Angel. Then I remembered the 36  I had with my sister Sandra earlier this week.

This will be Sandra’s first Christmas without her husband. This summer he died in her arms. On Thursday, she was in the store 　37　 for an ideal card for her two sons and daughter. Time passed by quickly as she 　38  the many choices. She wanted a card that sent something special to each of them, 　39  she knew they would have a(n) 　40  place in their heart this holiday season.

Finally! She found the one that expressed the 　41 feeling. The words expressed the feelings that she wished to share. However, a sharp pain pierced(穿透) her heart when she realized that the card was 　42 “mom and dad.” She stood there, 　43  it close for a long time, unable to move from the 　44  . Tears began to run down her cheeks.

“Is there something I can do for you?” a 　45  voice asked. She 　46  to face a stranger, a woman, who was looking at her with 　47  and concern. “Uh…oh...OH!” Sandra responded, “I can’t give this card to my children because…because my husband died and this is the 　48  card.”

Hearing this, the stranger’s face softened with sympathy(同情) and love. She reached out and　49  my sister into her arms, giving her unspoken permission to cry in the protection of her embrace(拥抱). She 　50  held my sister until her calmness　51  . “Thank you for listening to me cry on,” was what my sister said when all was better. “You are welcome, and I am so sorry for your 　52 ,” the stranger answered and said goodbye to her.

During her telling of this event I was feeling 　53  that I hadn’t been there. My sister needed me and a stranger had to do my 　54  .  “You know,” she went on, “a friend suggested that it was like meeting with an Angel.” My 　55  disappeared in an instant. My sister required an Angel, and I think that is exactly what she got.