When I was younger, I thought that boys and grown men shouldn’t cry. Tears were a sign of being 1 , which a man isn’t supposed to be.

　 However, just last June, I 　2 　that courage isn’t all about trying to keep all the pain inside and trying to hide the 　3 .

　 My 18-year-old sister had eloped (私奔 ) and then I saw how weak my father’s heart was. We were used to seeing him as a 4 father.

　 For three days he wouldn’t talk. He would just sit 　5 outside our house in the dark. On the fourth night, I sat beside him and 6　 him to tell me what he felt about 7　 .

　 It had been years since I laid my hand on my father’s shoulder as we have drifted ( 疏远 )further and further apart while I was 8 . That night, though, I sensed my father trying to 9 his pain I wanted him to be able to let it out. We had all cried over what happened except him.

　 The 　10 touch and my words , “ Dad, it’s not your 11 ” broke my father’s dam.( 水闸). In the darkness, he began to cry. I 12 his shoulders shaking as he whispered, “ 　13 did I go wrong ? All I ever wanted was for my children to grow up 　14 . Why couldn’t your sister wait?”

　 I understood then why he 15 to be in the dark. 16 being there , he had hoped not to spare his 17　 of a father’s pain. His tears, 　18 we hadn’t seen them before that night, were there all the same.

　 I saw his 19 , that night when my father cried with my hand on his shoulder , and 20　 his pain.

1. A. weak　　　　 B. poor　　　　 　C. sad　　　　　 　D. honest

2. A. believed　　　 B. wondered　　　 C. discovered　　 D. apologized

3. A. secrets　　　 B. tears　　　　 C. opinions　　　 D. qualities

4. A. hard-working　 B. never-ending　 C. kind-hearted　　 D. strong-willed

5. A. quietly　　　 　B. impolitely　　 C. gently　　　　 D. carefully

6. A. reminded　　　 B. asked　　　　 C. encouraged　　 D. advised

7. A. something　　 B. nothing　　　 C. anything　　　 D. everything

8. A. running away　 B. giving in　　 　 C. growing up　　 D. turning round

9. A. forget　　　　 B. reduce　　　 　C. control　　　　 D. prove

10. A. simple　　　　 B. necessary　 　 C. comfortable　　 D. precious

11. A. character　　　 B. daughter　　 　 C. fault　　　　　 D. duty

12. A. noticed　　　　 B. felt　　　　 　　C. heard　　　　　 D. imagined

13. A. How　　　　　 B. What　　　　 　C. When　　　　　 D. Where

14. A. quickly　　　 　B. naturally　　 　C. happily　　　　 D. right

15. A. preferred　　　 B. managed　　 　C. used　　　　　 D. agreed

16. A. For　　　　　 B. On　　　　　 　C. By　　　　　 D. Of

17. A. family　　　　 　B. children　　　 　C. function　　　 D. experience

18. A. if　　　　　　 　B. because　　　 　C. until　　　　　 D. though

19. A. condition 　　　 B. pain　　　　　 　C. courage　　　 D. trouble

20. A. understood　　 B. remembered　 　C. touched　　 　D. respected