When I was about 13, my father would take me on short outings on Saturdays. On the way home, Dad   36  stopped at the Dairy Queen for 10-cent ice creams. I couldn’t  37 it, but I could pray from the   38  we started heading home to that corner where we would either go straight for the ice cream or  39  and go home empty-handed. That corner  40  either mouth-watering excitement or  41  .

 On one special day, we were heading home, and again I was praying for the  42  sound of his offer. It   43 . “Would you like an ice cream today?” “That sounds great, Dad!” But then he said, “How would you like to  44   today?”

Twenty cents! My mind reeled（震惊）. I could afford it. I got a weekly allowance of 25 cents, plus some  45   for odd jobs（零活）. But  46  it was my money, ice cream wasn’t a good use of it. In a fit of   47  , I said, “Well, in that case, I guess I’ll   48  .”My father just said, “Okay, Son.”

But as we headed home, I realized how wrong I was and begged him to  49 . But he just said, “That’s okay, we don’t really need one.” I felt  50  for my selfishness and ungratefulness. He didn’t mind, or   51  act disappointed.

I   52 that generosity（慷慨）goes two ways and gratefulness sometimes costs more than “thank you”. On that day gratefulness would have cost 20 cents and it would have been the  53   ice cream I’d ever had.

I’ll tell you one more thing. We  54 another trip the next week. As we  55  the corner, I said, “Dad, would you like an ice cream today? My treat.”

1. A. never          B. hardly      C. frequently          D. strangely

2. A. expect       B. mention     C. wait                      D. get

3. A. month        B. day         C. weekend                   D. moment

4. A. finish       B. drive      C. turn                       D. return

5. A. indicated    B. meant      C. suggested          D. instructed

6. A. anger        B. shame       C. happiness       D. disappointment

7. A. funny       B. surprising     C. interesting         D. beautiful

8. A. came         B. spoke               C. went              D. flew

9. A. serve        B. treat       C. buy                        D. provide

10. A. extra        B. limited     C. little                    D. easy

11. A. after        B. while       C. when                      D. although

12. A. sadness      B. regret      C. curiosity               D. selfishness

13. A. accept       B. pay          C. pass                     D. eat

14. A. turn back    B. keep up      C. stop by                  D. give in

15. A. unsatisfied  B. embarrassed  C. frightened     D. crazy

16. A. even         B. never        C. only                     D. somehow

17. A. knew          B. learned     C. acknowledged（承认） D. found

18. A. dearest       B. worst        C. cheapest                D. best

19. A. made out      B. prepared for   C. went on               D. took up

20. A. crossed       B. left         C. came                  D. approached