My husband Jeff and I moved into our new home in Scottsbluff last year just before Christmas. I did not have the 1 or energy to carry out my traditional Christmas decorating and baking activities. What was the point, anyway? It was going to be a 2 Christmas after all.

__3__, the neighborly nature of west Nebraska residents started to trickle (陆续来临) in.

There was a 4 on the door one evening. It was Jeff’s new colleague, John Smith, and his wife, Phyllis. The Smiths had stopped by to 5 us to town with a loaf of homemade bread. They pointed out a 6 on the porch (门廊). Apparently the doorbell wasn’t working in the cold snowy weather and we had 7 a visit from the Browns, our across-the-street neighbors, who brought us a Christmas card and more Christmas cookies.

The 8 feelings brought by these thoughtful gestures lasted longer than the food.

As Jeff and I were clearing pre-Christmas 9 from our driveway, Ernie Guzman came over from next door to 10 us to dig out.

Then, we received an invitation to 11 a Christmas Eve meal with our neighbors, Ernie and Nancy Sommer, and their 12 — a 90-year-old lady, who also had no family in the immediate area with whom to spend the holiday.

Our Christmas Eve was quite merry, thanks to our 13 . Our Christmas morning 14 was special, thanks to the Smiths’ gift of bread. I was so 15 for these gestures of welcome, especially during the holidays.

This year, we were again unable to be with our families for Christmas. The 16 and work schedules just made things too difficult. 17 that sense of Christmas isolation (孤立) all too well, we decided to try to round up some other folks who were 18 in the holidays.

Lonely people are all around us, but most of us 19 notice them. Just take a look around you. Sometimes, the smallest 20 gesture can make a world of difference.

1. A. chance　　　　　　 B. time　　　　　　 C. anxiety　　　　 D. ability

2. A. merry　　　　　　 B. free　　　　　　 C. lonely　　　　　 D. usual

3. A. Therefore　　　　　 B. Meanwhile　　　 C. Somehow　　　 D. However

4. A. card 　　　　　　 B. sign　　　　　　 C. knock　　　　　 D. note

5. A. welcome　　　　　 B. invite　　　　　　 C. drive　　　　　 D. send

6. A. tree　　　　　　　 B. package　　　　　 C. mail　　　　　　 D. flower

7. A. forgot　　　　　　 B. arranged　　　　 　C. received　　　　 D. missed

8. A. deep　　　　　　 B. true　　　　　　　 C. warm　　　　　 D. mixed

9. A. snow　　　　　　 B. rubbish　　　　　 C. dust　　　　　 D. leaves

10. A. teach　　　　　　 B. help　　　　　　　 C. urge　　　　　 D. forbid

11. A. share　　　　　　 B. prepare　　　　　 C. taste　　　　　 D. exchange

12. A. aunt　　　　　　 B. guest　　　　　　 C. maid　　　　　 D. partner

13. A. folks　　　　　　 B. relatives　　　　　 C. colleagues　　 D. neighbors

14. A. call　　　　 　　B. greeting　　　　　 C. breakfast　　　 D. meeting

15. A. sorry　　　　　　 B. eager　　　　　　 C. ready　　　　　 D. grateful

16. A. distance　　　　 B. expense　　　　　 C. season　　　　　 D. situation

17. A. Studying　　　　 B. Showing　　 　　C. Knowing　　　　 D. Discovering

18. A. alone　　　　　 B. busy　　　　　　 C. happy　　　　　 D. active

19. A. always　　　　　 B. seldom　　　　　　 C. finally　　　　　 D. usually

20. A. careful　　　　　 B. patient　　　　　　 C. vague　　　　 　D. kind

I have a friend named John Roberts who owns a horse ranch （牧马场）in San Ysidro.　　The last time I was there he shared a story with me. “It is a story about a young man who was the son of an itinerant horse trainer. When he was a senior，he was asked to write a paper about what he wanted to be and do when he grew up.”

That night he wrote a seven-page paper describing his goal of someday owning a horse ranch. He wrote about his dream in great detail and he even drew a diagram of a 200-acre ranch， showing the location of all the buildings，the stables and the track.　　

“The next day he handed it in to his teacher. Two days later he received his paper back. On the front page was a large red F with a note that read, ‘See me after class.’”

　　“The boy went to see the teacher after class and asked, ‘Why did I receive an F？’”

　　“The teacher said, ‘This is an unrealistic dream for a young boy like you. You have no money. You come from an itinerant family. You have no resources. Owning a horse ranch requires a lot of money. You have to buy the land. You have to pay for the original breeding stock and later you’ll have to pay large stud fees. There‘s no way you could ever do it.’ Then the teacher added， ‘If you will rewrite this paper with a more realistic goal, I will reconsider your grade.’”

　　“The boy went home and asked his father what he should do. His father said, ‘Look, son， you have to make up your own mind on this. However, I think it is a very important decision for you.’”

　　“Finally，after sitting with it for a week, the boy turned in the same paper, making no changes at all. He stated, ‘You can keep the F and I’ll keep my dream.‘”

　　John continued, “I tell you this story because you are sitting in the middle of my 200-acre horse ranch. I still have that school paper framed over the fireplace.” He added, “If I had changed my paper at that time, maybe we would not have the chance to be here talking about the dreams .”

1.What was the boy’s goal described in his seven-page paper? (No more than 6 words)

2.Why did the teacher give him a F”?                    (No more than 14 words)

3.How did John’s father respond to his son’s puzzlement?    (No more than10 words)

4.What can we learn from the article?                    (No more than 8 words.)

阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项中选出最佳选项。

This is John Roberts reporting from Cardiff．The result of the match which finished at four this afternoon between France and Wales was a draw．Neither side scored．The Dutch referee（裁判）did not allow the one goal which France managed to kick．The reason for this was that a French player was unfortunately off side．So both teams went home disappointed with the game．They particularly admired the French forwards，who were always fast and often threatened the Welsh defense．Once it looked as if the Welsh goalkeeper was in serious trouble．He dived to his right to save a shot from the French center forward and crashed his head against the goal post．A doctor examined him and he soon began to play again． Of course the large，friendly crowd cheered for him．Wales will certainly welcome another visit from this splendid team．

1．This passage is ________．

[　　]

A．a piece of sports news broadcast over radio

B．a piece of sports news in a newspaper

C．An advertisement about sports

D．An essay about sports

2．The word “draw”in this passage means？

[　　]

A．an act of pulling

B．taking money from a bank

C．a state in which neither side wins

D．making pictures with a pencil or a pen

3．Which of the following sentence is NOT TRUE according to the passage？

[　　]

A．The French team is a visiting team while the Welsh team is the home team．

B．The Welsh goalkeeper was brave and he didn't quit the match even after he had his head seriously injured in the game．

C．People liked the French forwards for they were very active on the field．

D．A French player did kick a goal but the referee refused to admit it．

完形填空 (共 20 小题; 每小题 1.5 分, 满分 30 分)

    阅读下面短文,从短文后各题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中,选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

“A robbery ．．．” a voice came from the radio．John was driving home late last night from a trip, and now he was having trouble staying    36    ．He turned   37   the radio and tried to fix his attention on the   38   , but his eyes kept on closing．

　　It was   39   that he noticed the hitchhiker （搭便车者） by the road．  40   even thinking about what he was doing, he stopped the car．

　　“To Midrille?” “Get in．” The hitchhiker got in and immediately John was   41    that he had picked him up．The young man    42    a strange face and long hair．When John asked him questions about himself, he changed the   43   ．

　　John   44   the news．He began to sweat  and his thoughts   45   nervously to all the money he was   46   ．

　　At the next small town he stopped his car and said, “I’m sorry．I’m so   47    that I can’t drive you to Midrille．I think I’ll find a   48   and spend the night．”

　　The young man slowly   49   into his pocket．“This is it!” thought John．At that   50 moment he considered shouting for help, but instead of a gun, the hitchhiker pulled out several    51    ．“Oh, no．I don't want your money．Just get out．Okay?”

　　The young man looked    52   ．He insisted on   53   John the money．John watched until his   54   had disappeared from sight, then stepped on the    55   and drove out of town．

1.A．asleep             B．early            C．strong           D．awake

2.A．on                 B．off              C．up               D．over

3.A．outside            B．news             C．speed            D．way

4.A．there              B．earlier          C．then             D．moment

5.A．Without            B．After            C．By               D．For

6.A．happy              B．sad              C．angry            D．sorry

7.A．wore               B．owned            C．had              D．made

8.A．place              B．subject          C．question         D．face

9.A．remembered         B．thought          C．heard            D．forgot

10.A．got               B．arrived          C．changed          D．turned

11.A．paying            B．having           C．carrying         D．borrowing

12.A．afraid            B．hungry           C．cold             D．sleepy

13.A．restaurant        B．shop             C．hotel            D．station

14.A．reached           B．forced           C．got              D．put

15.A．important         B．very             C．long             D．short

16.A．knives            B．photos           C．handkerchiefs    D．bills

17.A．frightened        B．puzzled          C．worried          D．curious

18.A．giving            B．offering         C．handing          D．returning

19.A．driver            B．friend           C．passenger        D．thief

20.A．door              B．gas              C．window           D．motor