In a class I teach for adults, I recently did the “unpardonable.” I gave the class homework!

The assignment (任务) was to “go to someone you love 　36 the next week and tell them you love them. It 　37 to be someone you have never 　38 those words to before or at least haven’t shared those words with for a long time.” That doesn’t 　39 like a very tough assignment, 　40 you stop to realize that most of the men were over 35 and were 　41 in the generation of men that were taught that expressing emotions is not “macho (男子汉气概的).” Showing feelings or crying (heaven forbid!) was just not done 　42 this was a very threatening assignment for some.

At the 　43 of our next class, I asked if someone wanted to 　44 what happened when they told someone they loved them. I fully expected one of the 　45 to volunteer, as was usually the 　46 , but on this evening one of the men raised his hand. He appeared quite moved and a bit 　47 . As he unfolded out of his chair, he began by saying, “Dennis. I was quite 　48 with you last week when you gave us the assignment. I didn’t feel that I had 　49 to say those words to and 　50 , who were you to tell me to do something that personal? But as I began driving home my conscience (良知) started talking to me. It was telling me that I 　51 exactly who I needed to say I love you to. You see, five years ago, my father and I had a heated 　52 and really never resolved it since that one. We 　53 seeing each other unless we absolutely had to at Christmas or other family gatherings. But 　54 then, we hardly spoke to each other. So last. Tuesday 　55 I got home, I had convinced myself. I was going to tell my father I loved him.”

36．A．after　　　　　　　　　 B．before　　　　　　　　 C．for　　　　　　　　　　 D．within

37．A．has to　　　　　　　　 B．ought to　　　　　　 C．had better　　　　　 D．can

38．A．told　　　　　　　　　　 B．said　　　　　　　　　　 C．talked　　　　　　　　 D．spoken

39．A．look　　　　　　　　　 B．hear　　　　　　　　　 C．listen　　　　　　　　　 D．sound

40．A．when　　　　　　　　 B．until　　　　　　　　　 C．that　　　　　　　　　　 D．unless

41．A．born　　　　　　　　　 B．grown　　　　　　　　 C．raised　　　　　　　　 D．risen

42．A．And　　　　　　　　　 B．But　　　　　　　　　　 C．So　　　　　　　　　　 D．For

43．A．beginning　　　　　 B．end　　　　　　　　　　 C．middle　　　　　　　　 D．stating

44．A．announce　　　　　 B．share　　　　　　　　　 C．answer　　　　　　　 D．ask

45．A．men　　　　　　　　　 B．adults　　　　　　　　 C．students　　　　　　 D．women

46．A．case　　　　　　　　　 B．thing　　　　　　　　　 C．story　　　　　　　　　 D．experience

47．A．afraid　　　　　　　　 B．shaken　　　　　　　 C．terrible　　　　　　　 D．worried

48．A．happy　　　　　　　　 B．pleased　　　　　　　 C．angry　　　　　　　　 D．satisfied

49．A．everybody　　　　　 B．nobody　　　　　　　 C．someone　　　　　　 D．anyone

50．A．else　　　　　　　　　　 B．except　　　　　　　　 C．beside　　　　　　　　 D．besides

51．A．thought　　　　　　　 B．considered　　　　　 C．knew　　　　　　　　 D．guessed

52．A．disagreement　　　 B．encouragement　　 C．disappointment　　 D．discouragement

53．A．imagined　　　　　　 B．risked　　　　　　　　 C．avoided　　　　　　　 D．escaped

54．A．still　　　　　　　　　　 B．even　　　　　　　　　 C．just　　　　　　　　　　 D．only

55．A．by the time　　　　 B．at the time　　　　　 C．for the time　　　　 D．during the time

I learned about life from an ant farm．When I was seven years old, my family created one．First, we put clean sand in a thin glass box, and then we waited for the live ants to arrive．Shortly after the chilly ants were dropped into the glass structure, they got to work making tunnels．I was amazed that each one knew exactly what to do．After hours of staring, I realized that the ants had assigned jobs．With my mom ' s help, I kept a diary of what happened each day and named the ants．
One day a tragedy struck the ant farm．The pages of the diary, still wrinkled where tear drops fell, indicate the depth of the tragedy．'I had put my face so close to the structure that I accidentally tipped it over, caving in all the tunnels．Although the ants survived their earthquake, one by one they began to die．I was terrified as I watched them give up their tunnel-building to carry the bodies to a comer of the farm．My mother reported that the ants were dying of "frustration．" They simply could not stand the reality that their tunnels had been destroyed．
Although much time has passed, I still think of that ant farm．Mom had hoped it would teach me about the natural world, but it taught me much more．Over the years, I came to realize the ants were a study in the benefits of teamwork．Working together, they were able to create an amazing world for themselves．I also learned that they should be admired for their hard work．Day in and day out, each labored at their task．The ant farm showed that teamwork and perseverance are indeed two key ingredients to success．But there was an even larger lesson that I did not realize until recently: Adversity （不幸、灾祸） is a natural part of life,and must be accepted．Unlike the ants, humans cannot give up when they face disappointment．Unlike the ants, we have to realize that if a tunnel caves in, we just have to build another．Giving up, I say, is not a choice．
【小题1】The family created an ant farm in a glass box because it was easy _____.