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

Mrs Chen，almost sixty，is always________and doesn’t look tired at all.

A．patient　 　                                        B．relaxed 　　

C．intelligent 　　                                    D．energetic

As I had my first child，I promised myself never to be a pushy parent.I was going to be a very __1__ and understanding mother.

　　 Five years later my little boy was about to　 __2__　 for his yellow belt in karate.As a five?year?old child，he wasn't taking it　 __3__，because it was mom trying to help him.He　 __4__　 the whole time.I found myself yelling and telling him he would never get the belt acting like that.I was trying to teach him his backflip(背摔)．He continued to play and I　 __5__　 to yell.Finally I had made him feel like he couldn't accomplish　 __6__，just as I promised myself I wouldn't do.

　　 Still mad and stubborn I couldn't __7__.I had to teach him this flip.He was doing fine with it __8__ we had to leave to go to karate.While taking the test，he did great.His instructor would ask him to do something，and it came　 __9__　 for him.He never　 __10__　 him to do the back?flip.He passed his yellow belt test.

　　 We got in the car to go home，when he looked at me and said，“Mom，__11__　 did you make me do that back?flip so many times，when it wasn't　 __12__　 on the test？”The words wouldn't have　 __13__　 anything to anyone else，but it was a slap in my face.That night while lying in bed，I told him I　 __14__　 him.

　　 He was playing and didn't __15__　 anything，just giggled(咯咯地笑)．I said“I really do love you baby.”I was still feeling __16__，and also wondering if he had　 __17__　 me.Finally he replied in the　 __18__ voice，“I know you do，but I love you more.”

　　 He had forgiven me and I had decided that his __19__　 was more important than any test he would ever take.I made a new　 __20__　 to be a better mother and to accept that he was only a child.

1．A.patient　　　　　　　 　 B．energetic　　　　　　

C．polite　　　　　　　　　 D．brave

2．A.search　　　　　　　 B．practise　　　　　　　

C．play　　　　　　　　　　 D．test

3．A.easily　　　　　　　 　 B．happily　　　　　　　

C．seriously　　　　　　　 D．fairly

4．A.smiled　　　　　　　 B．played　　　　　　　

C．prepared　　　　　　　 　 D．slept

5．A.stopped　　　　　　 B．continued　　　　　　

C．tried　　　　　　　　　 　 D．liked

6．A.something　　　　　 B．nothing　　　　　　　

C．everything　　　　　　 　 D．anything

7．A.give back　　　　　 　 B．give in　　　　　　　

C．give away　　　　 　　　D．give out

8．A.by the time　　　　 　　　 B．at the time　　　　　

C．in no time　　　　　　　 D．at a time

9．A.quick　　　　　　　 B．normal　　　　　　　

C．common　　　　　　　　 D．natural

10．A.demanded　　　　　 B．reminded　　　　　　

C．asked　 　　　　　　　 D．allowed

11．A.where　　　　　　　 B．when　　　　　　　　

C．why　　　　　　　　　 D．how

12．A.even　　　　　　　　 　 B．ever　　　　　　　　　

C．still　　　　　　　　　　 D．never

13．A.shared　　　　　　 B．raised　　　　　　　

C．allowed　　　　　　　　 　 D．meant

14．A.hated　　　　　　　 B．loved　　　　　　　　

C．admired　　　　　　　 D．missed

15．A.accept　　　　　　 B．take　　　　　　　　

C．add　　　　　　　　　 D．say

16．A.guilty　　　　　　　 　 B．excited　　　　　　　

C．upset 　　　　　　　　　 D．proud

17．A.remembered　　　　 B．forgiven　　　　　　

C．noticed　　　　　　　　 　 D．deserted

18．A.saddest　　　　　　 　 B．sweetest　　　　　　

C．happiest　　　　　　　 　 D．biggest

19．A.attitude　　　　　　 　 B．expression　　　　　

C．feeling　　　　　　　　 D．suggestion

20．A.design　　　　　　 B．difference　　　　　

C．experiment　　　　　　 　 D．promise

Most of the children can work out the problem, so it should be quite ____ to adults.

A. patient　 B. plain　　 C. familiar D. lucky