Section B （18分）
Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are 4 words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with a word or phrase that best fits the context.
It was one of the happiest times of my life. I was 29 and had just received my bachelor’s degree, graduating with   36   despite working two jobs and being a wife and mother. My parents and five-year-old son were among the   37   when I walked onto the stage at Ashland University to get my diploma. I was so excited and proud to be starting a teaching career and contributing more to my family’s happiness.
But when I got home that evening, there was a note from my husband,   38  , “I have come to get my clothes and won’t be back.” We’d been having trouble,   39   that note still came as a shock. He had emptied our bank account. We were horribly in debt. I had quit my previous jobs in the hope of finding a teaching position.   40 , I was eight months pregnant.
The reality was so merciless that I was embarrassed,   41  , and angry and felt I had failed. But I had my son, and I was about to   42   a new life into the world. So   43  my deep sadness, I had to go on. The next morning, I woke up, put my feet on the floor, took a deep breath, prepared breakfast, and basically did everything I always did. I used my routine to keep myself moving.
And in the seven years since, I’ve continued moving forward. I got a job as a kindergarten teacher, earned a master’s degree in education, and watched my babies grow to 12 and   44  . I certainly have never   45   to put them through this, but in retrospect (回首往事), I’m glad   it happened to me when it did. It helped me grow   46 , confident, and strong — things I’m now hopefully instilling in (灌输) my children. Sometimes life throws you a curve ball, hands you a lemon, or knocks you for a loop (gives you a shock). But knowing how to   47   failure can be the first step to success. This is my latest belief and strategy on how to win in the end.  
36. A. worries B. anxieties     C. troubles      D. honors
37. A. professors    B. students      C. audience     D. neighbours
38. A. saying  B. meaning     C. expressing  D. writing
39. A. but       B. and     C. thus    D. so
40. A. Therefore     B. Yet     C. Besides      D. Even
41. A. excited B. disturbed    C. interested   D. scared
42. A. take      B. bring  C. give    D. get
43. A. regardless of       B. except for   C. in spite of   D. instead of
44. A. seven    B. eight   C. nine    D. ten
45. A. stopped B. chosen       C. turned D. waited
46. A. indifferent   B. careful       C. helpful       D. independent
47. A. put up with  B. keep up with      C. deal with    D. do with

Section B 

Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are 4 words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with a word or phrase that best fits the context.

It was one of the happiest times of my life. I was 29 and had just received my bachelor’s degree, graduating with   36   despite working two jobs and being a wife and mother. My parents and five-year-old son were among the   37   when I walked onto the stage at Ashland University to get my diploma. I was so excited and proud to be starting a teaching career and contributing more to my family’s happiness.

But when I got home that evening, there was a note from my husband,   38  , “I have come to get my clothes and won’t be back.” We’d been having trouble,   39   that note still came as a shock. He had emptied our bank account. We were horribly in debt. I had quit my previous jobs in the hope of finding a teaching position.   40  , I was eight months pregnant.

The reality was so merciless that I was embarrassed,   41  , and angry and felt I had failed. But I had my son, and I was about to   42   a new life into the world. So   43   my deep sadness, I had to go on. The next morning, I woke up, put my feet on the floor, took a deep breath, prepared breakfast, and basically did everything I always did. I used my routine to keep myself moving.

And in the seven years since, I’ve continued moving forward. I got a job as a kindergarten teacher, earned a master’s degree in education, and watched my babies grow to 12 and   44  . I certainly have never   45   to put them through this, but in retrospect (回首往事), I’m glad   it happened to me when it did. It helped me grow   46  , confident, and strong — things I’m now hopefully instilling in (灌输) my children. Sometimes life throws you a curve ball, hands you a lemon, or knocks you for a loop (gives you a shock). But knowing how to   47   failure can be the first step to success. This is my latest belief and strategy on how to win in the end.  

36. A. worries B. anxieties     C. troubles      D. honors

37. A. professors    B. students      C. audience     D. neighbours

38. A. saying  B. meaning     C. expressing  D. writing

39. A. but       B. and     C. thus    D. so

40. A. Therefore     B. Yet     C. Besides      D. Even

41. A. excited B. disturbed    C. interested   D. scared

42. A. take      B. bring  C. give    D. get

43. A. regardless of       B. except for   C. in spite of   D. instead of

44. A. seven    B. eight   C. nine    D. ten

45. A. stopped B. chosen       C. turned D. waited

46. A. indifferent   B. careful       C. helpful       D. independent

47. A. put up with  B. keep up with      C. deal with    D. do with

Section B 

Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are 4 words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with a word or phrase that best fits the context.

It was one of the happiest times of my life. I was 29 and had just received my bachelor’s degree, graduating with   36   despite working two jobs and being a wife and mother. My parents and five-year-old son were among the   37   when I walked onto the stage at Ashland University to get my diploma. I was so excited and proud to be starting a teaching career and contributing more to my family’s happiness.

But when I got home that evening, there was a note from my husband,   38  , “I have come to get my clothes and won’t be back.” We’d been having trouble,   39   that note still came as a shock. He had emptied our bank account. We were horribly in debt. I had quit my previous jobs in the hope of finding a teaching position.   40  , I was eight months pregnant.

The reality was so merciless that I was embarrassed,   41  , and angry and felt I had failed. But I had my son, and I was about to   42   a new life into the world. So   43   my deep sadness, I had to go on. The next morning, I woke up, put my feet on the floor, took a deep breath, prepared breakfast, and basically did everything I always did. I used my routine to keep myself moving.

And in the seven years since, I’ve continued moving forward. I got a job as a kindergarten teacher, earned a master’s degree in education, and watched my babies grow to 12 and   44  . I certainly have never   45   to put them through this, but in retrospect (回首往事), I’m glad   it happened to me when it did. It helped me grow   46  , confident, and strong — things I’m now hopefully instilling in (灌输) my children. Sometimes life throws you a curve ball, hands you a lemon, or knocks you for a loop (gives you a shock). But knowing how to   47   failure can be the first step to success. This is my latest belief and strategy on how to win in the end.  

36. A. worries  B. anxieties      C. troubles       D. honors

37. A. professors     B. students      C. audience      D. neighbours

38. A. saying    B. meaning       C. expressing   D. writing

39. A. but          B. and       C. thus     D. so

40. A. Therefore       B. Yet        C. Besides        D. Even

41. A. excited  B. disturbed     C. interested   D. scared

42. A. take        B. bring    C. give      D. get

43. A. regardless of B. except for    C. in spite of     D. instead of

44. A. seven     B. eight    C. nine      D. ten

45. A. stopped B. chosen          C. turned D. waited

46. A. indifferent      B. careful C. helpful D. independent

47. A. put up with    B. keep up with       

C. deal with      D. do with

When my daughter Kelsey was a child, she loved to join me in the garden. To 36 chaos(混乱)in my own garden beds, I provided her with a space of her own, so Kelsey’s Corner was born. There she was 37 to dig and plant as she wished. Over time, that small piece of land grew into a favorite place in the 38.
As she approached high school, Kelsey took her 39 off the garden. I didn’t 40 to accept this change. It seemed acceptable that something as boring as working in the dirt gave way to the mystery of a(n) 41 social life, so I began to take care of the space. Even so, I knew it always would be Kelsey’s Corner.
Now my daughter is eighteen and is in the 42 weeks of her high school career. Our mailbox is filled with college admission materials, 43 me that the world has come for this young lady and that she will soon answer its 44. Kelsey is looking forward to her wonderful college life 45 her mother and I are anxious about the coming life 46 our daughter around.
Kelsey’s Corner seems extremely deserted in this early spring 47 Kelsey’s leaving. One morning, when I 48 past Kelsey’s Corner, I noticed some green seedlings had 49 at the foot of some dead stalks(秆).
It’s 50 that life is a cycle. Kelsey’s leaving is 51 one point on the cycle. Now the life wheel will roll with Kelsey as she 52 into her adult life.
Let her live as she will and let her 53 when she can, and whether she comes alone or in 54, she will be welcome home. I’ll take care of Kelsey’s Corner faithfully. It will also cycle annually, rolling on towards a 55 stage of our lives, one that promises a rich harvest.