I was born and brought up in the small town of Pineville, which I left at the age of sixteen. Twenty years　　1　　I found myself back on a visit. I went to see my　　2　 friend Tom Clark, who, active as ever, was chairman of the local　　3　 . He was busy preparing to welcome　　4 　 writer, invited to give a talk on modern literature in the public library　 5　 evening. Since I happened to have read his works, when Tom invited me to go with him I　 6　 accepted.

Tom was going to　　7　 the guest speaker to the audience. Therefore we went a little　　8　 to greet him. As the honored guest had not yet　 9　 , I left Tom and went into the main reading room　　10　 a large crowd had gathered. I was disappointed to find that I didn't　 11 　 a single person there. So I found a seat in the corner and　　12 　 patiently waiting.

When it was just about time for the　　13 　 to begin, I saw Tom standing at the doorway making a sign for　　14　 to come out. He looked worried. So I got up immediately and went out to him. He 　 15　 that he had just had a　 16　 from the writer's secretary. Our guest speaker had missed his　 17 　 and would not be arriving! While we were thinking about the problem, Tom suddenly asked me　 18 　 mind filling in as a speaker. I　 19　 had time to think about the matter when all at once I found I was being　　20 　 back into the reading room to speak to the waiting audience!

1. A. ago B. before C. earlier D. later

2. A. new B. old C. forgotten D. welcome

3. A. school B. restaurant C. market D. club

4. A. a well-known B. an unknown C. a local D. an ordinary

5. A. every B. one C. that very D. any other

6. A. gladly B. sadly C. had D. was

7. A. direct B. move C. introduce D. describe

8. A. early B. later C. late D. soon

9. A. spoken B. rested C. eaten D. arrived

10. A. although B. where C. after D. since

11. A. say B. receive C. meet D. know

12. A. sat B. stood C. lay D. hid

13. A. party B. show C. talk D. dinner

14. A. him B. everybody C. me D. the guest

15. A. suggested B. explained C. introduced D. insisted

16. A. greeting card B. telephone call C. picture D. present

17. A. way B. flight C. speech D. time

18. A. that I should B. whether to C. not to D. if I would

19. A. hardly B. still C. already D. quickly

20. A. sent B. driven C. led D. carried

　　I arrived in the United States on February 6,1997, but I remember my first day there very clearly. My friend was waiting for me when my plane 1 at Kennedy Airport at three o'clock in the afternoon. The weather was very cold and it was snowing, but I was 2 excited to mind. From the airport, my friend and I 3 a taxi to my hotel. On the way, I saw the skyline of Manhattan for the first time and I stared 4 astonishment at the famous skyscrapers and their 5 beauty. My friend helped me unpack at the hotel and then 6 me because he 7 go back to work. He 8 to return the next day.

　　 9 my friend had left, I went to a restaurant near the hotel to get something to eat. Because I 10 speak a word of English, I couldn't 11 the waiter what I wanted. I was very upset and 12 to make some gestures, 13 the waiter didn't understand me. Finally, I 14 the same thing as the man 15 the next table was eating. After dinner, I started to walk along Broadway 16 I came to Time Square with its movie theatres, and huge 17 people. I didn't feel tired so I continued to walk 18 the city. When I returned to the hotel, I couldn't sleep because I 19 hearing the fire and police sirens (汽笛) during the night. I 20 awake and thought about New York. I decided that I had to learn to speak English.

1．

[　　]

2．

[　　]

3．

[　　]

4．

[　　]

5．

[　　]

6．

[　　]

7．

[　　]

8．

[　　]

9．

[　　]

10．

[　　]

11．

[　　]

12．

[　　]

13．

[　　]

14．

[　　]

15．

[　　]

16．

[　　]

17．

[　　]

18．

[　　]

19．

[　　]

20．

[　　]