My 8­year­old son，Kevin，has made friends with some boys in the neighborhood. He has been 36    with them after school. My wife，and I are 37    he has other kids to be with and we have __38__ and encouraged him to play with his friends. We also want Kevin to learn __39__，so we have asked him to tell us __40__ he's going and to come home at a specified time.

The __41__ started when Kevin didn't come home on time. On one occasion，I asked Kevin to be back at 6 pm. By 6：30，I needed to go __42__ him. I found him at a friend's house，and he looked 43    that he couldn't continue playing. After we came home，I sat  Kevin down for a talk about the _44  _ of  keeping his word. I told him I was not worried about his arriving a few __45__ late， after a half hour， he told me he understood and I was _46_  _.

The next day，I came home from work at about 6:30 pm and my wife asked me to go and get Kevin back __47__ she said he should be back home at 6. I walked to his friend's house and a look of __48__ appeared on Kevin's face when he came to the door.

At __49__，my wife and I spoke to Kevin about why he didn't come home on time again. He said he just wanted to _50__ playing. This was __51__，so we decided to ground(罚不准出门)him for a week. This __52_ no playing with his friends.

For the next week，whenever his friends came to ask for Kevin，we let him __53__ to them that he was grounded. We felt this would help him be responsible for his __54__.

As a __55__，I believe one of the most important things we can teach our kids is self-responsibility and that actions have consequences.

完形填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，共30分）

      阅读下面短文，从短文后所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出可以填入空白出的最佳选项。

?After 42-year-old guy Tom had quitted his job, he began to make up his mind to become a freelance (self-employed) writer, no one could tell for sure whether he would succeed or not．He found a cold storage room in a building, set up a(n)  21  typewriter and settled down to work．

    After a year or so, however, Tom began to  22  himself．He found it was difficult to earn his living by  23  what he wrote．But Tom determined to put his dream to the test —  24  it meant living with uncertainty and fear of  25 ．This is the shadowland of hope, and  26  with a dream must learn to live there．

    One day Tom got a call, “We need a(n)  27 , and we’re paying $6,000 a year．” $6,000 was  28  money in 1960．It would enable Tom to get a nice apartment, a used car and more． 29 , he could write on the side． 30  the dollars were dancing in Tom’s head, something  31  his senses．He had dreamed of being a  32  — full time．“Thanks, but no,” Tom said  33 ．“I’m going to stick it out and write．”

    After Tom got off the phone, he  34  everything he had: two cans of vegetables and 18 cents．Tom put the cans and cents into a  35  bag, saying to himself, “There’s everything you’ve made of yourself so far．”

　　Finally his work was  36  in 1970．Instantly he had the kind of fame and success that  37  writers ever experience．The shadows had turned into limelight．

　　Then one day, Tom  38  a box filled with things he had owned years before． 39  was a paper bag with two cans and 18 cents．Suddenly he  40 himself working in that cold storage room．It reminds Tom, and anyone with a dream, of the courage and persistence it takes to stay the course in the shadowland．

1.A．excellent        B．used           C．expensive      D．priceless

2.A．regret           B．hate           C．doubt          D．trust

3.A．selling          B．buying         C．reading        D．appreciating

4.A．Now that         B．What if        C．As if          D．Even though

5.A．success          B．failure        C．perspiration   D．loss

6.A．someone          B．none           C．nobody         D．anyone

7.A．boss             B．assistant      C．manager        D．writer

8.A．false            B．little         C．real           D．high

9.A．However          B．Still          C．Besides        D．Therefore

10.A．As              B．But            C．If             D．Because

11.A．hurt            B．destroyed      C．cleared        D．struck

12.A．driver          B．assistant      C．writer         D．dancer

13.A．hesitantly      B．firmly         C．slowly         D．hurriedly

14.A．pulled out      B．pulled apart   C．pulled back    D．pulled down

15.A．cloth           B．metal          C．plastic        D．paper

16.A．written         B．published      C．completed      D．punished

17.A．few             B．great          C．famous         D．poor

18.A．sought          B．searched       C．found          D．picked

19.A．Above           B．Below          C．Outside        D．Inside

20.A．called    B．pictured C．described    D．reminded

A water bearer in India had two large pots; each hung on the ends of a pole. The water bearer often carried the pole __36__ his neck. One of the pots had a crack(裂缝) in it, __37__ the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot __38__ only half full. For a full two years, this went on __39__， with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his house.

Of course, the perfect pot was __40__ of its advantages. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and __41__ that it was able to __42__ only half of what it had been made to do. __43__ two years of what sensed to be a bitter __44__， it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. “I am ashamed of myself, and I want to __45__ to you. I have been able to __46__ only half my load because this crack in my side __47__ water to leak out all the way back to your house. Because of my __48__， you have to do a lot of this work, and you don't get full value from your __49__，” the pot said.

The bearer said to the pot, “Did you __50__ that there were flowers only on your side of the path, __51__ not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always __52__ your fault, and I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you've __53__ them.

For two years I have been able to __54__ these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the __55__ you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house.”

36．A.above　　 B．over　　　 C．across　　　 D．through

37．A.as　　　　　　 B．while　 　　 C．when　　　　 D．so

38．A.arrived　　　 B．realized　　　　　 C. made　 　　 　D．concluded

39．A.weekly　　 B．daily　　　 　 C．monthly　　　 D．yearly

40．A.ashamed 　　　　 B．proud　　　 C．happy　 　　　　　 D．disappointed

41．A.sad　　　　　 B．pleased　　　　 　 C．comfortable　　 D．safe

42．A.admit　　 B．achieve　　 C．reduce D．attract

43．A.Before　　　　 B. Since　　　 C．After　　　 D．By

44．A.failure　　　 B．success　　　　 C．excitement 　　 　D．satisfaction

45．A.apologize　　 　　 B. talk　　　　　 C．admit　　　 D．apply

46．A.develop B．permit　 C．depend　　　 D．deliver

47．A.takes　　　　 B．causes　　　　 C．makes　　　 D．reminds

48．A.fault　　　 B．success　　　　 C．kindness　　 D．sorrow

49．A.effects　　　 B．efforts　　　　 C．operation　　　 D．attempt

50．A.look　 　　　 B．pay　　　　 C．notice　　　　 D．watch

51．A.but　　　　　 B．and　　　　　　 C．since　　　 D．after

52. A．known about B．told about C．worried about　 D．come about

53．A.cared　　　　 B．watered　　 　　 C．planted　　　　 D．pulled

54．A.pick　　 B．buy　 C．sell D．borrow

55．A.attitude　　　　　 B．way　　　　 　　 C．measure　　　　　 D．appearance

I had a bad habit of skipping to the last pages of a book. I just wanted to see how it ended 36 I was still in the middle of it. This habit 37 first my mom, then my friends, and 38 even my own daughter. Often my 39 wouldn’t be limited just to the books I read but also to what others were 40 as well. Then one day my daughter told me in anger, “Dad, please just read a book one 41 at a time like everyone else!”

At times I didn’t 42 this bad habit to just books either. I also tried to skip ahead in my own life and 43 out what to do months and even years from now 44 enjoying each day at present. Although I knew that the 45 of my life wasn’t done yet and that I had many

pages 46 to go, I still couldn’t control my burning desire to write the 47 of it half-way through. Time and again, I would 48 jump ahead and try to solve every potential(潜在的) problem before it happened. Life, 49 , doesn’t work like that. It loves to 50 us, and you never know what new problems, changes, or opportunities each new day will 51 .

Recently when I found myself living in the 52 again, I felt a voice that gently told me I needed to “live one day at a time.” When I heard those words, I 53 , turned the book of my life back to the 54 page, and thanked God for today.

Each of us has to 55 the book of life line by line, moment by moment and trust that our story will be brought to its perfect end.

36. A. since　　　　　　　　 B. for　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. while　　　　　　　　　　　 D. because

37. A. confused　　　 　　 B. annoyed　　　　 C. delighted　　　　 　　 D. embarrassed

38. A. usually　　 　 B. obviously　　　 C. accidentally　　　 　　　 D. finally

39. A. impatience B. misunderstanding C. disappointment　 　　　 D. disagreement

40. A. saying　　　　 　　 B. reading　　　　 C. doing　　　　　　 　　 D. watching

41. A. page　　 　　　　　　 B. copy　 　　　　　　　　 C. chapter　　　 　　 D. edition

42. A. contribute　　 　　　 B. devote　　　　 　 C. apply　　　　　 　 D. limit

43. A. try　　　　　 　　　 B. figure　　　　　 C. let　　　　　 　　 D. turn

44. A. on the part of　 B. other than　　　 　 C. instead of　　　　 　　 D. on the basis of

45. A. book　　　 　　 B. river　　　　　 　 C. picture　　　　　 D. play

46. A. forgotten　　 　　　 B. left　　　　　　 C. kept　　　　　　 D. regretted

47. A. feelings　　　 　　 B. beginning 　　　 　　　　C. ending　　　　　 D. comments

48. A. consciously　　 　　 B. strangely　　　　 　　 C. foolishly　　　　 D. critically

49. A. otherwise　　 B. moreover 　　　　　　 C. therefore　　　　 　　　 D. however

50. A. surprise　　　 　　 B. cheat　　　　　　 　　 C. satisfy　　　　　 D. frighten

51. A. make　　　　 　　 B. bring　　　　　　 　　　 C. take　　　　　　 D. award

52. A. present　　　　 B. future　　　　　 　　 C. memory　　 　　 D. dream

53. A. cheered　　　 　　 B. cried　　　　　　 　　　 C. lost　　　　　　 D. smiled

54. A. exciting　　　 　　 B. hopeful　　　　 　 C. favorite　　　　　 　　　 D. right

55. A. write　　　 　 B. review　　　　　 C. explain　　　　 D. translate

We were the only family with children in the restaurant. I sat Eric in a high chair and noticed everyone was quietly eating and talking. Suddenly, Eric screamed with 36 and said, “Hi there.” His fat baby hands hit the high chair tray, and his eyes were wide with excitement.

I looked around and saw the 37 of his enjoyment. It was an old man with a worn and oily coat. And his hair was uncombed and unwashed. I was sure he 　38 . His hand waved. “Hi there, baby; I see ya,” the man said to Eric.

My husband and I 39 　looks. Eric continued to laugh and answer, “Hi, there.” Everyone in the restaurant noticed this. My husband and I were embarrassed.

We finally got through the meal and 　40 　 the door. My husband went to pay the check and told me to meet him in the parking lot. The old man sat between me and the door. “Lord, just let me out of here before he speaks to me or Eric,” I prayed. As I drew closer to the man, I turned my back trying to sidestep him and avoid any air he might be 41 . As I did so, Eric leaned over my arm, reaching with both arms in a baby's “pick-me-up” position. Before I could stop him, he had 　42 himself to the man's arms．Eric, in an act of total 43 , and love, laid his tiny head upon the man's torn shoulder.

His 　44 　hands full of dirt, pain and hard labor gently, so gently, cradled my baby's waist and patted his back. I stood amazed. After a while, he pushed Eric from his chest 45 as though he were in pain, saying “God bless you, ma'am. You've given me the best Christmas gift.”

I had just witnessed a genuine (pure or true) love shown through the innocence of a tiny child who saw no sin, who made no 46 . The ragged old man, unknowingly, had reminded me that a genuine love is one in which the true meaning of love is 47 .

36. A. surprise　　　 B. delight　　　 C. anger　　　　 　　 D. nerve

37. A. source　　　　 　　　 B. reason　　　 C. effect　　　　　 　 D. resource

38. A. smiled　　　 　 B. mopped　　 C. smelled　　　　　 D. wiped

39. A. consulted　　 B. exchanged　 C. separated　　　　 D. replaced

40. A. ran for　　　 B. headed for　 　 C. sent for　　　　 D. accounted for

41. A. breathing　　 B. fighting　　 　 C. creating　　　　 D. holding

42. A. thrown　　　 　 B. devoted　　 　 C. driven　　　　　 　 D. jumped

43. A. independence 　　 B. desire　　　 C. trust　　　　　　 D. dignity

44. A. allergic　　　 B. strong　　　 　 C. smart　　　　　 　D. aged

45. A. eagerly　　　 B. violently　　 C. gladly　　　　 　　　 D. unwillingly

46. A. judgment　　 　 B. decision　　 C. conclusion　　　 　 D. choice

47. A. sharpened　　 　 B refreshed　　 　 C. realized　　　　 　　 D. learned