完形填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）

Another person’s enthusiasm was what set me moving toward the success I have achieved. That person was my stepmother.

I was nine years old when she entered our home in rural Virginia. My father  __36__  me to her with these words: “ I would like you to meet the fellow who is ­­­­­__37__ for being the worst boy in this country and will probably start throwing rocks at you no __38__ than tomorrow morning.”

My stepmother walked over to me, __39__ my head slightly upward, and looked me right in the eye. Then she looked at my father and replied, “You are __40__. This is not the worst boy at all, __41__ the smartest one who hasn’t yet found an outlet(释放的途径) for his enthusiasm.

That statement began a(n) __42__ between us. No one had ever called me smart. My family and neighbors had built me up in my __43__ as a bad boy. My stepmother changed all that.

She changed many things. She __44__ my father to go to a dental school, from which he graduated with honors. She moved our family into the county seat, where my father’s career could be more __45__ and my brother and I could be better __46__.

When I turned fourteen, she bought me a secondhand __47__ and told me that she believed that I could become a writer. I knew her enthusiasm, I __48__ it, and I saw how it had improved our lives. I accepted her __49__ and began to write for local newspapers. I was doing the same kind of _ 50__ that great day I went to interview Andrew Carnegie and received the task which became my life’s work later. I wasn’t the __51__ beneficiary (受益者). My father became the __52__ man in town. My brother and stepbrothers became a physician, a dentist, a lawyer, and a college president.

What power _53__ has! When that power is released to support the certainty of one’s purpose and is __54__ strengthened by faith, it becomes an irresistible(不可抗拒的) force which poverty and temporary defeat can never __55__ .

You can communicate that power to anyone who needs it. This is probably the greatest work you can do with your enthusiasm.

1.                A．rushed         B．sent           C．carried   D．introduced

2.                A．distinguished    B．favored         C．mistaken  D．rewarded

3.                A．sooner         B．later           C．longer    D．earlier

4.                A．dragged        B．shook          C．raised    D．bent

5.                A．perfect         B．right           C．wrong    D．impolite

6.                A．but            B．so             C．and  D．or

7.                A．agreement      B．friendship       C．gap  D．relationship

8.                A．opinion         B．image          C．expectation   D．mind

9.                A．begged         B．persuaded      C．ordered  D．invited

10.               A．successful      B．meaningful      C．helpful    D．useful

11.               A．treated         B．entertained     C．educated  D．respected

12.               A．camera         B．radio          C．bicycle    D．typewriter

13.               A．considered      B．suspected       C．ignored   D．appreciated

14.               A．belief          B．request        C．criticism   D．description

15.               A．teaching        B．writing         C．studying   D．reading

16.               A．next           B．same          C．only  D．real

17.               A．cleverest       B．wealthiest       C．strongest  D．healthiest

18.               A．enthusiasm      B．sympathy       C．fortune   D．confidence

19.               A．deliberately     B．happily         C．traditionally    D．constantly

20.               A．win            B．reach          C．match D．doubt

完形填空

　　Many years ago, when I was a man in my twenties, I worked as a salesman for a piano company.

　　We 1 our pianos all over the state by advertising in small town 2 .Every time we advertised, we would receive a reply on a postcard which said,“Please 3 me a new piano for my little granddaughter. It 4 be red mahogany（红木）. I can pay $10 a month with my egg money.”Of course, we could not sell a(n) 5 piano for $10 a month. 6 her cards kept on coming.

　　A couple of years later, I 7 my own piano company, and when I 8 in that area, the postcards started coming to me. For months, I ignored（不理睬） 9 --what else could I do?

　　But then, one day I 10 to be in the area. I had a red mahogany piano on my little truck. Despite knowing that I was about to 11 a terrible business decision, I managed to find the old woman and took the new piano in her house and placed it 12 I thought the roof would be least likely to rain on it. I told her and a little barefoot girl to try to 13 the chickens off it, and I left sure I had just 14 a new piano.

　　But the 15 came in, all 52 of them as agreed, sometimes with coins. It was unbelievable!

　　Then one day I was in Memphis on 16 business. As I was sitting at the bar having a drink, I heard the most beautiful piano music behind me. I looked 17 ,and there was a lovely young woman 18 a very nice ground piano.

　　She smiled at me, asked for requests, and when she took a 19 she sat down at my table.

　　“Aren't you the man who sold my grandma a piano a long time ago?”

　　I suddenly remembered. My Lord, it was her! It was the little barefoot girl!

　　I did have to go to my room because men don't like to be 20 crying public.