完形填空

阅读下面短文，从短文后所给各题的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

I’m a straight-A student and have been my whole life .When you come from a family of educators, it just seems 　36　 .

With high academic standards and a competitive 　37 , I don’t just like losing and I also can’t 　38 it. I need to beat the 　39 students, perfectly in everything. I’ve even gone so far as to define myself by my 　40 , saying how outstanding I am. If I don’t get the grade I 　 41 then I am lost.

　 Today I was sitting in class trying to 　42 the last minutes studying for a test in which I had to get full marks. 　43 the girl behind me started talking to me, I tried to listen 　44 while still glancing at my study sheet 　45 .When I thought the conversation required it, I smiled, nodded and 　46 . And then I found myself wishing she would be 　47 so I could study .After a while, she said, “You know, you’re a really good 　48　 . You’re so easy to talk to.” I froze.

　 I replayed the praise in my head before smiling and accepting it 　49 . But inside, I knew it wasn’t true .She’d made every effort to have a conversation and I wasn’t even trying to 　50 .

　 I passed the test excellently despite my 　51 of lost study time, but the one thing I needed to learn most wasn’t on that test. I had 　52 being the best student so that I had failed at just being normal. So what 　53 to me most? What I have is all about my personal 　54　 and about me being too self-centered. There can only be so many scholars, but there is 　55 enough sympathy. I want that to be what matters to me --- sympathy.

36.　　　　 A. usual 　　　　　　 B. helpless 　　　　　　 C. unfortunate 　　　　　　 D. natural

37.　　　　 A. spirit　　　　　　　 B. sport　　　　　　　　　 C. school　　　　　　　　　　　 D. market

38.　　　　 A. take　　　　　　　　 B. recommend 　　　 C. stand　　　　　　　　　　　 D. help

39.　　　　 A. ordinary　　　　　 B. top　　　　　　　　　　 C. handsome 　　　　　　　 D. strong

40.　　　　 A. strength　　　　　 B. appearance　　　　 C. grades 　　　　　　　　　　 D. tricks

41.　　　　 A. invent 　　　　　　 B. expect 　　　　　　　 C. copy 　　　　　　　　　　　 D. hide

42.　　　　 A. save 　　　　　　　 B. spend　　　　　　　　 C. collect 　　　　　　　　　　 D. cost

43.　　　　 A. When　　　　　　　 B. After 　　　　　　　　 C. Because 　　　　　　　　　 D. Before

44.　　　　 A. rudely 　　　　　 B. bitterly 　　　　　　　 C. excitedly 　　　　　　　　 D. politely

45.　　　　 A. in no time　　　　 B. on time C. for a long time D. now and then

46.　　　　 A. refused 　　　　　 B. worked 　　　　　　 C. agreed　 　　　　　　　　 D. waited

47.　　　　 A. quiet　　　　　　　 B. gentle　　　　　　　　 C. pretty 　　　　　　　　　　 D. safe

48.　　　　 A. talker　　　　　　　 B. listener 　　　　　　 C. lecturer　　　　　　　　　　 D. teacher

49.　　　　 A. angrily　　　　　　 B. carelessly 　　　　　 C. disappointedly 　　　　 D. gladly

50.　　　　 A. alarm 　　　　　　 B. gather 　　　　　　　 C. participate 　　　　　　　 D. shout

51.　　　　 A. fear　　　　　　　　 B. joy 　　　　　　　　　 C. worry 　　　　　　　　　　 D. possession

52.　　　　 A. given up　　　　　 B. focused on　　　　 C. complained of 　　　　 D. dreamed of

53.　　　　 A. happens 　　　　 B. matters 　　　　　　 C. appeals 　　　　　　　　　 D. devotes

54.　　　　 A. success　　　　　 B. failure　　　　　　　　 C. depression　　　　　　　　 D. health

55.　　　　 A. always 　　　　　 B. ever　　　　　　　　　 C. much　　　　　　　　　　　 D. never

Norah has a cottage on a cliff above a big bay. In winter it could be very nasty because of strong winds and sea spray. In fact, when a gale was blowing, Norah and her husband got used to sleeping in a small room downstairs, because their bedroom upstairs, which faced the gales, had a very big window, and they were afraid that an extra violent gust might break it and blow pieces of broken glass over them.

Also, the salt spray from the sea put an end to many of the colorful plants Norah planted in the garden. She tried putting up a fence to protect them, but the wind just hit it, went up over the top and then down the other side, so in the end she filled the garden with trees and bushes that liked salt.

But most of the summer Norah enjoyed her cottage and garden very much. At weekends she could sit out-of-doors in the sun, looking at the beautiful view, with interesting ships and boats passing by, and she could very easily cycle down to the sea for a swim.

Now, Norah and her husband had plenty of friends and relations. In the summer most of them used to come to enjoy the beautiful place, and in the end it really became quite annoying for Norah and her husband. When they were at home, they found friends and relations arriving, expecting to be given unlimited drinks and meals, and to sit in the sun for hours, talking as if Norah and her husband had nothing else to do but entertain and listen to them.

This went on for several years. Norah did not wish to appear rude by refusing to let her friends and relations in, but on the other hand, she was getting tired every summer.