As a young man, Al was a skilled artist, a potter. He had a wife and two fine sons. One night, his oldest son   36   a severe stomachache and died suddenly. To make matters worse, his wife left him a short time later,   37   him alone with his six-year- old younger son. The hurt and pain of the two situations were _ 38 _ Al could handle, and he _ 39   to alcohol. Al began to lose everything he possessed---his home, his land, his art objects, everything.   40   he died alone in a San Francisco motel room.

When I heard of Al’s death, I reacted with the same disdain（蔑视）the world shows for one who ends his life with nothing   41 _ left. “What a complete failure!” I thought. “What a totally   42__   life!”

As time went by, I began to re-evaluate my earlier _ 43   judgment. You see, I knew Al’s now adult son, Ernie. He is one of the kindest, most   44   most loving men I have ever known. I watched Ernie with his children and saw the free   45   of the love between them. I knew that kindness and caring had to come   46   somewhere.

I hadn’t heard Ernie talk much about his father. It is so hard to   47   an alcoholic. One day I get up my   48   to ask him. “I’m really puzzled by something,” I said. “I know your father was basically the only one to   49   you.   50   on earth did he do that you became such a special person?

Ernie sat _ 51 _ and thought for a few moments. Then he said, “From my  _52    memories as a child until I left home at 18, Al came into my room every night, gave me a __53   and said, “I love you, son.”

Tears came to my eyes as I realized what a fool I had been to   54   Al as a failure. He had not left any material possession behind,   55   he left behind one of the finest, most giving men I have ever known.

1.A. obtained         B. developed      C. cured            D. recovered

2. A. taking          B. locking            C. finding      D. leaving

3.A. more than        B. less than          C. other than   D. rather than

4. A. got             B. turned         C. loved            D. changed

5.A. Luckily          B. Suddenly          C. Eventually       D. Jokingly

6. A. material        B. expensive      C. real         D. special

7.A. happy            B. thoughtful     C. deserted     D. wasted

8.A. angry            B. sharp          C. actual           D. proper

9.A. handsome         B. rich             C. caring            D. ordinary

10.A. flow            B. rise              C. fly               D. move

11.A. out             B. from           C. up           D. down

12.A. defend          B. become        C. discuss           D. argue

13.A. confidence          B. courage           C. belief            D. strength

14. A. feed           B. love              C. care          D. raise

15.A. How                 B. What              C. Why           D. Which

16. A. angrily      B. comfortably         C. quietly          D. excitedly

17.A. earliest      B. nearest         C. best         D. hardest

18.A. pat           B. lesson          C. kiss         D. present

19.A. judge     B. say             C. remember     D. respect

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