It’s just a small, white envelope stuck among the branches of our Christmas tree. No name, no identification, no inscription. It has peeked through the branches of our tree for the past 10 years or so.

It all began because my husband Mike hated Christmas — oh, not the true meaning of Christmas, but the commercial aspects of it — overspending... the frantic running around at the last minute to get a tie for Uncle Harry and the dusting powder for Grandma — the gifts given in desperation because you couldn’t think of anything else.

Knowing he felt this way, I decided one year to bypass the usual shirts, sweaters, ties and so forth. I reached for something special just for Mike. The inspiration came in an unusual way.

Our son Kevin, who was 12 that year, was wrestling at the junior level at the school he attended; and shortly before Christmas, there was a non-league match against a team sponsored by an inner-city church. These youngsters, dressed in sneakers so ragged that shoestrings seemed to be the only thing holding them together, presented a sharp contrast to our boys in their spiffy blue and gold uniforms and sparkling new wrestling shoes.

As the match began, I was alarmed to see that the other team was wrestling without headgear, a kind of light helmet designed to protect a wrestler’s ears. It was a luxury the ragtag team obviously could not afford. Well, we ended up walloping them. We took every weight class. And as each of their boys got up from the mat, he swaggered around in his tatters with false bravado, a kind of street pride that couldn’t acknowledge defeat.

Mike, seated beside me, shook his head sadly, “I wish just one of them could have won,” he said. “They have a lot of potential, but losing like this could take the heart right out of them.”

Mike loved kids — all kids — and he knew them, having coached little league football, baseball and lacrosse. That’s when the idea for his present came. That afternoon, I went to a local sporting goods store and bought an assortment of wrestling headgear and shoes and sent the anonymously to the inner-city church.

On Christmas Eve, I placed the envelope on the tree, the note inside telling Mike what I had done and that this was his gift from me. His smile was the brightest thing about Christmas that year and in succeeding years.

For each Christmas, I followed the tradition — one year sending a group of mentally handicapped youngsters to a hockey game, another year a check to a pair of elderly brothers whose home had burned to the ground the week before Christmas, and on and on.

The envelope became the highlight of our Christmas. It was always the last thing opened on Christmas morning and our children, ignoring their new toys, would stand with wide-eyed anticipation as their dad lifted the envelope from the tree to reveal its contents.

As the children grew, the toys gave way to more practical presents, but the envelope never lost its allure. The story doesn’t end there. You see, we lost Mike last year due to dreaded cancer. When Christmas rolled around, I was still so wrapped in grief that I barely got the tree up. But Christmas Eve found me placing an envelope on the tree, and in the morning, it was joined by three more.

Each of our children, unbeknownst to the others, had placed an envelope on the tree for their dad. The tradition has grown and someday will expand even further with our grandchildren standing around the tree with wide-eyed anticipation watching as their fathers take down the envelope. Mike’s spirit, like the Christmas spirit, will always be with us.

55.　 Why did Mike get so bored with Christmas at first?

A.　 People would pour into stores to blindly purchase gifts over Christmas.

B.　 He wasn’t satisfied with the Christmas presents he had ever received.

C.　 People couldn’t come up with any fantastic ideas for Christmas gifts.

D.　 The true meaning of Christmas remained unchanged in people’s minds.

56．The writer mentions what the two teams wore in Paragraph 4 in order to _______.

A.　 show her pride in her children’s present living conditions

B.　 explain the reason why her son’s team won the match

C.　 reflect the financial difficulty of the inner-city church

D.　 express the shock those lower-class teenagers brought her

57. What did Mike mean by saying “losing like this could take the heart right out of them”

(Paragraph 6)?

A．They didn’t care whether they could win the match or not.

B．They didn’t acknowledge the defeat because of the unfairness.

C．Being defeated in this way could make them lose confidence.

D．Being defeated in this way could inspire them to train harder.

58．Mike’s bright smile at the note suggests.
A．what his wife had done as against the Christmas spirit.
B．he thought the very Christmas gift had real significance
C．what was written on the note was easy to understand
D．he was amused by the Christmas tradition of his family.
59．What happened at the first Christmas after Mike’s death?
A．The writer asked her children to follow their family tradition.
B．All the children stood around the Christmas tree with expectation.
C．The writer removed the Christmas tree to avoid thinking of Mike.
D．The children each put an envelope on the Christmas tree for their dad.
60．In the writer’s eyes, the white envelope is a symbol of　　　　 .
A．Mike’s spirit　　　　　 B．children’s love　　　　 C．unusual ideas　　　　　 D．special gifts

My father was raised in a fatherless home at a time when the family of five struggled to survive, which caused my father to be extremely tightfisted(吝啬) with money.
When we children became    16  that other children got pocket money from their parents, we made a(n)   17  to ask our father from some. Immediately his face turned stone-cold, and he said, “If you’re old enough to ask, you’re old enough to    18 .” And we had to seek odd jobs about the neighborhood.
He didn’t    19  his attitude as we grew into adulthood. There was a time when    20  of us had a car, so we had to ride a    21  whenever we came home. Though the bus stopped about two miles from home, Dad never met us, 22  in bad weather. If someone    23  (and my brothers did a lot), he’d say in his    24  father-voice. “That’s what your legs are    25  !”
One spring morning I was on the bus home from    26 . Tests and long hours in labs had    27  me exhausted. As other students were    28  at their stops. I looked silently out of the window. Finally, the bus came to a    29  at my destination, and I    30 , carrying my suitcase to begin the long journey home.
The row of privet hedge(树篱) came into    31 , which lined the driveway that climbed the hill to our house. I stopped to put a book in the suitcase. When I stood up, I saw something gray    32  along the top of the hedge toward the house.
It was the top of my father’s head. I    33  then, each time I came home, he would stand behind the hedge, watching,    34  he knew I had arrived safely. I held back my tears. He did care,   35 .
Upon reaching home, I found my father innocently in his chair. “So! It’s you!” he said, his face lengthening into surprise.

My father was raised in a fatherless home at a time when the family of five struggled to survive, which caused my father to be extremely tightfisted(吝啬) with money.

When we children became    16  that other children got pocket money from their parents, we made a(n)   17  to ask our father from some. Immediately his face turned stone-cold, and he said, “If you’re old enough to ask, you’re old enough to    18 .” And we had to seek odd jobs about the neighborhood.

He didn’t    19  his attitude as we grew into adulthood. There was a time when    20  of us had a car, so we had to ride a    21  whenever we came home. Though the bus stopped about two miles from home, Dad never met us, 22  in bad weather. If someone    23  (and my brothers did a lot), he’d say in his    24  father-voice. “That’s what your legs are    25  !”

One spring morning I was on the bus home from    26 . Tests and long hours in labs had    27  me exhausted. As other students were    28  at their stops. I looked silently out of the window. Finally, the bus came to a    29  at my destination, and I    30 , carrying my suitcase to begin the long journey home.

The row of privet hedge(树篱) came into    31 , which lined the driveway that climbed the hill to our house. I stopped to put a book in the suitcase. When I stood up, I saw something gray    32  along the top of the hedge toward the house.

It was the top of my father’s head. I    33  then, each time I came home, he would stand behind the hedge, watching,    34  he knew I had arrived safely. I held back my tears. He did care,   35 .

Upon reaching home, I found my father innocently in his chair. “So! It’s you!” he said, his face lengthening into surprise.

1.                A．aware          B．certain         C．surprised D．excited

2.                A．attempt         B．suggestion       C．trouble   D．plan

3.                A．spend          B．earn           C．survive   D．raise

4.                A．strengthen      B．soften          C．take D．show

5.                A．neither         B．each           C．all   D．none

6.                A．bicycle         B．car            C．train     D．bus

7.                A．especially       B．only           C．even D．once

8.                A．refused        B．complained      C．cried D．intended

9.                A．strangest       B．lowest          C．softest   D．scariest

10.               A．on            B．in             C．by   D．for

11.               A．work          B．home          C．town D．college

12.               A．led            B．made          C．found D．proved

13.               A．treated         B．received        C．met  D．greeted

14.               A．stop           B．house          C．street D．corner

15.               A．stepped off     B．went off        C．jumped on D．climbed on

16.               A．mind          B．view           C．flower D．leaf

17.               A．shining         B．flying          C．failing D．moving

18.               A．understood     B．thought        C．imagined  D．realized

19.               A．since          B．after           C．until D．though

20.               A．after all        B．above all        C．in advance D．in total

My father was raised in a fatherless home at a time when the family of five struggled to survive, which caused my father to be extremely tightfisted(吝啬) with money.

When we children became 　 16 that other children got pocket money from their parents, we made a(n)　 17 to ask our father from some. Immediately his face turned stone-cold, and he said, “If you’re old enough to ask, you’re old enough to 　 18 .” And we had to seek odd jobs about the neighborhood.

He didn’t 　 19 his attitude as we grew into adulthood. There was a time when 　 20 of us had a car, so we had to ride a 　 21 whenever we came home. Though the bus stopped about two miles from home, Dad never met us,　 22 in bad weather. If someone 　23 (and my brothers did a lot), he’d say in his 　 24 father-voice. “That’s what your legs are 　 25 !”

One spring morning I was on the bus home from 　 26 . Tests and long hours in labs had 　 27 me exhausted. As other students were 　 28 at their stops. I looked silently out of the window. Finally, the bus came to a 　 29 at my destination, and I 　 30 , carrying my suitcase to begin the long journey home.

The row of privet hedge(树篱) came into 　 31 , which lined the driveway that climbed the hill to our house. I stopped to put a book in the suitcase. When I stood up, I saw something gray

　 32 along the top of the hedge toward the house.

It was the top of my father’s head. I 　 33 then, each time I came home, he would stand behind the hedge, watching,　 34 he knew I had arrived safely. I held back my tears. He did care,　 35 .

Upon reaching home, I found my father innocently in his chair. “So! It’s you!” he said, his face lengthening into surprise.

16. A. aware 　　　　　　　 B. certain 　　　　　　　　　 C. surprised 　　　　　　　 D. excited

17. A. attempt 　　　　　　 B. suggestion　　　　　　　 C. trouble　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. plan

18. A. spend　　　　　　　　 B. earn　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. survive　　　　　　　　　　 D. raise

19. A. strengthen　　　　　 B. soften　　　　　　　　　　 C. take　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. show

20. A. neither 　　　　　　 B. each　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. all　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. none

21. A. bicycle　　　　　　　 B. car 　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. train 　　　　　　　　　　　 D. bus

22. A. especially 　　　　 B. only　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. even　　　　　　　　　　　 D. once

23. A. refused　　　　　　　 B. complained　　　　　　　 C. cried　　　　　　　　　　　 D. intended

24. A. strangest　　　　　　 B. lowest　　　　　　　　　　 C. softest　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. scariest

25. A. on 　　　　　　　　　　 B. in　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. by　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. for

26. A. work　　　　　　　　 B. home　　　　　　　　　　　 C. town　　　　　　　　　　　 D. college

27. A. led　　　　　　　　　　 B. made　　　　　　　　　　　 C. found　　　　　　　　　　　 D. proved

28. A. treated　　　　　　　 B. received　　　　　　　　　 C. met　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. greeted

29. A. stop　　　　　　　　　 B. house　　　　　　　　　　　 C. street　　　　　　　　　　　 D. corner

30. A. stepped off　　　　 B. went off　　 　　　　　　 C. jumped on　　　　　　　 D. climbed on

31. A. mind　　　　　　　　　 B. view　　　　　　　　　　　 C. flower　　　　　　　　　　 D. leaf

32. A. shining　　　　　　　 B. flying　　　　　　　　　　　 C. failing　　　　　　　　　　 D. moving

33. A. understood　　　　 B. thought　　　　　　　　　 C. imagined　　　　　　　　 D. realized

34. A. since　　　　　　　　 B. after　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. until 　　　　　　　　　　　 D. though

35. A. after all 　　　　　　 B. above all　　　　　　　　　 C. in advance　　　　　　　 D. in total

III. Cloze   (20 points)

I’d meant to go to Miros that day. I’d packed my bag and was ready. The motor-boat__36__ in on time. The sky was cloudy, but the wind wasn’t too strong for the two-hour __37__. I stood at my window, staring at the boat. Then I lost __38__ of her, an old light-house partly blocked my view of the harbour. A dozen passengers were __39__ their way there. I was about to join them---when a man’s face __40__ at the light-house window.

This was strange, because the light-house had been empty, unused and __41__ for thirty years. It was stranger still---because I’d seen that __42__ before. I couldn’t place it but it was, or had once been, familiar to me. I opened my window and __43__ across.

“I know we’ve met before, but I can’t remember where.”

I __44__ him to open his if he could and answer me. He did neither. The face behind the glass __45__ motionless. Seeing him more clearly now, I knew he was not looking at me. He seemed to be looking upwards, __46__ the clouds. How well I’d known that face, sometime, somewhere!

I __47__ again. “We met years ago. Was it in Athens in the 1950s? I used to live in Plaka.”

He didn’t reply nor give any __48__ that he’d heard. I went back further, to __49__ I was in the navy.” Perhaps we met at sea during the war,” and that thought at once __50__ him to mind. Commander Leftis! He was Commander Leftis of course! How could I have forgotten? I’d saved his life once. But surely he…

The motor-boat __51__ her bell. I turned my eyes. The wind had risen, but she was pulling. __52__. Laughing, I called, “Now I’ve missed her, and it’s your __53__, Commander!’

As the boat drew away, the face at the window faded. __54__ minute it was there, looking up. I could see the whites of the eyes. The __55__ it was gone.

Well, I didn’t rush to the light-house. I knew that Leftis was dead. He died at sea in 1963 or ’64. But there’s one other thing I ought to tell you: the motor-boat never reached Miros. It was lost in a storm, with all the passengers.

36．A．reached    B．arrived     C．went  D．came

37．A．voyage     B．crossing    C．travel       D．boating

38．A．sight B．way   C．patience    D．chances

39．A．searching  B．finding     C．making     D．hurrying

40．A．placed      B．existed      C．occurred   D．appeared

41．A．locked      B．opened     C．rebuilt      D．chained

42．A．man  B．face   C．window    D．light-house

43．A．jumped     B．ran    C．shouted     D．screamed

44．A．expected B．hoped       C．believed    D．asked

45．A．became     B．remained  C．seemed     D．grew

46．A．through    B．after  C．for    D．at

47．A．persuaded B．repeated    C．tried  D．continued

48．A．suggestion       B．answer      C．sign   D．action

49．A．when B．which       C．where       D．how

50．A．kept  B．brought    C．caused      D．changed

51．A．beat  B．rang  C．turned on  D．put on

52．A．up    B．down C．in      D．out

53．A．problem   B．question    C．duty  D．fault

54．A．Each B．Every       C．One   D．Some

55．A．next  B．rest   C．other D．last