The other two areas in which the two varieties 49_____________ are spelling and pronunciation. American spelling seems 50___________: center, color and program instead of centre, colour and programme. Many factors have 51___________ American pronunciation since the first 52____________ arrived four hundred years ago. The accent, which is most 53___________ to British English, can be heard on the East Coast of the US. When the Irish writer George Bernard Shaw made the famous 54___________ that the British and the Americans are two nations 55__________ by a common language, he was 56___________ thinking about the differences. But are they really so important? After all, there is probably as much 57____________ of pronunciation within the two countries as between them. A Londoner has more 58_____________ understanding a Scotsman from Glasgow than understanding a New Yorker.

I work as a volunteer for an organization that helps the poor in Haiti. Recently I took my son Barrett there for a week, hoping to 　　21　 　him.

Before setting out, I told Barrett this trip would be tiring and 　　22　 . For the first two days, he said almost nothing. I worried the trip was too 　　23　 for a 17-year-old. Then on day three, as we were climbing　 over high rocky mountains, he turned to me and grinned(咧嘴笑),“Pretty hard.”

After that there was no turning back. A five-year-old girl, wearing a dress several sizes 　 24　　 large and broken shoes, followed Barrett around, mesmerized(着迷的). He couldn’t stop 　　25　 . Later he said 　　26　 , “I wish I could speak French.” I was 　　27　 　－this from a boy who hated and fought against　French classes throughout school.

Usually silent, he befriended Gaby, our host, and kept asking questions about the country and its people. He blossomed(活泼起来).

　 28　 , the moment that really took 　　29　 　breath away occurred in a village deep in the mountains. I was 　　30　 　 a woman villager for an article. 135 centimeters tall, she was small in figure but strong in will. Through determination, she had learned to read and write and 　　31　 to become part of the leadership of the 　　32　 .

Learning her story, Barrett was as 　　33　　 　as I by this tiny woman’s achievements. His eyes were wet and there was a 　　34　 　of love and respect on his face. He had finally understood the importance of my work.

When leaving for home, Barrett even offered to stay behind as a volunteer. My insides suddenly felt struck. This 　　35　 　achieved all I’d expected. Soon he will celebrate his 18^th birthday. He’ll be a man.

21. A. comfort　　　 　　 　B. please　　　 　　 　C. attract 　　　　　　D. educate

22. A. hard　　　　　 　　B. dangerous　　　　 C. troublesome　　　D. violent

23. A. little　　　　　　 　　 B. much　　　　　　 　　C. fast　　　　　　 　　 D. slow

24. A. too　　 　　　　 　　B. very　　　　　　 　　 　C. even　　　　　　 　　D. so

25. A. joking　　　 　　　　B. crying　　　　　 　　 C. shouting　　　　 　D. smiling

26. A. patiently　　 　 　　B. regretfully　　 　C. lightly　　　　 　D. cheerfully

27. A. ashamed　　　　 　　B. disappointed　 　 　C. determined　 　　 D. surprised

28. A. Thus　　　　　　 　　 　B. Even　　　　　　 　　　C. Meanwhile　　　 　D. However

29. A. my　 　　　　　　 　　B. his　　　　　　　 　　 　　C. our　　　　　　　 　　 D. her

30. A. asking　 　　　　　B. interviewing　 　　　C. arranging　 　　D. describing

31. A. appeared　 　　　B. struggled　 　　　　C. hesitated　 　　D. failed

32. A. village　 　　　　　B. city　 　　　　　　C. organization　 　D. state

33. A. pleased　 　　　　B. bored　 　　　　　C. puzzled　 　　　　D. touched

34. A. combination　 　　B. composition　 　　C. connection　 　　D. satisfaction

35. A. interview　 　　　B. flight　 　　　　　C. article　 　　　　D. trip

20. ---What do you think about the accident? ---____ It’s frightening even to think about.

A. It’s terrific!　 　　　　　　　　　B. It’s a nightmare. 　

C. I don’t enjoy it!　　 　 　　　　　　D. It’s hard to say.

19. The water _____ cool when I jumped into the pool for morning exercise.

A. was felt　 　　　　B. is felt　 　　　　C. felt　　　　 　　D. feels

18. She told me she had met you in Shanghai two years before. ___ you ____ her since?

A. Had met　　 　　　B. Did; see　 　　　C. Have; seen　 　　D. would; meet

17. In our factory there are 2,000 workers, two thirds of ____are women. A. them 　　　　　　B. which 　　　　　C. whom 　　　D. who

16. Believe it or not, there are some words in the English language that native speakers may find ______.

　　 A. being confused　　 　　 B. confused　　 C. to confuse　　　 　　 D. confusing