43. A. watching　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. looking　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. seeing　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. observing

42. A. passed on　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. passed away　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. passed by　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. passed off

41. A. never　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. often　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. sometimes　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. constantly

40. A. paper　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. rubber　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. brush　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. handkerchief

39. A. doing　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. carrying　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. sharing　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. buying

38. A. before　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. when　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. after　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. unless

37. A. children 　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. ducks　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. pond　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. home

36. A. discussion　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. comments　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. quarrels　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. communication

35. The web is fantastic at many things-e-mail, e-commerce, for example. But ________ your name is Amazon or Google, making money has proved hard.

　　 A. if　　 　　　　　　　B. unless　　 　　　　　　　　　　　 C. although　　 　 　　　　D. as long as　

SECTION B (18 marks)

Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with a word or phrase that best fits the context.

　　　　 Last weekend, I was walking across the village green(草坪) when I saw an elderly gentleman on the bench, just　overlooking the duck pond.　I thought he looked a bit forlorn(被遗弃的) so I went over and sat next to him.

　　　　 After a few 　36　 　about how nice the weather was and how there were a lot of ducks in the pond today, he told me how he used to come with his wife and watch the children feed the ducks with their mums.　They didn't have any 　37　 　of their own..So they cherished being together even more.

　　　　 He explained he had been married for 54 years 　38　 　his wife died and how much he missed 　　39　　 　all the little things with her, like　a beautiful sunset. He now lives in a care home.　I remarked at how wonderful it must've been to have been married for so long and to have so many happy memories.　He took out a large 　　40　 　and wiped his eyes and said　he had one regret that in all that time he 　41　 　told her how much he really loved her.

　　　　 He showed me a photograph of them when they were young.　The photo was taken more than 50 years ago.　He couldn't believe how the time had 　42　 . I tried to comfort him by explaining that his wife would be still 　　43　 　over him and he could talk to her 　44　 　he wants and that she knows how much he loved her because she can see into his heart.　

　　　　 The old man tried to 　45　 　for blurting out his life story but I hushed him and said how privileged I felt he could talk to me and how much it meant to me.

　　　　 The 　46　 　I learned from this chance encounter is that we must tell the ones close to us how much we love and care for them and not take them for granted.

　　　　 Don't 　47　 　your kind acts until tomorrow; do them today because time flies.

34.　 Russia’s president fires senior military officers for failing to stop a naval base _________ by wildfires that have killed 48.

　　　 A. being swept　　　　　　　 B. swept　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. to be swept　　　　　　　　　　　 D. having swept