The year was 1964. A man I worked with had   1    a couple of 1963 Chicago Bears-inscribed (题写) footballs and was selling them at a real   2    price. My first son was on the way. I bought the football as his "coming home from the hospital"    3   , and it was something truly special.

Several years later, young Tom was rummaging (乱翻) around in the garage  4   he came across the 1963 Chicago Bears-inscribed football. He asked if he could play with it. I 5   to him that he was still a bit too   6   to play carefully with such a special ball. We had the same   7   several more times in the next few months, and soon the requests  8 away.

The next fall, after watching a football game on television, Tom asked, "Dad,   9    that football you have in the garage? Can I use it to play with the guys now?" And I replied, "Tom, you don't just go out and   10   throw around a 1963 Chicago bears-inscribed football.  I told you before: it's special. "

  11   it wasn't special any more. I stood   12   in the garage. It had been a long time since the boys moved away from home, and suddenly I   13   that the football had never been so special at all. Children playing with it when it was their   14   to play is what would have made it special. I had blown those   15   moments that can never be reclaimed(找回), and I had   16   a football.   17   what?

    I took the football across the street and gave it to a   18   with young kids. A couple of hours later I looked out of the window. They were   19  , catching and kicking my 1963 Chicago Bears-inscribed football.

    Now it was   20  .

1. A. acquired        B. required             C. produced           D. stored

2. A. possible                B. reasonable         C. good                 D. low

3. A. mark                    B. blessing             C. honor                D. gift

4. A. once                    B. when                C. before               D. until

5. A. referred                B. warned              C. shouted             D. explained

6. A. amateur                B. young               C. weak                D. soon

7. A. adjustment            B. argument           C. conversation      D. discussion

8. A. faded                   B. ran                    C. floated                     D. went

9. A. recall                    B. take                  C. remember          D. collect

10. A. normally            B. happily              C. carefully            D. casually

11. A. But                     B. And                  C. So                    D. As

12. A. again                  B. once                 C. alone                 D. still

13. A. realized               B. doubted         C. considered               D. concluded

14. A. pleasure              B. right            C. chance          D. time

15. A. short                  B. precious        C. important          D. consistent（相容的）

16. A. saved                 B. hidden          C. damaged         D. bought

17. A. On                            B. Of             C. For             D. With

18. A. group                 B. family               C. school               D. kindergarten

19. A. throwing             B. holding              C. betting                     D. sharing

20. A. worthless            B. expensive          C. gone                 D. special

The year was 1964. A man I worked with had   1    a couple of 1963 Chicago Bears-inscribed (题写) footballs and was selling them at a real   2    price. My first son was on the way. I bought the football as his "coming home from the hospital"    3   , and it was something truly special.

Several years later, young Tom was rummaging (乱翻) around in the garage  4   he came across the 1963 Chicago Bears-inscribed football. He asked if he could play with it. I 5   to him that he was still a bit too   6   to play carefully with such a special ball. We had the same   7   several more times in the next few months, and soon the requests  8 away.

The next fall, after watching a football game on television, Tom asked, "Dad,   9    that football you have in the garage? Can I use it to play with the guys now?" And I replied, "Tom, you don't just go out and   10   throw around a 1963 Chicago bears-inscribed football.  I told you before: it's special. "

  11   it wasn't special any more. I stood   12   in the garage. It had been a long time since the boys moved away from home, and suddenly I   13   that the football had never been so special at all. Children playing with it when it was their   14   to play is what would have made it special. I had blown those   15   moments that can never be reclaimed(找回), and I had   16   a football.   17   what?

    I took the football across the street and gave it to a   18   with young kids. A couple of hours later I looked out of the window. They were   19  , catching and kicking my 1963 Chicago Bears-inscribed football.

    Now it was   20  .

1. A. acquired        B. required             C. produced           D. stored

2. A. possible         B. reasonable         C. good                 D. low

3. A. mark                    B. blessing             C. honor                D. gift

4. A. once                    B. when                C. before               D. until

5. A. referred                B. warned              C. shouted             D. explained

6. A. amateur                B. young               C. weak                D. soon

7. A. adjustment            B. argument           C. conversation      D. discussion

8. A. faded                   B. ran                    C. floated                     D. went

9. A. recall                    B. take                  C. remember          D. collect

10. A. normally            B. happily              C. carefully            D. casually

11. A. But                     B. And                  C. So                    D. As

12. A. again                  B. once                 C. alone                 D. still

13. A. realized               B. doubted         C. considered               D. concluded

14. A. pleasure              B. right            C. chance          D. time

15. A. short                  B. precious        C. important          D. consistent（相容的）

16. A. saved                 B. hidden          C. damaged         D. bought

17. A. On                            B. Of             C. For             D. With

18. A. group                 B. family               C. school               D. kindergarten

19. A. throwing             B. holding              C. betting                     D. sharing

20. A. worthless            B. expensive          C. gone                 D. special