完形填空

A lesson in caring

　　It was a cold evening and my daughter and I were walking up Broadway．I didn’t notice a guy sitting inside a cardboard box．But Nora did．She wasn’t even four, but she 　　1　　 at my coat and said, “That man’s cold, Daddy, 　　2　　 we take him home?”

　　I don’t remember my reply．But I do remember a sudden 　　3　　 feeling inside me．I had always been delighted at how much my daughter noticed in her 　　4　　 whether it was 　　5　　 in flight or children playing．But now she was noticing 　　6　　 and beggary．

　　A few days later, I saw an article in the newspaper about volunteers who picked up a food package from a nearby school on a Sunday morning and 　　7　　 it to an elderly person．It was quick and easy．I 　　8　　 us up．Nora was 　　9　　 about it．She could understand the importance of food, so she could easily see how 　　10　　 our job was．When Sunday came, she was ready, but I had to 　　11　　 myself to leave the house to fetch the food package．On the way to the school, I fought an urge to turn 　　12　　．The Sunday paper and coffee were waiting for me at home．Why do this? 　　13　　, we phoned the elderly person we’d been appointed．She 　　14　　 us right over．

　　The building was in a bad state．Facing us was a silver-haired woman in an old dress．She took the package and asked us to come in．Nora ran inside．I unwillingly followed．　　15　　 inside, I saw that the apartment belonged to someone poor．Our hostess showed us some photos．Nora played and when it came time to say good-bye, we three hugged, I walked home in tears．

　　Professionals call such a(n)　　16　　 a “volunteer opportunity”．They are opportunities, and I’ve come to see．Where else but as volunteers do you have the opportunity to do something 　　17　　 that’s good for others as well as for yourself? Nora and I regularly serve meals to needy people and 　　18　　 clothes for the homeless．Yet, as I’ve 　　19　　 her grow over these past four years, I still wonder－which of us has 　　20　　 more?

完形填空

　　I take the train into work every morning from a train station near my house．I can get to the station quite 　　1　　 because there’s a short cut(捷径)to the station．But in the summer, it can get quite smelly because of all the 　　2　　．So I always try to 　　3　　 through it．Today I was trying to do so as usual 　　4　　 something made me stop for a moment．I saw the most beautiful 　　5　　 by an old woman walking in front of me with the help of a white 　　6　　．

　　She was short and 　　7　　 had white hair．She was walking 　　8　　 as each step took some effort．I hadn’t specially noticed her 　　9　　, until she stopped near a rubbish bin．

　　She slowly placed her walking stick 　　10　　 the rubbish bin．Then she leaned(斜倚着)on it with her right hand．She bent down and 　　11　　 the rubbish．She clearly found it 　　12　　 and it took her a while．She 　　13　　 some rubbish with her left hand and slowly straightened herself up again．All the while she used the rubbish bin to 　　14　　 her．She threw the rubbish inside the bin and then 　　15　　 walking．It all took her great effort．

　　There’s so much rubbish and no one ever does 　　16　　 about it．I was moved to 　　17　　 this old woman make such a great effort to keep even a small part of it 　　18　　! I haven’t been able to 　　19　　 thinking about that all day．

　　I want to follow her example．I’ve decided to pick up rubbish off the 　　20　　 if I meet from now on．I hope people will do the same as I do．

完形填空

　　I was tired and hungry after a long day of work．When I walked into the living-room, my 12-year-old son looked up at me and said, “I 　　1　　 you．” I did not 　　2　　 what to say, and I just stood there, looking 　　3　　 at him．My first 　　4　　 was that he 　　5　　 need help with his homework．Then I asked, “What was that all 　　6　　?”

　　“Nothing, ” he said, “My teacher said we should tell our parents we love them and 　　7　　 what they say．”

　　The next day I called his teacher to 　　8　　 more about what my son said and how the other parents had reacted(反应)．“Most of the fathers had the 　　9　　 response as you did,” the teacher said, “When I first 　　10　　 that we try this, I asked the children 　　11　　 they thought their parents 　　12　　 say．Some of them thought their parents would have heart trouble．”

　　Then the teacher 　　13　　, “I want my students to know that feeling love is an important part of 　　14　　．I’m　trying to tell them it’s too bad that we don’t express(表达)our feelings．A boy 　　15　　 tell his father or mother he loves him．” The teacher understands that sometimes it is 　　16　　 for some of us to say something that is good for us to say．

　　That evening when my son 　　17　　 to me, I took him in my arms and held on for an 　　18　　 moment, saying, “Hey, I love you, 　　19　　．” I don’t know if saying that made 　　20　　 of us healthier, but it did feel pretty good．

完型填空

　　My l4-year-old son, John, and I spotted the coat which was hanging at a secondhand clothing store in Northampton Mass．While the other coats drooped(低垂), this one looked as if it were 　　1　　．The coat had beautiful tailoring, a Fifth Avenue label and a(an)　　2　　 price of ＄28, which was popular just then with 　　3　　, but could cost several hundred dollars new．This coat was even better, bearing that 　　4　　 of classic elegance．John tried it on and the fit was perfect．

John 　　5　　 the coat to school the next day and came home wearing a big smile "Did the kids like your coat?" I asked．"They loved it," he said, 　　6　　 folding it over the back of a chair and smoothing it flat．Over the next few weeks, a 　　7　　 came over John．Agreement replaced contrariness(作对)and reasoned discussion replaced fierce 　　8　　．He became more mannerly and 　　9　　, eager to please．He would generously loan his younger brother his tapes and lecture him 　　10　　 his behavior．

　　When I mentioned this incident to his teacher and 　　11　　 what caused the changes, she said laughing．"It 　　12　　 be his coat!" Another teacher told him she was giving him a good 　　13　　 not only because he had earned 　　14　　 but because she liked his coat．At the library, we ran into a friend “Could this be John?" he asked surprisingly, 　　15　　 John's new height, assessing the cut of his 　coat and extending his hand, one gentleman to another．

　　John and I both know we should never 　　16　　 a person's clothes for the real person within them．　　17　　 there is something to be said for wearing a standard of excellence for the world to see and for 　　18　　 what is on the inside to what is on the outside．

　　For John it is a time when it is as easy to try on different approaches to 　　19 　　 as it is to try on a coat．The whole world, the whole future is stretched out ahead, a vast landscape 　　20　　 all the doors are open．And he could picture himself walking through those doors wearing his wonderful, magical coat．

完形填空

　　What a blessing to be alive in a wonderful world of unlimited possibilities．After contracting Hodgkin's disease at seven and being given six months to live, I recovered．I’m not dying of cancer．I’m 　　1　　 with it．　　2　　 what comes my way, I don’t have to be afraid any more．

　　In the second year of high school, the class was scheduled to run the 　　3　　．Due to the swelling and 　　4　　 from surgery on my leg, for two years I hadn't worn shorts and lived in 　　5　　．Yet that day, I was ready－shorts, heart and mind．When the coach yelled, “Ready．Set．Go!” I ran faster than anyone else for the first 20 feet, 　　6　　 to finish first．As we came around the first of four laps, there were students all over the 　　7　　．By the end of the second and third laps, many of the students had already 　　8　　 and were on the ground breathing deeply．By the time I hit the fourth lap, I was 　　9　　．Then it hit me．I realized nobody had given up．　　10　　, everyone had already finished．I cried．12 minutes, 42 seconds after starting, I 　　11　　 the finish line．I fell to the ground, 　　12　　．

　　Suddenly my coach ran up to me and 　　13　　, yelling, “You did it, Manuel．You finished, son．”He looked me 　　14　　 in the eyes, waving a piece of paper in his hand．It was my 　　15　　 for the day, which I had forgotten．He read it aloud to everyone．It simply said, “I, Manuel Diotte, will finish the mile run tomorrow, whatever 　　16　　 come．No 　　17　　 or frustration will stop me．　　18　　 capable of finishing, and with God as strength, I'll finish．”My heart 　　19　　 and tears went away．It was then 　　20　　 I realized winning is not always finishing first．Sometimes winning is just finishing．

完形填空

　　My father brought home a sailboat when I was ten, and almost each Sunday in summers we would go sailing．Dad was quite skilled in sailing, but not good at 　　1　　．As for me, I 　　2　　 both before twelve because of living close to Lake Ontario．

　　The last time Dad and I set sail together is really 　　3　　．It was a perfect weekend after I graduated from university．I came home and 　　4　　 Dad to go sailing．Out we set soon on the 　　5　　 lake．Dad hadn’t sailed for years, but everything 　　6　　 well with the tiller(舵柄)in his hands．

　　When we were in the middle of the lake, a 　　7　　 wind came all of a sudden．The boat was hit 　　8　　．Dad was always at his best in any 　　9　　, but at this moment he 　　10　　．

　　“John! 　　11　　!” he shouted in a trembling voice, with the tiller still in his hands．

　　In my memory he could fix any 　　12　　．He was the one I always 　　13　　 for strength and security．Before I could respond, a 　　14　　 of water got into the boat．I rushed to the tiller 　　15　　 it was too late．Anther huge wall of water 　　16　　 the boat in a minute．We were thrown into the water, and Dad was struggling aimlessly．At that moment, I felt fiercely 　　17　　 of him．

　　I swam to Dad 　　18　　 and assisted him in climbing onto the hull(船壳)of the boat．Upon sitting on the hull, Dad was a little awkward about his flash of 　　19　　．“It’s all right, Dad．We are safe now,” I comforted him．

　　That was the first time Dad had counted on me in a moment of emergency(紧急状况)．More importantly, I found it was my turn to start 　　20　　 for my father．

完形填空

　　Two travelers were riding on horseback through the south of Italy．Towards evening they 　　1　　 they had lost their way．They began to look for a house where they 　　2　　 rest for the night and perhaps find a guide to 　　3　　 them the right way in the morning．

　　After 　　4　　 for some time, they saw a farmhouse．When they 　　5　　 the house, they found a peasant and his wife having supper．They were asked to sit down and 　　6　　 too．As they were very hungry, they did so with pleasure．

　　While eating his supper the peasant kept his eyes on the plate without saying 　　7　　．This made the travelers a little afraid．After supper, the peasant's wife led them up to a storeroom, and showed them a 　　8　　 where they could sleep．Being tired, they soon 　　9　　 their clothes and went to bed．But the younger traveler was too 　　10　　 to go to sleep．He heard the peasant and his wife talking in the room 　　11　　．At first he could not hear any words, but then he 　　12　　 heard the husband say, "Must we kill them both?" and the 　　13　　 reply, "Yes, of course we must．" A moment later, he again heard the peasant 　　14　　 into the room, so he quickly 　　15　　 behind the door．The door slowly 　　16　　, and the peasant came in 　　17　　 a light in one hand and a long knife in the other．He went to the 　　18　　 hanging on the wall, cut off a piece, and returned as 　　19　　 as he had come．The two travelers didn't dare to go to sleep．　　20　　 in the morning they began to flee(逃跑)in the dark through the kitchen, finding on the table a piece of meat cleaned and two chicks killed．

完形填空

　　For a few years, I have been wearing a ring on my right hand．It’s not always the 　　1　　 ring, but it’s always a ring that has 　　2　　 on it so that when I look at it, I’m 　　3　　 or reminded of something important．I have made a 　　4　　 of buying rings like this whenever I see one in a store．Sometimes I give them away as 　　5　　 to someone like Jennie．

　　I first met Jennie in the 　　6　　 waiting room and we had talked several times．One night I sat down beside her and 　　7　　 how her son was doing because I knew that he was in very 　　8　　 condition．She told me that she didn’t know what to do any more because it seemed none of the 　　9　　 from the doctors was good．They weren’t at all sure her son was going to 　　10　　 the accident that had hurt him so badly．With 　　11　　 in her eyes she said, “They’re 　　12　　 my hope．”

　　I knew then that it was 　　13　　 just a coincidence that I was wearing the ring that I had on that day．As she 　　14　　 to talk, I 　　15　　 slipped the ring off my finger and placed it in Jennie’s hand．I told her to wear it to remember that God loved her and He would be with her 　　16　　 all of this．　　17　　 Jennie looked down at the ring, she got excited and then held it tightly, 　　18　　 the word written on the ring was “HOPE”．

　　The last day I was at the hospital, I saw Jennie in the distance as I got on the lift．She 　　19　　 and held up the hand with the ring on it as she called out to me saying, “Look, I 　　20　　 have Hope!”

完形填空

　　One morning I wasted nearly an hour watching a tiny ant carry a huge feather．Several times, it 　　1　　 several obstacles in its path．And after a momentary pause it would make the necessary detour(绕道)．　　2　　 one point, the ant had to cross a crack about 10 mm wide．After some 　　3　　 thoughts, the ant laid the feather over the crack, walked 　　4　　 it and picked the feather up on the other side, then continued on its way．I was 　　5　　 by the cleverness of this ant．It was only a small insect, lacking in 　　6　　 yet equipped with a brain to reason, explore, discover and overcome．　　7　　 this ant, like the other two－legged creatures 　　8　　 on the earth, also shares human failings．

　　After some time the ant 　　9　　 reached its destination－a flower bed and a small hole that was the entrance to its 　　10　　 home．It was there that the ant met its 　　11　　．How could that large feather possibly 　　12　　 such a small hole? Of course, it couldn't．So the ant, after all this 　　13　　 and using great brightness, overcoming problems all along the way, just gave up the 　　14　　 and went home．The ant had not thought the problem through 　　15　　 it began its journey and in the end the feather was 　　16　　 more than a burden．Isn't our 　　17　　 like that?

　　We worry about our families; we worry about the 　　18　　 of money; and we worry about all kinds of things．These are all burdens－the things we picked up along life's path, and drag them around the obstacles and over the cracks that life will bring, only to 　　19　　 that at the destination they are 　　20　　 and we can't take them with us．

阅读下面短文，从短文后各题的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

　　When I was a boy, every holiday that I had seemed wonderful．My 　　1　　 took me by train or by car to a hotel by the 　　2　　．All day, I 　　3　　 on the sands with strange 　　4　　 children．We made houses and gardens, and 　　5　　 the tide(潮水)destroy them．When the tide went out, we 　　6　　 over the rocks and looked down at the fish in the rock－pools．

　　In those days the 　　7　　 seemed to shine always brightly 　　8　　 the water was always warm．Sometimes our family 　　9　　 the beach and walked in the country, exploring(探索)ruined houses and dark woods and climbing trees．There were 　　10　　 in one's pockets or good places where one could 　　11　　 ice creams．Each day seemed a lifetime．

　　Although I am now thirty－five years old, my idea of a good 　　12　　 is much the same as it was．I 　　13　　 like the sun and warm sand and the sound of 　　14　　 beating the rocks．I no longer wish to 　　15　　 any sand house or sand garden, and I dislike sweets, either．　　16　　, I love the sea and often feel sand running through my fingers．

　　Sometimes I 　　17　　 what my ideal(理想的)holiday will be like when I am 　　18　　．All I want to do then, perhaps, will be to lie in bed, reading books about 　　19　　 who make houses and gardens with sands, who watch the incoming tide, who make themselves 　　20　　 on too many ices．