I had just finished high school when a disaster hit our family. It was October 1962, and 　 21　 was out of the question. So I found a job. In 1971, my employer announced only graduates(大学毕业生) would get 　22　 . My job seemed at a dead end unless I 　 23　 further. And to graduate, I had to pass the higher secondary examination first.

　　　 I 　 24　 an admission form（表格） and rode to the Human Resource（人力资源） Management office. On arriving there, I was 　 25　 ---I couldn’t find the form. It was the last day to 　 26　 the form, and no blank forms were 　27　 at the office. I was standing there, disappointed, 　 28　 an elderly gentleman asked me why I looked so 　 29　 . I told him what happened, 　 30　 , “Now I’ll have to wait another year.”

　　　 “Well,” he said, “if you’re really serious about studying further, come with me. I have a 　 31　 blank form at home.”

　　　 It was 12:30 pm. The counter（柜台） would 　 32　 at 2 pm. His home was 10 km away and I had a slight 　33 of going somewhere with a stranger. Anyway, this was my last chance. We reached his house on my bike. He advised me to remain 　 34　 , and gave me a pen and the form. When it was 　 35　 , he told me to rush back and 　　36　 carefully. I reached the office at 1:58 pm. There were two people in line, waiting for their 　37　 . Just then, the counter official announced that no more forms would be 　 38　 after mine. I breathed a sigh of 　 39　 .

　　　 I passed the exam and later got a bachelor’s degree. I also got the promotions. I 　　40　 it all to the timely help from a true gentleman whose name I forgot to ask.

21. A. education　　　　　 B. competition　　　　　　　 C. college　　　　　　　　　　 D. employment

22. A. attention　　　　　　 B. promotions　　　　　　　 C. prizes　　　　　　　　　　　 D. approval

23. A. attempted　　　　　 B. explained　　　　　　　　 C. studied　　　　　　　　　　 D. worked

24. A. filled in　　　　　　　 B. stepped onto　　　　　　 C. put down　　　　　　　　 D. looked at

25. A. ashamed　　　　　　 B. frightened　　　　　　　　 C. embarrassed　　　　　　 D. shocked

26. A. review　　　　　　　 B. submit　　　　　　　 　 C. find　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. revise

27. A. appropriate　　　　 B. available　　　　　 　 C. practical　　　　　　　　　 D. helpful

28. A. when　　　　　　　　 B. before　　　　　　　 　 C. unless　　　　　　　　　　 D. until

29. A. serious　　　　 　 B. angry　　　　　　　 　 C. troubled　　　　　　　　　 D. tired

30. A. agreeing　　　　　　 B. suggesting　　　　 　 C. responding　　　　　　　 D. adding

31. A. special　　　　　　　 B. similar　　　　　　　 　 C. private　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. spare

32. A. close　　　　　　　　 B. move　　　　　　　　　　　 C. change　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. reset

33. A. regret　　　　　　　　 B. fear　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. sadness　　　　　　　　　 D. puzzle

34. A. quiet　　　　　　　　　 B. slow　　　　　　　　　　　 C. calm　　　　　　　　　　　 D. polite

35. A. rewritten　　　　　　 B. done　　　　　　　　　　　 C. corrected　　　　　　　　 D. read

36. A. follow　　　　　　　　 B. walk　　　　　　　　　　　 C. drive　　　　　　　　　　　 D. answer

37. A. form　　　　　　　　　 B. role　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. luck　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. turn

38. A. accepted B. chosen C. recommended　　　　　 D. recognized

39. A. relief　　　　　　　　　 B. confidence　　　　　　　 C. tension　　　　　　　　　　 D. anxiety

40. A. devote　　　　　　　 B. apply　　　　　　　　　　　 C. owe　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. connect

　　You have probably heard of homing pigeons (鸽子), which usually appeared in war. From 3,000 B．C．to the present, homing pigeons have 1 as postmen. They have been especially useful for carrying messages in time of war. The telegraph is not 2 to carry about. Sometimes only the little pigeon can take a message where it ought to go.

　　In 1870, when the Prussians surrounded the city of Paris, the city was cut off from all the 3 means of communication. The people 4 many different ways of 5 news. One way was to let go small balloons carrying mail. 6 of course, they only drifted 7 the wind carried them. Often they landed inside the enemy's lines. Even balloons large enough to carry a pilot could hardly be well controlled.

　　It was pigeons that in the end solved the 8 . Homing pigeons were brought into 9 . Soon they were carrying letters far and wide. The enemy bought 10 to catch pigeons, but the little postmen could fly faster than their 11 . Strangely enough, pigeons played an important 12 in war.

　　During World War I every army unit had a group of pigeons 13 . Many of them were 14 . Among them was an American pigeon with a French name Cher Ami, which meant “friend”. A group of U.S. soldiers were surrounded by the enemy. They had no food and no bullets. They nearly died of 15 There was 16 hope for them. Cher Ami made his way 17 the bullets and succeeded. At once planes set out to drop food and ammunition (军火) to them. With their strength 18 , the soldiers fought back to their own army and got saved.

　　 19 can pigeons carry the message? There were various methods. Usually the message is put into a little glass tube. The tube is tied to the leg or hidden under 20 or hung around the neck.

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