I have always been interested in clowns(小丑)．The earliest thing I can remember，as a child of three，is seeing a pair of clowns梠ne is very fat，the other is very 1 ndline．A traveling circus(马戏团) came to our town and my parents took me to see it．When we arrived at the circus，egeryone was laughing at the clowns．I didn't un-derstand why they were laughing，2 ndline　 I laughed,too．

　　While I was 3 ndline，the fat clown came and sat down next to me．“Shall we dance?”he asked，then 4 ndline　 me up and began dancing．I felt frightened and I began to cry．5 ndline　 then I have been interested in clowns．They make me laugh a lot，although they still make me a bit 6 ndline　 too．

　　In life，we sometimes laugh at things that 7 ndline　 us．We often laugh most at people who make us nervous．When we laugh，we relax and 8 ndline　 ourselves．People who never laugh can become worried and ill．

Laughter is like medicine and a clown is like a 9 ndline．

　　There have always been，and there will always be clowns，because people need to laugh．Laughter is the best kind of 10 ndline　 in life．

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任务型阅读

　　Mark Twain as you know，was famous in his days as public speaker．In his public speeches(演讲) he always liked to tell funny stories．

　　He also liked to listen to funny stories and to play jokes on his friends.One day one of his friends lost his wallet and asked Mark Twain to pay his train fare for him．

　　"But I don't have enough money to pay both your fare and my fare．"Mark Twain said．The friend didn't know what to do．

　　"We can do this，"said Mark Twain，"We can get on the train and when the conductor comes to check the ticket，you can hide under my seat"．

　　Later，however，when the conductor come to check the tickets．Mark Twain gave him two tickets梠ne for himself and one for his friend．Then he explained in a loud voice．"My friend here is a strange man．When he travels on a train，he does not like to sit on the train．"People looked at the poor friend under the seat and laughed at him．

　　Notes:

　　1．Mark Twain 马克·吐温(1835～1910) 美国小说家及幽默文学家

　　2．wallet (放钞票用的)皮夹子

　　3．train fare 火车票

　　4．conductor 列车员

　　5．to check the ticket 查票

　　根据短文内容，回答问题。

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完形填空。

　　I am sitting in an empty football field after my last high school football game that finished a few hours ago．I'm the mid-field player in my team．But in fact that's not 　　1　　 now．I was the mid-field player because,as I said,this was my 　　2　　 game．That's a good way to end a high school football career(生涯),especially if you win,but even though you don't,it's 　　3　　 to leave at a high point．

　　I was eight when I first started playing football．My dad 　　4　　 football,and he used to practise with me at home-passing,catching and running．We used to practise almost every evening 　　5　　 it got too dark．He tried to teach me everything he knew about the 　　6　　．“Just remember：don't ever 　　7　　．”

　　“Stay in the game．Don't lose your concentration(专注)．”

　　“Go out there and give 110 percent(百分之……)every time．”Well,that was a long time ago,but I still hear his words 　　8　　 in my ears．

　　I had a lot on my mind 　　9　　 the game today．I don't like things to end,I guess,and this was the last game．I was talking to myself and warning myself about what to do and not to do．I didn't sleep at all 　　10　　,and when the sun came up this morning,I reached the point where 　　11　　 just wanted it all to be over,finished,done．But then when the game started,my mind became 　　12　　．I just lived in this game,this moment．I didn't hear the crowd;I didn't feel the cold or the pain;I never felt tired．I just kept my eyes on the 　　13　　,and it was just me and the ball and,inside,a soft,white light 　　14　　 me the way to the goal．It was a beautiful,empty feeling．

　　It's all over now,and it's really getting cold here．It's starting to snow．The sun's almost gone,and I can 　　15　　 see the goal．Now it's dark and I'm sitting here all alone．Well,I guess it's time to say good-bye and move on．

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