I believe that families are not only blood relatives, but sometimes people who show up and love you when no one else will.

In May 1977, I was living in a Howard Johnson’s motel off Interstate 10 in Houston. My dad and I 21 a room with two double beds and a bathroom which was too 22 for a 15-year-old girl and her father. Dad’s second marriage was 　23 and my stepmother had 　24 us both out of the house the previous week. Dad had no　 25_ what to do with me. And that’s when my other family 　26 .

Barbara and Roland Beach took me into their home 　27　 their only daughter, Su, my best friend, asked them to. I 　28 with them for the next seven years.

Barb washed my skirts the same as Su’s. She 　29 I had lunch money, doctors’ appointments, help with homework and nightly hugs. Barbara and Roland attended every football game where Su and I were being cheerleaders. 30 I could tell, for the Beaches there was no 31 between Su and me; I was their daughter, too.

When Su and I 32 college they kept my room the same for the entire four years I attended school. Recently, Barb presented me with an insurance policy they bought when I first moved in with them and had continued to pay on for 23 years.

The Beaches knew 33 about me when they took me in – they had heard the whole story from Su. When I was seven, my mother died and from then on my father relied on other people to _34 his kids. Before I went to live with the Beaches I had believed that life was entirely 　35__ and that love was shaky and untrustworthy. I had believed that the only person who would take care of me was me.

36 the Beaches, I would have become a bitter, cynical (愤世嫉俗的) woman. They gave me a(n) 37 that allowed me to grow and change. They kept me from being paralyzed(使瘫痪 ,使麻痹 ,使无能力)by my _38　 , and they gave me the confidence to open my heart.

I 　39 family. For me, it wasn’t the family that was there on the day I was 　40　 , but the one that was there for me when I was living in a Howard Johnson’s on Interstate 10.

16．A. lived　　 B. shared 　　 C. possessed　　　　 D. bought

17．A. cheap　　 B. noisy　　　 C. small　　　　　　 D. limited

18．A. in trouble B. in sight 　　 C. in place 　 D. in parts

19．A. struck　　　　 B. removed　 C. kicked 　　 D. knocked

20．A. plan　　　　 B. choice 　　　 C. chance 　　 D. idea

21．A. looked after　 B. showed up　　 C. turned over 　　 D. came cross

22．A. so　　　　　 B. because　　　 C. until 　　　　 D. while

23．A. worked　　　 B. traveled　　　 C. lived 　　　　 D. learned

24．A. worked out　　 B. called up　　 C. watched out　　　 D. made sure

25．A. As long as B. As far as　　 C. As soon as 　　　 D. As many as

26．A. change 　　 B. problem 　 C. conflict 　 　　D. difference

27．A. set off　　　　　 B. left for　　　　 C. entered into 　　 　　　 D. admitted into

28．A. all 　　 B. little 　 C. something D. nothing

29．A. supply B. teach C. encourage D. raise

30．A. different 　 B. unfair 　　　 C. easy　　 　　　 D. hopeful

31．A. Thanks to B. In spite of C. Except for 　　　 D. But for

32．A. home 　　　 B. house 　　　 C. ability 　　　 　　D. lesson

33．A. choice 　　 B. failure 　　　 C. past　 　　 　　D. present

34．A. doubt about 　　 B. call on 　　 C. center on　　 D. believe in

35．A. born B. accepted 　 C. educated　　 D. deserted

It was January 25th, 2008: Nisha and Akshaye’s 　31 anniversary. But things had changed since their marriage. The couple 　32 about small things. Yet they still loved each other.

Nisha thought her husband might have 　33 about their anniversary. When door bell rang, Nisha was 　34 happy that Akshaye had finally remembered. She ran to open the door. Indeed, Akshaye was standing outside and 　35 a bunch of flowers. They started to have a(n) 36 night. But then the phone started ringing. Nisha went to 　37 it up. There was a man on the other 　38 of the phone. “Hello, madam. I am calling from the 　39 station. Is this Mr. Akshaye Malhotra’s number?”

“Yes, it is.”

“There was an 　40 , and a man died. We got your number from the man’s 　41 . We need you to come here and 　42 the body.”

Nisha’s heart 　43 . “Whhhaat? B...but my husband is here with me.”

“Sorry, madam, the accident took place at 3:00 pm.”

She had heard that the soul of the dead person would come to meet you before it 　44 . She ran to the sitting room. Akshaye was not there. Had something bad really happened? If she had been given __45 chance, she would have mended all her 　46 . She was about to lose her senses. 　47__ Akshaye came out of the bathroom, saying, “Dear, my wallet was 　48 while I was 　49 my way home this afternoon.”

Life might not give you a 　50 chance. So never waste a moment when you have the chance to make up for your deeds.

31. A. marriage　　　　　　 B. engagement　　　 C. divorce　　　　　　　 D. birth

32. A. talked　　　　　　　　 B. argued　　　　　　　 C. quarreled　　　　　 D. agreed

33. A. remembered　　　 B. memorized　　　　 C. reminded　　　　　 D. forgotten

34. A. friendly　　　　　　　 B. luckily　　　　　　　　 C. surprisingly　　　　 D. fortunately

35. A. giving　　　　　　　　 B. holding　　　　　　　 C. carrying　　　　　　 D. delivering

36. A. gentle　　　　　　　　 B. romantic　　　　　　 C. extraordinary　　 D. normal

37. A. pick　　　　　　　　　　 B. put　　　　　　　　　　 C. get　　　　　　　　　　 D. give

38. A. beginning　　　　　 B. end　　　　　　　　　　 C. line　　　　　　　　　　 D. call

39. A. post　　　　　　　　　 B. bus　　　　　　　　　　 C. police　　　　　　　　 D. railway

40. A. incident　　　　　　　 B. affair　　　　　　　　　 C. event　　　　　　　　 D. accident

41. A. ID card　　　　　　　 B. passport　　　　　　 C. license　　　　　　　 D. wallet

42. A. realize　　　　　　　　 B. know　　　　　　　　　 C. achieve　　　　　　　 D. identify

43. A. sank　　　　　　　　　 B. drowned　　　　　　 C. shocked　　　　　　 D. beat

44. A. departed　　　　　　 B. arrived　　　　　　　 C. appeared　　　　　 D. recovered

45. A. the other　　　　　　 B. other　　　　　　　　　 C. another　　　　　　　 D. one

46. A. mistakes　　　　　　 B. failure　　　　　　　　 C. faults　　　　　　　　　 D. disadvantages

47. A. Suddenly　　　　　 B. Luckily　　　　　　　　 C. Unfortunately　　 D. Sadly

48. A. thrown　　　　　　　 B. stolen　　　　　　　　 C. dropped　　　　　　 D. attached

49. A. in　　　　　　　　　　　 B. on　　　　　　　　　　　 C. above　　　　　　　　 D. over

50. A. nice　　　　　　　　　 B. third　　　　　　　　　 C. satisfied　　　　　　 D. second

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 36 at my coat and said, “That man’s cold. Daddy, 37 we take him home?”

　 I don’t remember my reply. But I do remember a sudden 38 feeling inside me. I had always been delighted at how much my daughter noticed in her 39 , whether it was 40 in flight or children playing. But now she was noticing 41 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 42 it to an elderly person. It was quick and easy. I 43 us up. Nora was 44 about it. She could understand the importance of food, so she could easily see how 45 our job was. When Sunday came, she was ready, but I had to 46 myself to leave the house to fetch the food package. On my way to the school, I fought an urge to turn 47 . The Sunday paper and coffee were waiting for me at home. Why do this? 48 , we phoned the elderly person we’d been appointed. She 49 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. 50 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 goodbye, we three hugged, I walked home in tears.

　 Professionals call such a(n) 51 “a volunteer opportunity”. They are opportunities, I’ve come to see. Where else but as volunteers do you have the opportunity to do something 52 that’s good for others as well as for yourself? Nora and I regularly serve meals to needy people and 53 clothes for the homeless. Yet, as I’ve 54 her grow over these past four years, I still wonder—which of us has 55 more?

36. A. waved　　　　 　　 B. glanced　　　　 　 C. pulled　　　　　 D. aimed

37. A. Would　　　　 　　 B. Can　　　　　　　　 C. Need　　　　　　　 D. Must

38. A. general　　　　　　 B. funny　　　　　　　 C. heavy　　　　　 　 D. curious

39. A. world　　　　　　　　　　 B. part　　　　　　　　 C. eyesight　　　　 　 D. area

40. A. insects　　　　　 B. animals　　　　　　　 C. plants　　　　　　　 D. birds

41. A. coldness 　　　　　 B. suffering　　　　　　　 C. illness 　　　　 　 D. ignorance

42. A. delivered　　　　　　 B. returned　　　　　　　 C. devoted　　　　 　 D. posted

43. A. held　　　　　 　　 B. hurried　　　 　　　　 C. signed　　　　　　 D. lined

44. A. casual　　　　 　　 B. sorry　　　　 　　　 C. astonished　　　　　 D. excited

45. A. creative　　　 　　　 B. valuable　　　　　　　 C. shocking　　　　　 D. simple

46. A. warn　　　　　　　 B. stop　　　　　　　　 C. allow 　　　　　　 D. push

47. A. back 　　　　　　　　　　 B. away　　　　　　　　 C. up　　　　　　　　 D. out

48. A. Therefore　　　　　 B. Obviously　　 　　　 C. Also　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. Still

49. A. called　　　　 　　 B. promised　　　　　　 C. invited 　　　　 D. helped

50. A. Although　　　　　 B. Once　　　　　　　 C. Because 　　　　　 D. Though

51. A. stay　　　　　 　　 B. visit 　　　　　　　　 C. adventure 　　　　　 D. challenge

52. A. fair　　　　　 　　 B. famous　　　　　　　 C. difficult　　　 　　　 D. enjoyable

53. A. collect　　　　　　　 B. make　　　　　　　 C. order 　　　　　　 D. wear

54. A. let　　　　　　　　 B. made　　　　　　　 C. watched 　　　　　 D. noticed

55. A. benefited　　　　　　 B. increased　 　　　　　　 C. tried　　　　　 　　 D. seized