Once I spoke at a high school. After the speech, the principal asked me to see a special student. An     1   had kept the boy home, but he had expressed an interest in meeting me, and it would mean a great deal to him. I agreed.

He was Matthew.   2  he was born, the doctor told his parents that he would not live to see five, then they were told    3  would not make it to ten. Now he was thirteen. He wanted to meet me because I was a gold-medal weight lifter.

I spent over an hour talking to Matthew. He spoke about   4  and succeeding and seeking（追寻）his dreams.

When we finished talking, I went to my    5 and pulled out the first gold medal I won and put it around his neck. I told him he was more of a winner and knew more about    6   and overcoming obstacles（克服障碍）than I ever would. He looked at it for a while, then took it off and handed it   7  to me. He said, “You are a champion. You earned that medal. Someday when I get to the Olympics and win my own medal, I will show it to you.”

Last summer I got the news that Matthew had   8   and a letter Matthew had written to me a few days before:

Dear Rick,

My mom said I should send you a thank-you letter. The doctors are   9  to tell me that I don't have long to live any more. But I still smile as much as I can.

I told you that in the future I was going to the Olympics and win a gold medal. But I know now I'll      10   . I know I'm a champion, and God knows that too. When I get to Heaven, God will give me my medal and when you get there, I will show it to you.

Thank you for loving me.

Your friend

Matthew

1.                A．excuse         B．effect          C．operation D．illness

2.                A．While          B．When          C．Although  D．Because

3.                A．they           B．he             C．she  D．I

4.                A．winning        B．teaching        C．playing   D．working

5.                A．home          B．desk           C．classroom D．bag

6.                A．failure         B．success         C．luck D．smile

7.                A．around         B．in             C．back D．down

8.                A．went away      B．passed away     C．stayed away   D．moved away

9.                A．surprised       B．brave          C．sorry D．happy

10.               A．never          B．ever           C．often D．seldom

He was struggling(费劲) to tie his shoes. I was struggling with whether I should help him. I did, and he was grateful.
“Thank you,” he said.
“I’m glad I could help. I just thought it would be easier for me to reach,” I said.
He was a disabled man, and forced to look down most of the time. His arms and legs were twisted(扭曲的) terribly, and he couldn’t do what the rest of us would consider easy tasks. He always managed to look up to see how you reacted(反应) to his words, however. He had a big smile, making me feel comfortable.
I was still on my knees by his wheelchair.
“ Nice shoes,” he said.
“Thanks. No one ever complimented (赞美) me on them before,” I said.
“No one has the same view of the world as I do,” he replied.
“Tell me about the world as you see it,” I said smiling.
“Most people can see if someone is comfortable with them or not in their eyes. I see it in their feet.” he said. “If people keep moving their feet, I just let them go, because I know they’re impatient with me. I don’t want to make people uncomfortable.
“What about me? I asked.
“I could see your compassion. And then you came down to my level. I was the one who was nervous.” he said. “I don’t normally have someone look me in the eye.”
“They don’t know what they’re missing,” I told him.
“My old face is nothing to brag(自夸) about.” he said.
“But that smile is so big.”
Yes, and it’s not only a big smile but an attitude.
【小题1】The disabled man knew people were impatient mostly by their _________.

用方框中所给单词的适当形式填空，使短文完整正确。（每个单词限用一次）

I took the bus to school every day when I was in primary school. Alvin, our bus  1.   , picked us up every morning. We were all from 2.      families. My parents could hardly support the family with 3.     children.

Once a month, Alvin stopped at a local bus-stop. Then someone came out and 4.      each of us if we wanted an ice cream or a drink. Alvin paid for it. At the end of school year, he took us to 5.      home for dancing. The 6.       that he showed was amazing. We didn’t get treats like that too often, so what he did for us was 7.    remembered.

Twenty years later, I called him and 8.      him for us. I told him that he probably couldn’t remember me, but I sure9.      him! And I could hear the smile in his voice when he said he was happy that I called.

He is the reason why I do my 10.     to show kindness to everyone I meet. He has had a big influence on my life. And I am very pleased that I was able to tell him.

Ashley Smith is a single young mother with a daughter. She was moving into her house in Atlanta, Georgia early on the morning of March 12, when a man      her to her door, and put a gun to her side. “I started walking to my door, and I felt really, really     ,” she said in a TV interview last week.
The man was Brian Nichols, 33 years old. He      at an Atlanta courthouse on March 11^th. The police were      him.
Nichols tied Smith up with a rope, but set her free after she begged him not to take her     again and again. “I told him      he hurt me, my little girl wouldn’t have a mummy,” she said with tears.
“I just talked to him and tried to      believe me,” Smith said. She asked Nichols     he chose her. “He said he thought I was an angel sent from God, and      asked him to do so.”
Smith even      for the man before he allowed her to leave. Nichols was      when she made him breakfast and that the two of them watched TV, seeing      looking for him. “I cannot      that’s me on the TV!” Nichols told the woman. Then, Nichols asked Smith what he      do. She said, “I think you should turn yourself in. If you don’t, more people are going to get    . Finally, he let her go. Then she called the police.