6．The Write Feeling
Growing up in a military family，I moved a lot．I mostly went to （36）B with other kids whose parents were also in the military．But when my dad （37）D from the Marines after twenty years of service，I found myself （38）B a civilian school with twelve-year-olds who shared no similar life experience with me．
I was a stranger in a strange land．Everyone in my class had grown up together，and they had no room to（39）D for a newcomer．I wore different clothes，had different thoughts，and spoke with an accent．I（40）A for the first few weeks of school．I had no friends，no activities，and no （41）C of a bright future．To deal with it all，I began（42）C in my diary every day---stories of adventure，of old friends，of feelings that I could not speak．I wrote as if my life depended on it，as if the very next
breath I took could not happen （43）A I wrote down words．
One day，my teacher，Mrs．Bush，came to me and asked why I always sat there writing instead
of playing with others．I told her I enjoyed writing and （44）D writing to playing．She smiled at me and walked away．About three weeks later，Mrs．Bush gave us a writing assignment．I was（45）C that I could now participate in something I knew I excelled in．
That night I worked and worked on the essay．I wrote with great（46）D．It was my one chance to feel important and （47）B by the class．
A few days after we handed in our assignments，Mrs．Bush called me up to the（48）A of the classroom．I stood before thirty pairs of eyes looking at me，and I got （49）C．Was I in trouble？Did I do something wrong？
Then Mrs．Bush told the class how much she （50）A all the work that went into the essay and everyone had done a great job．But，she said，one student stood （51）A as an excellent writer，one with imagination，creativity，and word mastery．That student was me!
The class clapped politely and Mrs．Bush handed me my paper，with the following（52）B on it："Malinda，you are an excellent writer．You fill your paper with the breathings of your heart．Please keep on writing and share your （53）C of writing with the world．I am proud of you and glad you are in my class．"
Mrs．Bush helped me feel a sense of （54）B，a place of purpose，and a way to survive a transition in life．She helped me gain（55）D in myself that stayed with me beyond sixth grade．
| 36．A．church | B．school | C．war | D．work |
| 37．A．separated | B．withdrew | C．quit | D．retired |
| 38．A．visiting | B．attending | C．running | D．leaving |
| 39．A．build | B．preserve | C．take | D．spare |
| 40．A．struggled | B．played | C．fought | D．exercised |
| 41．A．memory | B．control | C．promise | D．need |
| 42．A．reading | B．drawing | C．writing | D．copying |
| 43．A．unless | B．once | C．while | D．after |
| 44．A．compared | B．applied | C．turned | D．preferred |
| 45．A．astonished | B．satisfied | C．excited | D．embarrassed |
| 46．A．anxiety | B．curiosity | C．wonder | D．passion |
| 47．A．impressed | B．accepted | C．challenged | D．envied |
| 48．A．front | B．corner | C．door | D．outside |
| 49．A．annoyed | B．disappointed | C．worried | D．surprised |
| 50．A．appreciated | B．expected | C．recognized | D．enjoyed |
| 51．A．out | B．up | C．by | D．off |
| 52．A．descriptions | B．remarks | C．suggestions | D．accounts |
| 53．A．advantage | B．purpose | C．gift | D．idea |
| 54．A．responsibility | B．belonging | C．devotion | D．relief |
| 55．A．interest | B．imagination | C．creativity | D．confidence |
