Question

阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出可以填人空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

Here’s a surprising fact: Of the 1.1 million firefighters in the United States, about 780,000 are volunteers. Roughly a third of the population is ________ by mostly- or all-volunteer fire departments.

Also ________, perhaps. Sometimes they have to pay for their own gear.

I ________ this because I volunteer as a firefighter in Durango, Colorado. I responded to more than 50 calls in 2014, everything from ________ to car accidents. In that period, I spent close to $1,000 on optional gear not supplied by my ________, things like higher-quality flashlights, knives, and better gloves, which make my ________ easier.

Yesterday, a ________ was introduced in Congress that would give a significant tax break to those who volunteer their time as ________ responders. I hope it passes, not because it will put some money in my pocket ________, hey, (that’ll be nice) but because it will ease the financial burden on volunteers and acknowledge their time commitment. I believe it will ________ more people to help.

And we ________ that.

In ________ areas where population density is low and calls for fire and EMS services are relatively rare, it just doesn’t ________ to have career firefighters on the staff 24/7 (全天候). ________, volunteers are used to fill in the ________. We are ready to put our regular lives aside to help someone on what is the ________ day of their life. We have likely never met before, and might never again, but it doesn’t ________ in a crisis. Without volunteers, the whole system would collapse.

There’s a T-shirt that’s popular among us, reading “For Pride, Not ________.” We volunteer because we know our ________ need us. We don’t need a small tax break. Without one, we’ll still put on our gear when the alarm goes off without any ________. But we’d appreciate one, and if it encourages more people to join us, it’s worth it.

1.A. taughtB. inspiredC. supportedD. protected

2.A. surprisingB. amusingC. pleasingD. worrying

3.A. appreciateB. knowC. proveD. analyze

4.A. wildfiresB. wars

C. lightningD. embarrassments

5.A. companyB. departmentC. teamD. family

6.A. mannerB. lifeC. projectD. job

7.A. guestB. politicianC. billD. word

8.A. wiseB. proudC. sameD. first

9.A. soB. whenC. thoughD. because

10.A. encourageB. persuadeC. inviteD. allow

11.A. neglectB. needC. predictD. admit

12.A. darkB. ruralC. dirtyD. cold

13.A. end upB. stand outC. work outD. make sense

14.A. RecentlyB. QuicklyC. InsteadD. Besides

15.A. timeB. holeC. formD. gap

16.A. busiestB. hottestC. worstD. shortest

17.A. matterB. passC. existD. happen

18.A. SatisfactionB. PayC. StrengthD. Education

19.A. communitiesB. neighborsC. childrenD. patients

20.A. disappointmentB. troubleC. hesitationD. anxiety

Answer 1