完型填空
Al was a skilled artist.He had a wife and two fine sons.One night, his oldest son 1 severe stomachache.Thinking it was only some common disorder, neither Al nor his wife 2 the condition very seriously.But the disease was actually acute appendicitis(急性阑尾炎),and the boy died suddenly that night.
Knowing the death could have been prevented if he had only realized the 3 of the situation, under the enormous burden of his guilt, Al's emotional health 4 .To make matters worse, his wife left him a short time later, 5 him alone with his six-year-old younger son.The hurt and pain of the two situations were 6 Al could handle, and he turned to alcohol to help him.In time Al became an 7 .
As the alcoholism progressed, Al began to lose everything he 8 his home, his land, his art objects, everything. 9 Al died alone in a San Francisco motel room.
When I heard of Al's death, I reacted with the same disdain(轻视)the world shows for one who 10 his life with nothing material to show for it.
“What a complete 11 !”I thought, “What a totally wasted life!”
As time went by, I began to re-evaluate my earlier blind 12 .You see, I knew Al's now adult son, Ernie.He is one of the 13 , most caring, most loving men I have ever known.I watched Ernie whit his children and saw the free 14 of love between them.I knew that kindness and caring must come from somewhere.
I hadn't heard Ernie talk much about his father.It is so 15 to defend an alcoholic.One day I worked up my courage to ask him.“I'm really 16 by something.” I said.“I know your father was basically the only one to raise you.What on earth did he do that you became such a special person”?
Ernie reflected for a few moments.Then he said, “From my earliest 17 as a child until I left home at 18,Al came into my room every night, gave me a kiss and said, I love you, son”.
Tears came to my eyes 18 I realized what a fool I had been to judge Al as a failure.He hadn't left any 19 possessions behind, But he had been a kind loving father, and he 20 one of the finest, most giving men I have ever known.