In January of 1968, I was “surfing” TV channels when I was caught by Funny Business, a show about cartoons. I had always wanted to be a(n) 36 but never knew how to go about it. I wrote to the host of the show, cartoonist Jack Cassady, asking him for advice 37 entering the profession.

A few weeks later, I got an encouraging 38 letter from Jack, 39 all of my specific questions. He went on to warn me of the possibility of being 40 at first, advising me not to get discouraged 41 that happened. He went further, saying the cartoon 42 I sent him were good and worthy of publication.

I got very 43 and submitted my best cartoons to Playboy and New Yorker. The magazines quickly rejected me with 44 little photocopied form letters. Frustrated, I decided to 45 cartooning.

In June of 1987, I was surprised to get a second letter from Jack Cassady. It 　46 as follows:

“Dear Scott, I’m dropping you this note to again encourage you to 47 your ideas to various publications. I 48 you lots of luck, sales and good drawing.”

I hadn’t 49 thanked him for his first letter! Again, I dragged out my art brushes and set to 50 the sample strips(连环漫画) now known as Dilbert. It finally became popular.

As Dilbert 51 more successful, I came to appreciate Jack’s simple act of 52 .

How can you ever 53 a kindness like that? Just reach out to some person who badly needs encouragement and 54 it on. Do it for somebody who knows you have nothing to gain. There’s no 55 thing as a small and great act of kindness.　　　　　

36. A. actor　 　　　　　 B. writer　　　　　　　　　　　 C. photographer　　　　　 D. cartoonist

37. A. on　　　　　　　　　　 B. with　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. in 　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. to

38. A. informal　　　　　　 B. formal　　　　　　　　　　 C. handwritten　　　　　　　　　　 D. printing

39. A. asking　　　　　　　　 B. answering　　　　　　　　 C. neglecting　　　　　　　　 D. replying

40. A. published　　　　　 B. rejected　　　　　　　　　 C. recognized　　　　　　　 D. appreciated

41. A. if　　　　　　　　　　　 B. unless　　　　　　　　　　 C. since　　　　　　　　　　　 D. before

42. A. magazines　　　　　 B. books　　　　　　　　　　　 C. samples　　　　　　　　　 D. models

43. A. disappointed　　　 B. excited　　　　　　　　　　 C. interested　　　　　　　　 D. surprised

44. A. impolite　　　 B. kind　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. warm　　　　　　　　　　　 D. cold

45. A. forget about　　　 B. give in　　　　　　　　　　 C. build up　　　　　　　　　 D. get in

46. A. wrote　　　　　　　　 B. spoke　　　　　　　 　 C. told　　　　　　　　　 　 D. read

47. A. submit　　　　　　　 B. apply　　　　　　　　　　　 C. lead　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. add

48. A. expect　　　　　　　 B. hope　　　　　　　　　　　 C. wish　　　　　　　　　　　 D. may

49. A. even　　　　　　　　　 B. only　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. still　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. just

50. A. put on　　　　　　　　 B. work on　　　　　　　　　 C. give up　　　　　　　　　　 D. take on

51. A. seemed　　　　　　　 B. went　　　　　　　　 　 C. became 　　　　　　　　 D. came

52. A. love　　　　　　　　　 B. friendship　　　　　　　　 C. hurt　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. kindness

53. A. award　　　　　　　　 B. pay　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. treat　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. repay

54. A. pass 　　　　　 　　B. receive　　　　　　　　　　 C. deliver　　　 　　　 D. move

55. A. so　　　　　　　　　　 B. this　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. such　　　　　　　　　　　 D. like

When someone takes shoes to a shop to be mended, he is given a ticket with a number on it. Then, 36 his shoes are ready, he goes back to the shop, gives the ticket to the shoemaker, gets his shoes and 37 for them.

One day Mrs. Smith gave her husband a 38 of her shoes which needed mending and asked him to 39 them to the shop. Mr. Smith did so, and put the 40 for them in his pocket.

He went back four days 41 to get the shoes, 42 when he went into the shop, he was not able to find his ticket 43 ,and the shoemaker did not want to give him the 44 until he got the ticket.

“How do I know that the shoes are 45 unless you give me the ticket?” he said. “If I give them to you now, somebody 46 may come into my shop with the ticket tomorrow, and then I shall not be able to give him the shoes.”

Mrs. Smith needed the shoes very much, so her husband 47 for a moment and then went out to his 48 , which was at the side of the road 　49 the shop. He 50 the door, and whistled（耳语）to his wife’s small 51 , which was sitting on the back seat. Then he went back into the shop and 52 it, “Get the shoes!” The dog began to 53 around the shop, and soon it found Mrs. Smith’s shoes and brought them to Mr. Smith one after the 54 .

“That should prove（证明）that they are my wife’s.” Mr. Smith said.

The shoemaker 55　 and then he gave the shoes to Mr. Smith.

36.A.before　　　　 B. when　　　 　　　　　 C. since　　　 D. unless

37.A.cares　　　　 B. looks　　　 　　　　　 C. pays　　　 D. waits

38.A. pair　　　　 B. set　　　　 　　　　　　　 C. kind　　　 D. piece

39.A. show　　　　 B. change　　　 　　　　　 C. lead　　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. take

40.A. bill（帐单）　 B. paper　　　　　 C. ticket　　　　 D. list

41.A.late　　 　　　　　　　 B. later　　　　　　　 C. ago　　　　　　 D. long

42.A.but　　　 　　　　　　 B. because　　　　　 C. and　　　　　　　 D. or

43. A. everywhere　　 B. anywhere　　　　　 C. nowhere　　　　　 D. somewhere

44. A. return　　　 B. idea　　　　　　　 C. shoes　　　　　　 D. answer

45. A. what　　　　 B. whose　　　　　　　 C. where　　　　　　 D. yours

46. A. else　　　　　 B. some　　　　　　　 C. every　　　　　　 D. all

47. A. worried　　　 B. cried　　　　　　　 C. thought　　　　　 D. hoped

48. A. train　　　　 B. bus　　　　　 　　　 C. boat　　　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. car

49. A. inside 　　　 B. outside　　　　 　　　 C. up　　　　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. round

50 .A. opened　　　 B. closed　　　　 　　 C. broke　　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. built

51. A .clock　　　　 B. dog　　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. cat　　　　 　　　　　　　 D. hen

52. A. said to　　　　 B. replied　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. answered　　　　　 D. talked

53. A .hear　　　　　 B. taste　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. smell　　　 　　　　　　　　 D. see

54. A. each　　 　　　　　 B. once　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. any　　　　 　　　　　　　 D. other

55. A .surprised B. frightened　　　　　 C. cried out D. laughed

When I come across a good article in reading newspapers, I often want to cut and keep it. But just as I am about to do so, I find the article on the 　36 side is as much interesting. It may be a discussion of the way to 37 in good health, or 38 about how to behave and conduct yourself in society. If I cut the front article, the opposite one is likely to suffer 39 , leaving one half of it or keeping the text 40 the title. Therefore, the scissors(剪刀) would stay before they start, 　41 the cutting would be halfway done when I find out the 42 result.

Sometimes two things are to be done at the same time, both worth your 　43 . You can only take up one of them; the other has to wait or be 　44 up. But you know the future is unpredictable – the changed situation may not 　45 you to do what is left behind. Thus you are 　46 in a difficult position and feel sad. How come nice　 47 and clever ideas should gather around all at once? It may happen that your life 48 greatly on your preference of your one choice to the other.

In fact that is what 　49 is like; we are often 　50 with the two opposite sides of a thing which are both desirable(引人的) 　51 a newspaper cutting. It often occurs that our attention is drawn to the thing only 　52 we get into another. The 　53 may be more important than the latter and give rise to a divided mind. I 54 remember a philosopher’s remarks: “When one door shuts, another opens in life.” So a casual(不经意的) 　55 may not be a bad one.

36. A. same　　　 B. opposite　　　 C. either　　　　 D. front

37. A. get　　　 B. bring　　　　 C. lead　　　　　 D. keep

38. A. advice　　 B. news　　　　　 C. theory　　　　 D. report

39. A. damage　　 B. destroy　　　 C. hurt　　　　　 D. injury

40. A. on　　　　 B. for　　　　　 C. without　　　 D. off

41. A. or　　　　 B. but　　　　　 C. so　　　　　　 D. for

42. A. satisfying B. regrettable　 C. surprising　　 D. impossible

43. A. courage　 B. patience　　　 C. strength　　　 D. attention

44. A. given　　 B. picked　　　　 C. held　　　　　 D. made

45. A. persuade　 B. agree　　　　 C. allow　　　　 D. tell

46. A. filled　　 B. struck　　　　 C. caught　　　　 D. attracted

47. A. chances　 B. conditions　　 C. wishes　　　　 D. ways

48. A. progresses B. goes　　　　　 C. changes　　　 D. improves

49. A. study　　 B. life　　 C. societyD. nature

50. A. supplied　 B. connected　　 C. fixed　　　　 D. faced

51. A. to　　　　 B. like　　　　　 C. as　　　　　　 D. by

52. A. as　　　　 B. until　　　　 C. before　　　　 D. after

53. A. following B. former　　　　 C. above　　　　 D. next

54. A. still　　 B. also　　　　　 C. almost　　　　 D. once

55. A. treatment B. action　　　　 C. choice　　　　　 D. remark

We often talk about ourselves as if we have permanent genetic defects (缺陷) that can never be changed. “I’m impatient.” “I’m always behind.” “I always put things 　36 !” You’ve surely heard them. Maybe you’ve used them to describe 　37 .

These comments may come from stories about us that have been 　38 for years—often from 　39 childhood. These stories may have no 　40 in fact. But they can set low expectations for us. As a child, my mother said to me, “Marshall, you have no mechanical (操作机械的) skills, and you will never have any mechanical skills for the rest of your life.” How did these expectations 　41 my development? I was never 　42 to work on cars or be around 　43 . When I was 18, I took the US Army’s Mechanical Aptitude Test. My scores were in the bottom for the entire nation!

Six years later, 　44 , I was at California University, working on my doctor’s degree. One of my professors, Dr. Bob Tannbaum, asked me to write down things I did well and things I couldn’t do. On the positive side, I 　45　 down, “research, writing, analysis, and speaking.” On the 　46 side, I wrote, “I have no mechanical skills.”

Bob asked me how I knew I had no mechanical skills. I explained my life 　47 and told him about my 　48 performance on the Army test. Bob then asked, “ 49 is it that you can solve 　50 mathematical problems, but you can’t solve simple mechanical problems?”

Suddenly I realized that I didn’t 　51 from some sort of genetic defect. I was just living out expectations that I had chosen to 　52 . At that point, it wasn’t just my family and friends who had been 　53 my belief that I was mechanically hopeless. And it wasn’t just the Army test, either. I was the one who kept telling myself, “You can’t do this!” I realized that as long as I kept saying that, it was going to remain true. 　54 , if we don’t treat ourselves as if we have incurable genetic defects, we can do well in almost 　55 we choose.

36. A. away 　 B. down 　　　　　　　 C. up 　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. off

37. A. yourself 　 　 B. myself 　　　　　　　　　 C. them 　　　　　　　　　　 D. others

38. A. said 　　　 B. repeated 　　　　　　　 C. spread 　　　　　　　 D. spoken

39. A. as long as 　　 B. as much as 　　　　　 C. as well as 　　　　　 D. as far back as

40. A. cause 　　　　　　 B. plot 　　　　　　　 C. basis 　　　　　　　　　　 D. meaning

41. A. affect 　　　　　　 B. improve 　　　 C. lead 　　　　　　　 　 D. change

42. A. hoped　　　 　 B. demanded 　　　　　 C. encouraged 　 　 D. agreed

43. A. means 　　　　　 B. hammers 　　　 C. facilities 　 D. tools

44. A. therefore 　　　 B. however 　　　　 　 C. instead 　　　　　　　　 D. somehow

45. A. took　 　　　　　 B. turned 　　　　　　　　 C. settled 　　　　　　　　 D. got

46. A. negative 　　　　 B. active 　　　　　　　　 C. passive 　　　　　　　　 D. subjective

47. A. roads　　　 　 B. trips 　　　　　　　　　　 C. experiences 　　　　 D. paths

48. A. unexpected 　 B. average 　　　　　　　 C. excellent 　　　　　　 D. poor

49. A. When　 　　　　 B. Why　 　　　　　　　　　 C. How 　　　　　　　 D. What

50. A. common 　　　　 B. advanced 　　　　　 C. complex　　　　　　　　 D. primary

51. A. suffer 　　　　　 B. separate 　　　　　　 C. arise 　　　　　　　　　　 D. come

52. A. adopt　 　　　　　 B. suspect 　　　　　　　 C. believe 　　　　　　　 D. receive

53. A. weakening 　　 B. accepting　 　　　　 C. abandoning 　　　 D. strengthening

54. A. As a result 　　 B. On the contrary 　 C. In addition 　　　　　 D. At the same time

55. A. nothing 　　　　 B. something 　　　　　 C. anything 　　　　　　　 D. all

Many years ago,I owned a service station and roadhouse on the main road between Melbourne and Adelaide.

One very cold,wet night at about 3:30 a.m.,there was a 　 16　 on the front door of our house.A young man,wet from 　　 17　　 to toe,explained that he had 　　 18　　 out of petrol about 30 km up the road.He had left his pregnant(怀孕的) wife and his two children 　 19　 at the car and said that he would hitchhike(搭便车) back.

Once I had 　 20　 a can with petrol,I took him back to his car where his two-year-old and four-year-old children were both 　 21 ,saying that they were cold.Once the car had started,I suggested that he 　 22　 me back.

Before leaving,I had turned the heater 　23　 in the roadhouse,so that when we went in,it was nice and 　 24 .While the little ones played and ran 　 25　 ,I prepared bread and butter for the children,and hot chocolate for the 　26 .

It was about 5 a.m. before they 　27 .The young fellow asked me how much he 　 28　 me and I told him that the petrol pump(加油泵) had 　 29　 $15.He offered to pay “call-out fee”,but I wouldn’t accept it.

About a month later,I received a 　 30　 from Interstate,a large bus company that we bad been trying to 　 31　 to stop off at our roadhouse for a long time.It 　 32　 out that the young fellow I had helped was its general manager,the most 　33 person in the company.

In his letter,he thanked me again and 　 34 me that,from then on,all their buses would stop at my service station.In this 　 35　 ,a little bit of kindness was rewarded with a huge amount of benefits.

16.A.kick 　　　　　　　　　 B.hit　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C.beat　　　　　　　　　　　　 D.knock

17.A.finger　　　　　　　　　 B.shoulder　　　　　　　　　 C.head　　　　　　　　　　　　 D.hand

18.A.driven　　　　　　　　　 B.used　　　　　　　　　　　　 C.come　　　　　　　　　　　 D.run

19.A.away　　　　　　　　　 B.behind　　　　　　　　　　　 C.over　　　　　　　　　　　　 D.out

20.A.supplied　　　　　　　 B.poured　　　　　　　　　　 C.equipped　　　　　　　　　 D.filled

21.A.sleeping　　　　　　　 B.crying　　　　　　　　　　　 C.quarrelling　　　　　　　　 D.fighting

22.A.allow　　　　　　　　　 B.ring　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C.lead　　　　　　　　　　　　 D.follow

23.A.on　　　　　　　　　　　 B.off　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C.in　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D.over

24.A.neat　　　　　　　　　　 B.hot　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C.warm　　　　　　　　　　　 D.attractive

25.A.around　　　　　　　　 B.inside　　　　　　　　　　　 C.nearby　　　　　　　　　　 D.along

26.A.drivers　　　　　　　　 B.guests　　　　　　　　　　　 C.customers　　　　　　　　 D.adults

27.A.left　　　　　　　　　　　 B.arrived　　　　　　　　　　 C.ate　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D.disappeared

28.A.gave　　　　　　　　　　 B.paid　　　　　　　　　　　　 C.owed　　　　　　　　　　　 D.offered

29.A.appeared　　　　　　　 B.exhibited　　　　　　　　　 C.calculated　　　　　　　　 D.shown

30.A.call　　　　　　　　　　　 B.letter　　　　　　　　　　　　 C.check　　　　　　　　　　　 D.notice

31.A.get　　　　　　　　　　　 B.force　　　　　　　　　　　　 C.require　　　　　　　　　　 D.hope

32.A.pointed　　　　　　　　 B.turned　　　　　　　　　　　 C.worked　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D.found

33.A.generous　　　　　　　 B.successful　　　　　　　　 C.serious　　　　　　　　　　 D.powerful

34.A.praised　　　　　　　　 B.persuaded　　　　　　　　 C.informed　　　　　　　　　 D.convinced

35.A.lesson　　　　　　　　　 B.business　　　　　　　　　 C.aspect　　　　　　　　　　　 D.case