(浙江省2008学年第二学期温州中学高三三模考试)

Today I am known for my voice. Perhaps the greatest honor came when I was asked to read The  New Testament（《新约全书》）on tape .

       But it  21  a long time to believe such good things could happen to me. When I was a child, I stuttered（结巴）so badly that I was completely   22  to speak in public.

         23   when I was 14, Professor Donald Crouch came to my school. He was a retired college professor. English was his favorite subject and   24  was his deepest love. He held a book of poems as if it were a crystal,    25   pages as if uncovering treasures. When he heard that our school was teaching Shakespeare and other classics, he felt   26  for not being a part of our school sooner.

       When he  27 that I not only loved poetry but was  28  it, we became closer. There was, however, one   29  -- Professor Crouch could not stand the  30  that I refused to read my poems to the class.

       “Jim, poetry is   31  to be read aloud,” he said. “You should be able to speak those beautiful words.” I shook my head and  32  .

       One day he   33  me .

       After handing in a poem, I waited for his  34  . It didn’t come. Instead one day as the students had gathered together, he   35  me , “Jim, I don’t think you wrote this poem.”

       I stared at him in disbelief. “Why,” I started,   36  flooding me. “of course I did !” “Well, then,” he said, “you’ve got to prove it by getting up and reciting it from   37  .”

       By then the other students had settled at their desks. With knees shaking, I walked up to the front. For a moment I stood there,  38  . Then I began, and kept going. I recited my poem all the way   39  !

       Afterwards, Professor Crouch encouraged me to read other writers’ poetry before the public. I discovered I did have a (n)  40  and found my classmates actually looked forward to hearing me recite.

21．A．lasted                  B．took                    C．cost                    D．wasted

22．A．impatient             B．unlikely               C．unable                 D．impossible

23．A．But                     B．Then                   C．Besides               D．However

24．A．archaeology         B．art                      C．architecture         D．poetry

25．A．drawing              B．turning                C．writing                D．finding

26．A．regretful              B．thankful               C．relieved               D．annoyed

27．A．decided               B．recognized           C．learned                D．proved

28．A．reading                B．reciting                C．publishing            D．writing

29．A．difficulty             B．promise               C．agreement           D．difference

30．A．matter                 B．fact                     C．idea                    D．belief

31．A．said                    B．found                  C．prepared              D．meant

32．A．turned away        B．sat down             C．talked back          D．gave in

33．A．greeted                B．scolded               C．tricked                D．comforted

34．A．help                    B．idea                     C．reward               D．comment

35．A．challenged           B．attacked              C．noticed                D．told

36．A．pride                   B．anger                  C．excitement           D．joy

37．A．heart                   B．beginning             C．mind                   D．memory

38．A．terrified               B．disappointed         C．breathless            D．aimless

39．A．down                  B．up                       C．around                D．through

40．A．voice                  B．sound                  C．appearance          D．interest