Returning from a trip overseas, I felt that something was wrong between Keith, one of my two sons, and me. So I asked him, “Keith, have I done anything that really __21__your feeling?”

Immediately, he said, “Yes. Last Christmas you promised us a special    22    that I really wanted but you never gave it to me.”

The    23   was that I’d completely forgotten about it. I   24     , “Is there anything else I’ve done wrong, but didn’t apologized for?”

Again, his   25    was immediate, “Remember last Christmas when Mom said you had to go to the  26    because Stephen was going to be born? You left us at home and  27        in a hurry. Remember?”

“Well, you left and forgot the suitcase.” I couldn’t believe he  28     all the details! “After you came back from the hospital you were  29    . When you got home, the suitcase had been opened and everything had been thrown all over the place, and you   30   me.”

“And you didn’t do it?” I asked.

“No, I didn’t . I was just searching for my gift.”

My heart sank. I felt  31    . I hugged Keith and asked him to  32     me. His Honesty made me think of our other son, Kevin. Maybe I’d hurt his feelings, too. I went to ask him the same question. Kevin’s answer was as immediate as his  33    , “Last Christmas you promised us a special toy, but you forgot about it.”

Though Christmas had passed, I took my two sons to the store that day and bought them what I had promised. The  34    thing wasn’t the toy. The problem was I’d made a promise too  35     and didn’t keep it as their father.

21.A．showed             B．hurt             C．attended          D．expressed

22.A．candy              B．book             C．picture            D．toy

23.A．challenge          B．message        C．idea               D．fact

24.A．complained       B．apologized     C．continued        D. explained

25.A．suggestion         B．answer          C．memory           D．blame

26.A．hospital           B．church           C．school            D．garden

27.A．settled down      B．went on        C．set off            D．got up

28.A．knew               B．imagined       C．discovered       D．remembered

29.A．angry              B．worried          C．happy            D．satisfied

30.A．praised             B．punished       C．helped            D．educated

31.A．terrible             B．hopeless         C．inspired         D．encouraged

32.A．support            B．criticize         C．suspect           D．forgive

33.A．mother            B．brother           C．sister             D．father

34.A．strange            B．interesting      C．important        D．difficult

35.A．lightly             B．rudely            C．equally           D．truly

When I was in the third grade, I wanted to be just like Mrs. Abshere. She always had a 　36for her students. She made us feel both special and wanted. I truly felt that Mrs. Abshere cared about me. Her patience and kindness helped me 　37 many hard times.

One day, after I got home, the police suddenly came and arrested (逮捕) my parents. I was 38 to death! I held on to my brother and sister as we were 　39 to a children’s home.

As my parents waited for their 　40 , my brother, sister and I waited in the children’s home. Soon days turned into weeks. When I was told that they would be in prison for six months, I 　41 on my bed and cried for hours. I was mad at the world and no longer saw any future for myself. Just at this very moment one of the girls came running up to me. “Hey, there’s a lady here to see you. I think it’s your mom.” Could it be true?

When I got to the end of the hallway, there stood Mrs. Abshere! She held her arms out to me. “Honey, I know 　42 is better than your mom, but I love you, too!” I hugged her and 　43 thanked God for bringing this angel thirty miles out of her way to see me.

As I 　44 Mrs. Abshere around the grounds, I began to feel 　45 again. I was so excited to show her off to all my new friends.

Two weeks later, I said good-bye to all my friends and moved across the state to live in another city with my grandparents.

Sixteen years later, I 　46 Mrs. Abshere, so that I could tell her how grateful (感激的) I was. When I found her, we had the most wonderful conversation. I felt so much 　47 telling her that I was only a year away from becoming a teacher myself. “Oh! That’s great. You can teach students in my room!” So, perhaps I will be returning to Mrs. Abshere’s classroom soon, only this time as a peer (同行) and a very grateful friend.

36. A. message　　　　　　　　　 B. game　　　　　　　　　　　 C. smile　　　　　　　　　　　 D. prize

37. A. with　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. through　　　　　　　　　 C. out　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. off

38. A. lonely　　　　　　　　　　　 B. bored　　　　　　　　　　　 C. frightened 　　　　　　　 D. sorry

39. A. invited　　　　　　　　　　 B. pushed　　　　　　　　　　 C. found　　　　　　　　　　　 D. driven

40. A. news 　　　　　　　　　　 B. reply　　　　　　　　　　　 C. letters　　　　　　　　　　　 D. sentence

41. A. jumped　　　　　　　　　　 B. fell　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. spread　　　　　　　　　　 D. slept

42. A. nobody B. somebody C. anybody　　　　　　　　　 D. everybody

43. A. carefully B. seriously C. nervously D. silently　　

44. A. walked　　　　　　　　　　 B. helped　　　　　　　　　　 C. talked　　　　　　　　　　　 D. saw　　　

45. A. wonderful　　　　　　　 B. hopeful　　　　　　　　　　 C. interested　　　　　　　　 D. relaxed

46. A. searched for 　　　　　 B. rang up C. called on D. bumped into

47. A. patience　　　　　　　　　 B. shame　　　　　　　　　　 C. pride　　　　　　　　　　　 D. hope