My husband Jeff and I moved into our new home in Scottsbluff last year just before Christmas. I did not have the 1 or energy to carry out my traditional Christmas decorating and baking activities. What was the point, anyway? It was going to be a 2 Christmas after all.

__3__, the neighborly nature of west Nebraska residents started to trickle (陆续来临) in.

There was a 4 on the door one evening. It was Jeff’s new colleague, John Smith, and his wife, Phyllis. The Smiths had stopped by to 5 us to town with a loaf of homemade bread. They pointed out a 6 on the porch (门廊). Apparently the doorbell wasn’t working in the cold snowy weather and we had 7 a visit from the Browns, our across-the-street neighbors, who brought us a Christmas card and more Christmas cookies.

The 8 feelings brought by these thoughtful gestures lasted longer than the food.

As Jeff and I were clearing pre-Christmas 9 from our driveway, Ernie Guzman came over from next door to 10 us to dig out.

Then, we received an invitation to 11 a Christmas Eve meal with our neighbors, Ernie and Nancy Sommer, and their 12 — a 90-year-old lady, who also had no family in the immediate area with whom to spend the holiday.

Our Christmas Eve was quite merry, thanks to our 13 . Our Christmas morning 14 was special, thanks to the Smiths’ gift of bread. I was so 15 for these gestures of welcome, especially during the holidays.

This year, we were again unable to be with our families for Christmas. The 16 and work schedules just made things too difficult. 17 that sense of Christmas isolation (孤立) all too well, we decided to try to round up some other folks who were 18 in the holidays.

Lonely people are all around us, but most of us 19 notice them. Just take a look around you. Sometimes, the smallest 20 gesture can make a world of difference.

1. A. chance　　　　　　 B. time　　　　　　 C. anxiety　　　　 D. ability

2. A. merry　　　　　　 B. free　　　　　　 C. lonely　　　　　 D. usual

3. A. Therefore　　　　　 B. Meanwhile　　　 C. Somehow　　　 D. However

4. A. card 　　　　　　 B. sign　　　　　　 C. knock　　　　　 D. note

5. A. welcome　　　　　 B. invite　　　　　　 C. drive　　　　　 D. send

6. A. tree　　　　　　　 B. package　　　　　 C. mail　　　　　　 D. flower

7. A. forgot　　　　　　 B. arranged　　　　 　C. received　　　　 D. missed

8. A. deep　　　　　　 B. true　　　　　　　 C. warm　　　　　 D. mixed

9. A. snow　　　　　　 B. rubbish　　　　　 C. dust　　　　　 D. leaves

10. A. teach　　　　　　 B. help　　　　　　　 C. urge　　　　　 D. forbid

11. A. share　　　　　　 B. prepare　　　　　 C. taste　　　　　 D. exchange

12. A. aunt　　　　　　 B. guest　　　　　　 C. maid　　　　　 D. partner

13. A. folks　　　　　　 B. relatives　　　　　 C. colleagues　　 D. neighbors

14. A. call　　　　 　　B. greeting　　　　　 C. breakfast　　　 D. meeting

15. A. sorry　　　　　　 B. eager　　　　　　 C. ready　　　　　 D. grateful

16. A. distance　　　　 B. expense　　　　　 C. season　　　　　 D. situation

17. A. Studying　　　　 B. Showing　　 　　C. Knowing　　　　 D. Discovering

18. A. alone　　　　　 B. busy　　　　　　 C. happy　　　　　 D. active

19. A. always　　　　　 B. seldom　　　　　　 C. finally　　　　　 D. usually

20. A. careful　　　　　 B. patient　　　　　　 C. vague　　　　 　D. kind

阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从各题所给的四个选项中，选出一个最佳答案。

A shopkeeper in England was sent a telegram 1 him of the news 2 his 3 won 100,000 pounds in the Irish Sweepstakes(爱尔兰大马赛). He 4 to be home nursing a heart condition, and his wife opened the message. 5 that the 6 news might 7 a heart failure to her husband, she invited the family 8 to dinner and asked him 9 on the good news with professional tact(策略).After dinner, the doctor 10 his patient to one side.

“How are you 11 on with your business?” the doctor began.

“It could be better. I could use a few hundred pounds,” said the shopkeeper.

“Well,”the doctor said 12 ,“you have a sweepstakes ticket. What would you do if you 13 1,000 pounds?”

“Nobody 14  wins,”the an answered with a sigh(叹息).“But if I win, I will send my family to the seashore, and 15 off our debts.”

“ 16 you win 50,000 pounds…”

“I would buy this house and a villa(别墅) 17 the country.”

“What would you do if you won 100,000 pounds?”

The man looked up.“ Listen, my friend,” he said 18 .“I swear(发誓)I would give you half of it.”

19 this, the doctor gasped(喘粗气), opened his mouth, and dropped 20 .

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       Be Brave With New Things

   The old advertising slogan, “so simple a child can do it ,” has taken on new meaning to me. A few weeks ago I got a computer, but I an mechanically illiterate. I knew that children had no fear of the future, so that seemed a good place to seek help. I asked my nephew, twelve years old, at an elementary school, to help me.

   My nephew took the machine for granted and has simply accepted the fact that computers are now a way of life. He plays with them and does his homework on them and even creates programs for them. I , on the other hand, are terrified by what this equipment can do. It can interchange paragraphs, switch words around and even correct my spelling. It informs me of Its limitations, takes commands and asks questions. It even seems to have a sense of communication. Rather than accusing me of making an error, it prints “One of us has made a mistake!” It never gets tired and is always patient and ready to go when I am.

   I think it was somewhat normal for me to be suspicious of computers. They represent a break with some very familiar habits and traditions. It is only human to instinctively avoid anything that shifts thoroughly from the acceptable, comfortable past. But the world is governed by ceaseless change and we must therefore establish links with the present and future as well as the past. Computer technology is an excellent case in point, as the newest systems grow out of date in only a few years, or even months.

   This ability to see, experience and accept the new is one of our saving characteristics. To be fearful of tomorrow, to close ourselves to possibilities, to resist the inevitable, to advocate standing still when all else is moving forward, is to lose touch. If we accept the new with joy and wonder, we can move gracefully into each tomorrow. More often than not, the children shall lead us.

6．What is the new meaning of  “So simple a child can do it” for the author?

A．computers are so easy to operate that even a child can play them well

B．A child can always do more complex things than an adult.

C．It is easier for a child to accept new things than for an adult.

D．A child has greater ability than an adult in operating computers.

7．According to the second paragraph, which of the following statements is true?

A．The nephew thought it is natural to accept the fact that computers are now a way of life.

B．The nephew believed that machines were made for people to do whatever they wanted.

C．computers are not only used to communicate, but also to remove their limitations.

D．It is a fact that both adults and children have accepted computers as a way of life.

8．Which of the following doesn’t the author’s computer do ?

A．It asks the author if she has made a mistake.

B．It accuses the author of making mistakes.

C．It corrects the author’s spelling mistakes.

D．It informs the author of her mistakes.

9．According to the third paragraph, it is human nature that we resist those things which   

A．only represent the comfortable and acceptable past

B．change thoroughly into the comfortable and acceptable past

C．make people stand still when all else is moving forward

D．change completely from the acceptable and comfortable past

10．How do you understand the underlined sentence in the  text?

　　A. It is always ready to inform me when I am ready to go.

　　B. It is always ready to start working when I am ready for work.

　　C. When I am ready to go, it is patient to wait.

　　D. When I am ready to go, it has already gone.