The drug store was closing for the night and Alfred Higgins was about to go home when his new boss approached him.
“Empty your pockets please, Alfred,” Sam Carr demanded in a firm voice.
Alfred pretended to be shocked but he knew he’d been caught. From his coat he withdrew a make-up kit, a lipstick and two tubes of toothpaste.
“I’m disappointed in you, Alfred!” said the little gray-haired man.
“Sorry, sir. Please forgive me. It’s the first time I’ve ever done such a thing,” Alfred lied, hoping to gain the old man’s sympathy.
Mr Carr’s brow furrowed as he reached for the phone, “Do you take me for a fool? Let’s see what the police have to say. But first I’ll call your mother and let her know her son is heading to jail.”
“Do whatever you want,” Alfred shot back, trying to sound big. But deep down he felt like a child. He imagined his mother rushing in, eyes burning with anger, maybe in tears. Yet he wanted her to come quickly before Mr. Carr called the police.
Mr. Carr was surprised when Mrs Higgins finally arrived. She was very calm, quiet and friendly. “Is Alfred in trouble?” she asked.
“He’s been stealing from the store,” the old man coolly replied.
Mrs. Higgins put out her hand and touched Mr. Carr’s arm with great gentleness as if she knew just how he felt. She spoke as if she did not want to cause him any more trouble. “What do you want to do, Mr. Carr?”
The woman’s calm and gentle manner disarmed the once-angry store-owner. “I was going to get a cop. But I don’t want to be cruel. Tell your son not to come back here again, and I’ll let it go.” Then he warmly shook Mrs. Higgins’s hand.
Mrs. Higgins thanked the old man for his kindness, then mother and son left. They walked along the street in silence. When they arrived home his mother simply said, “Go to bed, you fool.”
In his bedroom, Alfred heard his mother in the kitchen. He felt no shame, only pride in his mother’s actions. “She was smooth!” he thought. He went to the kitchen to tell her how great she was, but was shocked by what he saw.
His mother’s face looked frightened, broken. Not the cool, bright face he saw earlier. Her lips moved nervously. She looked very old. There were tears in her eyes.
This picture of his mother made him want to cry. He felt his youth ending. He saw all the troubles he brought her and the deep lines of worry in her grey face. It seemed to him that this was the first time he had ever really seen his mother.
【小题1】Which of the following is true according to the passage?

My two-year-old daughter Kate wanted a dog. But I was too busy to buy one. One day, Kate ran in, shouting, “Mom! Come to see my dog!” Her face was red with __36__.
I followed her to the bush and found a __37__! He was hurt. Seeing me, he stood up __38__!
I could see his teeth! God! My mouth felt __39__. “Don’t be afraid. That’s mom. She loves you, too.” Kate said. Then he became friendly. It was __40__!
I __41__to find my husband and told him about the wolf. We should have killed the wolf, __42__Kate loved him. Besides, he was gentle to Kate. So we called the vet(兽医）finally.
Kate named the wolf Ralph __43__ she carried food to him every day. Later, Ralph got well. They played together in the daytime. At night, Ralph would return to the mountains. Sometimes he __44__but came back several days later.
On Kate’s first day of school, we could see Ralph’s __45__. After the school bus left, Ralph lay by the side of the road and __46__. When Kate returned, he got happy again. This __47__throughout Kate’s school years.
Twelve __48__passed.
One day we heard that a she-wolf was killed. The other wolf was hurt and ran away. We were__49__about Ralph. That night, Ralph returned with a wound(伤口). Sixteen-year-old Kate held his head and __50__him. We hope he could come through. However, he __51__.
Kate cried. I noticed something strange in the bush-----two little yellow eyes! Ralph’s __52__! Before he died, Ralph __53__his child to us ! He knew he would be __54__here, as he had been. Ralph, Ralph... I was __50__.
“Don’t be afraid, little...Ralphie. That’s mom. She loves you, too.”

完形填空（共20小题，每小题1分，满分20分）
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
Our three-year-old daughter Becky wanted a dog. But we were too busy to buy one. One day, Becky ran in, shouting, “Mom! Come to see my dog!” Her face was red with   1 .
I followed her to the bush and found a   2 ! He was hurt. Seeing me, he stood up   3 ! I could see his teeth! God! My mouth felt dry. “Don’t be afraid. That’s Mom. She  4 you, too.” Becky said. Then he became friendly. It was  5 !
I   6  to find my husband and told him about the wolf. We should have  7  the wolf, but Becky loved him. Besides, he was gentle(温柔的) to Becky. So we called the vet finally.
Becky named the wolf (狼) Ralph ,  8  she carried food to him every day. Later, Ralph got well. They played together in the daytime. At night, Ralph would return to the mountains. Sometimes he   9  but came back several days later.
On Becky’s first day of school, we could see Ralph’s   10 . After the school bus left, Ralph lay by the side of the road and   11  . When Becky returned, he got happy again. This   12  throughout Becky’s school years.
Twelve   13  passed.
One day we heard that a she-wolf was killed. The other wolf was hurt and ran away. We were   14  about Ralph. That night, Ralph returned with a wound (伤). Fifteen-year-old Becky held his head and   15  him. We hope he could come through. However, he   16 .
Becky cried. I noticed something strange in the bush — two little yellow eyes! Ralph’s  17 ! Before he died, Ralph   18  his child to us! He knew he would be  19  here, as he had been. Ralph, Ralph. I was   20 .
“Don’t be afraid, little ... Ralphie. That’s Mom. She loves you, too.”

Mike has loved flying since he was small. When he was three years old, his dad took him to an air show. Mike loved the sounds of the plane and he   31  of becoming an airplane pilot(飞行员) some day. As Mike grew up, he learned as   32   as he could about flying. He wanted to go to flying school  33  university. He kept on 34   his parents about it all the time. At that time, pilot training was very   35  . Mike’s parents couldn’t afford it.
Later Mike became a salesman. He hoped to get lots of money for flying school. He traveled  36  America for his factory. He liked to travel,    37    by plane. To save money, he usually stayed in cheap hotels.
One morning, Mike   38   to Atlanta. On the plane, after breakfast, he went to   39  . Some time later, he woke up. The two men beside him were talking in a   40  voice. When Mike heard the word “hijack(劫持)”, he nearly  41  out of his seat, but he pretended(假装) he was still   42  . He listened when the two men talked. Mike quickly learned what was                  43  . They planned to hijack the plane to Cuba. This made Mike very   44  . He knew he had to stop them before they began their    45   .
Mike pretended to use the washroom. On the way he met a hostess(空姐) and told her about the coming   46  . A moment later, the passengers were told that there was something wrong with the plane. Soon the plane landed at the    47   airport.
The two men received a   48   when they saw twenty police officers were    49    them at the airport.
Later Mike was given free flying training as a reward.    50   he became a pilot and flew happily ever since. Now his story is well known in the United States.

Our three-year-old daughter Becky wanted a dog. But we were too busy to buy one. One day, Becky ran in, shouting, “Mom! Come to see my dog!” Her face was red with   36 .
　　I followed her to the bush and found a   37 ! He was hurt. Seeing me, he stood up   38 ! I could see his teeth! God! My mouth felt dry. “Don’t be afraid. That’s Mom. She  39 you, too.” Becky said. Then he became friendly. It was  40 !
　　I   41  to find my husband and told him about the wolf. We should have 42  the wolf, but Becky loved him. Besides, he was gentle(温柔的) to Becky. So we called the vet finally.
　　Becky named the wolf (狼) Ralph ,  43  she carried food to him every day. Later, Ralph got well. They played together in the daytime. At night, Ralph would return to the mountains. Sometimes he   44  but came back several days later.
　　On Becky’s first day of school, we could see Ralph’s   45 . After the school bus left, Ralph lay by the side of the road and   46  . When Becky returned, he got happy again. This    47  throughout Becky’s school years.
　　Twelve   48  passed.
　　One day we heard that a she-wolf was killed. The other wolf was hurt and ran away. We were   49  about Ralph. That night, Ralph returned with a wound (伤). Fifteen-year-old Becky held his head and   50  him. We hope he could come through. However, he   51 .
　　Becky cried. I noticed something strange in the bush — two little yellow eyes! Ralph’s  52 ! Before he died, Ralph   53  his child to us! He knew he would be  54  here, as he had been. Ralph, Ralph... I was   55 .
“Don’t be afraid, little ... Ralphie. That’s Mom. She loves you, too.”