通读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从短文后各题所给的四个选项中选择最佳的一项。

Growing up in Australia, I wanted a pen friend. I was 13, had just started middle school and needed someone to talk to. So I went ______39______ all of the pen friend sites (网页) I could find on the Internet, ______40______ for any girls of my age from different countries.

I ______41______ a Swede, an Italian, an American, a Finn, an Arab and an Egyptian, telling them about my family, my school and my ______42______. Only one girl replied: the Egyptian. Her name was Noran Hussein. When I opened my e-mail box and saw the reply, I was ______43______.

We started off by telling each other about our lives. ______44______ from the start I could tell that we shared the same interests. Step by step we ______45______ up to discussing problems all over the world.

People often ask if I”m ______46______ to ask Noran about certain things, like wearing the veil (盖头). I”m not. To me, asking questions is the first step towards understanding. If we stand back and only wonder, we start to ______47______ into problems.

Noran and I are different, but we never say that ______48______ is wrong. I have learned more than I could ever hope to learn from a textbook. I ______49______ people to experience what I have experienced - to learn that it is ______50______ to be different, not to be afraid of one another, to understand.

39. A. through B. across C. round D. on

40. A. asking B. waiting C looking D. reaching

41. A. met B. knew C. called up D. wrote to

42. A. study B. work C. city D. country

43. A. surprised B. happy C. excited D. nervous

44. A. Right B. Even C. Ever D. Only

45. A. held B. worked C. went D. learned

46. A. sure B. glad C. afraid D. sorry

47. A. fall B. step C. jump D. run

48. A. the other B. another C. no one D. either

49. A. help B. wish C. tell D. allow

50. A. nice B. OK C. necessary D. important

38. -- John must be working hard in his room.

-- __________. He may be playing computer games.

A. Don”t be so sure B. You”re right

C. It doesn”t matter D. That”s all right

37. -- What did the policeman say to you just now?

-- He asked __________ when the accident happened.

A. what was I doing B. what I was doing

C. what am I doing D. what I am doing

36. What an old bridge!

-- Yes, it __________ 400 years ago.

A. built B. has built C. was building D. was built

35. -- Which is __________ important, math or physics?

-- I think both are very important.

A. very B. more C. most D. too

34. -- You are late again, aren”t you?

-- Sorry. I had to __________ the baby.

A. dress B. put on C. wear D. dress up

33. -- May I put my bike here?

-- No, you __________. If you do, you may lose it.

A. needn”t B. won”t C. mustn”t D. wouldn”t

32. -- Have you received my e-mail?

-- Not yet. My __________ doesn”t work.

A. radio B. TV set C. watch D. computer

31. -- __________ do you have PE?

-- Three times a week.

A. How often B. How much C. How long D. How many