An elderly carpenter (木匠) was ready to retire. He told his employer of his 　41 to leave the house building　 　42 and live a more leisurely life with his wife, 　43 　time with his extended family. He would　 　44 　the pay, but he needed to retire. They could 45　 .

The employer was　 　46 　to see such a good worker leave and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal　 47 　. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was 　48 　to see that his heart was not in his work. He built the house　 　49 　and used poor materials. It was an 　50 　way to end his career.

When the carpenter　 　51 　his work, the employer handed the front – door key to the carpenter. “This is your house,” he said, “a　 　52 　to you.”

What a shock! What a　 53 ! If he had only known he was building his 54 　house, he would have done it all so　 　55 . Now he had to live in the house he had built none too well.

　 　56 　it is with us. We build our　 　57　 in a distracted (心不在焉)way, reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than the best. At 　58 　points we do not give the job our best effort. Then with a shock we look at the situation we have　 59　 and find that we are now living in the house we have built . If we had　 60 , we would have done it differently.

40. - I’m afraid I failed in the contest.

　- _______. At least you tried.

A. No way　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. Never mind

C. No problem　　　　　　　　　　　 D. I don’t believe it　

39. _______ is certain, people’s living conditions in China have improved a lot since the 1980s.

A. It　　　　　　 　 B. As　　　 　 C. what　　 　 　　　　 D. Which

38. Li Ming, as well as some of his classmates, ______voluntary work now.

A. are doing　　 　　　　　　　　 B. is doing　　 　　　　 C. do　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. have done

37.After _______ the area for three hours, the police found the truck near a river.

A. searching　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. searching for　　 　　　　

C. in search for　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. looking for

36. Pakistan does not _____ the possibility of a war starting with India, but promises to do everything it can to reduce tensions (紧张).

A. give out　　　 　　 B. send out　　 　　　 C. turn out　　　 　 D. rule out

35. The ______ bodies _______ the world ______ mummies.

A. preserving; are known to; as 　　　　　　　 B. preserved; are known as; to

C. preserving; are known as; to　　　　　　　　 D. preserved; are known to; as

34. The old lady has two daughters, _______ are famous actresses.

A. both of them　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. both of whom　

C. each of them　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. none of whom

33. We were to go out for a walk ________ it began to rain.

A. while　　　　 　 B. before　　　 C. as　　　　 　　　　　 D. when