第二节：完形填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从16-35各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
The Price of a Dream
　　I grew up poor—living with my wonderful mother. We had little money, but plenty of love and attention. I was 　16　 and energetic. I understood that no matter how poor a person was, he could still 　17　 a dream.
My dream was 　18　. By the time I was sixteen, I started playing baseball. I could throw a ninety-mile-per-hour fastball and 　19　 anything that moved on the football field.
I was also  20　. My high school coach was John, who not only believed in me, but also taught me 　21　to believe in myself. He 　22　 me the difference between having a dream and remaining true to that dream. One particular 　23　 with Coach John changed my life forever.
　　A friend recommended me for a summer job. This meant a chance for money in my pocket—money for a new bike, new clothes and the 　24　 of savings for a house for my mother. Then I realized I would have to 　25　 up summer baseball to handle the work schedule, and that meant I would have to tell John I wouldn’t be playing.
　　When I told John, he was 　26　 as I expected him to be. “You have your whole life to work,” He shouted. “Your 　27　 days are limited. You can’t afford to waste them.” I stood before him with my head 　28　, trying to think of the right　29　　that would explain to him why my dream of buying my mom a house and having money in my pocket was worth facing his 　30　 in me.
　　“How much are you going to make at this job, son?” He asked. “3.5 dollars an hour,” I replied.
　　“Well,” he asked, “is $ 3.5 an hour the price of a dream?”
　　That simple question made  31    for me the difference between  32 　something at once and having a 　33　. I decided myself to play sports that summer and the ___34    year after I finished high school, I was hired by the Pittsburgh Pirates to play baseball, and was 　35　 a $ 20,000 contract. Finally, I bought my mother the house of my dream!
16. A. happy                 B. polite　             C. shy　                        D. honest
17. A. live                    B. have　　　       C. make　　　           D. need
18. A. athletics                 B. music　　　     C. business　　              D. money
19. A. kick                   B. play                   C. pass　　　　             D. hit
20. A. right                   B. popular　　       C. lucky　　　             D. honest
21. A. how                   B. why　　　        C. when　　　           D. whether
22. A. gave                   B. taught　　　     C. brought　　　          D. asked
23. A. accident                 B. matter　　      C. problem　　            D. experience
24. A. aim　　　　    B. idea　　　       C. start　　　　           D. purpose
25. A. keep　　　      B. end　　　       C. give　　　　           D. pick
26. A. mad　　　　     B. mournful　             C. frightened　           D. shameful
27. A. living　　　     B. playing　　        C. working　　            D. dreaming
28. A. moving　　      B. nodding　　       C. shaking　　           D. hanging
29. A. answers　　      B. excuses　　        C. words　　　            D. ways
30. A. sadness　　    B. regret　            C. hopelessness           D. disappointment
31. A. direct　　　　  B. clear　　           C. straight　　　      D. bare
32. A. wanting　　　    B. changing　　       C. dreaming　　           D. enjoying
33. A. wish　　　　　 B. goal　　　                 C. score　　　　      D. desire
34. A. following　　　 B. same　　           C. previous　　            D. very
35. A. charged　　　　B. got　　　　         C. offered　　       D. presented

“Good night, Yammine.”

“Good night, Chief，” I reply.

The cell door __36__ and I hear Chief's keys clinking as other doors clang shut further down the row. I step into my little cell and sit down. I glance up at the window, covered in mesh(铁网)，and think to myself, “This isn't a life, it's just a(n) __37__．”

Being __38__ makes me feel as though I'm being buried alive. I am a puppet(木偶) with people __39__ strings so that I eat, sleep and wake when they want me to.

I lie on my bed as night __40__ and think the same thoughts __41__. I think about how it all went so wrong, and imagine how I will __42__ for all the time I've lost.

Every day I live the same routine and nothing changes except the people. Prisoners depart for other prisons, or get __43__. Others __44__ from different prisons, or fresh from custody. It's a __45__ revolving(旋转) door.

When I committed my __46__， I was a lost young boy, but now I am __47__. Walking around the yard, I would notice my fellow prisoners reading books and writing letters to friends and family, which upset me as my __48__ at school was limited.

I longed for the day when I'd be able to sit in the sun, enjoying a cup of coffee and reading a newspaper or book __49__ my choice. I also longed to write letters to my friends and family, sharing my thoughts and feelings.

I decided not to waste my time inside and, __50__， make the most of all the resources available to me. I started to learn and was __51__ to realize my dream.

Now, after five years' persistence, heartache and hard work, I have __52__ my goal. Having __53__ a course as a reading adviser, I can now help others to read and write. And I have even started a creative writing workshop at Junee Correctional Centre. Learning to read and write at a highter level has given me the inner strength to present myself in a more __54__ manner.

And the day I've dreamed about has come true: I now enjoy my cup of coffee with a book in my other hand. Learning to read and write has changed my life and this article is my first piece of “proper” writing, and it won't be my __55__．

1.A. opens　　　　　B. closes　　　　　　　C. breaks　　　　D. sticks

2.A. existence  B. appearance  C. offence  D. holiday

3.A. at school  B. at home  C. in hospital  D. in prison

4.A. pulling  B. shaking  C. winding  D. casting

5.A. becomes  B. drops  C. feels  D. falls

6.A. once and for all  B. over and over again  C. once again  D. for good

7.A. do up  B. make up  C. fix up  D. mend up

8.A. revealed  B. sentenced  C. punished  D. released

9.A. reach  B. get  C. arrive  D. go

10.A. continually  B. occasionally  C. accidentally  D. rarely

11.A. mistake  B. crime  C. error  D. fault

12.A. caught  B. home  C. found  D. trapped

13.A. attendance  B. absence  C. allowance  D. assistance

14.A. in  B. of  C. over  D. by

15.A. however  B. instead  C. thus  D. nevertheless

16.A. devoted  B. dedicated  C. determined  D. decided

17.A. gained  B. recognized  C. arrived  D. achieved

18.A. attended  B. completed  C. started  D. organized

19.A. positive  B. negative  C. sensitive  D. passive

20.A. best  B. worst  C. latest  D. last

My husband Mike hated Christmas. He didn’t hate the true meaning of ___36___, but the commercial aspects (方面) of it. Knowing he felt this ____37__, I decided one year to__38__the usual shirts, sweaters, ties and so on. I reached for something __39_just for Mike. The idea came in an unusual way.

　　 Our son Kevin, who was 12 that year, was____40__at the junior level at the school he attended and shortly before Christmas, there was a non-league match___41____a team sponsored（资助） by a church.

　　 These youngsters from the church, dressed in shoes so____42___that shoestrings(鞋带) seemed to be the only thing holding them together,___43_____our son’s team were in their beautiful new wrestling shoes.

　　 As the match began, I was___44___to see that the other team was wrestling without a helmet(头盔) designed to___45____a wrestler’s head. They clearly could not____46___ them. Well, our son’s team ended up defeating them and took every weight class. But as the other team ____47__up from the mat(垫子), they walked around with a sense of pride that couldn’t admit___48____.

　　 Mike, seated beside me, shook his head___49___, “I wish just one of them could have won,” he said. “They have a lot of potential(潜力), but___50___like this could take the heart right out of them.” Mike loved__51____and he knew them, having coached little league football, baseball. That’s when the __52____for his present came. That afternoon, I went to a local sporting goods store and ___53____some wrestling helmets and shoes and sent them to the church.

　　 On Christmas Eve, I placed the envelope on the tree, the note inside telling Mike what I had done and that this was his____54___from me. His smile was the____55___ thing about Christmas that year.

1.                A．the gift         B．an envelope     C．the wrestling   D．Christmas

2.                A．way           B．joy            C．music    D．fear

3.                A．buy            B．avoid 　        C．wear D．give

4.                A．beautiful        B．expensive　     C．special   D．new

5.                A．wrestling       B．weightlifting     C．shooting  D．boxing

6.                A．at             B．against 　　     C．for  D．on

7.                A．big            B．small 　        C．worn D．cheap

8.                A．because        B．if 　           C．so   D．while

9.                A．frightened      B．disappointed     C．pleased   D．surprised

10.               A．cover          B．surround　　    C．protect    D．hide

11.               A．carry          B．afford 　       C．design D．expect

12.               A．got            B．dressed 　　    C．turned    D．cheered

13.               A．defeat         B．evidence　　    C．charge    D．mistake

14.               A．gently          B．sadly　         C．nervously  D．gladly

15.               A．running        B．winning 　　    C．losing D．shaking

16.               A．workmates      B．parents 　　    C．friends    D．kids

17.               A．invitation       B．idea 　　       C．care  D．money

18.               A．return         B．sold 　　       C．bought    D．left

19.               A．gift            B．warning 　　    C．praise D．love

20.               A．brightest       B．funniest　      C．ugliest D．darkest

Anne Whitney, a sophomore (大学二年级学生) at Colorado State University, first had a problem taking tests when she began college. "I was always well prepared for my tests. Sometimes I studied for weeks before a test. Yet I would go in to take the test, only to find I could not answer the questions correctly. I would blank out because of nervousness and fear. I couldn't think of the answer. My low grades on the tests did not show what I knew to the teacher. “Another student in biology had similar experiences. He said, "My first chemistry test was very difficult. Then, on the second test, I sat down to take it, and I was so nervous that I was shaking. My hands were moving up and down so quickly that it was hard to hold my pencil. I knew the material and I knew the answers. Yet I couldn't even write them down!"

　　These two young students were experiencing something called test anxiety. Because a student worries and is uneasy about a test, his or her mind does not work as well as it usually does. The student cannot write or think clearly because of the extreme tension and nervousness. Contrary to people’s common belief that poor grades are often a result of poor study habits, sometimes test anxiety plays a role in students’ achieving low grades. Recently, test anxiety has been recognized as a real problem, not just an excuse or a false explanation of lazy students.

　　Special university advising courses try to help students. In these courses, advisors try to help students by teaching them how to manage test anxiety. At some universities, students take tests to measure their anxiety. If the tests show their anxiety is high, the students can take short courses to help them deal with their tensions. These courses teach students how to relax their bodies. Students are trained to become calm in very tense situations. By controlling their nervousness, they can let their minds work at ease. Learned information then comes out without difficulty on a test.

　　An expert at the University of California explains, " With almost all students, relaxation and less stress are felt after taking our program. Most of them experience better control during their tests. Almost all have some improvement. With some, the improvement is very great. "

1.To "blank out" is probably______.

A．to be like a blanket                      B．to be sure of an answer

C．to be unable to think clearly               D．to show knowledge to the teacher

2.Poor grades are usually believed to be the result of______.

A．poor sleeping habit                      B．laziness

C．test anxiety                            D．inability to form good study habits

3.Test anxiety has been recognized as______.

A．an excuse for laziness                    B．the result of poor study habits

C．a real problem                          D．something that cannot be changed

4.A University of California advisor said______.

A．all students could overcome the anxiety after taking a special test anxiety program

B．almost all students felt less stress after taking a University of California advising course

C．students found it difficult to improve even though they had taken a special test anxiety course

D．students found it easy to relax as soon as they entered a University of California advising course

完形填空

My husband Jack hated Christmas. He didn’t hate the true meaning of ___16___, but the commercial aspects of it. Knowing he felt this ______17___, I decided one year to___18___the usual shirts, sweaters, ties and so on. I reached for something _____19__just for Jack. The idea came in an unusual way.

　　 Our son Kevin, who was 12 that year, was______20______at the junior level at the school he attended and shortly before Christmas, there was a non-league match____21_____a team sponsored by a church.

　　 These youngsters from the church, dressed in shoes so_______22_____that shoestrings seemed to be the only thing holding them together,____23______our son’s team were in their beautiful new wrestling shoes.

　　 As the match began, I was_____24_____to see that the other team was wrestling without a helmet designed to____25_____a wrestler’s head. They clearly could not_____26_____ them. Well, our son’s team ended up defeating them and took every weight class. But as the other team ______27_____up from the mat, they walked around with a sense of pride that couldn’t admit______28______.

　　 Jack, seated beside me, shook his head_____29_____, “I wish just one of them could have won,” he said. “They have a lot of potential, but______30_____like this could take the heart right out of them.” Jack loved_____31_____and he knew them, having coached little league football, baseball. That’s when the ____32______for his present came. That afternoon, I went to a local sporting goods store and _____33______some wrestling helmets and shoes and sent them to the church.

　　 On Christmas Eve, I placed the envelope on the tree, the note inside telling Jack what I had done and that this was his_______34_____from me. His smile was the_______35______ thing about Christmas that year.

1.                A．the gift         B．an envelope     C．the wrestling   D．Christmas

2.                A．way           B．joy            C．music    D．fear

3.                A．buy            B．wear           C．avoid D．give

4.                A．beautiful        B．expensive       C．new D．special

5.                A．wrestling       B．weightlifting     C．shooting  D．boxing

6.                A．at             B．against         C．for  D．on

7.                A．big            B．small           C．worn D．cheap

8.                A．because        B．if              C．while D．so

9.                A．frightened      B．disappointed     C．pleased   D．surprised

10.               A．cover          B．surround       C．hide  D．protect

11.               A．carry          B．afford          C．design D．expect

12.               A．dressed        B．got            C．turned    D．cheered

13.               A．defeat         B．evidence       C．charge    D．mistake

14.               A．gently          B．sadly           C．nervously  D．gladly

15.               A．running        B．winning        C．losing D．shaking

16.               A．workmates      B．parents         C．friends    D．kids

17.               A．invitation       B．care           C．idea  D．money

18.               A．return         B．sold           C．bought    D．left

19.               A．gift            B．warning        C．praise D．love

20.               A．brightest       B．funniest        C．ugliest D．darkest