A nurse took the tired, anxious serviceman to the bedside. “Your 　21 is here,” she said to the old man. She had to repeat the 　22 several times before the patient’s eyes opened.

　　　 Heavily sedated (服镇定剂) because of the pain of his heart attack, he 　23 saw the young uniformed Marine standing outside the oxygen tent. He 　24 out his hand. The Marine wrapped his toughened fingers around the old man’s weak ones, conveying a message of love and 25 .

　　　 The nurse brought a chair so that the Marine could sit beside the bed. All through the 　26　 the young Marine sat there in the poorly lighted ward (病房)， 27 the old man’s hand and offering him words of love and strength. Occasionally, the nurse 　28 that the Marine move away and rest a while.

　　　 He refused. Whenever the nurse came into the ward, the Marine was oblivious (不注意) of her and 　29 the night noises of the hospital----the clanking of the oxygen tank, the laughter of the night staff members exchanging greetings, the cries and moans of the other 　30 .

　　　 31 she heard him say a few gentle words. The dying man said nothing, only held 　32 to his son the whole night.

　　　 Along towards dawn, the old man died. The Marine released the now 　33 hand he had been holding and went to tell the nurse. While she did what she had to do, he waited. Finally, she returned. She started to offer words of 　34 , but the Marine 　35 her.

　　　 “Who was that man?” he asked.

　　　 The nurse was 　36 , “He was your father,” she answered.

　　　 “No, he wasn’t,” the Marine replied, “I 　37 saw him before in my life.”

　　　 “Then why didn’t you say something when I took you to him?”

“I knew right away there had been a 　38 , but I also knew he needed his son, and his son just wasn’t here. When I realized that he was too sick to tell 　39 I was his son, knowing how much he needed me, I 　40 .”

21.　 A. son　　　　　　　　　 B. brother　　　　　　　　　　 C. cousin　　　　　　　　　　 D. friend

22.　 A. phrase　　　　　　　 B. sentences　　　　　　　　 C. passages　　　　　　　　 D. words

23.　 A. unwillingly　　　　 B. unclearly　　　　　　　　 C. unhappily　　　　　　　　 D. unusually

24.　 A. reached　　　　　　 B. left　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. carried　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. picked

25.　 A. excitement　　 B. happiness　　　　 C.encouragement　　　 D. disappointment

26.　 A. morning　　　　　 B. noon　　　　　　　　　　　 C. afternoon　　　　　　　　 D. night

27.　 A. catching　　　　　 B. taking　　　　　　　　　　　 C. holding　　　　　　　　　　 D. shaking

28.　 A. ordered　　　　　　 B. suggested　　　　　　　　 C. demanded　　　　　　　　 D. insisted

29.　 A. of　　　　　　　　　　 B. with　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. about　　　　　　　　　　　 D. at

30.　 A. doctors　　　　　　 B. nurses　　　　　　　　　　 C. relatives　　　　　　　　　 D. patients

31.　 A. In the end　　　 B. More or less　　　　 C. Now and then　　　 D. Time and again

32.　 A. tightly　　　　　　　 B. loosely　　　　　　　　　　 C. roughly　　　　　　　　　 D. wildly

33.　 A. abnormal　　　　　 B. helpless　　　　　　　　　 C. steady　　　　　　　　　　 D. lifeless

34.　 A. anger　　　　　　　 B. sympathy　　　　　　　　 C. love　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. disfavor

35.　 A. rejected　　　　　　 B. thanked　　　　　　　　　 C. interrupted　　　　　　　 D. presented

36.　 A. astonished　　　　 B. pleased　　　　　　　　　　 C. grateful　　　　　　　　　 D. considerate

37.　 A. ever　　　　　　　　 B. never　　　　　　　　　　　 C. seldom　　　　　　　　　　 D. once

38.　 A. fault　　　　　B. mistake　　　　　　　　 C. disadvantage　　　　　　 D. disagreement

39.　 A. that　　　　　　　　　 B. why　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. whether　　　　　　　　　 D. what

40.　 A. waited　　　　　　　 B. left　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. lived　　　　　　　　　　　 D. stayed