（广东省汕头市苏北中学2010届高三第四次月考）

I was a single parent of four small children, working at a low-paid job. Money was always tight, but we had a    21    over our head, food on the table, clothes on our backs, and if not a lot, always    22   . Not knowing we were poor, my kids just thought I was strict. I’ve always been glad about that.

It was Christmas time, and although there wasn’t money for a lot of gifts, we planned to celebrate with a family party. But the big   23   for the kids was the fun of Christmas. Fortunately, I had saved $120 for    24    to share by all five of us.

The big    25   arrived. I gave each kid a twenty – dollar bill and    26    them to look for gifts of about four dollars each. Then everyone scattered. We had two hours to shop; then we would meet back at the “Santa’s Workshop”.

Driving home, everyone was in high Christmas spirits, except my younger daughter, Ginger, who was unusually    27   . She had only one small, flat bag with a few candies － fifty – cent candies! I was so angry, but I didn’t say anything until we got home. I called her into my bedroom and closed as the door, ready to be angry again. This is what she told me.

“ I was looking around    28   of what to buy, and I stopped to read the little cards on the ‘Giving Trees’. One was for a little girl, four years old, and all she wanted for Christmas was a doll. So I took the card off the tree and    29   the doll for her. We have so much and she doesn’t have anything.”

I never felt so   30   as I did that day.

21.    A. roof                  B. hat                    C. sky                   D. star

22.    A. little                   B. less                   C. enough              D. more

23.    A. improvement      B. problem             C. surprise             D. excitement

24.    A. toys                  B. clothes              C. presents            D. bills

25.   A. day                   B. chance              C. cheque              D. tree

26.    A. forced               B. reminded           C. invited               D. begged

27.    A. quiet                  B. excited              C. happy                D. ashamed

28.   A. learning             B. thinking             C. knowing            D. telling

29.    A. made                 B. searched            C. bought              D. fetched

30.    A. angry                B. rich                   C. patient               D. bitter

Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.

I was a single parent of four small children, working at a low-paid job. Money was always tight, but we had a   36   over our heads, food on the table, clothes on our backs, and if not a lot, always   37  . Not knowing we were poor, my kids just thought I was strict. I’ve always been glad about that.

It was Christmas time, and although there wasn’t money for a lot of gifts, we planned to celebrate with a family party. But the big   38   for the kids was the fun of Christmas shopping.

They planned weeks ahead of time, asking each other what they wanted for Christmas. Fortunately, I had saved $120 for presents to share by all five of us.

The big   39   arrived. I gave each kid a twenty-dollar bill and   40   them to look for gifts of about four dollars each. Then everyone scattered(散开). We had two hours to shop; then we would   41   back at the “Santa’s Workshop”.

Driving home, everyone was in high Christmas spirits   42   my younger daughter, Ginger, who was unusually quiet. She had only one small, flat bag with a few candies---fifty-cent candies! I was so angry, but I didn’t say anything   43   we got home. I called her into my bedroom and closed the door,   44   to be angry again. This is what she told me.

“I was looking   45   thinking of what to buy, and I stopped to read the little cards on the ‘Giving Trees.’ One was for a little girl, four years old, and all she wanted for Christmas was a doll. So I took the card off the tree and   46   the doll for her. We have so much and she doesn’t have anything.”

I never felt so   47   as I did that day.

36. A. roof                   B. hat                  C. sky                   D. star

37. A. little                    B. less                 C. enough              D. more

38. A. improvement       B. problem           C. surprise             D. excitement

39. A. day                    B. chance            C. cheque              D. tree

40. A. forced                B. reminded         C. invited               D. begged

41. A. draw                  B. stay                 C. move                       D. meet

42. A. including             B. besides            C. except               D. as well as

43. A. since                  B. after                C. while                 D. until

44. A. waiting               B. ready               C. hoping               D. afraid

45. A. out                     B. over                C. forward             D. around

46. A. made                  B. searched          C. bought              D. fetched

47. A. angry                 B. rich                 C. patient               D. bitter